Page 22 of Meeting Mr. Christmas
Jed glanced over at Noel, who was looking glummer by the second. Perhaps they should go, but as Connor announced he’d kick the game off by asking the first question, it was already too late. They’d stick it out for a couple of rounds before hauling ass.
“Monique.” Connor raised his eyebrows at the girl, who looked terrified and excited in equal measure. “Truth or dare?”
“Ah…”
“Go, go, go, go,” everybody chanted.
“Truth,” she blurted.
“Okay, an easy peasy one just to get us all warmed up.” Connor leaned forward. “Where did you lose your virginity?”
“Oh, my god!” Monique squealed as she buried her face in her hands.
Stacey slapped her boyfriend hard on the arm.
Monique mumbled something into the palms glued to her face.
“Sorry, hun, what was that you said?” somebody called out, causing everybody to laugh.
Monique peeked over the top of her fingers. “In the basement room at the public library. It was pretty dusty. Oh god…” she wailed as she retreated behind her palms.
“Talk about getting your book stamped…”
The game carried on, the questions mostly around sex, the dares about downing shots. So far, both he and Noel had escaped unscathed, but that wouldn’t last. He met Noel’s eye and nodded.
“Okay, guys,” he said, getting up, “me and Noel are going to head out?—”
“Whoa, hold your horses, Jed Mason. You gotta take your turn like the rest of us. You and Noel.” Connor glared in challenge through eyes that didn’t look as if they were in full focus.
“I can assure you, I’m way too boring for this game,” Noel chipped in.
“Come on guys,” a few voices called out.
Jed hesitated. If he dragged Noel away and headed for the door, it’d look like they both had something to hide. Now all he’d done was put them both in the spotlight. He shrugged, feigning indifference, but he already knew who was up next. He just had to get it out of the way, and then they could leave… He sat down and waited for the inevitable.
“My turn to ask.” Stacey almost bounced up and down in excitement. “Jed, Truth or Dare?”
Truth, always Truth because answering Truth meant he could make any shit up.
“Dare.” The word burst out of him with such force, he rocked back. He never chose Dare. Never. “I meant Truth.” But it was too late.
“No can do, buddy,” Connor said with a slight slur.
Stacey scrunched her face up in thought, her brow ironing out as a big smile split her face.
“I want you to recreate an iconic movie kiss with…” She looked around the group, stopping at — “Noel.”
A split second of silence, as deep as the ocean and as quiet as space, before the room erupted in cheers.
His gaze sought out Noel, who stared at him in wide eyed, frozen fear.
“I don’t know any iconic movie kisses,” he croaked. Jesus, was that all he could say? He should be saying no, he should be taking a forfeit for refusal, and all he could utter was that he didn’t know of any famous fucking kisses.
“I know, I know, I know.” Stacey, still bouncing, stuck her hand in the air, as though she were asking to be let out of class to go for a pee. “The Lady and The Tramp. You know, when they’reeating spaghetti? I watched it a couple days back, with my little niece. It’s super cute and adorable.”
Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss…The baying chant filled the room. Anger heated Jed’s blood. He and Noel were cornered. They could still say no, and leave, and he’d make sure nobody tried to stop them. He turned to Noel, ready to jerk his head toward the door, but Noel had got up, and was making his way towards him and not the door. Noel shrugged.Let’s make this quick and get it over with.But as room opened up for Noel to sit next to Jed, Jed’s stomach flipped and his chest twisted and turned. Anger drained from him, replaced with an indescribable feeling he didn’t want to acknowledge. His brain recoiled, but his body, suddenly hot and tingling, only desired to rush forward.
Excitement.
