Love and Fame Games (Book 1)

10 (Part Two)

The third girl, Molly Brenner, was even less familiar. She was new this year. I didn't know anything about her except she must like polka dots as she was wearing it from head to toe tonight.

Alex and I walked over to the girls but remained standing. Alex turned to me and waved the lemonade bottle with a flick of her wrist. "Go ahead and get things started, Adrian."

I made a face at the bottle but ended up taking it anyway; the way Alex was holding it had me worried she was gonna drop it. "Why can't you do it?"

"Can't. I'm sitting this one out." Alex sighed, like I was the one being a pain in the butt. "That way, there's an even number of girls and boys. Besides, I can't kiss other guys at this party. It wouldn't be fair to Grant."

"Who the hell is Grant?" I was flat-out yelling by this time. As if on cue, a guy walked over to us and draped an arm around Alex's shoulders.

"Yo, I heard my name."

He was tall, had broad shoulders and was wearing a beanie. He also had a bit of scruff around his face. He definitely wasn't in our homeroom class. I'd never seen this guy before in my life.

He looked older than my sister, who was a senior in high school. The only way he could be from our school was if he'd been held back four times-or if he taught a class there. 

"Adrian, this is Grant. Grant, Adrian." Alex turned to the other kids. "Everyone, this is Grant."

Grant nodded and held out a hand for me to shake. I eyed it with disdain and made no move to do as he expected. He shrugged and turned to the rest of the group. "'Sup?"

"I don't understand that question and I won't respond to it," Beth said in a snotty old lady voice.

It was so random and unexpected of her that I turned my head sharply in her direction. There was a sly little smile on her face when our eyes met and I found myself liking Beth Dawson a little more.

"Then think of another game we can all play," I told Alex.

Alex arched an eyebrow and I could almost hear the gears in her head turning. "Truth or dare?"

That could work. I wouldn't even have to feel guilty about thwarting a certain boy's expectations for the night. Spinning a bottle was really just a means to an end, anyway. An end that he could achieve in truth or dare.

If absolutely necessary, I could send a kissing dare his way to help him out.

The more important thing was, it reduced my risk of having to kiss anyone by at least half.

"Everyone okay with truth or dare?" I checked with the group. No one seemed to have a problem with it. I glanced at Seth, who'd been overly quiet this whole time. He was busy tapping away on his phone and barely glanced up to nod his agreement after someone had prompted him with a nudge.

Guess he decided to play it cool this time around.

So we were all agreed. Alex and I plopped ourselves down next to each other. No one volunteered to go first—not even Alex, I was quick to point out—which was why we let the bottle I was still holding decide. I gave it a spin, which landed on Tristan.

"Oh thank God we changed the rules!" he said, letting out a relieved sigh. Everyone laughed, including me; I felt the same way. "Truth. I'm an open book."

"Exactly. That's why no one's interested," I said, scoffing. "Pick dare, you loser."

"No. I have a medical condition and you're really mean," he said, whining and drawing out the last part. "Truth. Make it good."