Cut!

Take 22 - Live While We're Young - Part 4

A/N: Please comment as you read. Your comments makes my day!

“Remember to sign your name at the bottom,” David said. “That way, Zayn can make sure we don’t answer our own, and that we don’t lie.”

Diana threw four pens on the table and placed a stack of visit cards from the bar with the blank side up. We had to improvise, but lucky for us, the bartender seemed to get what we were looking for. I grabbed ten of the cards and a pen, clicking it a few times while I thought about what I should write.

Which sins did I want to confess?

To be perfectly honest, I found it extremely hard to write down ten things about myself. Mostly because I didn’t know whether to write as myself or as Ludmilla. I decided to go with my own secrets, because, in this particular game, I was in control of what I had to share.

That had been the reason I refused to play Truth and Dare. I was sitting at a table filled with people, who had read about Ludmilla in the media for years. If they asked me to elaborate on anything, I might get caught—and I couldn’t risk that.

I might have decided to let go tonight, but I was still under that stupid contract. And even if there hadn’t been a contract, I still needed to consider Ludmilla’s future.

Which is why I ended up writing the lamest “facts” I could find. It included my favorite color, where I went to school, my dad’s name, and the likes. Things that I couldn’t run from—things I didn’t need to hide.

It was a small solace, but at least I was completely honest for the first time since I left England. I liked the feeling.

Harry was the first to finish writing his facts, and I tried not to react when he promptly left the table. Part of me worried if something was wrong, but when he returned with an oversized cowboy hat, I sighed silently in relief.

“Are you ready?” David asked.

I nodded and grabbed the stack of neatly folded papers. With one swift movement, I dumped the whole batch inside the hat and mixed them around once. One after one, everyone else followed, and at last, Zayn stuck his hands in to blend the facts further.

Harry gestured for the bartender to come over and asked for an entire pitcher of the drink. Soon after, the delicious drink was placed between us. I scooted my glass over, and Harry filled it with a smile.

“Alright, guys,” Zayn said. “Do you have your beverages ready?”

We all responded by raising our glass in the air.

“Good, good.” Zayn grinned. “We’re going clockwise, which means that Diana, you’re first, then David, Cami and finally Harry. I will take a card, read it aloud, and then you’ll guess. Okay?”

We nodded in agreement, and I began to feel the excitement inside of me.

Maybe this was what Jackie had been telling me about for years. This rush when you are with a group of people you don’t mind being around, having fun, laughing and playing games.

Or maybe it was because I couldn’t stop thinking about the very casual way Harry placed his hand on my leg.

It was one of the two.

“Okay. You ready, Diana?” Zayn grinned and stuck his hand into the hat. He looked at it with a big smile and then cleared his throat. “I have an insane crush on one of the people at this table,” he said, reading from the card.

I shouldn’t have been surprised when she piped up and looked between Harry and me. I knew it wasn’t mine, but could it be Harry’s? I tried not to give anything away, but I was dying to know. Nobody moved as Diana tapped her chin.

“That’s a hard one,” she said. “I’m guessing… Cami?” She smiled at me, and then turned to Zayn. “Am I right?”

“Unfortunately, no.” He shook his head. “Guess we won’t know who owns this secret then. Drink.”

Diana fake-pouted as she took a sip from her glass. I wanted to mimic her expression, but only because now I wouldn’t know if Harry was the one who wrote it. He didn’t react to it at all, but he could just be acting.

Right?

“Next up, David,” Zayn said. He took a new card. I watched him carefully, surprised when his eyes widened. “Okay…” He cleared his throat. “I have a picture of Zayn only wearing a big, fuzzy pink sweater.”

David laughed. “I’m guessing that one is from Harry.”

“Yes…” Zayn said through gritted teeth. “Drink. Harry.”

Harry smirked and took his drink. “Cheers, mate.”

If looks could kill, Zayn would probably have vaporized Harry on the spot. “I’m going to get you back for that one,” he said.

But Harry just laughed and drank his punishment.

“Cami…” Zayn said after another set of glares. “You ready?”

I nodded and without thinking, I slipped my right hand under the table, placing it gently above Harry’s hand on my thigh. He didn’t react, but I felt his hand turn, entangling his fingers in mine. Somehow, it gave me strength.

Zayn began laughing once he saw the next card. In between laughs, he read, “Once, I went to a Halloween party dressed as a slutty teletubby. It was a big hit.”

I widened my eyes. Couldn’t say I’d expected that one. I looked around at the people around me, everyone was avoiding my stare. Somehow, I couldn’t really imagine Diana dressing up like that, which left David and Harry.

“Ehm…” I said. “I guess it’s… David?” I looked at Zayn for the answer.

He shook his head, still laughing. “Sorry, Cami. Drink up.”

“Was it you?” Diana asked and pointed at Harry.

Curious for an explanation, I looked at him as I took a sip of my drink.

Harry shrugged carelessly and gave a mischievous smile. “What can I say? Dipsy got mad skills.”

I almost spat out my drink. It got into my nose, and I complained loudly. “Don’t say that!” I blamed him.

They didn’t seem to care, though. As the drink burned through my nose, I waved my hands around, trying to ignore their laughs. Pushing the chair back, I walked over to the bar to get a napkin. When I returned to the table, they were still laughing.

I scowled playfully at them and sat down beside Harry again.

“Alright, alright,” Zayn said. “Harry. You’re up next.” He took a card and read it out loud. “As a child, I only played the male lead, when I rehearsed acting.”

That one was mine. Harry smiled and turned to me. “Since Diana doesn’t act, my guess is that it’s you, Cami.” He looked straight into my eyes.

I nodded in reply just as Zayn confirmed Harry’s guess. With my left hand, I reached for my glass again.

“I’m going to drink with you on that one,” he said and raised his own glass. We toasted and both drank.

“Alright, then,” Zayn said. “Ready for a round two?”

We all agreed, and my stomach did a weird flip-flop when Harry’s hand took mine under the table again.

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