The graduation party was still going strong.
Food everywhere. Music playing. People scattered across the Fernandez house in various states of celebration.
But in the living room, a circle was forming.
Ci-n: "TRUTH OR DARE! WE'RE PLAYING TRUTH OR DARE!"
Rakki: "Ci-n, it's midnight."
Ci-n: "PERFECT TIME FOR TRUTH OR DARE!"
Rakki sighed. But she was smiling.
Percy appeared with Honey. "I HEARD TRUTH OR DARE! DOCUMENTING!"
Ci-n: "I'LL HELP DOCUMENT!"
Percy: "DREAM TEAM!"
Rakki: "Nightmare team."
Mica: "Same thing?"
Rakki: "Same thing."
The circle grew.
Section E settled in. Aries and Ella joined. Mayo and Kit arrived late, looking fabulous as always.
Mayo: "Darling, we heard there was a game."
Kit: "We're here for the drama."
Mayo: "And the aesthetic."
Kit: "Always."
Freya: "You two are extra."
Mayo: "We're PERFECT."
Kit: "Same thing?"
Mayo: "Same thing."
Edrix: "They fit right in."
Freya: "Unfortunately."
Edrix: "You love it."
Freya: "Shut up."
Edrix: "Never."
Jay and Keifer sat together. Close. Always.
Jay: "Truth or dare? Really?"
Keifer: "You love it."
Jay: "I love watching OTHER people play."
Keifer: "Liar."
Jay: "Maybe."
He kissed her forehead.
Percy: "DOCUMENTED!"
Ci-n: "FROM THREE ANGLES!"
Rakki: "Those two."
The bottle spun.
First spin landed on Mayo.
Mayo: "Dare, obviously."
Percy: "I dare you to... compliment everyone in the circle. Genuinely."
Mayo: "Easy."
He went around.
Mayo: "Mica, your energy is infectious. Rakki, you have the patience of a saint. Freya, your confidence is admirable. Ella, you're fierce and loyal. Honey, you match Percy's chaos perfectly."
He continued.
Mayo: "Aries, your protective nature is actually sweet. Calix, you're the calm in Mica's storm. Edrix, your quiet devotion is rare. Rory, your brain is fascinating. Drew, your optimism about bets is endearing. David, your ability to sleep anywhere is a gift. Eren, your curiosity about everything is refreshing. Josh, your silence speaks volumes. Baster, your music brings joy."
He paused at Ci-n.
Mayo: "Ci-n, you're the heart of this group. Pure. Bright. Unstoppable."
Ci-n: "I'M CRYING!"
Rakki: "Again?"
Ci-n: "THIS TIME IT'S GENUINE!"
Mayo turned to Kit. "And Kit, you're my favorite person in every room."
Kit: "Smooth."
Mayo: "Honest."
Kit kissed his cheek.
Percy: "THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL!"
Ci-n: "DOCUMENTING!"
The bottle spun again.
Landed on Rakki.
Rakki: "Truth."
Ci-n: "BORING!"
Rakki: "Safe."
Percy: "Truth: What's the most embarrassing thing Ci-n has done that you secretly found adorable?"
Rakki thought.
Rakki: "He once tried to cook me breakfast. Burned everything. Set off the smoke alarm. The kitchen looked like a disaster zone."
Ci-n: "I REMEMBER THAT!"
Rakki: "But he was so proud. So happy. He kept saying 'I made this for YOU.'" She paused. "I loved it. Not the burnt food. The trying."
Ci-n stared at her.
Ci-n: "RAKKI..."
Rakki: "Don't make it weird."
Ci-n: "TOO LATE! I'M CRYING AGAIN!"
Rakki: "I know."
She pulled him close. He hugged her tight.
Mica: "They're so cute."
Calix: "Really cute."
Freya: "Tolerably cute."
Edrix: "That's high praise."
Freya: "Shut up."
The bottle spun.
Landed on Freya.
Freya: "Dare."
Percy: "BOLD! I dare you to... let Edrix feed you a snack. With eye contact."
Freya: "That's it?"
Percy: "FOR NOW."
Edrix grabbed a grape. Held it to her lips.
Freya bit it. Slowly. Eyes locked.
Edrix: "Good?"
Freya: "Acceptable."
