After dinner, the laughter around the table slowly died down as the group finished the last bites of dessert. The clinking of plates and forks was replaced by soft chatter and the occasional burst of a joke. Riley excused himself early and headed upstairs to his room, muttering something about needing to call his girlfriend.
The others stayed behind, lounging lazily in their seats, the warm lights casting a soft glow over their faces.
"So, what game should we play?" Ryan asked, stretching his arms behind his head.
"Let's play Truth or Dare," Lucas suggested casually.
Jayden groaned. "Nooo, I'm so tired of that game. We always end up doing the same dares — run outside in boxers, text your crush, or fake cry on a phone call. Boring."
Lucas glanced at Isabella, a mischievous smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Wait," he said slowly, clearly scheming.
Isabella narrowed her eyes. "No," she said immediately, already guessing what he was thinking. "Don't even go there, Lucas."
"What?" Jayden asked, his curiosity piqued as he looked back and forth between the two.
Lucas kept smiling but didn't say anything. He just kept his eyes locked on Isabella.
She sighed dramatically, then folded her arms. "Okay, fine. There's this game my siblings and I made up years ago. It's called Drink It or Tell."
Lucas leaned forward, excitement lighting up his face. "It all started with a challenge. See, our—uh, my mother was trying to make a smoothie one day. Bella here had just bragged that anything she mixes ends up tasting great."
"It's true!" Isabella said proudly. "Even weird combinations — like pineapple and chili powder or peanut butter with mango juice — I made them work!"
Lucas nodded. "She really did. So, naturally, our mom wanted to try her hand at mixing something of her own. But instead of making something decent, she ended up creating the most bitter, disgusting drink in the history of mankind."
"No joke," Isabella added. "It was like drinking betrayal and broken dreams."
"It had raw aloe vera, unsweetened cocoa powder, vinegar, ginger peels, and—get this—blended olives and kale," Lucas said, grimacing at the memory. "It tasted like sadness and punishment."
"We tried to tell her it was awful," Isabella said, laughing, "but she was convinced it was healthy. She made all of us drink it."
"And after suffering through that horror, we decided to use it for something fun," Lucas finished. "We wrote down the exact recipe and turned it into a game."
"You don't want to drink it, so you answer truthfully," Isabella explained. "Simple."
"Bella, help me in the kitchen," Lucas said.
The two disappeared behind the swinging door, and the sound of clinking bottles and loud laughter echoed from the kitchen. The rest of the group waited, half-curious and half-worried.
Fifteen minutes later, Lucas and Isabella returned, holding a large glass jug filled with a thick, dark red drink. The color alone was unsettling — it looked like a mix between cranberry juice and blood.
Jayden leaned away slightly. "Uh… is that thing breathing?"
Ryan made a face. "It looks like a science experiment gone wrong."
Lucas grinned. "Oh, it's worse than it looks. Now… let's get started."
"What are the rules?" Jayden asked hesitantly.
"We need two players," Lucas said, setting down two large glasses and pouring the drink. "Leonardo and Bella."
"What?! Why me?" Isabella protested.
"It's already decided," Lucas replied smoothly, handing her one of the glasses. "This game was born from your brilliance, Bella. Honor it."
She rolled her eyes but took the glass.
Lucas turned to Leonardo. "You up for it?"
Leonardo smirked slightly, showing no sign of intimidation. "Why not?"
"Alright," Lucas announced to the group. "You must answer every question truthfully. If you refuse to answer or lie, you drink. And this drink? It doesn't forgive."
Jayden clapped his hands. "Let's gooo!"
Ryan leaned forward. "Okay, first question. Just to warm up. Can both of you introduce yourselves?"
Leonardo nodded. "You start," he told Isabella.
"Fine," she said, sitting up straighter. "My name is Lisa Isabella Thompson Taylor. I'm seventeen years old. I dance, I sing, I game. And I've been accidentally famous since I was born."
She tossed her hair dramatically, making everyone laugh.
Leonardo gave a small smile. "Leonardo Royce. I'm twenty-one. CEO of Royce Enterprises. And I'm just here for the drinks… unfortunately."
Jayden blinked. "Wait, what? You're the Leonardo Royce? I thought you were, like, twenty-seven or something!"
Leonardo just shrugged, unfazed.
Lucas leaned in. "My turn. Isabella… how many guys have you dated?"
She raised a brow. "Really, we're starting there?"
"If you don't want to answer…" Lucas gestured to the drink.
"Okay, fine. Let me count…" She tapped her fingers on the table, murmuring names. "Twelve."
Jayden choked on his soda. "Twelve?! When?!"
"I had a life before you, Jayden," she said with a smirk.
Lucas turned to Leonardo. "Alright, your question. Did you ever have feelings for Christabel?"
Leonardo blinked once. "No."
Jayden grinned. "Okay, my turn! Isabella, do you have any feelings for me?"
She smiled sweetly. "No."
"Ouch!" Jayden gasped dramatically, placing a hand over his chest. "Right in the heart."
"Leonardo," Jayden asked, "how many people have you ghosted after a date?"
Leonardo answered calmly. "None. I've never been on a date."
The room fell quiet for a moment.
"You're kidding," Isabella said, her eyes narrowing in surprise.
"Nope," he replied.
Ryan smirked. "Alright. For both of you — have you ever had sex?"
"No," they both answered at the same time.
Everyone exchanged glances.
Lucas leaned forward. "Okay, now we're getting to the juicy stuff. Who was the last person you kissed? And was it genuine?"
Leonardo looked down briefly. "It was genuine… but I can't tell you who it was."
"Same here," Isabella said, sighing.
"DRINK! DRINK!" the others chanted.
Reluctantly, the two lifted their glasses and took a long sip.
Their faces twisted instantly.
"Oh my God," Isabella gasped, coughing. "It's worse than I remember."
"I think my soul left my body," Leonardo muttered, wiping his mouth.
"Wow!" Lucas, Ryan, and Jayden shouted in unison.
Jayden leaned in again. "Alright — was the last person you kissed also your first?"
"Yes," they both answered again, this time without hesitation.
And the room grew a little quieter. There was something different in the air now — a thread of curiosity, of wonder, of something unsaid.
The game continued, the questions getting bolder, the drink slowly disappearing. But one thing was certain — secrets were being revealed, lines were being blurred, and the drink… the drink was the star of the night.