28

"Let's go, please," I whispered to Juline, who seemed too drunk and fascinated by Zayn to even hear me properly. She sat on his beanbag so quickly that she almost knocked me down with her.

Cody, Chloe, Adam and a girl I didn't know were also already seated in a circle, chatting and laughing while passing around bottles and cups. My heart was racing and I looked next to me at Micah, Zayn and Kiyan all three of whom were staring back at me.

"If you don't want to join us, we can go," Micah said to me and I immediately looked at Kiyan, whose piercing gaze was on me. He was probably waiting for what I would do now and the more I thought about it, the more crappy this situation became. Should I go with Micah? Should I just go alone? My mind was racing and the tequila in my stomach didn't help me make the right decision at all.

"I'm going. You stay here," I then said quietly to Micah, but then that arrogant Chloe spoke to me.

"If you're too uptight, you're welcome to go," she said, laughing, and I sat down right across from her without thinking any further. If she thought I was leaving and she could put Kiyan and the others at me for the next few hours, then she was wrong.

"Very good," she smiled almost maliciously and the other three then sat down in the circle.

While the others were all happy like children, Micah, Kiyan and I sat there and didn't make a face. The whole evening was so draining and I desperately grabbed Juline's cup and drank it down hastily.

Maybe I was about to fall into a drunk coma and I was almost praying my hysterical mother would come right through the door and drag me home.

"So who wants to start?" Chloe asked, tossing her long black hair over her shoulder and then placing an empty bottle in the middle between us.

I quickly looked down, hoping that someone would voluntarily start, because there was a chance it wouldn't be my turn.

"Me!" Juline suddenly shouted so loudly that I opened my eyes and winced. She was really over motivated and while I didn't like Zayn, I was hoping for her sake that the bottle would hit him. Then he would only have to be absolutely bad at kissing and she would finally tick him off.

"I like you," Chloe said, handing the bottle to my best friend on my right. I nervously looked left at Micah, who was sitting next to Zayn. Then my eyes fell on Kiyan and Chloe sitting next to each other in front of me. I wanted to just throw up and grabbed Micah's mug as well to numb my mind even more.

Juline placed the bottle in the middle, giggling like a little girl, and then gave it a good spin. As if in slow motion, this stupid schaps bottle turned and stopped right at Adam, who widened his eyes and was visibly happy to have been chosen.

Juline gave me a disappointed look and then leaned in to give Adam a quick kiss on the mouth.

"No, with tongue. We're not in kindergarten," Chloe wiggled her finger and Juline rolled her eyes over at her. She wouldn't really do that, would she?

Oh but! She did it and the most uncomfortable thing was that we were all watching. When they were finished after what felt like an eternity, the blonde took the bottle, which then met the unknown girl.

Could someone please help me out of here? Where was that spider man when you really needed him? Wasn't there a green guy in comics who transformed when he was angry? Hulk? What I would give if he just let the house collapse. With Chloe of course.

Coming back to reality from my thoughts, the bottle spun again and then when it landed on Kiyan, my breathing stopped and I felt a nasty stab in my heart. Jealousy tore me up just at the thought of her lips about to touch his and then I took a closer look at the girl.

She looked normal, but I noticed her cheeks turning red despite the lack of light. I wanted to rip the piercing out of her lip or pour my drink over her blond hair, but I didn't want to show it.

As my gaze fell to Kiyan he laughed with Zayn and moved forward to the girl and before they could touch I forced myself to look away and looked at Cody whose eyes met mine at that moment. I couldn't return his nerdy grin because I realized at that moment that Kiyan would have to spin the bottle and kiss someone again.

What was the logic of this game anyway? Since everyone could make out with everyone!

I drank another sip angrily, just stared at the bottle and avoided any eye contact until the bottle pointed at Juline of all people. I immediately looked at her and she also at me.

would she? Now was her chance to end this whole thing! Was it so important to her to get a kiss from that idiot that she would kiss Kiyan first? She knew about the hickey on my neck!

She gave me an apologetic look and then moved forward. She would! The fact that the two then kissed right in front of my eyes was the peak of this nightmare.

He placed his hand on her cheek while their lips met and both of their eyes closed. It hurts! Damn hurt! And yes it was just a silly game and everyone looked at it lightly, but my feelings really got hurt playing this game!

They parted again and Kiyan's gaze met mine. He grinned at me and then leaned back again. Asshole! How could I be so wrong! Whether this was played or not, he was right! He broke my heart!

