Blackout ✓

22 | quiz night

SUSHMITA CLAPPED HER HANDS TOGETHER and addressed the small crowd that had gathered for us in the Foxhole.

Not for Sushmita and me as individuals, but for the monthly WISA bar quiz. We ran it as a networking and de-stress event for students during the semesters.

"Thanks for coming out, everyone," she said. "WISA is always grateful that we have members and supporters as lovely as you."

This time, I convinced an entire legion of people to turn up. Riley, Krista, and Quentin made up one team. The Jays and Sophie made up another. I even glimpsed Ravi and his football teammates in the back, as always—the shy thing—steadfastly supporting Sushmita.

And the quiz winner was none of those three groups I knew, but it was okay. It was about the memories—or some consolatory bullshit like that.

If I had it my way, I would have split the twins up to spread their sports knowledge, and split Krista and Quentin to spread their science and Star Wars knowledge. Riley and Sophie, both doing Humanities majors, had the right idea from the beginning. Divide and conquer.

But then again, I had a fiercely competitive streak—beer pong, Drunk Jenga, bar quizzes... Glory was sweet, man. Too bad my being a WISA executive member prevented me from participating. That, and the fact I made the questions.

"To show some love back," Sushmita continued. "We have one more spot prize for all you quiz masters." The small crowd of familiar faces rustled with good-natured excitement.

I stepped forward, bottle in hand. "I hope you've all kept that card I dealt you at the start of the night. Look at them. Memorise them," I joked. "One lucky person is going to win a bottle of Merlot from the glorious Napa Valley."

The bar staff had donated some prizes to attract more patronage to the quiz, which they hoped would translate into more drinks and meals sold. The Merlot was the crown jewel.

A few appreciative hoots rose into the air when I lifted the bottle of red. I spread the fresh deck of cards in my hand and offered it to Sushmita.

She drew a card and announced it. "Eight of spades?"

For a moment, the crowd intently checked their cards. Then Sophie's jubilant voice sounded, "Jamie!"

"Woohoo!" Krista cheered.

"Hey!" Jake exclaimed, clapping Jamie solidly on the shoulder. "Go, baby bro."

I loved how Jake would never, ever, in the entirety of his life, stop flexing his additional seventeen minutes of age on Jamie.

Jamie rose from his seat, shunting the bar stool noisily backwards. In the low-roofed establishment, he seemed to skim the ceiling as he approached with a bashful smile. He looked nowhere but at me.

"Congratulations," I grinned, playing the role of gracious hostess.

I extended my hand for Jamie to shake diplomatically, almost like I was going to hand him the keys to the city. But when his fingers curled around mine, a firm tug had me falling into his torso. Jamie wrapped his arm lightly around my shoulders and whispered jokingly, "Is this you trying to get me drunk and take advantage of me?"

"Try not to drink it all in one night," I shot back, taking a surreptitious inhale of his citrus scent before I had to leave it.

"I'll do my very best," he murmured solemnly. It was only for a few seconds that Jamie was up here before he stepped away and nodded his head gratefully, smiling at several familiar faces in the crowd. Damn.

Attention looked great on him.

Jake immediately appropriated the Merlot and began reading its alcohol content, while the rest of our group of friends closed around the twins.