Jessica vs. The Jerk

20. Never been kissed

'Don't go in there,' Mila warns me as I head to the living room.

So naturally, I go in there.

My timing is perfect because the empty San Mig bottle stops spinning and points straight at me, and approximately twenty of my peers start catcalling and cheering.

What the heck happened to videoke?

My stress level goes from high to ballistic. 'Um, truth?'

Alex Munroe -- Why is he always around when my life is about to get complicated? -- shakes his head and clicks his tongue. 'We're not playing that game, Jezza.' He has an arm around Mandy, who gives me a friendly grin.

'What game is it?'

He waves me over and hands me the bottle. 'Spin.'

I'm so relieved to think they're letting me off the hook that the bottle is already slowing down by the time I realize I've been set up.

I grab Mandy urgently and whisper, 'What is this game?'

Up close, I discover her grin isn't friendly at all -- it's evil. 'Seven minutes in heaven.'

I feel the blood drain out of my face. I actually feel like I might pass out. I've never played this game before, but I know the rules. Whoever that bottle points to gets to be alone with me for seven minutes, and the implication is that there will be kissing involved. I don't even want to think about what else can happen in seven minutes.

Seriously, I think I might vomit.

'I'm not--'

The hooting and whistling drown out my protest and I follow the direction of the bottle with dread in my heart.

And then it skips a beat. Because I'm staring right into Jonah Sullivan's eyes, and he's not smirking. In fact, he looks a bit pissed off. Which pisses me off a little. I lift my chin and return his look defiantly. What's so bad about being stuck with me for seven minutes?

But before I can even think straight, Mandy grabs me by the arm and drags me into the linen closet. I'm about to walk right back out when Jonah enters and blocks my escape. I retreat to the furthest corner of the room, although being a linen closet, there's barely seven feet between us, if that. The closet has lighting, at least, and I can't help but glance nervously at the switch on the wall next to Jonah's arm.

'Jessica.' His face is impassive.

'Jonah.' I don't know what my face is like, but at a guess I would say somewhere between nervous anticipation and stark terror.

He walks slowly toward me, and I inch around the small space, keeping my back to the shelves and my eyes on him in case he tries anything funny. By the time he stops, he's standing at the furthest corner, and I have one hand on the doorknob.

Jonah quirks an eyebrow and leans lazily against a basket of towels. I swallow and bite my lip. To run or not to run -- that is the question. On one hand, this is awkward and embarrassing, and I will kill Alex for this when I get out of this closet. On the other hand, I'm alone with my crush and...

And he just gave me the perfect opportunity to escape.

I frown in confusion but before I can ask the question, Jonah folds his arms and says, 'No one actually kisses in this game. You know that, right?'

'They--' I clear my throat and try again. 'They don't?'

He looks deeply amused. 'Of course not.' Then he frowns and loosens his arms. 'Wait. You've never played this before?'