~ALMOST TOO CLOSE~
I grinned, resting my chin on my hand. "There will be one rule. If someone refuses to answer, the punishment is clear—the other person gets to bite their arm."
Raffy blinked, his jaw tightening. "Bite?"
I nodded with a fake-innocent smile. "Exactly."
He looked half-disgusted, half-amused, then exhaled dramatically. "Fine. But there's one more thing."
I narrowed my eyes. "What now?"
"At the end of the game," he said, voice calm but eyes glinting, "there will be one dare. A simple dare that we have to give each other. No excuses."
Something about the way he said it made me suspicious, but I still agreed. "Deal."
He stretched his long arms, leaned back casually, and smirked. "Then let's start."
The first turn was mine.
"Do you have a girlfriend—or ever had one?"
His answer came so fast, I almost doubted he even thought. "No. Never."
The honesty in his tone, the way his eyes didn't waver—I had no reason not to believe him.
Before I could speak, he leaned forward. "My turn," Raffy said, lowering his voice just enough to make it sound dangerous. "Have *you* ever liked someone before?"
My throat went dry. *Don't say his name, don't even think his name.*
I stayed silent too long, and Raffy smirked knowingly. "Well? Should I prepare my arm, or yours?"
Heat rushed to my cheeks. "Fine! Yes, I… liked someone once."
"Who?" he pressed immediately.
I glared at him. "One question at a time, Raffy!"
He chuckled, clearly enjoying how restless I'd become. "Fair enough."
The game continued, each round peeling away layers we usually kept hidden.
I asked, "Do you hate me?"
He looked straight into my eyes, no hesitation. "No. If I hated you, I wouldn't even sit here with you."
Something in my chest stirred at his words. I quickly looked away, biting my lip to hide my stupid smile.
Raffy's turn. "Do you trust me?"
I hesitated, but finally whispered, "I… don't know."
He leaned closer, voice calm but steady. "That means no."
"I didn't say no—!"
"Then say yes," he challenged.
I swallowed hard, my heart betraying me. "…Yes."
His smirk told me he'd won, and I wanted to disappear.
---
Round after round, we revealed truths we usually hid even from ourselves.
I asked, "Why do you always act like you don't care?"
He shrugged. "Because caring makes people weak. And I don't like being weak."
Then I forced myself to ask a deeper question. "Do you ever feel lonely, Raffy? Even with everyone around?"
His eyes flickered, almost softening. "All the time. But people don't notice. They don't see me. It's easier that way."
I didn't respond; I just bit my lip, understanding more than I should.
He leaned forward. "Now, why do you really shout at me so much?"
"Because you make me mad!" I snapped, then froze at his raised eyebrow. "Okay fine… maybe because… you don't listen."
"Or maybe because you care too much?" he whispered, leaning closer.
My heart thudded, and I quickly grabbed the bowl of noodles to avoid his gaze.
---
The punishment came sooner than expected.
"Have you ever thought about me before sleeping?" he asked.
I choked. "What kind of question is that?!"
He smirked like the devil himself. "Answer it, or…" He rolled up his sleeve, exposing his arm. "You know the punishment."
I covered my face. "No way—I'm not answering!"
Before I could run, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me close. I bit his arm lightly, almost embarrassed. He pretended to wince. "That's it? You call that a bite?"
"Shut up! You should be thankful I didn't tear your skin off!" I yelled, red-faced.
He laughed so loudly the entire hostel could've heard him.
---
We pushed ourselves further.
"Have you ever felt afraid… of losing someone?" I asked.
He didn't flinch. "Every day. Losing someone means losing a part of yourself you can never get back."
A lump formed in my throat. I asked quietly, "Do you… ever regret letting people in?"
He sighed, looking away. "Sometimes. But the ones worth keeping make the risk worth it."
We laughed lightly, but the weight of our shared truths lingered, settling like smoke between us.
---
Finally, the truth game reached the dare portion.
Raffy stretched lazily, his expression unreadable. "Now comes the final part—the dare."
I felt a shiver of excitement. "My turn first," I said, trying to sound casual.
Raffy raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Go on."
I grinned. "I dare you… to go to an amusement park with me."
