Chapter 16

"That fits the definition of illegal." I say, tossing the hand towel away.

"To you?"

"To everyone, the dictionary." I walk closer, praying for my eyes to be deceiving me but they are not. "We're underage. How did you even get that?"

Sky scrunches up his nose innocently, "Isn't sixteen legal?"

"Not for alcohol!"

Jamal chuckles, "calm down Issy."

"Issy?" Sky repeats raising a brow at me with a smirk.

"But did you steal it Sky?" Jamal asks and I'm more interested in that than I am with my nickname.

"No," Sky reaches into his pocket. "I got it with my ID card that says I'm eighteen."

I quickly reach for the ID card while Jamal gasp with pride. "Fake ID? That's insane dude, I've always wanted that."

"I know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy that can get you one as soon as possible," Sky explains like they are talking about candy.

"Don't shit me—"

"Guys are you serious?" I cut in, absolutely mortified by the idea of it all. "Fake ID?" My question is directed at Sky.

He shrugs, "comes in handy sometimes. And I'll be eighteen in eight months so it's no big deal."

"Sky—" this time I'm cut off by Sky's finger on my lip.

"Calm down Issy," he smirks and I'm too busy concentrating on keeping my eyes open. His scent was messing with me. "It's really not that bad and the drinks are more like canned wine with a very little tiny percent of alcohol."

"Plus you don't have to drink if you don't want to." Jamal says, then gestures to the kitchen. "I've got Capri-sun (a little kid's juice), if you want some."

Sky almost laughs but holds it in well. I glare at Jamal, "keep your Caprisome, I'm fine."

"Fine," he throws his arms in the air. "Let the night begin then."

Sky winks at me and I huff, crossing my arms in a petty frown.

We go into video games and it's a championship sort of game. Jamal and I play, Jamal wins and he play with Sky. Sky won and got to choose what we do next. He chooses another video game, a race one where three of is participate, this time Jamal's the first person to fall and Sky and I race on. It's quite a battle but at the end Sky wins and that's when we decide to eat.

"How are you so good at video games," Jamal asks, then looks down at his plate of Ma's packed dinner. "I usually am the champion."

Sky shrugs, "I was homeschooled and I spent a lot of time at home. Used every free time to play games."

"You're an only child?" I ask, getting into conversation.

He nods, "one and only for now."

I smile, "for now?"

He pouts, "my mum have moved on so it wouldn't take long before she finds someone and I probably get a sibling."

"When my mum remarried and had a son, I thought it'll be terrible." Jamal speaks before stuffing his mouth.

"It wasn't?" Sky asks and I sense the fragile curiosity in his voice.

Jamal shakes his head with a smile, "no it wasn't. My step brother is the absolute best. One of the reasons I enjoy my stay back at my mum's."

"You switch houses?"

"Yup, don't you?"

I'm carefully studying Sky as he asks and answers. Sky slowly shakes his head and I can't tell if he's affected by his answer or not. "Nope, I haven't seen my mum in years."

"Phew, harsh divorce then."

"Not really."

"Mal doesn't enjoy switching houses as much, don't listen to him at all," I speak up.

Jamal agrees with me. "Yeah, it gets exhausting and confusing. Sometimes interrupts my school or holiday."

"What's it like having an elder sibling Issy?" Sky asks me, his cat eyes glinting.

"Don't call me Issy," I murmur, turning my spoon around.

"Easy Issy," Jamal laughs. "It rhymes and that's why I call him that. He thinks too much for his own good."

"It's not bad to think too much," I counter, "it helps keeps one out of trouble."

"Also makes one grow grey hair before their time."

I bring my hair closer to his face, "spot a grey hair if you can."

"I would search but then I still adore and have use for my fingers."

I move back with satisfied smile over him.

"I can search for you," Sky speaks up and simultaneously Jamal and I yell no.  "Okay..."

"Sky, first tip of survival," Jamal raises a finger up. "Never touch Israel's hair." I nod in agreement.

"Why not?"

"Because he makes so much fuss about it. More fuss than a pregnant woman does," Jamal turns to me. "More fuss than the poor hair deserves."

"My fuss is well deserved!" I insist. "You have no idea how hard my hair can be."

