The moment the announcer called out the names—Shumaila, Sneha, Hamza, and Siddarth—the crowd erupted in cheers and whistles. The spotlight fell on the four as they exchanged hesitant glances. Something about this game felt off, but with so many eyes on them, backing out wasn't an option.
Komal, Akansha, Aarav, and Rudra quickly huddled near the stage, concern evident in their expressions.
"Why do I feel like this isn't just a random game?" Komal muttered, crossing her arms.
Aarav nodded. "Same here. But we have to be ready in case something happens."
Meanwhile, Taniya and her gang stood in a corner, smirking as they watched the four step forward. One of her minions leaned in and whispered, "Are you sure Karan's okay with this? He danced with Shumaila just a while ago."
Taniya scoffed, flipping her hair. "He's just messing with that CS guy. Watch—this will be fun." Her eyes gleamed with malice as the game began.
The announcer grinned, holding a small bowl. "Alright, let's get started! This is a classic dare challenge. If you refuse, you have to take a drink."
A server walked over with a tray of shots, the clear liquid inside glistening under the neon lights. No one noticed Taniya's gang exchange knowing smirks.
The first dare was for Siddarth. The announcer pulled out a slip and read aloud, "You have to get on your knees and propose to the person you dislike the most here."
Laughter erupted in the room. Siddarth clenched his jaw, his gaze flickering to the group that had caused them trouble since day one. He glanced at Shumaila, who raised a brow.
"Don't you dare," she muttered under her breath.
Siddarth sighed dramatically and turned toward Riya, Taniya's friend who had already caused trouble before. "Riya, will you do me the great dishonor of rejecting me so I can move on with my life?"
The crowd howled with laughter. Even Riya rolled her eyes but seemed too embarrassed to retaliate. The game moved on.
Next was Sneha. The announcer pulled out another slip. "Sneha, you have to dance with the first person you make eye contact with!"
Before Sneha could react, Rudra suddenly stepped in front of her line of sight, wiggling his eyebrows. "Oh no, looks like it's me," he teased, earning laughter from the group.
Sneha groaned but took his hand as they danced for a few seconds while the crowd whistled and clapped. At least that dare wasn't too bad.
Then came Hamza's turn. He stood stiffly, arms crossed, already regretting his decision to participate. The announcer pulled out the next slip.
"Hamza, you have to confess something embarrassing in front of everyone."
A smirk tugged at Shumaila's lips. "Oh, this should be good."
Hamza glared at her before sighing. "Fine. I…" He hesitated, then muttered, "I have an irrational fear of roller coasters."
Shumaila burst out laughing. "No wonder you sat like a statue at the amusement park!"
Hamza shot her a murderous glare, but the crowd was already entertained.
Finally, it was Shumaila's turn. The announcer reached into the bowl and pulled out a slip, reading it dramatically. "Shumaila, you have to—" He paused and raised an eyebrow before smirking. "Kiss someone in this room."
The room fell into silence.
Shumaila's eyes narrowed instantly. "I'm not doing that."
Taniya's gang exchanged victorious looks, their plan working perfectly.
The announcer grinned. "Then you have to take a drink."
Shumaila grabbed a shot from the tray, rolling her eyes. "Fine."
"Wait—" Akansha started, but it was too late. Shumaila downed the drink in one go, the burning liquid making her wince.
Taniya hid her smirk. The effect wouldn't kick in immediately, but soon enough, Shumaila wouldn't be acting like herself. And that's when the real fun would begin.
As the game continued, Shumaila felt a strange warmth creeping through her body. She shook her head slightly, trying to ignore it. It was probably just a strong drink… right?