English Accent (The Accents #1)

Apple juice

As it turned out, we came here to play never have I ever.

Or just a version of never have I ever moderated to our own personal needs.

For those who don't know - just like me in the beginning, - the game is about sharing experiences. Before the game starts, everyone gets a glass filled with some drink – usually it's alcohol, but since Dominic insisted I was too young to drink, we had to stick to the apple juice. That was the first modification.

Normally the players are supposed to sit in a circle, but since no one had any desire to sit around the table and Dominic stated he wanted to place his noble ass on the couch, we ended up huddled together in the living room.

And of course, I was to one who had to sit next to him. And by his little intervention, found myself practically sitting on his lap.

This was so not what I agreed to. But I decided to keep quiet and make him pay for it later.

By the end of the game, everyone had only a sip or two left at the bottom of their glasses.

My glass was still half-full.

The point of the game is taking a sip every time someone says they haven't done something you have. The winner is whoever finishes their drink first.

Not surprisingly, I lost utterly. And, not so surprisingly, Dominic had to tease me about it mercilessly. Of course.

The few times when I could actually drink my juice was when Max said he's never lost in checkers (I lost every single time someone managed to convince me to play the stupid game), Dominic stated he's never been on a diet (that one time Borah gave me a weird look from the corner of her eye, but didn't say anything), and when she admitted she has never won any competition (I rocked some artistic ones back in primary school).

Sentences like 'I have never been rejected by a girl' (Max), 'I have never gone bungee jumping' (Ezra), or 'I've never looked bad in my life' (Dominic), were out of question.

The only consolation was the fact that Dominic didn't win, either. The final was played between Max and Ezra, who, apparently, have done probably every thing possible in their lives. Max was was the on who won, though, when Ezra said he's never been in love.

But I could see he wasn't happy with his victory. The moment the words left Ezra's mouth, everyone went silent. I could hear Borah's sharp intake of breath and saw Max's jaw clench when he took the last sip of his juice.

I didn't push it, but something told me there was a story behind it. One that Max wasn't overly fond of.

When we finished the game, I got up to help Borah collect the glasses. We left the boys in the living room and moved to the kitchen to wash them.

"For a loving girlfriend, you seem a bit too eager to get rid of your boyfriend."

I stiffened when she nudged me with her arm in the hallway. My inability to hide emotions made itself known when she started laughing at my expression.

"Relax, Abi." she said. "I know you two are fake."

I gaped at her.

"You do?"

She nodded.

"For how long?"

Borah looked quite guilty when she looked at me, biting her lip.

"Since the beginning?" she paused, biting her lip. "I've already known the moment you came here tonight."

"So why all those comments about how sweet we looked together?" I asked, irritated.