Edrix: "Tss."
Freya: "Did you just—"
Edrix: "Maybe."
Freya: "That's Keifer's thing."
Edrix: "It's contagious."
Freya: "...Fine."
She almost smiled.
The bottle spun.
Landed on Keifer.
Keifer: "Truth."
Jay: "Boring."
Keifer: "Safe."
Percy: "Truth: What's the most romantic thing Jay has done that no one knows about?"
Keifer paused.
Keifer: "When I was sick. She stayed up all night. Didn't sleep. Just watched me. Made sure I was okay."
Jay: "Keifer—"
Keifer: "She thought I didn't notice. But I woke up once. She was holding my hand. Whispering that she loved me."
Jay's eyes glistened.
Keifer: "I pretended to be asleep. But I heard everything."
Jay: "You weren't asleep?"
Keifer: "No."
Jay: "And you didn't tell me?"
Keifer: "It was our moment. Private."
Jay hugged him.
Percy: "THAT WAS ACTUALLY ROMANTIC!"
Ci-n: "I'M CRYING AGAIN!"
Rakki: "You're always crying."
Ci-n: "IT'S A GIFT!"
The bottle spun.
Landed on Jay.
Jay: "Dare."
Keifer: "I dare you to... sing one line of a song. Any song."
Jay: "That's weak."
Keifer: "Your voice is pretty. I want to hear it."
Jay: "...Fine."
She sang. One line. Soft. Sweet.
Keifer watched her like she was magic.
Jay: "Done."
Keifer: "Perfect."
Jay: "Tss."
Keifer: "Don't."
Jay: "No."
He kissed her.
Percy: "DOCUMENTING!"
Ci-n: "FROM THREE ANGLES!"
The bottle spun.
Landed on Aries.
Aries: "Truth."
Ella: "Coward."
Aries: "Smart."
Percy: "Truth: What's something you've never told Ella?"
Aries looked at her.
Aries: "I knew from the first moment. That you were it for me."
Ella blinked.
Aries: "I didn't say anything because it was too soon. Too fast. But I knew."
Ella: "Aries..."
Aries: "And I still know. Every day."
Ella kissed him.
Not quick. Not short.
Real.
Jay: "FINALLY!"
Keifer: "Took them long enough."
Mica: "This is beautiful."
Calix: "Really beautiful."
Freya: "Acceptably beautiful."
Edrix: "That's love."
Freya: "Shut up."
Edrix: "Never."
The bottle spun.
Landed on Ella.
Ella: "Dare."
Aries: "I dare you to... tell me something you love about me. Something small."
Ella thought.
Ella: "The way you look at me when you think I'm not watching."
Aries: "I do that?"
Ella: "All the time. Like I'm something precious."
Aries: "You are."
Ella: "Tss."
Aries: "Did you just—"
Ella: "Maybe."
Aries: "I love you."
Ella: "I love you too."
The game continued.
More laughs. More truths. More dares.
Mayo and Kit took turns being fabulous. Ci-n cried three more times. Rakki pretended to be annoyed but held his hand the whole time.
Percy documented everything. Honey watched with fond exasperation.
Mica and Calix were disgustingly cute. Freya and Edrix slowly, inevitably, moved closer.
Drew took bets on who would kiss next. David slept through everything. Eren befriended a moth. Josh radiated calm.
Baster hummed a truth or dare melody.
At the end, Jay and Keifer on the couch.
Tired. Happy. Together.
Jay: "Best graduation ever."
Keifer: "Best truth or dare ever."
Jay: "Best everything ever."
Keifer: "Best you ever."
Jay: "Smooth."
Keifer: "Honest."
Jay: "Tss."
Keifer: "That's MY thing."
Jay: "OUR thing."
Keifer: "Same thing?"
Jay: "Same thing."
He kissed her.
Percy: "DOCUMENTING!"
Ci-n: "FROM THREE ANGLES!"
Rakki: "Go to sleep."
Percy: "HISTORY NEVER SLEEPS!"
But he yawned.
Ci-n yawned too.
They fell asleep on the floor, phones in hand.
Rakki covered them with a blanket.
Rakki: "Idiots."
Mica: "Our idiots."
Calix: "Same thing?"
Mica: "Same thing."