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It started with a suggestion for a get-together in the cast's group chat.
Months had passed since the shooting of the series came to an end, and most of the actors hadn't seen each other since. What better opportunity to reunite than a night of drinks and games?
Not everyone showed up, but that was to be expected with their busy schedules and different locations.
It was only Matt, Milly, Emma, Emily, Olivia, and Fabien who eventually made it. They exchanged hugs and caught up on each other's latest activities, and their chats lasted well into the middle of the night.
With the help of the wine, everyone was feeling relaxed and laid back. It was just the right time for Emily to suggest playing a game.
She stood up in the center of the room and tapped her wineglass with a spoon to get everyone's attention. They stopped talking and looked at her, chuckling at the way she caught their attention.
"Talking time is over everyone," she announced. "Gather up and sit on the floor. Yes, just like that. Actually make a circle. Yes, perfect."
Fabien cupped his hand around his mouth and called, "What are we playing?"
He got some eye rolls and more chuckling. Milly, who was sitting next to him, cringed at the loudness of his voice and smacked him lightly with her elbow. They shared a laugh but then Milly caught Matt's eyes. He was looking at her with a gaze she couldn't decipher. She flushed and looked down.
Emily held up a dice for everyone to see. She said, "we go in a circle. The person playing has to roll this dice to decide the game. If you get 1, the game is truth or dare. If you get 2, it's never have I ever. If you get 3, it's two truths and a lie. If you get 4, it's seven minutes in heaven. If you get 5, you must kiss the person that the bottle lands on. If you get 6, you get to choose any of the previous games."
She wrote the numbers and the games they signified on the whiteboard.
"So after you discover which game you're playing," she continued, "you have to spin the bottle to see who you're playing it with. Everyone got that?"
Olivia nodded slowly and she said, "Complicated, but fun. I like the twist."
Emily shook her head. "It's not complicated, trust me. You'll get the hang of it once we start."
She joined the circle after bringing the bottle. According to the sequence of their seating positions, Emma had to go first.
"Here we go," Emma said. They rolled the dice and got 1. "Alright that's 1, so..." They looked at the board. "I'll be playing truth or dare with..." They spun the bottle and it landed on Olivia. "Olivia."
"The universe always puts us together, doesn't it?" Olivia said, winking at Emma.
Emma said, "It's destined. Now truth or dare?"
"Dare," said Olivia without hesitation.
"Right, I dare you to... make a prank call to Paddy," Emma decided.
Matt laughed. He put his chin in his palm. "At the middle of the night too. He's going to give you hell for this."
"I'm ready for it," Olivia said with a smirk. She dialed Paddy's number and put him on speaker. She pretended that she had been kidnapped and his number was the one that popped up on speed dial. Everyone was trying so hard not to laugh loudly so that they don't expose the charade, and Paddy was panicking and giving Olivia the strangest advices. Then when he realized he had to call 911, Olivia exposed the prank and everyone finally allowed themselves to laugh and make exclamations at his reaction.
" Oh my fucking God," said Paddy on the other side of the line. " You scared the ever-living hell out of me!"
"You were a riot!" Olivia said, holding her stomach because of how much she was laughing.
Paddy laughed after some time, but he said, "Don't talk to me ever again, the whole lot of you!"
Everyone called, "We love you Paddy!" and "Don't hate us!"
"I'll get you back for this!" Paddy said. Then the call was over.
Milly was still laughing but she grabbed the dice. "Alright, it's my turn!" She rolled it and it landed on 5. She bit her lips nervously. "Apparently I'll be giving one of you... a kiss."
Olivia and Emily let out an "ooooh" in unison. And Fabien said, "Let's see who's the lucky bloke."
Even though she was playing it cool, Milly was nervous. With her heart clamoring in her chest, she spun the bottle.
It landed on Matt.
They both looked up from the bottle and into each other's eyes. Her face was on fire.
Everyone else was clapping for them and saying, "Come on, go for it!"
She couldn't move. Or speak. She just kept on staring at him. His lips were slowly rising in smirk like her reaction amused him.
He took it upon himself to make the first move. He stood up from where he was sitting and walked over to Milly.
The way he descended on his knees in front of her was so smooth. He took her chin between thumb and index and raised her head. She was closing her eyes before she could get a grasp on what was happening.
He kissed her softly. It lasted only a few seconds but she was floating and beyond herself with joy all throughout.
The clapping around them broke the surreality of the experience. They pulled back simultaneously, and he smiled at her and went back to his spot.
As if her raging thoughts weren't enough, Emily was nudging her and smirking at her for the rest of the night.
Milly kept stealing bashful glances at Matt whenever she thought he wasn't looking. Somehow their eyes kept meeting.