The game went on and on, the bottle kept turning, but I wasn't interested anymore. My jealousy was nagging at me far too much and the worst had already happened anyway, at least that's what I thought, until the bottle pointed at me and I didn't even know whose turn it was.

I looked confused at the bottle and then at Juline who nodded slightly behind me. Then when I looked at Micah, I knew he'd been filming, but not who he'd even kissed before...

"Today!" Chloe said with a grin and my hands started to tremble so much that I had to put the cup down. That kiss would give him even more hope, wouldn't it? Was it a game for him, or did he just play along hoping for exactly that situation?

"It's just a game, no real feelings, so what are you waiting for?" I then heard Kiyan's voice, who then gave me such a cold, destructive look that an uncomfortable shiver ran down my spine.

I looked back at Micah who had already turned to me and tried to just focus on him. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes, then felt his hand on my cheek, which felt warm, and shortly afterwards I felt his lips on mine. He was tender, almost gentle, and his tongue pushed its way very carefully to mine, only to let it dance playfully with mine. My stomach clenched slightly and his taste of whiskey filled my entire mouth and then it was over and we parted again. Just a kiss...

He gave me a satisfied smile, but my eyes immediately sought Kiyans, who suddenly looked like he was about to explode, because he just stared at the ground and clenched his hands into fists. So first provoke, then kiss my best friend and then be angry? What game was he playing with me?

"You have to turn," Juline pulled me out of my rigidity and still shaking, I turned the bottle, which then landed on Zayn of all places after a short circle.

"Now it's getting interesting," Chloe laughed and immediately after her words Kiyan got up and left the room with a loud slamming of the door.

There was silence and for a while I didn't even think anyone was breathing until Zayn got up and left without saying a word.

"I'd say it's game over," Chloe said, looking at me so triumphantly that you almost thought she was trying to provoke that very situation.

"Too bad," said Cody, noticing that he looked at Juline at the word. Apparently he had hoped for more and Juline didn't look too happy either.

"Come on," Micah then took my hand, who was the only one with an absolutely beaming smile on his face. I wished it was the same, but I felt like something had died inside me, I felt so bad after Kiyan stormed out of the room.

I'd given Micah hopes, hurt Kiyan, and felt absolutely torn about Juline because she'd kissed the boy she knew I cared about without hesitation.

Why did I actually feel bad, even though Kiyan had started all that crap and in the end it wasn't my fault that Micah wanted something from me...

I let the brown haired guy help me to my feet and then ran ahead of him up the narrow stairs, hoping to just go home and talk to Kiyan, but he wasn't here anymore.

"Shall I get us something to drink?" Micah then asked me, standing very close to place his hands on my hips. It made me so angry inside that I started balling my hands into fists.

Not because of him, but because of myself and my stupid behavior. Kiyan was right. I didn't even dare to say my opinion to Micah's face. Instead, I always ignored everything and tried to push it away, and what had this behavior gotten me?

Nothing! Except anger, chaos and utter confusion.

"No, I'm going home."

I caught a glimpse of his green eyes, noticed his disappointment and then turned away from him to leave this horror party. When I got to the door, I doubted my decision to leave again, but all that disappointment and anger eventually drove me into the darkness and I was glad he didn't offer to take me home. I just wanted some distance from everyone. Especially to him and Juline, although I couldn't understand that myself.

In front of Cody's house there were some young people who were smoking and fortunately didn't pay any attention to me, but in front of the wide driveway I ran into Zayn, who was nervously pacing back and forth with his cell phone to his ear.

He hadn't seen me and I took a few steps in the direction of the main road leading out of the cul-de-sac, but then the question of whether he knew where Kiyan was drove me back to him.

How stupid was I to run after someone who had hurt me like that? Pretty stupid, I would say, and ran towards Zayn with his hands in his pockets, who put the phone away as soon as he saw me.

"What was all this about?" he suddenly asked me almost angrily, while doing so he buttoned his blue college jacket. "You really hurt him."

"Are you kidding? I thought it was just a game!", I replied stubbornly and still I had a guilty conscience. I was just being a good person and I've always cared more about hurting others than I care about my own well-being.

"You're right. It was just a shitty idea of Chloe's," he then murmured, leaning his back against the lantern behind him.

Of course it was her idea, whose else...

"Where is he anyway?" I then asked and he just shrugged his shoulders unknowingly while my gaze fell behind him to the trees and the playground immediately came to mind.

"I think I know where he is," I said to myself rather than Zayn, looking out at the trees, and then, ignoring him, started walking slowly, but I felt and heard him following me, which helped me along the way the dark trees was just right.