Never Have I Ever
Prologue
The lights are dim but the alcohol in my system makes them feel bright. I squint against them as I tilt my head back to laugh at ceiling. The sound is drowned out by the music from the next room.
“You told me you wouldn’t laugh!” A beautiful blond named Angel whines.
Everyone in the circle just laughs more and she huffs and walks away.
“Alright, alright,” A very intoxicated boy says, “Okay, okay I’m… Next! Okay, okay…”
I take a swig of my drink. The burn from it has long since lost its bite.
“Okay, I p-pick J… Jack! Yeah, Jack, truth or dare!”
I squint against the light again but the blurry boy doesn’t come into focus. I shrug and lean my head back against the coffee table.
“Um, dare, I guess,” Jack says.
“O-kay! Kiss… Uh… Kiss the hottest person in the group!” he declares.
Jack bites his lip and scans the room, trying to survey his options. I sit up and gulp down the rest of my drink. Once it’s empty, I crush it with my hand and put it down in front of me, trying to force its spot into my memory so I can remember to throw it away later.
Suddenly, there are hands on my face and I’m being pulled. I catch a glimpse of familiar eyes before lips are on mine.
Without the normal brain stability to think, I kiss back. A tongue runs over the seams of my lips and I’m quick to open them. Whoever this is, is a good kisser, I think.
The music in the next room is turned up louder; it’s followed by a lot of cheering.
“I’m miss sugar pink liquor, liquor lips.”
Liquor lips… I wonder what their lips taste like.
I move my lips so my tongue has access to theirs. I run it over their soft skin, expecting to find the bitter taste of beer, but end up pleasantly surprised to find what appears to taste like the chocolate covered strawberries that had been set out as a snack.
The thought that the owner of the lips is sober vaguely enters my mind and I open my eyes, ready to see a pretty face caked in pink.
I gasp deep in my throat and pull back.
“What the hell?” I demand.
The rest of the group breaks out into laughter as Jack blushes.
“What? He said kiss the hottest person in the group!” he defends, and the laughter roars louder.
I flip him off with a cheeky grin and rest my head on his shoulder as the game continues. I watch a few more dares before turning to Jack.
“I’m going to get another drink,” I yell in his ear, “Do you want one?”
He shakes his head.
“Nah. I’ll go with you though.”
I nod and he helps to me my feet and weaves me through the crowd and to the small dinner table that’s serving as a snack bar. I go right for another beer and Jack grabs a strawberry and dunks in the chocolate fountain.
“I thought I tasted strawberries on you. Are you… Are you sober?” I ask.
He nods.
“I figured someone had to drive you home.”
“Then why did you kiss me then? There were plenty of hot girls here tonight, man.”
He shrugs and keeps his eyes on the strawberry that’s still floating in the chocolate.
“I’m not really into that, and he said kiss the hottest person in the room. Not my fault it ended up being you.”
“I’m not gay, Jack,” I say quickly.
He sighs and looks at me.
“I know, Alex. Trust me, I know. I’m not gay either.”
I notice the sad look on his face and decide that I should remove it.
“Remember when Rian honest to God thought you being pansexual meant you literally fuck pans, and made his mom hide all of his kitchen appliances every time you came over for like, four months?” I ask.
Jack cracks a grin and I know I’ve done good.
“Oh, God. Yeah I remember,” he says, laughing under his breath.
I smile and point at the drowned strawberry.
“You might wanna get it out of there,” I say.
Jack turns his head to look where I’m pointing.
“Oh, shit,” he says, dipping his hand in and searching for it.
He pulls it out a few seconds later, empty handed.
“I never did that,” he mutters, licking the quickly drying treat on his fingers.
I pinch my thumb and pointer-finger together and bring them to my lips and drag them across. I twist them around and toss the imaginary key over my shoulder.
“You told me you wouldn’t laugh!” A beautiful blond named Angel whines.
Everyone in the circle just laughs more and she huffs and walks away.
“Alright, alright,” A very intoxicated boy says, “Okay, okay I’m… Next! Okay, okay…”
I take a swig of my drink. The burn from it has long since lost its bite.
“Okay, I p-pick J… Jack! Yeah, Jack, truth or dare!”
I squint against the light again but the blurry boy doesn’t come into focus. I shrug and lean my head back against the coffee table.
“Um, dare, I guess,” Jack says.
“O-kay! Kiss… Uh… Kiss the hottest person in the group!” he declares.
Jack bites his lip and scans the room, trying to survey his options. I sit up and gulp down the rest of my drink. Once it’s empty, I crush it with my hand and put it down in front of me, trying to force its spot into my memory so I can remember to throw it away later.
Suddenly, there are hands on my face and I’m being pulled. I catch a glimpse of familiar eyes before lips are on mine.
Without the normal brain stability to think, I kiss back. A tongue runs over the seams of my lips and I’m quick to open them. Whoever this is, is a good kisser, I think.
The music in the next room is turned up louder; it’s followed by a lot of cheering.
“I’m miss sugar pink liquor, liquor lips.”
Liquor lips… I wonder what their lips taste like.
I move my lips so my tongue has access to theirs. I run it over their soft skin, expecting to find the bitter taste of beer, but end up pleasantly surprised to find what appears to taste like the chocolate covered strawberries that had been set out as a snack.
The thought that the owner of the lips is sober vaguely enters my mind and I open my eyes, ready to see a pretty face caked in pink.
I gasp deep in my throat and pull back.
“What the hell?” I demand.
The rest of the group breaks out into laughter as Jack blushes.
“What? He said kiss the hottest person in the group!” he defends, and the laughter roars louder.
I flip him off with a cheeky grin and rest my head on his shoulder as the game continues. I watch a few more dares before turning to Jack.
“I’m going to get another drink,” I yell in his ear, “Do you want one?”
He shakes his head.
“Nah. I’ll go with you though.”
I nod and he helps to me my feet and weaves me through the crowd and to the small dinner table that’s serving as a snack bar. I go right for another beer and Jack grabs a strawberry and dunks in the chocolate fountain.
“I thought I tasted strawberries on you. Are you… Are you sober?” I ask.
He nods.
“I figured someone had to drive you home.”
“Then why did you kiss me then? There were plenty of hot girls here tonight, man.”
He shrugs and keeps his eyes on the strawberry that’s still floating in the chocolate.
“I’m not really into that, and he said kiss the hottest person in the room. Not my fault it ended up being you.”
“I’m not gay, Jack,” I say quickly.
He sighs and looks at me.
“I know, Alex. Trust me, I know. I’m not gay either.”
I notice the sad look on his face and decide that I should remove it.
“Remember when Rian honest to God thought you being pansexual meant you literally fuck pans, and made his mom hide all of his kitchen appliances every time you came over for like, four months?” I ask.
Jack cracks a grin and I know I’ve done good.
“Oh, God. Yeah I remember,” he says, laughing under his breath.
I smile and point at the drowned strawberry.
“You might wanna get it out of there,” I say.
Jack turns his head to look where I’m pointing.
“Oh, shit,” he says, dipping his hand in and searching for it.
He pulls it out a few seconds later, empty handed.
“I never did that,” he mutters, licking the quickly drying treat on his fingers.
I pinch my thumb and pointer-finger together and bring them to my lips and drag them across. I twist them around and toss the imaginary key over my shoulder.