Letting the girls compete, probe one another, and reveal a bit more of themselves? That was far more entertaining—and useful.
He'd get to observe their reactions, listen to their answers, and peel back the layers.
Plus, there was still the financial side to consider. The more they drank, the more he'd earn through cashback. And there was always the winner's reward to sweeten the pot and keep them invested.
It was a win-win.
Once Zach made the call, none of the girls objected. Everyone knew how to play Truth or Dare—and with high stakes and higher rewards on the table, the game was officially on.
___
As expected, Lina and Anya formed the group, while Suzie and Bonnie teamed up as group.
In the first round, Lina was lucky—she rolled a six right off the bat. Combined with Anya's four, their score beat the other team handily.
After exchanging a few words with Anya, Lina looked across the table and asked the other two with a teasing smile, "So, what's it going to be—truth or dare?"
"Truth!" they both answered in unison.
"Good," Lina nodded, her smile sharpening a little.
She thought for a moment, then asked directly, "How many relationships have you been in?"
Starting with a question like that, huh?
Zach raised an eyebrow. He'd already picked up on the tension simmering beneath the surface between the two teams, but this confirmed it—there was definitely more going on here than just a game.
He looked on with interest, eager to hear the answers.
"Three," Suzie replied smoothly.
"Two," Bonnie answered right after.
"That few?" Lina gave them both a skeptical look, clearly not convinced.
Suzie remained calm, unfazed. "Really. I had two boyfriends in high school and one in college. After I started working, I've been too busy to date."
"Same here," Bingbing added. "Once in high school, and again in sophomore year, but that one ended in under two months. Since graduating, I've just focused on my job."
She added casually, "We're playing a game. There's no need to lie about something like that."
They both spoke with relaxed confidence, and their expressions didn't waver. Their tone was frank and matter-of-fact, leaving Lina with little room to challenge them. She hesitated, then simply nodded and said, "Okay, let's move on."
From his seat, Zach could see the whole picture clearly. Sure, Lina and Anya had won this round, but the opponent team might've played it better.
When playing truth or dare among close friends, there's pressure to be honest. But here? None of these girls really knew each other. There was no way to verify anything. Suzie and Bonnie could say whatever they wanted.
What impressed Zach most was their subtle strategy. Each took the time to give a brief explanation, carefully framing their dating history. One hadn't dated since graduating. The other ended things early in college. Both painted themselves as relatively inexperienced—and very much available.
They were making sure Zach knew: they weren't complicated, and they were single.
Very smooth, Zach thought. Real pros.
By now, he was already looking forward to the next round.
Sure enough, luck stayed with the student group. Lina and Anya won again.
Suzie and Bonnie stuck with "truth" once more. This time, Lina nudged Anya to take the lead—wanting her to get more involved in the game.
It was clear that Anya had never played something like this before. Being in a position to ask someone a private question was obviously thrilling, even if she wasn't quite sure how far she could go.
After some hesitation, she finally asked, "How old were you when you had your first kiss?"
The moment the question landed, even Lina looked caught off guard. Zach let out a quiet chuckle and rubbed his forehead.
We just learned they've both had multiple relationships. What's the point of asking this now?
Maybe Anya thought the question was daring, but for Suzie and Bonnie, it was the easiest one of the night.
"Just after high school," Suzie answered smoothly.
"First year of college," Bonnie added with a small shrug.
Too easy.
But the tide finally shifted in the third round—this time, the worker team came out on top.
Without hesitation, Lina chose "truth," and when she noticed Anya hesitating again, she leaned over and whispered something in her ear.
In the game of Truth or Dare, choosing "truth" is usually the safer option. All you have to do is answer a question—no acting out dares, no risking embarrassment with some outrageous stunt.
But for some people, revealing personal secrets in front of others feels even riskier than a dare. Anya was one of those people.
Still, there were things she couldn't see for herself—things Lina picked up on right away.
Did Anya really believe everyone was just playing for fun?
Games like this were meant for friends. But they weren't among friends. Suzie and Bonnie weren't part of their circle; they'd only just met. The only reason everyone was playing together was because of Zach.
Whether it was for the reward he'd promised—or some other goal—this wasn't just a game anymore.
It was a competition.
And when competition enters the picture, strategies change. People stop playing fair. If anything, they start thinking about how to gain an advantage, or worse—how to push the others down.
Which is exactly why Lina couldn't let Anya take a risk.
What if she picked "dare," and the others gave her something outrageous to do—like asking a strange guy for his number, or worse, kissing him?
Could Anya actually go through with something like that?
And if she didn't, she'd have to drink. That alone could derail the whole night.
So Lina leaned in and quietly urged her: Play it safe. Choose truth.
Anya didn't fully understand why, but she trusted her best friend. Lina wouldn't steer her wrong.
So she nodded and said, "I'll go with truth too."
With both of them locked in, Suzie shot them a look, her eyes glinting as she smiled sweetly and asked,
"When was the last time you had sex with someone?"