13 Flames | gxg

35 - 13 flaming shots

The crowd cheers and I drop Lexa's hand. We walk side by side onto the set, smiling and waving. Jimmy greets us with hugs and leads us to the couches. I sit beside Jimmy's desk, Lexa close on my right.

"It's so good to finally meet you two!" Jimmy exclaims.

"You too, Jimmy. Thank you for having us," I say, smiling towards the audience. I make eye contact with one girl and tip my chin up in a subtle greeting. She puts a hand over her mouth and basically collapses in her seat.

"Of course!" Jimmy's energy is infectious. "I have so many questions."

"Shoot."

"What happens next?"

Lexa laughs, leaning forward. Her elbow brushes my arm. "Can't answer that one, I'm afraid."

I glance sideways at her and give her a half smile. Jimmy sighs but a smile still adorns his features. "I assumed. Any hints? The next episode, Emily and Ali..."

He trails off and I suppress my grin. I lean on my elbow, my chin on my fist. "Nope," I answer casually.

He laughs with the audience. "Fair enough. What's it like on set?"

We go back and forth, answering his questions, making jokes here and there. Lexa sits close to me on the couch, her arm resting on the back. Every time I glance over at her my smile widens.

"So we first saw the two of you at the premiere," Jimmy goes on. A picture of me and Lexa at the premiere together appears on the large screen nearby. I see the image in front of me, on the prompting screen beside the producers. "And let me just say, you both looked absolutely amazing."

"Thank you," I laugh.

"And then of course, the latest episode." The image switches to a screen cap of me and Lexa kissing in the locker room. I drag my eyes away from the monitor and force the color out of my cheeks.

"Was it weird?" Jimmy questions, leaning closer to me like we're trading secrets.

"Only if you make it weird, Jimmy," I laugh.

Lexa seems to scoot even closer. "It's easier than it looks when it's your best friend," she assures him.

I glance sideways at her and realize she did scoot closer, her face not far from mine. Her emerald eyes are beautifully highlighted with mascara and winged eyeliner. Which I did, of course. I've tried to teach her but she keeps asking me to do it anyway.

"So, Lexa." Jimmy's voice pulls me back. "When's the wedding?"

She smiles. "Next month."

I turn to her with a nervous lip bite, hoping to hide the sudden tension in my shoulders. "Yeah, about that, I might not be able to make it..." I joke. Lexa smacks me in the shoulder and I laugh with Jimmy, trying to ignore the pit in my stomach.

"That's wonderful, Lexa. Congratulations." He turns his attention to the cameras. "Stay tuned for a fun game with Palmer Drake and Lexa Marshall, we'll be right back!" The camera's recording symbol clicks off and I feel like an anvil has been lifted off my chest. I can act carefree, unaffected. But in front of a camera without a script in my hand, with just me, it's nerve-wracking.

I take a deep breath and my smile returns to my face. "What game?" I ask Jimmy. He stands from his desk and leads me and Lexa over to a rectangular table in center stage. A crew member sets out two rows of shot glasses on coasters.

"Quick rules, you take turns reading the questions on the back of these coasters" he explains. "You read that to yourself and answer it out loud. You have to answer truthfully, and then you either read the question or take the shot."

"We don't have to say the question?" Lexa confirms.

Jimmy smiles. "Nope. Question or shot. And the third one, you get the same question and decide together. But, you have to read at least one question."

I return the grin. "Sounds easy enough."

"We're back on in four, so take a minute if you need it." Jimmy smiles again before a producer calls him away.

Lexa turns to me with a soft look. "How are you doing?" she whispers.

I glance down with a sheepish grin. "I'm okay. You?"

"I'm great." I look back up as she gives me a lopsided grin. I bite my lip to keep from laughing.

She frowns. "What?"

"You're adorable," I blurt out.

She stares at me for a moment before laughing. I glance over my shoulder as Jimmy calls us over to the table with the shots. Lexa smirks as she brings a hand up and taps my cheek. "You're alright," she teases. I roll my eyes but can't hide my smile. I follow Lexa to the table and Jimmy tells me where to stand.

"Back on in 5... 4... 3..." a producer counts down. I smile at the camera as the light turns red. Jimmy welcomes the viewers back and briefly explains the rules of the game.

"Today we get all the answers, just not all the questions." Jimmy turns to us. "You ladies ready?"

"Let's do it," I grin.

"Alright! Palmer, you go first. Tell us the name of the shot and then make your decision."

I nod and turn my attention to the shot in front of me. It's a bright orange liquid with a plastic flame hooked onto the glass. I slide it off the coaster.

"13 flaming shots," I read out loud. I glance towards Jimmy and raise an eyebrow as the audience laughs. I read the question on the back.

What's your body count?

I take a minute to think. "58."

I immediately take the shot in one go, flipping the empty glass down on the table. Lexa's trying not to laugh as Jimmy's mouth hangs open. I look back towards the empty glass and pick it up, examining it. "Damn, that was good," I exclaim. "Pineapple and orange?"

I pick the coaster up again and peel off the question, folding the paper and sticking it in my pocket. Just in case. There's no way Lexa's getting this question.

I laugh along with everyone else and motion for Lexa to take her turn.