Where Two Collide

Chapter Seventeen - Alice

Chapter Seventeen

Alice

"What's the deal Rach?" asked Dan.

Rachel has us all grouped together, having now topped up my drained cup.

"Just a little game of Never Have I Ever, so we can get to know Jess," she said with a touch of a smile. "You've played before right Jess?"

Jess settled down onto the carpet crossed legged. "Of course."

"Great!" She glanced over at Dan who was starting to look uneasy. "Fancy kicking us off?"

"Alright." Dan twisted the bottle in his hand. I felt bad for him, and yet surely he'd known what he was getting himself into when he organised tonight. He knew Rachel better than anyone, so to bring another girl into the scenario without proper preparation was a fail on his account. However, all feelings of pity when swiftly out the window when I realised what he was starting with his next words. "Never have I ever peed on someone."

"Dude!" Ashton exclaimed. "It was one time."

Owen snorted as Dan waggled his eyebrows at him. "Shouldn't you be drinking Ash?"

"Oh god," said Tia flashing him a panicked look. "It wasn't a sex thing was it? Was it a sex thing? Oh god it was a sex thing wasn't it."

"Jesus Tia, stop saying sex thing," said Rachel

Dan smirked. "Oh yeah it was a sex thing."

"What the shit Dan." Ashton narrowed his eyes at him and then said to Tia, "She asked me to, I swear to god. I didn't even like it."

I held back a laugh, hiding my face behind my glass whilst Tia made a sceptical face. She was right, she does always get the gross ones.

Ashton gulped his drink and the look on his face said everything about what he was about to say. "Never have I ever been in handcuffs."

Rachel and Dan both took a drink at the same time. This was a story we all knew just because it was so funny. They'd both been caught skinny dipping in the local pool during the winter break, so not only were they handcuffed by the policeman who caught them there, but they completely stark naked when he did it. They'd never lived that story down, at least Dan hadn't, Rachel wore it like a badge of honour.

Jess didn't know the story and glanced between them in bemusement. Nobody explained, much to the clear disappointment of Rachel.

When Owen took a drink, I looked at him in surprise. I didn't know he'd been arrested before.

"The ex, right?" Dan said and Owen nodded with a smirk.

I still didn't get it until Rachel whispered in my ear, "the kinky kind of handcuffs."

I almost vomited in my mouth. Which, funnily enough, wouldn't have been the first time that week. I'd known he'd been with a few girls before me, I mean girls liked him and he had just turned seventeen, that was what boys did. I wasn't aware that he'd properly dated anyone enough to be trying out sex games together. That seem way too personal. I shuddered at the thought.

"My turn," said Jess. "Never have I ever punched someone."

All of the boys in the room drank, which was predictable of our group who were all a little on the aggressive side, given their joint involvement in getting the school Rugby team to the top of the county league.

It was less predictable when Tia drank.

"That sure was a pretty big sip," said Rachel to Tia.

I raised my brow at Tia. "When have you ever punched someone?" I found it hard to believe my friend who cried at television adverts was battle hardened.

Tia laughed awkwardly, and then cleared her throat. "I have three brothers; things sometimes get messy." She glanced nervously at Ashton and I could see she clearly cared what he thought, even though she'd only decided an hour ago that she was interested in him, and even after the peeing debacle which would have personally sent me running for the hills.

This was all going too slow for Rachel and it was clear she was getting impatient as she tapped a finger on her glass incessantly. "Ok ok, how about, never have I ever done it in a public place." She downed the rest of her glass and gave Dan a long purposeful look. He raised his glass and drank too.

Owen took a sip, grinning into his glass. That wasn't with me either. This little game of Rachel and Dan's relationship was starting to create an issue in mine. What else had he been up to that I knew nothing about?

"Never have I ever done something illegal," I yelled, staring him straight in the eye. I hadn't meant to say it so loud, but I was so angry at him. Never mind, at least I'd gotten my point across.

Everyone went quiet.

A smile grew at the corner of his lips. "Well, I think that's all of us here isn't it." he said, looking around at everyone else, purposefully ignoring my stare. "When we broke into that abandoned factory just outside of town and set off those fireworks."

Tia giggled. "I totally forgot we did that."

"Literally the most hilarious day ever. Dan that was when you broke your arm when you fell out the window trying to climb back outside," giggled Rachel. "He's right, we all need to drink. But I can't drink I'm completely out of cocktail. Alice give me some of yours."

I took a drink, annoyed because he was right, and because my words hadn't phased him. Why did I have to be the only hurt one here? "Here." The cocktail was way too sweet. I handed her the rest of the contents of my glass.

"Cheers everybody," said Rachel, lifting my glass. "Bottoms up."

"Actually, I wasn't here for that," said Jess. She stretched her arms out behind her on the carpet and leaned back. "It sounds like I've missed all the fun though."

Rachel smiled at her. "Oh sweetie, you've missed a lot."

Jess's easy smile faded, and I got the feeling she was starting to catch on to what was happening here. She was no longer being fooled by Rachel's friendly outward demeanour.

"Maybe we should tone it down a bit," said Rachel smirking purposefully at Jess. "I think we might be a bit too vulgar for Jess."

"Never have I ever gone commando," Jess said and downed the contents of her glass, then winked at Dan.

I held back the urge to pop my mouth open like a fish. Wow, just wow.

"Oh my gosh," said Tia looking excited all of a sudden. "Samesies!"

Ashton bumped his shoulder against Dan's. "Dude," he said.

"Dan I'm bored," said Jess suddenly, crooking a finer at him. "Make me a drink?"

This girl was more brazen than I had expected, and she took no prisoners. Maybe she had more of a chance up against Rachel than I had initially thought.

Dan grinned at her and offered his hand, pulling her up and out of the room. Rachel glared after them.

*** Please don't forget to Vote and Comment, your feedback is great and voting helps get this book in front of other readers :) ***

Have you played this game? Awkward as heck. Comment below!