Page 60 of The Boy I Once Loved

He nudges me, smiling. “Such a dirty mouth, Ella bear.”

In the campfire's light, his dark eyes glisten, the flecks of amber highlighted by the flames. Sometimes he floors me with how gorgeous he is, even that tiny scar on his forehead is cute.

Aria and Connor do well, but they get fewer matches than me and Dylan. It's funny listening to them argue though about who made the first move and who is the most romantic. Freya and Caleb go next, and they are abysmal. It's clear the only thing they know about each other is how to get naked and bump uglies. As the evening progresses and the alcohol flows, the tone of the games takes a nosedive.

Freya stands, swaying slightly on her feet. “Time for some real fun. Truth or dare, or never have I ever. Or spin the bottle?”

"Isn't that a bit juvenile?" I ask. I do not want to play either of these games. They always seem to lead to fall-outs or awkward situations.

Aria shakes her head. “I’m not playing spin the bottle.”

“Never have I ever it is then.” Caleb says and he claps his hands together in anticipation.

Dylan and I share a look, and his eyes roll, making me smile. It looks like he wants to play this silly game as much as I do.

Caleb grins. “Okay, if you’ve done it you drink, if you haven’t you don’t. Simple.” He rubs his hands together like he is looking forward to causing some mischief. “Okay, never have I ever had sex.”

Everyone takes a drink. No virgins here then.

“That was lame, Caleb,” Freya chastises. “Never had I ever had a threesome.”

I keep my bottle in my hands but Dylan and Freya both drink and I looked at Dyl’s wide-eyed and he flushes slightly and shrugs his shoulders.

“My turn,” Aria announces. “Never have I ever been in love.”

I gulp. Fuck. Here goes nothing. I take a sip of my drink and I feel the intensity of Dylan’s stare as he takes a drink of his drink. I look anywhere but at him, but I can feel his eyes on me. The only people who don’t drink are Caleb and Freya. No surprises there. I think the only person Freya has ever loved is herself.

"Never have I ever taken drugs," Caleb says, grinning.

Everyone takes a drink apart from Aria.

“Never have I ever wanted to die,” Freya says, and everyone looks up at her in shock. This game is taking a dark turn.

Everyone’s eyes turn to me when I lift my bottle and I take a drink. When I feel the weight of everyone’s stares, I straighten my shoulders. “My brother died,” I offer in explanation.

“Fuck,” I hear Caleb curse.

“Okay, enough with this shit game,” Dylan growls, downing the rest of his drink. “It’s bullshit.”

Freya’s eyes glisten with devilment. “Time for truth or dare then.”

Dylan throws his empty bottle on the floor and glares at Freya from across the campfire. "No more fucking games, Freya."

Freya sits up straighter and looks at him in defiance. "Don't be such a bore, Dylan. You never used to be so boring."

“No?” he says. I can hear the cold in his tone. “Maybe it’s called growing up. You’re just trying to get a rise out of people and it’s fucking annoying.”

Everyone else watches on in deadly silence.

“Afraid I’ll dare you to tell the truth about what you told me about Ella,” she challenges him, glaring back at his stony stare.

“Quit it,” he growls. Suddenly I’m very interested to know what she has to say.

Freya preens like a peacock as she looks over at me. “He told me you were a selfish bitch who upped and left and ran away from your problems.”

“Fuck you, Freya,” Dylan hisses. He turns round to face me. “I was blind drunk that night and it was your birthday. I was thinking about you and being sour, that’s all. It was the drink talking.”

“I ran away,” I repeat. Unbelievable! “I had no choice but to go. You know that.”

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