"So no one has ever touched your hair?" Sky asks, a mischievous look on his face.

"Kinda," I back away a bit. "Please don't try it."

"Yes," Jamal agrees with me. "This night can go from zero to ten in a second if you do."

"I won't," he looks at me and there's something in his eyes I can't quite place. I shrug it off.

"About Nessa, she's pretty awesome. I look up to her sometimes and most times, she never fails." I summarised.

"After dinner can we play a game?" Jamal asks looking between us.

"What game?"

I sigh, knowing this can't be completely good.

"Never have I ever."

Sky looks at me and smirks, "I'm in."

"This doesn't sound like a good idea," I say and Jamal groans.

"Israel's in too."

------

The rules of game were simply, according to Mal. Someone says something they've never done before and if someone among us has done it, then they have to drink the little alcohol can wine. If only one person drinks, then he or she has to tell a story about it. Simple.

Sigh.

I should have known something like this would happen. I'm not going to go through this night without taking at least one sip of the drink. I've never drank alcohol before.

"Can't we do this with water?" I ask, shifting with uneasiness on the blanket we put on the ground.

Jamal groans, "Israel please don't be a bore."

"I've never taken alcohol before, I didn't plan on taking tonight," I point between him and Sky. "This is bad peer pressure."

Sky pouts, then turn to Mal. "I guess he shouldn't do what he doesn't want to."

"Fine," Mal groans, "I'll go get my lime and kale mixture."

"Lime and kale?" I ask already feeling like I'm going to throw up. I do not like kale at all. Neither do I like lime and Jamal knows.

"Yeah," he looks at me and I see he's fighting a smile. "There's something else mixed inside that I can't really remember now. Anyway, it's digusting enough to be a great substitute for wine."

I glare at Jamal and he ignores me, getting up to go bring his mistake. "Stop, forget it. I'll take the wine."

"You would?" Sky and Mal asks at the same time and I nod.

"Yes, I would." I sigh. "Let's get this game started shall we?"

"Great. Now you're talking," Jamal gets comfortable on the blanket again. "I'll start since I'm the host of this," he clears his throat when no one objects. "Never have I ever chickened out a dare."

I roll my eyes, reaching for a can. "That was a delibrate attack on me."

Jamal smirks, turning to Sky. "Israel is the biggest chicken I know. If you don't give him a little push, he'd remain one position forever."

"You know I'm right here, right?" I glare at him and the can of little alcohol.

"I do."

"This is a game, not a tarnish Israel's image in front of Sky," I'll take a sip on the count of three.

"I think it's hot, however," Sky speaks forcing Jamal and I to turn to him but his eyes are on me. "It's good to have a stand and not just move with what everyone wants and expects."

Oh boy, Mal and I exchange a look and I tip the can back, taking a gulp instead of a sip out of it. It doesn't taste bad at all. It's tastes like a little sour grape juice. It's actually nice.

"My turn then," I narrow my eyes, thinking of something. "Never have I ever, been dumped by a girl."

"Ooh," Jamal howls, shaking his hands with a smile. "Okay okay, it's on fucker." I burst out laughing as he picks a can but surprisingly Sky picks a can too.

I stare in surprise, "you too?"

He shrugs, "yep."

"Oof," Jamal shakes his head but all I can think of is the gay rumor. So he isn't gay then? "What's your story Sky?"

"It was this girl, back in the city, um..." He thinks a bit. "I don't know her name anymore but we dated for about a month and I cheated on her so she'd break it up and she did."

"That's nasty man," Jamal says and they click cans. "Mine broke up with me because I was too busy for her."

Sky looks at me before he drinks out his can like Jamal. "Why didn't you just break it off instead of cheating first?" I ask.

He drags his tongue over his teeth, "I had a reputation of ruining things and I just didn't want to be me ending ties."

"But in a way, it's still your fault."

"I guess," he sighs, "really not my finest moment." I didn't say anything then, I just looked at him. "Okay then, my turn. Never have I ever, had a sleepover with friends."

His eyes were smiling at me and before I could fight it, I was blushing.

"Aww," Jamal interrupts the moment and reaches over to hug Sky. "Come in here Israel, this moment deserves a hug."

"You're not his friend," I grumble, scooting over to join the hug either way. Sky chuckles, wrapping his hand tightly around me and pulling me closer than I intended to get.

