JUST BEST FRIENDS

CHAPTER 19: SUGAR AND SPICE.

“No!” Betty declined strongly. “I'm not touching your toothpick today, Jonathan. Nice try.”

“Oops!” Jonathan laughed at Betty's facial expression. “I hate to break it to you, Betty, but it's not your decision to make. It's ours.”

“All right, then. Let's vote.” Betty said, looking at Jonathan with contempt. “If there's anybody among us who is interested in playing Truth or Dare, kindly raise your hand.”

Jonathan did so at once, but to his dismay, nobody else followed suit.

“Aha! Ten against one.” Betty burst into laughter, standing up from the ground. “Sorry, perv. Today is not your lucky day.”

“Oh, come on, guys!” Jonathan said defeatedly. “I guarantee it'll be fun. Trust me!”

“Not today, son.” Alice dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand. “Any other suggestions, people?”

“How about a game of tug of war?” Isioma shrugged, raising an eyebrow. “Or volleyball?”

“Tug of war sounds better.” Idara said in a light, airy voice, adjusting the strap of her bra carefully. “I go for tug of war.”

“Me too. Same here. So do I. Count me in. Straight up. Sounds fun. I'm in! I'm down as well. Oya na!”

Everyone else but Jonathan agreed with Isioma's idea. When he realized that he was completely outnumbered, he groaned aloud and said, “Fine. I'll play, too.”

With that, Yomi split everyone into two groups, and then gave them all a little motivational speech to lift their spirits. Team A consisted of the guys, while Team B consisted of the ladies.

Yomi, being the leader of Team A, borrowed a long rope from a horseman, and then drew a straight line on the ground to set the boundaries.

Having done that, the game started with Yomi and Candice on the front lines as the leaders of their respective teams.

“Come on, pull harder, guys!” Yomi grunted as he drew the rope with all the strength he could muster. “Harder. Harder!”

“Do not relent, girls!” Candice yelled at the top of her voice, struggling to stay within her team's boundary. “Put in more effort. Come on, come on!”

“Argh!” Yomi exclaimed as his foot almost crossed the line. “Thank God o!”

The ladies saw what just happened and tripled their efforts instantly. To most of them, the game was an actual battle—a kill or be killed situation, which they weren't willing to mess up for no reason whatsoever.

“Guys, these girls are more than us na.” Jonathan complained gruffly, panting heavily. “We'll lose!”

“Shut up and pull harder, guy.” Jordan snapped at him in-between grunts. “We'll win. Be positive!”

In all honesty, the struggle was beyond real for both teams. Team A gave it their best shot, but Team B eventually took the win.

Even though they failed, the guys gladly congratulated the ladies for their team work and the enthusiasm they'd put into the game, and then everyone went to take a break under a canopy that covered them from the fiery sun.

“Boy, we could really use some snacks now.” Candice said dryly, getting up from her seat. “What do y'all say?”

Of course, everyone except Idara and Isioma agreed with her, and Candice noticed their quietness, but she ignored them like trash anyway.

“Yippee-hoo!” Candice exclaimed gleefully and turned to face Alice. “Babe, follow me, please. Let's get the refreshments from Yomi's car.”

“As thou commandest, mi lady.”