It's Not Truth or Dare

I really couldn't believe what Adrian said to me. He loves me? Even though I heard it clearly and repeatedly from him, it still didn't feel real to me.

"Wait, what?" A smile formed perfectly on my face. When the question left Adrian's lips, that's when I realized that it had been bothering him. "Is that what bothers you?"

Adrian cleared his throat and turned his face away from me. "I need an answer. So what's the answer, Mabel?" Obviously he didn't like the fact that I knew he was jealous, but I liked to push him to the limit, at least for the day.

"Are you jealous?"

Adrian suddenly turned his face to me. "Yeah, I'm jealous. I don't like seeing you with Ashton or any other guy. Just so you know Mabel, I'm not the type of guy who would be okay with seeing the woman I love closer to another man."

When Adrian said that in his deep voice, a chill ran down my spine. I smiled and answered playfully. "Whoa, thanks for the information. But yesterday Ashton was just discussing-" I stopped just as I was about to say that tomorrow was my birthday.

A confused expression furrowed his brows.

"Tomorrow is my birthday," I continued quickly.

Adrian had a passive expression on his face. "Oh," It was the only word that escaped his lips. I could tell he didn't know my birthday, but it didn't matter to me. So far we had only played our part and were together to fill the emptiness of our hearts. So it was fine if he just found out now.

"Ashton asked me to meet him tomorrow night, I think he'll give me a present. That's what he always does every year for my birthday," I shrugged casually. That was indeed what we often did as a best friends.

I noticed a swift change of expression in Adrian's face. It sent an icy tremor through me.

"I didn't even know your birthday is tomorrow," Adrian groaned with dismay and slapped his forehead.

The idea that Adrian was jealous of Ashton because of my birthday was so romantically ludicrous that I giggled. "It's not that important. I don't know your birthday either, how about we tell each other about each other?"

"In fact, my birthday is tomorrow too." Adrian simply said that.

As my excitement grew, I spoke faster. "Seriously?"

"I'm not lying, that's why I was surprised. I forgot that tomorrow is my birthday until you made me remember what date tomorrow is," Adrian explained, growing a smile on my face.

"We should celebrate it!" I expressed the need to celebrate it as it would be the first time we celebrate a birthday together.

"I've never really celebrated birthdays," Adrian mumbled, not looking at me at all since. I reached him, turning his face towards me until there was only my reflection in his eyes.

"We don't have to throw a big party for that. Just you and me, how about that?"

Adrian looked at my face like he was wondering something. Is there something about me that makes him wonder?

"Yeah, you don't like parties anyway." Adrian smirked pleasantly at the fact he just stated.

"So? Yes or no?" I asked enthusiastically.

"But we won't celebrate it at the villa. We'll celebrate it at the place of my choice," Adrian made conditions, and I immediately nodded in agreement.

"Wherever you take me," I smiled at him. It would be a different birthday from the previous years, and I couldn't wait for it. Nothing could be better than that year.

Adrian smiled briefly, but then he sighed. "What is it?" I asked worriedly seeing his expression sour again.

"I don't want you to go see Ashton, but I can't be selfish. You guys are best friends and you do that every year," Adrian explained for a moment.

With a shrug, I said. "You can come along. I mean Ashton wouldn't mind,"

Ashton wouldn't mind, right?

Suddenly Adrian turned to me. There was a smirk appearing on his face. I knew he was satisfied with my answer, but somehow it raised a question for me. Why is he so happy to hear that?

"Okay then, I will join you."

Later that day we should have had another schedule to go to another destination, but it was raining heavily in the city. We decided not to leave the villa and gathered in the living room. I didn't want the same mistake to happen, so I sat next to Adrian. To my right were Miranda, Rainy, and Ashton. I didn't know where Anthonio was, but he was clearly not at the villa with us.

"I have an idea, how about we play truth or dare?" Rainy smiled as she glanced at all of us.

"Bring it on," Miranda nodded in agreement.

"Okay, so this is how it plays out." Rainy got up and took the empty bottle from the table and placed it between us.

The game was fun, but somehow felt dangerous to me now.

"Who will spin the bottle first?" asked Daniel who was sitting next to Adrian with a smirk on his face. I could see he was too excited for the game.

"Ladies first?" Miranda immediately said.

"How could that be," Daniel clearly disagreed. He grabbed the bottle and just spun it around.

I breathed a sigh of relief as the tip of the bottle pointed at Daniel. He chose dare, and of course because of his choice he got a very random challenge from all of us. It was really entertaining and made us laugh.

The game was continued with so much fun. The questions and challenges given were not as dangerous as I thought, moreover the tip of the bottle didn't stop pointing at me and Adrian, but unfortunately Daniel called it cheating. That's why he insisted that Adrian and I should have a turn too.

"So Adrian, truth or dare?" Rainy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Truth," Adrian answered. He was twice as calm as I was.

"When did your first meeting with Mabel happen?"

