Chapter 20

A group that was seated on the couch waited for us inside. She pulled me next to her, everyone looked at us and giggled.

"Cyndi, how long do we have to wait for your friend before we can start the game?" Tina cocked an eyebrow to a girl wearing a skimpy skirt.

"Any minute now," replied Cyndi. "Oh, there he is!" Everyone followed her gaze to the door. I saw Larry as he entered the room. He wore a black hoodie jacket. His snapback cap was inverted like a hipster. He looked surprised when he saw me. He flashed his smile but I pretended I did not notice him. Tina clung closer and leaned her head over to my shoulder. It did not take Larry a lot of time to see what was going on.

"Alright, the rules are simple." Tina stood boldly like a proud mare as she addressed the group. "When the tip of the bottle points towards you, you have to choose between Truth or Dare…" The crowd's squealed in excitement. I cringed. Truth or Dare? Seriously??? Like what the fuck was I getting myself into? "…If you choose dare (Tina continued) you have to complete whatever task the group tells you to do. If you choose truth, then you need to answer whatever question the group asks. Lastly, if you choose pass you will not have to do the dare or answer the truth but you will need to drink this," She raised a bottle of Tanduay Rhum. "…alright, let's get started! The night is still young and so are we!" The crowd repeated what she just said. I died. "Who will take the first spin?" Spin! Spin! Spin! Cheered everyone.

"I'll give it a go!" Cried Cyndi.

The bottle spun ferociously on top of the wooden table. Everyone shrieked wishing the tip of the goddamn bottle would point at them. Cringed. The bottle gradually stopped spinning. I had never seen a group of people getting thrilled so much on a friggin' childish game. I got a slap on my face of "What the fuck am I doing here?" For the fifth time tonight. When the spinning halted, the tip pointed at Larry.

He looked rattled. "So, Truth or Dare?" asked Cyndi.

People expectantly waited for his answer. "Pass," he said.

Shot! Shot! Shot! Shot! Urged the group. Tina poured in the dark brown liquor that looked like a piss when you hadn't drunk enough water on a hot summer day and handed it over to Larry. He had this funny look in his face after he drunk the Rhum. He wiped his lips with his knuckles and returned the shot glass on the table. It made a dull sound as it hit the surface.

The bottle spun again and again and again. A number of truth and dare threaded along with it. It stopped a couple of times at Larry's. Each time it did, he would always pass until he looked utterly drunk. He turned pinkish-red; from his face, to his ears and down on his neck.

Cyndi on the other hand, got her long-awaited chance. The bottle pointed at her. She immediately chose dare even before the options were laid down to her. One girl whose bust appeared like a sad pair of pandesal on her chest dared for Cyndi to kiss Michael. Backed by the crowd, she wasted no time smothering kisses on Michael's lips that it looked like he was about to get his face eaten.

The bottle spun again and stopped at Tina.

"Truth or Dare?" Asked the crowd.

"Dare." She answered like it was a no-brainer. I knew what was about to happen. I wished I had not come. I wish Larry had not come. I wished Larry and I could've just spent the night somewhere away from here.

Kiss Florante. Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! The crowd chanted.

Tina pulled me to her lips and started kissing me. Lots of tongue involved. Her breath tasted like mint in my mouth. I kissed her back.

Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Tina's hands all over my body. Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! I thought about stars. Black holes. Cats. Noodle-hair. Watermelon. Photographs. Congee. And the end of the world. I looked over to where Larry was seated but he was no longer there.