T H I R T Y—S E V E N
"WHAT?" I WHISPERED back, surprise lacing my tone. "Why?"
He shook his head. "I'll explain in a minute." His gaze switched down to my pinky laying over his and the corner of his lip lifted into a smirk. "Thanks."
Heat rushed to my cheeks as I realized he really didn't need the touch, so I gently slid my hand away as he turned back to face the two kissing.
By this point, Cyrus had his hands rested gently on her cheeks to hold Selena in place. Her hands were resting on his wrists and her eyebrows were slightly furrowed at how lost she was in the moment. You could practically see the fireworks fly up between them, and I was sure, at that moment, that Cyrus had to have been in love with her just as long as Ryder. It'd been a triangle for years that nobody had known about but Cyrus.
"Did he know?" I whispered at Ryder as Dakota told them their sixty seconds were up. Still, it took them an additional few seconds before they were finally able to tear themselves apart, heads resting against each other's as they breathed heavily.
Ryder leaned my way, eyes still locked on the two. Heat rose to my face at the close proximity, and I couldn't tell if he'd moved so close on purpose or because his focus was elsewhere. "No," he answered. His eyes shifted to mine and proved the former to be correct when he didn't back away. "Neither did she."
I tried to ignore the flutter in my stomach that I was quickly becoming accustom to. "Are you gonna tell them?"
He nodded. "If not, they'll both feel like shit and avoid each other."
There was a pause as I watched Cyrus and Selena jump apart guiltily, both of their eyes averting back to the bottle as people cheered for them. "Are you okay with them being a thing?"
He hesitated before nodding. "I'm not in love with her, but that doesn't mean I don't still remember the way it felt." He looked back at the two of them as Cyrus spun the bottle. "I want them to be happy, even if it takes a while for them to get there."
My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"
He chuckled quietly. "Knowing both of them, it could take years before they actually get together."
"Oh," I said quietly.
Sensing the end of the conversation, Ryder leaned back on the couch and focused in on what was happening around us.
"So, Tyler," asked the blonde beside Kimberly, grinning ear to ear at the aspect of daring the extreme party boy. "What are you going to pick?"
Tyler grinned and answered, "Dare, duh."
I tuned out as she dared him to give Dakota a lap dance, which he did scarily well, and focused back in on Cyrus and Selena. Ryder noticed my curiosity and followed my line of focus as I watched the two awkwardly converse, both their cheeks flushed as they stuttered.
Cyrus suddenly turned his head with wide eyes towards the stairs. "God, what happened to you?"
Jay came stumbling down the stairs, his own wide eyes staring unfocused at nothing in particular. His eyes were glossy and slightly red, and a grin tugged at his labret as I took in his appearance.
I had no idea where his shirt was, but wasn't surprised that he'd lost it considering how many other people in this place had a lack of some type of clothing—be it shoes, pants, or shirts. I remembered this one kid who'd managed to lose his socks but still had his shoes on. I don't think he ever found them.
Suddenly Jay started laughing, and I temporarily feared for his sanity before I realized he was slightly stoned. "Oh my god," he groaned. "I just had the best sex in my life."
I snorted out a laugh as he dropped to the floor with his legs crossed, hands splayed out behind him to prop himself up. The grin on his face suddenly dropped, though, as he seemed to realize something. "Son of a bitch."
"What did you forget now?" Cyrus shook his head at his friend, clearly used to his antics and knowing exactly what the problem was.
Jay scrambled up off the floor and stumbled away shouting, "I forgot to get her number!"
Everyone laughed as Cyrus stood up, Selena following immediately after. "I should probably go check on him," he said.
"I'll go with you," she said with a laugh, shaking her head. "Lord, he's a mess."
"You're not wrong," I joked.
As Selena's smile dropped, I realized that might have been the first time I'd actually attempted a real conversation with her since the day we met. She nodded at my words and continued on with Cyrus.
Ryder's hand reached over to squeeze mine reassuringly for a moment before he pulled it back. And, unfortunately, I'd been so caught up with what was happening around Jay and Selena that I didn't notice the spinning bottle coming to a slow stop on me.
"Skye," Ryder said quietly, catching my attention. When I looked over at him, he gestured down towards the bottle on the table. "You're up."
My eyes shifted reluctantly to the bottle I knew would be facing me, but hoped would have been pointed at anybody else. Usually, I would have loved the attention, but this time I just wanted to be left to my own devices. I was, unfortunately, out of skips.
"Truth or Dare," came the accented voice I instantly recognized as Julian's.
