Page 61 of The Friend Zone

“Wait a second. This isn’t how you play. You might have had the first spin of the bottle and spin after each turn is completed, but the person who is up gets to spin to decide their fate.”

Bianca’s face reddens at being called out in front of everyone. Especially by Luca, who was the prime target of all her efforts to date a hockey player last year; even after he started seeing Lakyn.

“I know,” she argues. “But I thought?—”

“We either play properly, or we don’t.” Luca deadpans.

I’d be lying if I said that the way the Dean’s daughter gets two shades redder doesn’t amuse me.

The way she scrambles to appease Luca is almost comical. “Yeah, yeah, of course. I just wanted to help.”

Blaze backs his best friend. “We know how to play, Bianca. Now, Lake, spin the bottle please.”

My sister sighs and does as she’s told. Lakyn has always hated these kinds of party games.

The bottle begins spinning until Luca grabs it and stops it so the neck points at him.

“Hey!” Bianca objects. “You said we had to play properly. You can’t?—”

“My house, my rules.” Luca bites out with a tone I’ve never heard him use before. “We can play but unless we agree on kissing people on the cheek, my fiancée will kiss one of the men she’s going to marry, or she isn’t going to kiss anyone.”

I suppress a snort.

I’ve always thought that Luca didn’t strike me as the kind of authoritarian personality I’d imagine is needed to rule a country. Not until now. His tone brooks no arguments to the point that the words on the tip of my tongue are “Yes, Your Highness.”

Bianca is too eager to get into Luca’s good graces, so she smiles as if they didn’t almost have a confrontation. “Ok. But you’re the only exception. Everyone else better follow the rules. You can’t refuse to kiss the person chosen by the bottle. If you aren’t willing to do it, you have to take a shot and complete a dare we all agree on.”

We all agree, this is the way we usually play.

My plan is that if I’m up for kissing Topher—or viceversa—I’ll make a big deal of taking the punishment. That will humiliate him in front of everyone and teach him to crash parties where he’s definitely not welcome.

The game proceeds without any other hiccups.

Candace gets to kiss Keith, one of the Bridgeport Warriors; Viv kisses Tucker and my sister gets another turn with Blaze.

“Let’s spin again.”

The next time Bianca spins the bottle, it stops in front of Cole.

My best friend spins it again, a stony expression on his handsome face.

I freeze in shock when the bottle points at me.

“Cole, Bay, you’re up.” Bianca says.

I brace myself for a repeat of what happened at the Rush Fair kissing booth, when Cole flat out refused to kiss me.

Cole however doesn’t get a chance to voice any reaction, because Topher shoots to his feet.

“I don’t think so. He didn’t spin the bottle right. He needs to redo it.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Cash snorts. “You can spin the bottle however the fuck you want. It pointed at Bay, so now they have to kiss.”

My ex is the biggest control freak I’ve ever met. He’s used to calling the shots and he doesn’t tolerate his authority to be put under discussion.

“No, you have to spin it properly and Cole didn’t.”

Up until last year, none of his frat brothers would have ever dreamed of disagreeing with Topher. Things must have changed though and the Gammas must be getting fed up with Topher’s dictatorial ways.

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