Adrian looked at me, making me feel a tremor in my chest. "At her father's engagement party. It was the first time we saw each other,"

"You remember," I whispered to him softly with a smile.

"That's too easy for a question," Ashton suddenly said, making us all stare at him. "When is Mabel's birthday, Adrian?" He asked then.

Good thing I told Adrian beforehand about it.

"Tomorrow," answered Adrian casually.

Ashton's expression turned cold. "Her favorite food?" He asked again as if the game of truth or dare was no longer valid. It was just him and Adrian now.

"Chocolate ice cream at the park center parlor," Adrian smirked in satisfaction at his own answer. "Any other questions?"

"Looks like we should get on with the game," Daniel suggested, reaching for the bottle to spin it when Ashton spoke again.

"What is she afraid of from life?" Ashton asked sharply. I sighed softly as Miranda gave me a quick smile. Why are they talking about me?

"Losing people she loved, especially her father. She's also afraid of crowds like parties, but she doesn't want to be left alone either," Adrian answered boldly and was sure that his answer was correct. I looked at him with hot eyes, like I was going to cry any minute. He remembered it all. That's what I told him that night.

Ashton squeaked and stood up from his spot. "I'm out of this useless game of yours,"

I didn't blink as I watched Ashton leave the room. His cold war with Adrian was not what I wanted. I understood that he hated Adrian because of that marriage proposal back then, but now I had accepted it. Adrian and I even had the same feelings for each other. So why is he still acting like that? Doesn't he want to see me happy?

"Ashton!" Rainy got up from her place, following him.

"What is his problem?" Daniel folded his arms across his chest and turned to face me. "By the way, are all of Adrian's answers correct?"

I smiled and nodded. "I didn't expect you to remember all that," I looked at Adrian who was grinning.

"Well, you didn't tell me everything, so there were a few that I figured out myself." Adrian explained to me.

"You should have chosen a dare, so I could dare you to kiss Mabel." Daniel laughed, managing to make my cheeks flush like a burning tomato.

"Stop teasing them, Daniel!" Miranda hit him on the shoulder.

"Why Miranda? You want me to kiss you?" Daniel teased which made Miranda instantly roll her eyes. "I'm a good kisser,"

"In your dream, Mr. Playboy." Miranda said then pulled me along with her. I guessed we would have a girls section. She led me to the backyard, to the swimming pool, laughing all the way through. The rain hadn't let up, and it was still drizzling, but we purposely got our clothes wet.

"You want to get sick, don't you?" I asked Miranda with a laugh. She just shrugged her shoulders and sat by the pool. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Lucas will marry Elena soon," Miranda said, smiling at me even though I knew it was just a pretense to cover her heartbreak.

"Oh my God," I mumbled, hugging Miranda until sobs escaped her lips. I knew the reason why she was sitting in the rain now. Yeah, so that her cries were not seen. "You'll be fine without him, Miranda. You're a strong woman,"

"I know, but it hurts. It hurts me so much," Miranda said amidst sobs that sounded torturous to me.

I wish I was a poet who could knit words, but I wasn't. I didn't really know what to say to calm Miranda down. I could only accompany her, telling her I was there to listen to her.

I closed my eyes, letting Miranda rest more peacefully in my arms. When my eyes opened, I accidentally looked at the back door. There, Adrian and Daniel stood staring at us. They clearly had bewildered expressions, but I was grateful that they didn't ask or approach us.

I rubbed Miranda's back as she sobbed harder. "Your body is starting to shiver, should we go in?" I asked softly.

Miranda nodded, still trying to muster up the strength to stand. I helped her and luckily Adrian and Daniel were still there. I asked Daniel to help carry Miranda back to her room. At that point she was too weak to walk.

"What happened to Miranda?" Adrian asked as we watched Daniel leave the room, taking Miranda upstairs.

"Heartbroken," I ruffled my wet hair then sighed at the fact I had to take a shower.

Adrian raised an eyebrow. "Daniel hurt her?"

"Since when did Miranda date Daniel?" I almost choked on the question. "Actually it's Lucas, Daniel's brother, not Daniel."

"Well, I know Lucas is getting married soon." Adrian nodded as he said that. It made my eyes widen at him.

"You know about that?"

"Daniel told me at the beach earlier," Adrian answered shortly. "Now let's end this small talk. You should take a shower now." He carried me in a bridal style upstairs. It felt like deja vu. The smile never left my face. I felt happy when I was with him, even I wanted time to stop so we didn't have to be apart.

I wanted that moment forever.

Adrian put me on my feet again after closing the door. "Now take a shower,"

"And you?" I asked as I put my hands on my waist.

"I'll wait for you here," Adrian immediately threw himself onto the soft mattress. "Hurry up and you can feel the softness of this mattress," He explained as he rubbed the empty side of the bed. He was deliberately pissing me off.

I stuck my tongue at him and then went straight into the bathroom.