My eyes lifted to meet his dark ones, and I debated the answer. Either way, I figured I'd regret it, but one could be worse than the other.
If I answered truth, he could ask me about who I was. About me being the mystery girl everyone wanted to discover.
On the other hand, if I answered dare, there's any number of things he'd make me do.
And, either way, Ryder would be pissed.
I took a deep breath before blurting out, "Dare."
He paused, surprisingly seeming to not have expected that answer. Or maybe he just didn't expect an answer at all. Either way, I wasn't one to back down easily, and this certainly wasn't going to be the night I decided to.
"Skye," Ryder warned quietly.
The look on his face told me he already didn't like where this was going. I shook my head. "It'll be fine."
"I can't think of anything," Julian said honestly, surprising me. Not seconds later, a grin lit up his face and he glanced at the people around us. "How about you guys decide? A group decision, of sorts."
A few people nodded their agreements, so Julian sat down and waited. My anxiety lessened some until somebody decided to comment on the 'tension' they thought they saw in the two of us. Ryder instantly tensed at my side.
"I think we came to an agreement," Kimberly said from across the table.
Tyler had a grim look on his face as he realized his and Dakota's arguments on the matter had just failed. "I tried to talk them out of it."
"And you failed," the blonde beside Kimberly stated. I glared her way, and she shrunk back just slightly in her seat. "What? It was a group agreement."
"What was?" Julian asked agitatedly, his own stress prominent on his features. I supposed he was strongly regretting letting the group decide the dare, because the both of us paled as Kimberly spouted the answer.
"Skye and Julian have to kiss."
Ryder stared to get up in his seat, but I quietly grabbed his hand and tugged him back down. I had no idea what he was planning to do, or to who, but I had the feeling I wouldn't like it. And, chances are, neither would whoever he was going for.
"It's fine, Ryder," I whispered, then added, "It's just a peck kiss. They didn't say sixty seconds."
"Actually," Kimberly started, but the glare I sent her made her change her mind if the weird looks people sent her at her answer were anything to go by. "Ten seconds," she said quickly. "You have to for ten seconds."
Ryder's jaw clenched, but I knew I couldn't bring a hand up to it to stop him from grinding it without everyone noticing. Instead, I silently turned in my seat and gave him a stern look to stay where he was while I did this.
"I didn't think they'd dare anything towards me," Julian muttered quietly, though I was still irritated. He didn't like it because it was him, not because I had to kiss somebody that I clearly didn't want to.
"Shut the hell up," I growled, the version of me from the black light party showing as my need to punch rather than kiss his mouth strengthened.
He glared and huffed irritably, but I shut him up by quickly pressing my lips to his.
Ten, I counted mentally in my head as my lips moved against his cold ones.
Nine, I thought as I felt Ryder shift uncomfortably behind me.
Eight. Seven. Six.
"Five," the others starts to count out loud.
"Four." Our lips weren't synced, but I couldn't deny that he wasn't the worst kisser, even if I was repulsed by his presence.
"Three." He got a little more into it than I'd expected, and it bothered me immensely that Julian was actually a really good kisser.
"Two." I hated to admit that if it weren't for Ryder behind me and my possibly building feelings for him, I might have gotten into this a little more.
"One."
I shot away from Julian in record breaking time and nearly stumbled back into Ryder in my haste to get away. My face flushed in embarrassment as Ryder's hand rested protectively on my waist, but that wasn't why my cheeks were red.
I felt overheated at the moment because Julian was a really amazing kisser, and the longer we kissed within those ten seconds, the less I'd minded it. If it wasn't for my apparent liking to Ryder and distaste for Julian's attitude, I probably wouldn't have minded the full sixty seconds.
I didn't wait to see if Julian was just as effected as myself before I tore myself from Ryder's grip and started for a front door with a muttered, "I need some air."
"Skye?" Ryder called after me in concern, and I didn't miss the confused and shocked look Julian sent my way before the door slammed behind me.
His face was just as red as mine.
•••••
So, I noticed a few people saying they wanted a kiss between Julian and Skye and decided to give you guys a taste, since it coincides with a future plan. Don't worry, Julian's not going anywhere for a while!
I've also noticed the beginning of a relationship-argument between all of you, and decided I'd like to know who wants who with who? So, comment whatever couples/ship names you like best down below and share our opinions on why!
Skye & Ryder
Skye & Julian
Skye & Jay
Selena & Ryder
Selena & Cyrus
Selena & Julian
Cyrus & Jay
Jay & Mystery One-Night-Stand
Other