Annalise

Chapter 12: Lost Turf

"Pincer Vodka? That's 80 percent alcohol," Alice spits out, her green eyes slightly wide in disbelief.

"So? Can't hold your liquor all sudden? That's a real surprise," Tate butts in, ready to provoke, his voice dripping with judgement and unusually snippy.

"What's a real surprise is that I haven't-" she begins, but I placed my hand over the one she was pointing at Tate, instantly making her become mute.

"Deep breath in," I instructed, taking a large amount of air into my lungs. "Deep breath out," I stated lastly, exhaling out and feeling my chest go down as the air exits from my body.

"I know, thanks," she tightly smiled, her lips tugging up just a little.

"So, you guys are in?" The older guy asked, his eyes switching to me and Alice as he awaited for our answer.

"Uh, I don't-" I began.

"Yes! We can hold our liquor," she sassily responded, pointing her thumbs at the both of us, her eyes trained directly at Tate's squinted observing eyes.

I twisted my head in a funny angle at Alice, my mouth hung wide opened and my eyes continuously blinked, wondering if this was really her.

Hold my liquor?! I can barely hold 5 pound weights.

Pretty sad, my deep inner self whispered.

Alice's stare broke ways with Tate's eyes and landed upon me, however, her face didn't turn to me, it was at his direction.

"At least I can..." she mumbled, her words only audible to me.

She averted her gaze as I pouted at her, puffing my bottom lip out.

"Just do the dare and you won't have to drink," she flashed her white teeth at me, her front bottom teeth slightly crooked, but not so noticeable unless you're very close.

"Asher isn't going to like this," I whispered to her, my hand blocking the view of my mouth as the quiet words floated to her ears.

"Asher isn't here," she retorted.

I sighed, tearing my eyes away from her and putting my attention on the rest. Tate was playing with Kim's curly black hair, his eyes still intently gazing at Alice. The older guy's lips exhibited a diabolical grin, never once did he place his beady eyes off me.

The girl with diva curls sat with her legs crossed, a complacent smirk pulling her lips up. Her grey eyes roamed from Alice to Tate. The girl with the long, also straight, brown hair hasn't uttered a word. All she was doing was observing, her dull eyes swept across everyone's face. Her back postured was straight and her hands were resting on her lap.

"Alright, since this is a new game, I'll start it off," the older guy stated, repositioning himself so that he was sitting more on the edge of the couch instead of leaning back.

The guy rubbed his hands together and looked down at the floor, his right leg slightly bouncing up and down as he thought. Then, not seconds later, he rose his face up high and a mischief grin spread widely on his tan skin.

"Truth or dare?" He asked Tate.

"Dare," he instantly replied, his go to answer.