Chapter 27 The Game of Fire
Elena POV
The bass from Sera’s house hit us before we even stepped off the sidewalk. It was that heavy, rib-shaking thrum that tells you a party has already shifted from "fun" to "out of control." Multi-colored strobe lights flashed behind the fogged-up windows, and the front lawn was a mess of teenagers, half-empty cups, and loud, jagged laughter.
Liam’s hand clamped onto my elbow as we reached the porch. He leaned down, his voice barely cutting through the muffled roar of the speakers. "Stay glued to my side, Elena. I mean it."
I nodded, my stomach doing nervous somersaults. Liam shoved the front door open, and a wall of humid heat and the sharp scent of sweat hit us like a physical blow. The living room was a sea of moving bodies. The furniture had been shoved aside to make a massive dance floor, and in the kitchen, people were cheering as their friends tried to eat doughnuts hanging from the ceiling without using their hands.
We were still looking around when Sera appeared out of the crowd. She was wearing a shimmering silver dress, her hair a bit wild, looking like she was having the time of her life. She greeted us with a wide, glassy smile, her hand lingering on Liam’s arm for a second too long. Just as we were exchanging greetings, the front door opened again and Daniel walked in.
He looked as out of place as we did, He looked effortlessly striking in a fitted dark jacket that sharpened his jawline and made him the immediate center of attention.
"Hey! You're all here!" Sera shouted over the music. "Perfect timing!"
Before we could even find a place to stand, a guy from the football team climbed onto a chair with a microphone. "Listen up! If you’re in this room, you’re playing! We’re starting Truth or Dare in the den. Move it!"
The three of us tried to find a corner to hide in, but Stacy’s voice pierced the air. "Liam! Get over here!"
She was already sitting in a circle on the hardwood floor of the den, her phone out and recording everything. Beside her, Marcus sat with his arms crossed, his eyes fixed on Daniel with a mean smirk. We were trapped. We sat down in a tight line. Liam on my left, then me, and Daniel on my right.
"The rules are simple," the guy with the mic announced, pointing to a row of full alcohol bottles on the table. "Truth or Dare.
If you don't answer or you wuss out, you down an entire bottle. No exceptions!"
The bottle spun first, a green blur on the floor. It slowed and pointed to a girl from the track team.
"Dare!" the crowd screamed. They made her stand in the middle of the circle and do a ridiculous, high-speed dance for two minutes without any music. She looked embarrassed but kept going while everyone clapped and whistled. When she finally sat back down, breathless, the guy with the mic spun the bottle again.
This time, it landed on a boy in a varsity jacket sitting across from us. "Truth!" he yelled, trying to look brave.
"Who’s the person you’d least want to be stuck on a desert island with?" Marcus barked from the side.
The boy looked around the circle, his eyes landing on a quiet kid in the corner. "Sorry, man, but it’s definitely Greg," he laughed. The room erupted in groans and playful shoving as Greg threw a pillow at him.
The game kept moving around the circle, picking up speed. One girl was dared to swap her shoes with a random person in the kitchen, and another guy had to admit the most embarrassing thing his mom had ever caught him doing. Every time someone answered, the crowd roared, the energy in the room climbing higher and the air getting hotter.
Finally, the green glass bottle slowed down and pointed its neck directly at Liam.
Stacy leaned forward, her eyes gleaming under the neon lights. "Truth or Dare, Liam?"
"Truth," Liam said, his voice a low, steady rumble.
"Alright," a boy from the team shouted. "The question everyone wants to know... do you actually have a crush on any girl in this room?"
The room went dead silent. Even the bass from the living room seemed to fade. Sera leaned in, her eyes wide and hopeful. Liam didn't blink. He looked at the circle and said, "Yes."
Stacy was about to scream "Who?" but the guy with the mic held up a hand. "One question at a time! Spin it!"
The bottle whirled again, spinning so fast it was just a green streak. My heart hammered against my ribs. The glass slowed... wobbled and stopped right in front of Daniel.
Daniel looked at the row of alcohol bottles, he knew he couldn't drink that much and stay in control. He looked at the crowd, his face turning a ghostly shade of pale. "Dare," he whispered.
Stacy stood up slowly, a cruel grin spreading across her face. She looked at me, then at Daniel, her eyes dancing with malice.
"Daniel," Stacy said, her voice loud enough to carry through the entire house. "I dare you to kiss Elena for three minutes. Let's see if you're as innocent as you look."
Beside me, Liam had just tilted a bottle back to take a long, deep drink. At Stacy’s words, he froze. A split second later, he did a violent double-take, the drink spraying out of his mouth in a sudden, shocked burst that hit the floor.
He coughed and wheezed, gasping for air as he wiped his chin, his eyes practically popping out of his head. His face turned a dark, dangerous shade of red as he glared at Stacy with pure fire.
"What did you just say?" Liam roared.
Daniel sat like a statue, his hand clutching his locket, his eyes wide with horror as the entire room began to chant, "Do it! Do it! Do it!"