Late night shenanigans

He wakes to darkness and the distant sound of the party still going somewhere below.

He lies still for a moment, letting his eyes adjust. Beside him the girl is still asleep, her back to him, the sheet barely covering her, the curve of her naked body visible in the low light.

He lies there for a moment longer than necessary.

Then he gets up quietly, pulls on his boxers, and heads downstairs.

The house has changed. The main energy of the party is gone, replaced by something looser and more scattered. Most people have found corners to collapse in. The music is lower. The lights are dimmer.

He es a room on the second floor, door slightly ajar, and slows.

Through the gap he can see a couple on the bed, clearly not sleeping, clearly not caring about the open door. He watches for a moment, completely still, then keeps walking.

He heads down to the kitchen, pours himself a drink, and leans against the counter.

From the living room he can hear voices. Laughter. Someone calling someone else a coward.

He moves to the doorway.

A group of maybe eight people are spread across the living room floor and couch in a loose circle, a bottle in the middle, a cocktail glass on the table that looks like it contains something deeply unwise. He recognizes a few faces. Most he does not.

Then they see him.

Group: oh it's Miles!

He looks at them.

Miles: what's Miles.

A girl detaches herself from the group and walks toward him.

She is petite, blonde, cute in a completely unpretentious way, wearing what appears to be someone else's oversized shirt and very little else. She stops in front of him and holds out her hand. In her palm is a small pill.

Miles: who are you.

Gina: Gina. She tilts her head toward the group. Miles is the one who s the game. And Miles has to eat this.

He looks at the pill. Then at her.

Miles: I know how truth or dare works. I don't think I have to do a dare if I am not part of the game.

Gina: okay okay. She holds the pill up. it's my dare. I have to convince someone to take this pill. She looks at him with wide imploring eyes. you'd be doing me a massive favor.

Miles: what is it.

Gina: I can't tell you.

Miles: then I am not taking it.

Gina: I promise it won't kill you. She says it with complete sincerity. I really genuinely promise.

He looks at her for a long moment.

Miles: why can't you tell me what it is.

Gina: because. She hesitates. please. If I don't complete this dare I have to drink that.

She points to the cocktail glass on the table.

Miles looks at it. It is an alarming color. He looks at the group.

Miles: what's in that.

Someone from the group answers without looking up.

Group Member: every time someone completes a truth or dare they add something to it. Every time someone doesn't they have to drink whatever is in there and then add to it.

Miles: how many turns.

Group Member: thirteen.

Miles looks at the glass again. Then at Gina.

Miles: so you can tell me exactly what's in that glass but you cannot tell me what's in the pill.

Gina presses her lips together.

Gina: please. She puts her hand on his arm. I really cannot drink that. I watched someone put hot sauce in there twenty minutes ago. Please Miles. I will owe you one. Whatever you want. Just please do not make me drink that.

He looks at the pill in her palm for a long moment. Then he takes it.

Miles: okay. Now tell me what it is.

Another girl from the group speaks up from the couch, not looking up from her phone.

Girl: honestly we don't actually know what's in it. I just found it somewhere.

Miles: are you fucking serious right now.

The girl shrugs.

Girl: it was in a ziplock not in trash, chill the fuck out. You'll be alright.

Miles looks at Gina.

Gina at least has the grace to look slightly apologetic.

Gina: She says it carefully. whatever it is, we will ride it out together?

He stands there for a moment processing this information.

Then he looks at the group spread across the living room floor. At the deeply questionable cocktail on the table. At Gina looking up at him with wide eyes.

Miles: He exhales slowly. well. Fuck it.

He walks into the living room and sits down in the circle.

Miles: deal me in.