The night settled in at King's house, the living room glowing with soft lamplight. Snacks were open, blankets scattered everywhere, and the group had just finished watching a comedy movie that left them all in stitches.
Treasure was still laughing, wiping tears from his eyes. "Bro, that scene where the dude tripped into the fountain—I can't breathe!"
"Shhh," Jasmine said, smacking him with a pillow. "It's time for something else."
Ebun smirked, adjusting the music to a softer beat. "I say we make this night more interesting."
King raised an eyebrow. "What you got in mind?"
"Truth or dare," Jasmine announced with a sly grin.
The whole room reacted at once.Treasure sat up immediately. "Say less!"Mia gasped. "Uh-oh."AJ pulled his hood lower. "Nah, I'm not doing this.""Too bad," Ebun said, already forming the circle on the floor. "Everybody's in."
They sat cross-legged in a circle with a soda bottle in the middle. King spun it first—it landed on Jasmine.
Jasmine smirked. "Truth."
King thought for a moment, then asked, "Who's the person you trust the most in this room?"
Jasmine looked around, pausing dramatically. Finally, she smiled and pointed at Cadel. "Him."
Cadel blinked in surprise, while Ebun rolled her eyes and muttered, "Figures."
The next spin landed on Treasure. "Dare," he said confidently.
Ebun smirked. "I dare you to eat one of Mia's cupcakes in one bite."
"Easy!" Treasure grabbed one, stuffed it in, and instantly started choking. Everyone burst out laughing, while Mia smacked his shoulder. "That was not the point of my cupcakes!"
The circle moved on.
The bottle spun to AJ. Everyone perked up. AJ sighed. "…Truth."
Treasure leaned forward with a mischievous grin. "Alright, bro. Who do you like?"
The whole room went silent. AJ's hood shadowed his face, but they could see his jaw tighten. He looked away, muttered something under his breath, and finally said, "Pass."
"No passes!" Jasmine shouted.
AJ clenched his teeth. "…Fine. There's someone. That's all you're getting."
The tension rose instantly, and the group erupted with teasing, but AJ stayed quiet, his hood still covering him. Only King caught the faint smirk tugging at AJ's lips.
The game went on—embarrassing dares, funny truths, and rising energy in the room. But underneath the laughter, everyone could feel the closeness growing between them.
And though they didn't know it yet, this night of games would become a turning point—sparks of love, jealousy, and friendship mixing together, right before their toughest battles began.