Lea's Way

"Lea," I said. Of the people gathered there tonight, she was the biggest mystery to me. All our time together before this had been very 'friend of a friend.' This was a good opportunity to learn more.

She flailed her (free) hand in my direction. "Are you kidding me?" she said.

"What?" I asked defensively.

"I'm the only person here with half their clothes off, and you're picking on me?"

Jack couldn't help himself. "A lot more than half," he said, openly staring at her hips.

The old Lea came back for a second as she scoffed at him. "Pick someone else. I deserve to have a few turns off until someone else has embarrassed themselves."

Embarrassment rushed up my back. "I think I embarrassed myself pretty thoroughly just a minute ago," I said. A stab of anxiety gutted me. Molly wouldn't think I meant her, would she? Her warmth beside me didn't change. At least I could still rely on her for a little support, especially against Lea.

The other girl snorted. "You can say that again," she said, tossing her rainbow hair. "Just choose one of the guys. Tell them to text an ex, or something. I did my time."

"Rules are rules," said Harry, looking oh-so-diligent. "She chose you." I looked hard at him. Was he coming to my defense to keep the heat off himself, or to actually back me up? Then I remembered how he'd made the demand that got Lea nearly naked to start with. Dodging that question about the girls he hooked up with in Bean Hall put a queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was possible something had happened between them and then gone sour. All that time he and I spent together and we'd barely opened up to each other. I knew why I was keeping my secrets; why was he?

Lea's shoulders slumped, and I really did feel bad for her. After me and Molly, she HAD had it the hardest in this game. And at least me and Moll could remind ourselves we did it to spare Joan from having to do something she didn't want to. Lea hadn't had any such luck. She wasn't wrong to complain. "I'll take it easy on you," I said in a muted voice.

Her eyes were impenetrable. I couldn't tell whether that promise made any difference to her at all. But, as Harry said, rules were rules. Once you put your hand on the chess piece, you can't take it off again. "Truth," she said. I hated that she trusted me so little, but it meant I didn't have to think of a tame dare.