Chasing Crazy - Kelly Siskind Page 0,13

seven glasses are brimming with tequila.

“Ladies and gents,” Bruno announces, “it’s time for another round. Nina, why don’t you start? We need to get to know you better.”

No longer hungry, I put the last piece of bagel down and push my plate away.

I’ve never run with the “in” crowd. Never been accepted. Unless you count Becca (the iceberg to my Titanic), who ditched me in twelfth grade when she lost her braces, a bunch of weight, and joined the upper ranks. Here I am—invited, sitting with cute guys and the Trifecta of Cool.

Any minute, I could ruin this.

Desperate for some help, I glance at Sam, but his eyes are downcast as he runs his finger around his glass. He puts his finger to his lips and sucks off the alcohol.

Now I’m envisioning those lips, that tongue, my bare breasts, and oh, my God.

It is seriously not normal to be that sexy.

“Nina, luv?” I jump at my name and face the group. “We’re dying to know what you’ve never done.” Coming from Bruno, the words sound dirty.

The Trifecta of Cool waits, fingers tapping the table, cheeks flushed from the alcohol. How did I get sucked into this?

Sam nudges my bouncing knee with his. “Just say the first thing that pops into your head.”

Unfortunately, the first thing that comes to my mind is: Maybe I can climb out the window. I run my tongue over my teeth, the taste of pizza still lingering. “Never have I ever…” What? What? What? Please, God, don’t say something lame, but I’d rather die than discuss sex and condoms. My sights lock on the half-empty bottle by Bruno’s hand. “Never have I ever…polished off a bottle of tequila?”

The girls cock their heads, frowning. No one moves.

Callum’s ticking watch is deafening.

Then Sam slams his shot.

Bruno and Callum nod, impressed with Sam’s penchant for alcohol poisoning, and Reese claps while laughing. She smiles at me, and I could swear I’m flying. When Sam squeezes my knee, the flying hits light speed. Smirking, he places his elbows back on the table, but my knee still tingles from his touch.

Going next, Brianne at my right faces Reese and says, “Never have I ever been buck naked with a guy, getting hot and heavy on his couch, when his parents came home early from vacation.”

“Bitch!” Reese cries in mock-horror as a chorus of “Ohhh” rises from the group.

“Drink! Drink! Drink!” Callum pounds his fist with each word.

Reese lifts her shot to her lips. “To Todd’s mom and dad.” She jerks her head back and slams the empty glass down.

Without the fanfare, Leigh at the end shoots her tequila.

Bruno points at her, that ridiculous sound bursting through his lips. “You too? Such naughty girls, you Americans.”

The kids by the map are laughing, too, no doubt unhinged by Bruno’s cackle.

Leigh shrugs. “Todd has a thing for couches, and his parents travel a bunch.”

“The same guy?” I slap my hand over my mouth the second I close it.

“Aren’t you the innocent?” Sam says under his breath.

“Whatever,” I mutter, staring dead ahead. I doubt that would be his word of choice if he saw the pornographic film flipping behind my eyes.

Instead of the dirty looks I expected between the girls, Leigh tips toward Reese, her black hair fanning over Reese’s shoulder. “Reese and I have the same taste.”

Bruno smiles wickedly at both girls. “Well, now, isn’t that lovely.”

Apparently, the purpose of Never Have I Ever is to force people to admit to random sexcapades. And apparently the people who play this game wear their shame like a badge of honor. Unlike yours truly. Thank God they don’t know about the sex I may or may not have had in high school. And they don’t know about the Public Speaking Incident that tanked my reputation. Unless…I study the group more closely, but none of them are looking at me wide-eyed, trying to stifle a laugh, because they’ve seen the famed YouTube video. Viral is an understatement when describing that footage. There is, however, one person who’s witnessed me in action.

Glancing back at Sam, I cringe. He’s still staring at me. Unlike most people who look away when caught red-handed, he barely blinks. Heat crawls up my neck.

He squints and dips lower. “Are you really this wholesome, or is it just an act?”

“Blunt much?” I hiss, thankful the group is busy dissecting Leigh and Reese’s joint history of hookups.

He chuckles. “New life motto: If I think it, I speak it. But seriously, you’re gorgeous, hot as hell,