Elysian (After Stellarlune)

27. Keefe's POV

Once Sophie and Biana came back with the Mallowmelt, Keefe decided to announce their next game.

"Alright," he said, standing up to get everyone's attention. "It's time for..." he paused for dramatic effect.

"Truth or dare!"

Dex, Sophie, Tam, and Fitz all groaned simultaneously, whilst Marella and Maruca became excited.

"I'll go first." Keefe volunteered. "Let's see..." Keefe debated asking Fitz, but decided not to poke that bear. Instead, he said, "Tam, truth or dare?"

Tam hesitated to answer, probably contemplating his options. Keefe already knew what he had planned for either decision.

"Dare." Tam finally said.

Keefe grinned. "Tomorrow morning, Biana will have full control over your hair, makeup, and wardrobe; and you have to keep it all on until midnight tomorrow night."

"Whyyyyyy?" Tam asked no one in particular. "Fine, I'll do it."

"Well, it's not really a choice, but whatever; your turn." Keefe turned to Tam, who had a thoughtful look on his face.

"Dex, truth or dare?"

"Truth." Dex replied. Keefe thought that was the wisest decision.

"Have you ever been kissed, and if so, who was your first kiss?" Tam asked a blushing Dex.

"Um," Dex glanced at Sophie, quickly, which confirmed what Keefe thought. The kiss with Sophie had been Dex's first, and maybe only, kiss.

"Well," Dex was hesitating with so much trepidation that Keefe almost jumped in and offered him a dare, but at the last second, Dex blurted, "I've only been kissed once and it was with Sophie but it wasn't a real kiss she was just showing me that we weren't meant to be a couple we were meant to be best friends and she was right it didn't mean anything really it didn't I don't even like her anymore anyways I'm past that so yeah whatever." Dex inhaled, out of breath from his lengthy explanation.

"Okay, wow, not what I was expecting. Sophie, is this true?" Tam looked to the blushing girl in question, who turned an even deeper shade of pink when everyone's eyes fell on her.

"Yeah." She whispered it so softly Keefe almost couldn't hear her. She seemed really embarrassed, so Keefe came closer to her and took her hand. She smiled gratefully at him, while Fitz rolled his eyes and looked away.

"Anyways..." Biana started, distracting them. "Dex, your turn."

"Ok, Marella, truth or dare?"

"Dare." Marella replied. "I'm not scared of anything that you guys can throw at me."

"Oh, um..." Dex didn't seem to have a dare in mind. Keefe assumed that Dex had thought that Marella would pick truth, being the Queen of Gossip and all that. Now, Dex didn't seem to know what to do.

After some time without an answer, Maruca leaned close to Dex, and whispered something in his ear. He smiled, then nodded. He turned to the group.

"Ok, Marella, I want you to hail anyone on your Imparter, excluding those of us here, and pretend to be a different person. Keep your voice the same, never say it's a dare, and don't let them speak. Ramble on for a minute or two then randomly hang up. They will see your face, but just act like you're someone else. Preferably, act like someone in this room, because that would be the most amusing to all of us." Dex grinned, seemingly happy with the dare that Maruca had given him. He gave her a grateful smile, which she returned.

"Right now?" Marella asked, her face taut with a rare anxiousness that Keefe never saw from her.

"Right now." Dex agreed.