CHAPTER 6
1115 Words
THERE were six of us guys—me, Rex, Peter, James, Matthew, and Melchor—and four girls: Eurika, Jane, Celine (who was Matthew’s girlfriend), and Nympha (Melchor’s girlfriend).
There were supposed to be five girls, but Peter’s girlfriend couldn’t make it because of a business trip.
By late afternoon, we still hadn’t reached the summit. The frequent stops—thanks to the girls’ endless complaints—had slowed us down. At this rate, it looked like we’d have to set up camp here for the night. It was too risky to keep going; if it rained and we hadn’t set up our tents, we'd be in trouble.
We found a nice clearing among the trees. Not too far away, a waist-deep stream glistened under the fading sunlight. Perfect. We could take a dip later.
"Matt, set up a campfire," Peter said as he dusted off his hands.
"On it. Let me gather some wood first," Matthew replied, standing up.
"Wait! Hon, I’ll come with you," Celine said, quickly getting up as well.
"Stay here, love. Too many mosquitoes."
"It’s fine! I’ll just grab my jacket," she insisted before ducking into their tent.
A moment later, she emerged and latched onto Matthew’s arm before they disappeared into the woods.
Peter turned to Melchor, who was crouched near a makeshift stove. "Chor, how’s the food coming along?"
"Almost done. Just a few more minutes. I had to drown the chicken in broth first," Melchor said, stirring the pot.
Nympha and Eurika were helping him. Meanwhile, Rex was still busy setting up his tent. Mine was already done, so I just sat back and watched. Peter was texting someone while laying out the snacks and sweet treats his girlfriend had sent along.
After a while, Matthew and Celine returned. I helped them finish setting up the campfire, and once the food was ready, we all gathered around. Melchor, Nympha, and Eurika served us steaming bowls of chicken soup, which we ate heartily.
As the night deepened, our conversations became more animated. We snacked on the sweets Peter had brought while exchanging stories and jokes.
"James, tell us a story," Melchor said, nudging him.
"Why me?" James protested.
"Just do it. Stop whining," Peter chimed in.
"Nope."
"Tsk!" we all groaned in unison.
Just then, Nympha called out excitedly, a bottle of champagne in her hands.
"Guys! Over here!"
We gathered around as she grinned mischievously. "Let’s play spin-the-bottle."
"Ohh, now that sounds fun," Celine said, clapping her hands.
"Alright, I’ll start," Nympha announced before giving the bottle a sharp spin.
It slowed… then landed on Rex.
"Truth or dare?" she asked, eyes twinkling.
"Truth," Rex replied easily.
"Okay, listen up, guys," Nympha warned. "No matter how naughty the question, you have to answer honestly. If you refuse… you’re getting roasted over the campfire. Got it?"
"Yes, ma’am!" we all chorused.
She took a dramatic pause, then leaned in, her voice turning teasing. "Rex, be honest… even though you’re married, have you ever cheated on your wife?"
Rex didn’t even blink. "No."
"Aww, how sweet! Rex is such a loyal husband. Sophia’s so lucky," Jane sighed dreamily before turning to James with narrowed eyes. "Unlike some people here."
James looked genuinely offended. "Wait, what? Are you doubting me?"
Jane simply nodded.
James scoffed. "Babe, come on. I’ve never cheated on you. Haven’t you noticed? Or do you think when I’m inside you, it feels like someone else has touched your favorite toy?"
The entire group burst into laughter.
"Did you seriously just say that in front of everyone?" Jane groaned, covering her face.
"Well—" James started, but Peter cut him off.
"Alright, alright! Let’s keep the game going."
Rex spun the bottle next. This time, it landed on Nympha.
"Nympha, tell us… are you sure Melchor is the one for you?" Rex asked, smirking.
Melchor and Nympha exchanged a glance before laughing.
"Of course! In fact, we’ve already set a wedding date."
"Well, congratulations!" Rex grinned. The rest of us cheered them on.
The game continued, but soon, we dropped the "truth-or-dare" part and just started asking random questions. Eventually, it was my turn. Only Melchor and I hadn’t been questioned yet.
Peter leaned forward. "Perv, my question for you… do you have a girlfriend? And if so, why didn’t you bring her here?"
At that, I caught Eurika turning sharply to look at me. Even the others seemed curious—except Rex, who casually blew bubbles into his soda.
That jerk. He knew I didn’t do serious relationships.
"Nope," I said smoothly. "Not interested in that right now. I just want to enjoy being single—no limits, no boundaries, and no one nagging me about what I do."
The group nodded in understanding, but I noticed Eurika’s expression subtly change—as if she’d just found a reason to relax.
I spun the bottle next, and it landed on Melchor.
I smirked. "Alright, Melchor. In your opinion… what kind of woman is the easiest to get in bed?"
The question was met with gasps and choking sounds from almost everyone—except me and Melchor. Eurika, on the other hand, just stared at me, her expression unreadable.
Melchor leaned back, unfazed. "The easiest woman to sleep with? Simple. The one who shows interest in you."
I smiled, satisfied with his answer.
Because, in reality, that question wasn’t just for fun. It was my way of giving Eurika a hint—if she wanted something to happen between us, she just had to show me.
The group laughed, and the game went on. Eventually, it was Eurika’s turn.
Melchor tapped his chin, pretending to think. Then, a slow grin spread across his face.
"Eurika, since you’re single too… let me ask you this. Among the guys here, who would you like to… try?"
The three other girls gasped in unison.
"Try?!" Jane, Nympha, and Celine shrieked.
"Guys, shhh. Let’s hear her answer," Melchor said, grinning.
Eurika froze.
Her lips parted, but no words came out.
"What kind of question is that?" she finally asked, her voice slightly flustered.
"A question that requires an answer," Melchor shot back.
She glanced at us, then took a slow breath.
"No one," she said firmly.
"No one?" Melchor raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah. No one," she repeated.
The group groaned in disappointment.
After that, we shifted to more casual topics. One by one, drowsiness crept in, and we all started retreating to our tents. The couples paired off. Eurika went to her own tent.
And I?
I lay in mine, eyes open, wondering if that really was her final answer.
Or if, later tonight… she’d show me otherwise.
- Writer
