Hate + Time = Love

3: Taking the Game Too Far

"Emma! Join us!" Chris said. Emma looked up from her book at him, her face void of any emotion other than annoyance.

"No, thanks. I'm good." She began reading again.

"Come on!" Bash said. "Everyone plays T or D!" Reluctantly, Emma marked her place in her manga and put it into her bag. She got up and joined the circle between Bash and Chris, the knowledge that Bash wouldn't give up until she did pressuring her.

"Okay," the proposer of the game said. "I'll go first, then we'll keep going this way." He pointed at a girl to his right.

"Truth or dare?" the girl asked. He chose truth. The girl did as well, on her turn. The truths were all boring, but the dares were another story. One girl was dared to close her eyes and let someone do whatever they wanted with her for one minute. Another girl, who was drunk, went over and kissed her. Emma looked away after it got a little too sexual. The girl, when she opened her eyes, had no idea who it was. One guy was dared to chug an entire two-liter bottle of root beer. Eventually, it came around to Chris. He chose dare.

"Make out with someone." All the girls, minus Emma, grinned widely and puffed out their chests, trying to get his attention. Chris pretended to think about it, looking around the circle thoughtfully, though he already knew who he wanted. In one swift movement, he grabbed Emma's face and pressed his lips against hers. She fell backwards in surprise, leaving Chris hovering above her, his lips still on hers. Droplets of water dripped from his wet hair onto her face. He put his left hand on her waist, leaving his right hand free to hold her neck. He moved his lips along hers slowly, parting hers slightly. Emma felt his tongue mingling with hers gently. Not forceful, almost as if asking for permission. Finally, the shock of the kiss wore off, and Emma began fighting Chris off, trying to shriek in protest. She managed to turn her head away, but Chris didn't stop. Instead, he pulled on her earlobe with his teeth and kissed her neck. Emma, frightened by the fact that she didn't want him to stop, shoved him away roughly. Chris gave her a cool smile and winked at her. Everyone was staring, the girls with burning jealousy. Still, the surprise at Chris' actions was more prominent.

"Emma, you're next," Chris said, breaking the awkward silence. "Truth or dare?" Emma thought about it. The dares had almost always been sexual. But Chris was the one daring her. He wouldn't try anything again, surely. But if he did...she also didn't want to open up, much less to these people.

"Dare," Emma whispered, waiting for him to say 'kiss me' or 'give me a lap dance' or...

"Jump in the pool," Chris said, grinning. He had hoped she would choose dare.

"What?" Emma's head snapped up, caught off guard by the seemingly innocent dare. That was, to everyone else it seemed innocent enough. But to Emma...she looked into Chris' eyes, almost pleading for it to be a joke.

"With your clothes on," he said, grinning, almost evilly. It was a simple dare. Not sexual. Not really humiliating, either. Safe. What was the worst that could happen? She'd ruin her brother's truck seats with her wet clothes?

"Truth," Emma said, looking away from him.

"Oh, no you don't. You chose dare. Now into the pool." Chris pointed at the pool.

"Forget it. I'm not jumping into the pool," Emma said, still refusing to look at Chris directly. Shame ate at her, and embarrassment. She hated looking weak, like a chicken, but if she jumped into the pool, there was no guarantee that she'd come back up. She didn't know how to swim. Chris grinned. and idea popping into his head.

"Well, you're going in, one way or another," Chris said. With that, he hauled Emma up off the ground by her arms. "Kyle! Help me! Get her legs!"

"What? No! Chris, don't!" Emma protested. She kicked at Kyle as he tried to get a grip on her legs. Finally, he managed to grab her, and the two boys carried Emma, shrieking and flailing, over to the pool's edge. "Chris, stop! Please!"