The game
VIOLET
“Kyle is such an amazing dancer. We kept spinning, and at one point, we were this close to kissing,”
Ashley rambled on, her voice brimming with excitement. She was still going on about her night, but my mind was stuck elsewhere—on one particular sentence from an infuriatingly handsome guy with tousled blonde hair, who just so happened to be the most popular guy at school…and my stepbrother.
“You don’t want someone who just adores you. You need someone who can push you, challenge you, and make you beg for more, little mouse.”
The memory sent an involuntary shiver down my spine. I had left him immediately pretending to feel dizzy,which was a ridiculous excuse now that I thought about it but it was the best I could come up with at that moment. Staying any longer would've given me away- he would have noticed how my body had reacted.
My nipples had hardened into peaks, and even now, just thinking about it, I could feel the wetness between my thighs. His words had ignited something in me, something I hadn’t felt before, and I hated that I loved the way his breath tickled my ear when he whispered to me in that rich, whiskey-laced voice.
"Violet? Helloooo!" Ashley's voice cut through my haze as she waved her hand in front of my face, snapping me back to reality.
“Huh?” I blinked, shaking my head to pull myself back to reality. “Sorry, what were you saying?”
Ashley tilted her head, narrowing her eyes in concern. “Are you okay? You’ve been zoned out for almost a minute.”
How could I even admit that my stepbrother—of all people—was the one making my heart race and my thoughts blur? The absurdity of it made me flush with embarrassment.
“I-I’m fine,” I stammered, hoping she wouldn’t push further.
Before I could explain myself, Ashley waved it off with a smirk. “Oh yeah? Well, enough daydreaming. Let’s go play a game. Luke’s already set up, waiting for us.”
Before I could protest, she grabbed my arm and started pulling me along, her excitement impossible to resist. “Come on, Vi, don’t make me drag you!”
I had no choice but to follow her lead, my heart still beating too fast from thoughts I couldn’t quite shake off. As we approached the table, I saw Luke sitting there, looking more relaxed than the last time I’d seen him—though there was still that tension in his shoulders from earlier. My mind briefly flashed back to the moment Ryan had dragged me away from him, and I caught the brief flicker of something in Luke's eyes when he looked at me. Was it hurt? Disappointment?
“Finally, you two showed up,” Luke said, forcing a grin, but I could tell there was something guarded in the way he greeted me.
Ashley, oblivious as always, plopped down next to him. “Alright, let’s start! No more excuses.”
I sat down across from Luke, trying to shake off the unease between us. On the table, there was a bottle of some dark, amber liquid that immediately caught my eye. The glass shimmered under the lights, and before I knew it, I was reaching for it out of curiosity.
“Violet, no.” Luke's voice was suddenly serious, his hand darting out to gently push the bottle away from me. “That stuff’s way too strong. Trust me, you don’t want to mess with it.”
I raised an eyebrow, pulling my hand back. “How bad can it be?” I asked, my tone half-joking.
“Bad enough,” he replied, his voice low. His gaze softened slightly as he added, “Just stick with something lighter. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.”
Ashley laughed, leaning back in her chair. “Luke’s right, Vi. That stuff will knock you out if you’re not careful.”
Ignoring them, I reached for the bottle anyway, curiosity winning out. The stopper popped off with a soft hiss, and I poured the thick liquid into the crystal glass beside it. I picked it up, staring at the amber liquid swirling inside, and took a sip.
Instant regret.
The burn hit my throat like fire, and I coughed violently, struggling to keep the drink down. My eyes watered as the alcohol spread through me, its warmth too intense. I wasn’t sure why I’d even done it—why I wanted to try it or what I hoped it would do for me. Maybe I was just curious… or maybe I was just tired of feeling so numb.
“Told ya” Ashley said with an eyeroll while Luke reached to me mustering a “are you okay?”
“It feels so great” I mumbled. “So the game?” I banged the table softly,my eye cocking up in curiosity.
“Let's play never have I ever” I replied myself before any of them could.
“Let's do this!” Ashley held an imaginary mic. “Who’s going first?”
“Violet suggested the game so she should go first” Luke replied.
Ashley nodded in agreement “Yeah you're playing first”
“Who's playing first?”
My breath caught in my throat. For a second, I thought the alcohol had messed with my mind, made me imagine things. But the sharp scent of cologne, the tension that filled the room—no, it wasn’t a hallucination. He was here.
Oxygen,I needed oxygen I needed air, but suddenly, it felt like there wasn’t enough oxygen in the room. My heartbeat quickened, my palms began to sweat.
“Oh, Ryan—Kyle, you're here! And Jack too!” Ashley’s cheerful voice cut through the thick silence...
“Can we join?” Ryan asked casually.
“Yeah, sure, the more the merrier!”
My best friend shot me a knowing glance, her grin widening, while Luke clenched his jaw, his gaze hardening at the sight of them
Ryan dragged a chair from a nearby table and sat down beside me. Kyle sat next to Ashley, while Jack took a seat beside Luke
“Why are you here?” I asked, the words escaping before I could filter them.
“You said you were feeling dizzy earlier” Ryan replied “I came to check on you, but clearly...” His gaze dropped to the amber liquid in my cup. “You seem fine now.”
Heat crept up my neck. “Yeah, I’m fine,” I mumbled, biting my lip awkwardly.
“Makes me wonder, were you really dizzy or…”
“So what are we playing?” Jack interjected, his voice loud. I silently sighed in relief for the distraction.
“Never have I ever,” Luke said, finally breaking his silence. The intensity in his eyes as he glanced at Ryan made me uneasy. “Violet’s starting,” he added.
I cleared my throat, lifting my shot glass. “Never have I ever…”
My mind scrambled for something, but with Ryan staring me down, it was hard to think of anything light or fun. “Never have I ever gotten detention”
“Ugh really?” Ryan mumbled under his breath as he took a shot. Everyone did except Luke. Not surprising
“Your turn” I muttered to Ashley.
I rubbed my eyes gently. It's going to be a long night.. really.
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