1o.
chapter ten:
playing dangerous
games. no, I don't
prefer it.
<3

My eyes concentrated on the bottle spinning in front of me. It was hard, though, to be fixed on something as inanimate as a bottle when the girl I had a crush on was right beside me, her bare forearm brushing against mine. Calm down, Ash!

The previous date had gone just fine when Drew had asked me to hug a girl from the group who I considered a sister. It was easy, and to let him know I was not his rival, I had chosen to embrace May.

"Dude," I heard Misty whisper. "Tell Serena that if she gets the chance to question or dare either Drew or May, she better give something that gets them to open up about their feelings for each other. You should follow too. I hope Brock's lessons have really rubbed off on you enough to ask or dare under such circumstances."

I blew out a breath and inched closer to Serena. The girl seemed to have noticed the proximity, for she shot me a questioning glance. I gestured to wait, and she did.

The bottle stopped, its head pointing to Gary while the base was toward Dawn. It was Dawn's turn to question Gary.

The entire round slipped away as my mind reeled, and I leaned closer to Serena, cupping a hand near her ear. The scent of strawberries, fresh and exhilarating, entered my nostrils. "Misty has a message. She wants you to give an appropriate truth or dare to reveal their feelings should you get Drew or May," I managed. Serena nodded, and I almost laughed as her hair tickled my face.

"Oi!" I backed away, running a hand through my hair as I noted Gary smirking. "It's your chance, you dunderhead! T or D?"

Only then did I realize that it was Gary's turn to question me. "Truth," I replied instantly, knowing just how much risk a dare from Gary would pose. Gary frowned.

"You're no fun."

"Thanks."

"Mhm, if you could give the world to someone here, who would it be?" The boy was snickering, barely containing the elation at my expense. Damn you, Gary.

"I guess. . ." I dragged. "I guess I would give a better world to this bottle here. The poor thing's been spinning for God knows how long!"

It was my turn to laugh at Gary's expense. The situation got even better when everybody joined in, and Gary turned red.

"Your turn," he dismissed quickly, and I obliged, spinning the bottle. It landed on Drew, and I stiffened. How am I supposed to ask him to reveal his feelings? Surely Brock hadn't taught me that!

"Drew, truth or dare?" I asked, feeling more than just Misty's eyes on me. The green-haired boy replied almost instantly, as if he were waiting for his turn.

"Dare!"

I bit my lip in thought, my mind blank. "Er." Then I looked at Serena and found inspiration spark in my mind. "Kiss, on the cheek, the most gorgeous girl in this group!" I declared, feeling pride rising within me.

Once again, Drew did not hesitate and immediately got up. I looked on, puzzled, as he walked around the table to where I was sitting. I expected him to just peck May, who was right beside him. My confusion turned to blood boiling in my veins when he leaned in and pressed a smooch to Serena's cheekbones.

"Oh!" Serena exclaimed, pink tinging her skin. When Drew was back in his seat, she spoke up again. "Thank you, Drew. I'm honored you think of me like that, but I'd really call all of the girls here gorgeous!"

The other girls cooed in appreciation, and the game resumed with a very smug Drew spinning the bottle. Why, just why, did everyone like to play me around?!

"Ash, are you okay?" I heard Serena ask. I realized that my knuckles were white and my jaw set. Loosening them, I gave her an awkward laugh.

"Yeah, just a little tummy ache," I lied. Serena looked concerned, but I waved her off and looked back at the bottle. It was Drew's turn to question Misty.

"Dare!"

Drew ran a hand through his hair, and I snickered when May flushed. "I was prepared with a perfect truth for you, but what do you know, hmm? I dare you to add 'pineapple' after every word you speak until the next three turns."

"Piece pineapple of pineapple cake." Misty shrugged and went back to spinning the bottle. It landed on May.

"Truth pineapple or pineapple dare, pineapple May?"

"Um, dare?"

"I pineapple dare pineapple you pineapple to pineapple hug pineapple your pineapple crush!"

It took the poor girl several minutes to understand the task. Truth be told, I was no better than her. But when she did, she flushed crimson, matching the color of her shirt. May sighed and turned around in her seat, wrapping her arm around Drew in a one-sided hug. The boy looked sincerely taken aback, nevertheless returned the gesture with a flushed face and an unusually awkward movement of his body.

When nothing else was confessed, Misty tossed the bottle for May to spin. It landed on. . . Serena.

"T or D?" May's voice was diminutive, almost non-existent, but Serena seemed to have caught her.

"Truth."

"Will you join the dance club this year? I've seen you perform, and you are amazing!" Her voice was now back to being upbeat for whatever reason. Serena blushed and smiled.

"Aww, thank you, May. I'll consider it. Perhaps if I don't become the grade leader."

May nodded enthusiastically, and I felt the tension drain out of me. Finally, the PG-13 questions were done.

Serena spun the bottle, but the poor girl just did not do it enough, and it lay there horizontally straight, its tip toward me. "Me?" I asked, unsure.

"Of course pineapple, it's pineapple you!"

Serena scratched her cheek as I turned my eyes to her. "Ash." My breath caught in my throat at the sound of my name. "Truth or dare?"

"D-dare!" I stuttered, only focusing on her eyes. Her gaze briefly lowered toward my jaw before it flitted back to return mine.

"I dare you to play 'yes or no' with all of us asking you one question about—about your crush."

My heart skipped a beat. "Eh?!" I screamed. "I-I don't have one!"

"A dare's a dare, and we know you dream of a girl!" Dawn piped in, making her presence known. I glared daggers at her, nevertheless sighed in defeat.

Arceus, just make sure whatever the outcome is, it doesn't spoil what I have with Serena right now.