He blinked, a mixture of surprise and amusement crossing his face. "Amusement park?"
"Yes. And that's just the start," I added slyly. "Next, trampoline park, then horror house, and finally… dinner."
Raffy smirked, clearly caught off guard but nodding in agreement. "Fine. You're relentless."
My chest lifted in triumph, but I knew his turn would be interesting.
"When it's my turn," he said calmly, "I'll dare you… at night."
I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. "Night? What kind of dare?"
He shook his head, playful but secretive. "You'll see. And no guessing."
I smirked. "I already guessed, and it's not that."
Night had fallen completely, painting the room in shades of shadow and silver from the moonlight filtering through the window. I hesitated for a moment before knocking on his door. My heart thumped nervously, but curiosity pushed me forward.
"Dare time....," i said calmly when I entered.
"Should we watch a movie?" he suggested, his voice casual yet carrying that familiar calm authority that always made me obey without thinking. I sighed softly, part relief, part boredom. Horror movies weren't my favorite, but I followed him anyway.
"Sit on the bed," he instructed, already perched on his side of the bed. I sank down, adjusting my posture, though a part of me still wondered what he was planning. He stood and padded into the living room briefly, then returned, switching off all the lights. The room was now cloaked in darkness, faint moonlight streaming through the curtains.
"Sit properly," he murmured, his voice low, leaving no room for hesitation.
I obeyed, curling slightly, hands folded neatly on my lap. The cold seemed sharper now, a gentle reminder of winter's presence. Raffy moved closer, and I could smell the faint, comforting scent of his cologne mixed with the crisp air of the room. He wrapped the blanket around my shoulders carefully, Every movement was precise, intentional—
Then he slid a pillow behind my neck, tucking me in gently. I caught him in my eyes, my heart fluttering, wondering how someone could be so calm yet attentive, so close and yet… untouchable. I wanted to memorize this, every detail—the way he moved, the quiet strength in his posture, the warmth he radiated.
He hit play on the horror movie, but I barely watched the screen. The shadows on the wall flickered, and the suspenseful music played, yet my mind was entirely on him. He was just a breath away, so close I could hear the rhythm of his heartbeat, steady and strong.
As the movie continued, the room's atmosphere shifted. The horror faded into background noise, replaced by a delicate intimacy I hadn't felt before. The chill, the quiet, the darkness—it all wrapped around us like a cocoon. I felt my eyes grow heavy, eyelids weighed down by warmth and comfort I couldn't resist.
Without realizing it, I leaned against him, my head finding the soft slope of his shoulder. My body relaxed instantly, and I felt him tap my head lightly, an almost imperceptible motion to adjust me more comfortably. I let myself sink into the moment, breathing in his warmth, enjoying the rare peace that seemed to exist only between the two of us.
Raffy's eyes flickered down at me occasionally, his expression unreadable. I could feel his gaze tracing the curve of my face, lingering on the soft pink of my cheeks, the quiet rise and fall of my chest. The room was silent except for the distant hum of the movie and our quiet breathing.
After a while, he moved, quietly pulling the blanket from around me, careful not to wake me. He left me asleep on the bed, my head still resting lightly against his shoulder, and went to lie on the sofa across the room. Even there, he kept glancing at me, watching the serene expression on my face, how close I had been to him, how the warmth of my presence lingered in the air.
The room felt suspended in time, moonlight pooling across the blankets, shadows playing softly on the walls. My breathing slowed, calm and even, my thoughts drifting lazily in the comfort of his nearness. Raffy, though pretending to rest, kept sneaking glances at me whenever he closed his eyes, memorizing the softness of my face, the gentle rise of my chest, the way my hair fell across my pillow.
We slept that night in our quiet companionship—separate yet connected, the room holding us in a fragile bubble of warmth and unspoken understanding. I felt safe, cocooned in the rare intimacy of being close to someone who understood me, while he seemed equally captivated by the gentle presence of someone who trusted him completely.
Outside, the world remained dark and still, but inside, the soft breaths, the quiet warmth, and the faint moonlight made the night feel eternal.
(What do you think will be the dare? Before reading next chapter let me know your guess? What do you think is going to happen? KINDLY Leave a review for me !)