"Well, neither are you," Jamal retorts moving out of the hug quicker than I expected.

Sky held me in place though and before I moved away, he sniffed my hair. I blused hot and tossed popcorn at him. "Weirdo."

"You both are not going to make me a third wheel," Jamal says then yells out that it's his turn. "Never have I ever, been arrested."

Sky picks his drink and I and Jamal's eyes are just about ready to pop out. "You were arrested?!"

"Well, not really," he sips his drink. "I slept at the subway and a police picked me up and took me to the station while they tried getting my dad. That's not arrest, right?"

"Well—"

"You were picked by the police, it's arrest," Jamal cuts me off, then fist bumps Sky. "That's sick bro."

"My turn," I can't think of anything but little Sky huddled up at a corner of the subway but then the image is a bit woozy because, "Never have I ever been to the Subway."

This time only Sky's eyes are about popping out. "What?!"

"It's true," Jamal sighs, face palming.

"You've never been on a train or had subway sandwich?"

I shrug, "the need never came."

"Wow," he shakes his head but not in disappointment, more like amusement. "We're so doing that one time. Me and you."

I shrug again and the both take gulps of their drinks. "Never have I ever..." Sky trails, stroking his chin, he looks at me and looks away so quickly, I narrow my eyes at him. "Wanted something I couldn't have really bad."

"Never have you?" Jamal asks eye wide, while I'm over here getting the vibes that there's more to what he said. "Rich kids problem," Jamal concludes, nudging me and we chuckle taking a sip of our drinks.

"What have you ever wanted so bad that you couldn't have, Israel?" Sky asks, catching me off guard.

"Um--" I look at me fingers while I think of something. I have a couple things but none of them were coming to mind and those that came were totally inappropriate and messed up. "I– I can't think of anything now."

"You can't?" Jamal raises his brow at me and when I shrug, he turns to Sky. "I can, I've always wanted a money tree behind my house, like badly."

We all look at each other and burst out laughing. I shove Jamal, "of course, materialistic junkie."

"Like if I had a money tree, you wouldn't try to steal it."

"Stealing happens to be a sin so maybe no?" I stick my tongue out to him.

"Oh really?" Jamal smirks at me, "Never have I ever stolen, then cried my ass out the next day and confessed. Like who does that?"

"I–I–" I fluster for words that never come and when I look at Sky, he's red from holding a laugh in. I grumbling pick up my can, finishing up the drink now. "To hell with you Jamal."

"That so cute, there are no words," Sky shakes his head. "Innocent Issy, has a nice ring to it."

I just stay there blushing and grateful for my colour. If not for it, it'll be so red, Jamal would probably drive me into melting to death. The game continues until I've taken three whole cans of Sky's little alcohol wine. We end it when Jamal starts slurring and calling me "Angelica", five minutes after, he passed out on the rug.

I know I'm drunk when I stand up and almost fall back to my butt. But I still manage to go up to Mal's room and get pillows and blankets. Sky and I cover up Jamal with one and we each lie with ours, staying in a top and tail position just this time, our heads were really close. Like we were sharing a pillow but we weren't.

"Thanks for inviting me over," Sky says after we both get settled and turned off the light.

"Thanks for coming over, it was really fun despite everything," I say to him, looking at his side profile. He really had sharp features.

Sky turns his head so we're facing each other and I gulp, but I don't look away when his eyes find mine. I think he wants to say something but he doesn't and just keeps looking at me. When I start feeling weird and struggling to keep my eyes open, I close them, instinctively itching closer to him and muttering, "I also find you cute."

"Really?"

I nod, smiling to myself and not caring that he could still see me. "In a bad boy kind of way."

He chuckles silently and I feel his his hand on my hair. In my mind, I scold him, telling him not to touch my hair but I'm pretty sure my lips remain closed. "Can I tell you a secret?" I hear Sky whisper. He might have said it louder but I was already slipping into the hands of a really nice drunk slumber so his voice was sounding farther and farther.

"Mmhm."

"I lied once in the game today."

"Why?"

I don't hear his voice for a moment and when I do, I might as well not have. "I was scared, I'm not usually scared."

"Mm."

"Israel?"

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