Page 4 of It Must Be Fate

She nods at the bottle. “Take a shot.”

I pout. “That’s it?”

“Let’s ease our way into it. Did you forget that we’re moving tomorrow?”

“Ugh,” I say with a groan, pouring an actual shot this time and throwing it back. My throat burns as the liquid shoots down my throat and I wince. I bite into a nearby lime wedge and enjoy the acidic kick on my tongue. “Don’t remind me.”

I didn’t think our last night would make me so emotional.

It crept up on me over the last couple of days as we’d put the common areas into boxes. We’d reminisced about the pieces we’d each brought into the apartment as we packed them.

My tone makes Six reach out and squeeze my hand.

“No being sad tonight,” she says, her kind voice firm. “Your turn to ask a question.”

“B,” I say with a sly smile. “Truth or dare.”

“Truth.”

“Hmm,” I answer, thinking up something. “Are you excited to move back to Chicago?”

“Yes and no,” she says. “I can’t wait to live with Rogue and see my mom and go to college. I’m literally counting down the days until I can eat a hot dog and wear pajama pants outside without feeling like the entire world is judging me. But,” she pauses, looking around at us. “I’m going to miss you guys. I’m going to miss the whole group hanging out together and my FOMO is going to beviolentwhen I'll see you all hanging out without us.”

“Maybe I’ll come back to Chicago soon, you never know.”

“Babe,” she says, patting my hand. “Your man just signed a huge contract with one of the top clubs in the world. You’re going to be speaking with a British accent before you ever come back to live in the US.”

The familiar rush of delight swells through me when I think of the contract Rhys just signed with Arsenal. It’s been his lifelong dream to play for the club his parents were diehard fans of and I couldn’t be more that he made it come true.

“Don’t worry, just tell Rogue,” Nera offers. “He’ll buy you a jet and bring you to London every weekend if it means you’ll be happy. I’m sure he’d figure out a way to fly it himself too if that’s what it took.”

“You’re not getting rid of us that easily, B,” Six says.

“Good,” Bellamy answers. “Come on, you’re up Six. Truth or dare?”

“Truth,” she puts her hands up when I groan at her choice. “I am who I am,” she says with a laugh.

“Fine,” I tell her, “but then you have to give us a dirty truth.”

Bellamy nods in vigorous agreement. “Where’s the kinkiest place you and Phoenix have ever had sex?”

She clears her throat and then blushes a violent color of red. “Um, do you mean…physical place or like…orifice?”

Nera bursts out laughing.

“Oh my god,” Bellamy says with a shriek, covering her ears but also grinning like a fool.

“Excuseme?” I exclaim.

Nera wipes a tear from the corner of her eye and says, still laughing, “I guess it’s a valid clarifying question.”

“I just didn’t know she was that kinky,” I say. “I feel like I need to step up my game.”

“To be clear, I was asking about the physical place,” Bellamy answers, still giggling.

Six plays with a napkin on the coffee table, spreading it with her fingers to occupy her hands. Her cheeks are flamed pink.

“Six, you’re scaring me, babe. What the hell are you about to say?” I ask, wide eyed. All three of us lean forward, the silence growing still as we wait for her to fess up.

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