Nerdy No More

03.

Jenessa's POV:

"How about we play a game of truth or dare?" Jermaine proposed with a smile, glancing over at me as we sat together. The night was still fresh and full of possibilities, and I could feel the excitement in the air as we looked around at our friends, all ready for some fun.

I smirked, feeling a spark of mischief run through me. "I'm in," I said, nudging Jermaine playfully. "But let’s make it interesting. No backing out!”

With that declaration, our group gathered closer, a circle of laughter and eager faces. There was something electric about the nighttime air, the kind of magic that made you feel invincible. I could see a couple of my friends whispering, eyes darting as if plotting their moves.

“Alright, I’ll go first!” Sarah chimed in, her blonde curls bouncing as she leaned forward eagerly. "Truth or dare, Mike?"

Mike, who had been lounging back with a nonchalant attitude, raised an eyebrow, pretending to contemplate. “Dare,” he replied confidently, a grin spreading across his face like he already knew what was coming.

Sarah tapped her chin theatrically. “I dare you to… eat a spoonful of ketchup!” The laughter erupted around us, a bubbling wave of hilarity at the thought of Mike’s face when he would be forced to down the thick, red condiment.

“No way!” He laughed, shaking his head, but deep down, I knew he wouldn’t back down from the challenge. The group was always full of surprises, and the thrill of each moment pulled us all deeper into this spontaneous game.

He stood up, the mock seriousness in his expression making everyone roar with laughter. “Alright, just for the record, I’m doing this for the sake of the game!” He marched over to the snack table, grabbed the ketchup bottle, and squeezed a hefty dollop onto a spoon.

With a deep breath, he downed it, and the room went silent for a split second before erupting into cheers and jeers. His face scrunched up comically, a blend of horror and disbelief at the tangy taste flooding his mouth. “That was the worst!” he exclaimed, yet we all knew he secretly loved the attention.

As he recovered, I took my turn in the circle, glancing around at each friend’s face, full of anticipation. “Alright, Jermaine, truth or dare?” I asked, leaning in with a challenging smile, ready to stir things up a bit.

“Dare, of course,” he replied, his tone confident yet playful, his eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief.

“Hmm…” I pretended to think hard, a grin spreading. “I dare you to send a love text to the last person you messaged!”

The group gasped collectively, laughter bubbling to the surface as we waited to see how he would respond. Jermaine shot me a look of mock horror, and I couldn’t help but laugh. At this moment, surrounded by friends and fueled by light-hearted dares, anything felt possible.

The night was young, the game was on, and each turn brought us closer together.Jermaine squirmed in his seat, clearly weighing his options. “You know I can’t just text anyone, right? It’s got to be someone good!” he protested, his eyes darting around the circle as if seeking an escape route.

“Come on, it’s just a text! Live a little!” I encouraged, leaning back with a satisfied grin. The surrounding laughter only fueled my daring spirit.

“Fine, fine!” He relented, rolling his eyes dramatically. “But if I get dumped because of this, I’m blaming you!”

With that, he pulled out his phone, and the anticipation in the air thickened. We all leaned closer, eager to see who would be the lucky recipient of Jermaine’s love declaration. His fingers hovered over the screen as he scrolled through his contacts, and I could barely contain my giggles.

“Who are you going to pick?” Sarah asked, her voice dripping with playful curiosity. “Your mom? Your dog? Or maybe your girlfriend, Jenessa?”

“Shut up!” Jermaine shot back, a hint of a blush creeping onto his cheeks. “I’m just trying to think strategically here!”

Finally, he settled on a name, and we all leaned in even closer. “Okay, here goes nothing,” he said, his voice a mix of excitement and dread. He typed out a message, and we collectively held our breath as he pressed send.

“Done!” he declared, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. “Now, let’s see how she reacts to ‘Hey, just wanted to say you have the most beautiful smile!’”

The group erupted into a chorus of laughter and cheers, and I couldn’t help but feel a rush of adrenaline. “You’re so bold! What if she thinks you’re serious?” I teased, nudging him playfully.

“Then I’ll just say it was a dare!” He shot back, his grin never fading.

“Alright, alright!” I interjected, eager to keep the momentum going. “Let’s not lose our focus. Mike, your turn! Truth or dare?”

“Dare again, of course,” he replied, his confidence unwavering after his ketchup escapade.

“Hmm, let’s see…” I pondered, my mind racing with possibilities. “I dare you to wear a silly costume for the rest of the night!”

The group erupted into laughter at the thought, and Mike’s face broke into a grin. “You know what? I’ve got just the thing!” He jumped up and dashed off to the back room, leaving us in a fit of giggles.

