People around different corners sauntered towards the section where Carl was. Few people stayed back at their various spots, doing their own thing. Jessie moved towards a couch sitting down with Charles by her side. She had no interest to play the game, but well she wanted to see how it goes.
At Carls statement, few people responded. Chatterings was heard in the room and with another clink from Carl, the noise died down.
"So anybody in?" Carl asked with a wave of the hand and then few people responded.
"We should play too", Charles whispered to Jessie..
"No, I dont think I want too" she glazed at him with hesitation in her voice "You should play, Ill just sit here and watch you"
"Okay, if thats what you want", he replied.
"Sure", she asserted wondering why he didnt put a little effort to convince her, maybe she would have given in.
The game began with the few people that indicated interested. Charles sat by the right of Jessie, Oswald sat at the side of another couch just opposite her, the left side of her was just vacant and she really enjoyed that she didnt have to be sardined between two bodies.
She pulled out her phone to distract her mind, scrolling through some pictures on her gallery, she came across a write-up she made about Charles even though she had no intentions to let him see it. But then, reading it gave her some certain satisfaction,
Birds fluttering around,
Like butterflies in my belly,
Each word screams your name,
Cause my thoughts,
are always of you.
Each smile you flaunt,
Brings this tingle,
How time passes,
With feelings unchanged,
Ill swim in memories unmade,
Everyone with you.
"Truth", she heard Charles say .
"Okay, so whats your love life like?", Cassandra asked. The game was played in such a way that a bottle was spinned so it points at two people and whoever the head points at, had to ask the other person a truth or a Dare.
The question really piqued Jessies interest, she will at least know if she stands a chance, not like she had any plans to tell him.
"My love life....hmmm, well I find love quite uninteresting. I dont get why I have to be committed because of some certain emotions. So, I really dont have a love life".
"Interesting", Cassandra replied and the game went on.
Jessie rolled her eyes at his words, "Men will always be men", she thought to herself. Just few minutes back, Rebecca was all around him and now he was calling it uninteresting. She didnt know if she will tag him a player, but then she knew little about him. She looked around if she could see Rebecca, not finding her, she assumed he just said it because Becky was not there.
The spin fell on some few other people, Luciana took a Dare where she had to consume three shots of tequila. Jessie was really bothered, it will not be good if Luciana got drunk, she made a mental note to not drink so she can at least be sane.
Another spin was done and this time, it fell on her and Oswald. She was not part of the game so she did not understand why she had to play now.
"I remember I said I wasnt playing, so what now?", She asked Charles in a whisper.
"You wont want to create a scene or will you?", He replied with a sly smile "Id say you just play, besides, its a harmless game". He had indeed told Carl that she was part, he did not like the fact that she always avoided fun things.
"Truth or Dare", Oswald asked.
Not wanting to attract gossips, she dryly answered,
"Dare", she said.
The palpitations from her heart was so loud that Charles could even feel it. On one hand, she couldnt pick a truth because she knew little about her life, not like there was anything interesting to tell about it and on the other hand, she had no idea of the dare that was coming.
Notwithstanding, she picked a dare and waited for Oswald to throw the dare.
"I dare you to have a night stand with a guy of your choice from this group", Oswald stated with the hope that she will pick him. He wanted a direct thing but he could not come up straight, he decided to use the dare, making it seem like he was not interested in it.
"Im not doing it", she blurted out.
"You have to, its the rules", it was Carl this time.
"I cant, besides I never wanted to play", she voiced out turning towards Charles with the hope he will defend her now. Getting no reply from Charles, she turned towards Oswald, "Can you change the dare?"
"The thing is...,"
"She will do the dare", Charles replied cutting Oswald off his sentence "She will have a night stand with me". Jessie was slack-jawed, she wanted to say something, her brain spilled out words she could not release.
"Wont you?" Charles asked her with this wink telling her to Calm her nerves.
"Okay, I will" she tried to force a smile showing off the diastema between her upper teeth. She liked the idea that she will finally be wrapped up in his arm, she just didnt expect it to go this way. She really was uncertain about what she wanted but she already agreed, so she was in anyway and regretting wont save her, she thought.
While she was in her own thoughts, Oswald was burning in hot coals literally, he was filled with rage that his dare backfired on him and he had to drown in the images of Charles making out with Jessie. If only he had been much wiser, he would have clearly stated out the name or given some simple dare.
Meanwhile, Charles just sat on the couch, straight-faced, to him Oswalds question was quite funny. He got a clear hint of what he was trying to do, so he had no other choice but to use himself so Jessie could escape the predator as she was clearly the prey Oswald intended to feast on. He had no plans to spend the night with her as sexual satisfaction wasnt really his lack and using a game to get a girl was unwise to him.
Moving closer to him, Jessie mumbled a "thank you". She did not fully get what happened but Charles did come through for her and she appreciates it.
Charles smiled at her gesture and gave a nod in return.
"Come Jessie", Luciana hurried over to her, excitement was all over her face and Jessie wondered what the good news might be.
"Ill be right back", she said to Charles lifting her self to meet Luciana. "What now?", She said feigning annoyance. The game ended few spins after her turn, she felt glad that she spent those minutes with Charles, even though she wanted more.
"Im sorry, just follow me", Luciana pleaded.