As we waited for his return, I glanced at Jermaine, who was still riding the high of his unexpected compliment. “This night just keeps getting better,” I said, feeling the warmth of friendship wrap around us like a cozy blanket.

“Agreed,” he replied, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “I can’t wait to see what else we come up with. This is just the beginning!”

And as the laughter echoed around us, I knew he was right. With every truth and every dare, we were weaving memories that would last a lifetime. The night was still young, and the magic of the moment was just beginning to unfold.

"Okay, final round", Jessie said, "Jermaine, truth or dare?"

"Truth," he said proudly, finally truth after so many dares.

"Is it true that you still have feelings for your ex?"

I frowned at the question. Jermaine and I had only been together for a short period of time.

"No, I have been over her for a long time", he shook his head.

I let out a sigh of relief, that was good to hear.

"I see, another question," she stated, clearly curious now.

"That's not how this works Jess," I told her.

"We make the rules as it goes, what's the real reason you're dating, Jenessa?" She grinned. I felt my cheeks heat up at Jessie’s sudden inquiry, the air thick with anticipation as all eyes turned to me.

“What do you mean, what’s the real reason?” I asked, trying to sound casual, but my heart was racing.

Jessie leaned in, a teasing smile playing on her lips. “Come on, Jenessa! We all want to know. Are you two just having fun, or is there something more?”

Jermaine shot me a look that was a mix of amusement and nervousness, "w-well I", he stuttered, clearly hiding something.

My heart raced, "what is it?"

He looked at me with regret,"I'm sorry Jen, but the truth is, I made a bet to date you. It started off as that, but after a month I started to have feelings for you."

My heart broke. I was just a bet to him?

"What?"

"It's not a bet to me anymore, I have fallen in lo-"

I stood up, "don't you dare finish that sentence", I screamed, "I hate you, we're over." Jermaine’s eyes widened in shock, his mouth opening and closing as if he were trying to find the right words. The laughter and chatter of our friends faded into the background, leaving only the pounding of my heart in my ears. I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks, a mix of anger and betrayal flooding my system.

“Jenessa, wait—” he started, but I shook my head, cutting him off.

“No! You don’t get to explain yourself after that. I can’t believe you’d even think it was okay to tell me that now!” My voice trembled, a mixture of hurt and indignation spilling out. I glanced around the circle, noticing the stunned expressions on my friends’ faces. This wasn’t how I envisioned the night ending.

“Guys, I’m sorry,” Jermaine said, his voice barely above a whisper, but I couldn’t bear to look at him. The laughter that had filled the room moments ago felt like a distant memory, replaced by an uncomfortable silence that hung heavy in the air.

“Let’s just… let’s just end the game,” I said, my tone firm as I turned to leave. I felt a wave of tears threatening to spill, and I refused to let them fall in front of everyone. I needed space, to process the whirlwind of emotions crashing over me.

“Jenessa, please,” Jermaine called after me, desperation lacing his voice. “I didn’t mean for it to come out like that. You have to believe me!”

I stopped, my back still turned to him. “You think that makes it better? That you started this as a bet?” I felt the weight of his gaze burning into my back, but I couldn’t bring myself to face him. “You should have told me from the beginning. I deserve that much.”

“Okay, I messed up,” he admitted, his voice quieter now. “But I really do care about you. I didn’t expect to fall for you, Jen. It just happened. I swear it’s real.”

“Is it?” I shot back, finally turning to face him. “How can I trust that? You made a game out of this! What if you just wanted to win?” The hurt in my voice was unmistakable, and I could tell it cut deeper than I intended.

He stepped toward me, his expression earnest, but I held my ground. “I know I messed up, but please, just give me a chance to show you it’s more than that. I want to prove it to you.”

“Prove it?” I scoffed, crossing my arms. “You think a few sweet words can fix this? You’ve already shown me who you are.”

“Jenessa, I—” he started again, but I interrupted him, the anger bubbling back to the surface.

“No! You don’t have to keep talking like this is just a misunderstanding. You made your choice when you decided to turn our relationship into some kind of game!”

I could see my friends shifting uncomfortably, unsure of how to intervene. Jessie looked like she wanted to say something, but I waved her off, not wanting any pity right now. I needed to stand my ground.

“Maybe I was just a fun distraction for you,” I continued, my voice shaking with the effort to stay composed. “You think you can just waltz back in and say you have feelings now? It doesn’t work like that.”

Jermaine’s expression shifted, a mix of regret and determination crossing his face. “I know I don’t deserve it, but I want to make this right. I’ll do whatever it takes to show you how I really feel. Just… don’t walk away from me.”

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his words pressing down on me. My heart was still racing, torn between the desire to believe him and the sting of betrayal that lingered, "it's over between us Jermaine, have a good life."

"Jenessa!"

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