TRUTH OR DARE.

EPISODE 4

QIN KAI POV.

The bass was too loud, the air too heavy with perfume and alcohol. The lights flickered red and gold, bouncing off the marble floors and the bodies pressed close together. It was one of those campus parties that never stayed quiet… too much money, too much pride, and too little self-control.

I leaned back on the couch, drink in hand, pretending to be relaxed even though the irritation still burned through me. Every time I blinked, I saw her face again… wide eyes, trembling lips, the way she’d thrown that damn juice at me in front of everyone.

A black girl with shaky hands, daring to throw a drink on me… on me.

I clenched my jaw, swirled the liquid in my glass, and exhaled through my nose. Everyone at the table was laughing, and I knew what about.

“Still thinking about it?” Li drawled from across me. He was grinning like an i***t, his gold chain catching the light.

“Thinking about what?” I muttered, not looking up.

“The cafeteria show, man,” another voice chimed in… Lucas, tall, an American, half-drunk, always eager to stir trouble. “You looked ready to kill her. Bro, I thought you were gonna throw her across the table.”

The guys burst out laughing.

I didn’t.

I downed the rest of the drink and set the glass down hard. “She should’ve known better.”

Li raised an eyebrow. “Known better than what? To throw juice at the almighty Qin Kai?”

“She embarrassed me,” I said flatly. “ I'm not going to just stand there and smile while she put on a show.”

Lucas leaned forward, smirking. “Come on, Kai. You’re overreacting. She’s just a girl. Probably lost control.”

“Then she should’ve stayed quiet,” I snapped. “People like her don’t belong here anyway.”

That shut them up for a moment. I could feel Li’s gaze on me…sharp, assessing. He was used to my temper, but even he looked a little surprised tonight.

“She really got under your skin, huh?” Li said finally, tone light but eyes calculating.

I shrugged, but my grip on the empty glass tightened. “She didn’t get under anything. I just don’t like attention seekers.”

Lucas snorted. “Attention seeker? Bro, she looked terrified. You called her a slut in front of the whole cafeteria.”

“She was begging for it,” I said, even though I wasn’t sure if I believed it myself. “Girls like that always are.”

Tao leaned back, resting an arm on the couch. “You sound pissed, Kai.”

“I’m not pissed.”

He smirked. “You are pissed.”

“Shut up, Li.”

He chuckled, raising his drink. “Fine. Whatever you say, man. Just… never seen you this bothered by anyone before. Not even Nicole.”

At the mention of her name, I looked up. “Don’t start that.”

“Hey, I’m just saying,” Lucas laughed. “You dumped the governor’s daughter without blinking. But one random scholarship girl splashes juice on you, and suddenly you’re moody as hell.”

The music changed…something darker, heavier… but their laughter kept cutting through it. I wanted to punch something.

Li grinned. “Speaking of Nicole… you know she’s still not over you, right?”

I rolled my eyes. “That’s her problem.”

“Yeah, sure,” he said, taking a slow sip. “But you might want to know this… rumor has it, she’s the one who started that dare.”

“What dare?” I asked, frowning.

Li exchanged a look with Lucas, like they’d been waiting for that question.

“The dare that got you your little cafeteria drama,” Lucas said, leaning forward with that stupid grin. “Apparently, Nicole dared that girl… what’s her name? Cesca?... to hook up with you.”

For a second, I didn’t say anything. My brain just froze on the image of that trembling girl, stammering an apology while everyone stared.

Hook up with me?

“That’s bullsh*t,” I said finally, shaking my head. “ I'm not believing that.”

Li shrugged. “That’s what people are saying. Nicole was at some party last night, bragging about how she’d make Cesca humiliate herself. I guess it worked.”

I scoffed. “Worked? She just made herself look pathetic.”

Lucas laughed. “Nah, bro, she made you look human for once. If it were the old you,you would have ruined her.”

I threw a cushion at him, half annoyed, half amused despite myself. “Shut the hell up.”

He dodged it, still laughing. “I’m just saying, man… karma’s real.”

“Yeah?” I said, narrowing my eyes. “Then karma’s gonna hit back harder next time.”

Li watched me quietly, still smiling that knowing smile of his. “So what now? You gonna ignore her? Or you planning on making her pay?”

I looked away, running a hand through my hair. The truth was, I hadn’t decided. Part of me wanted to forget it happened… but the other part, the darker part, wanted to remind her who she messed with.

“She’s not even worth thinking about,” I muttered.

Lucas chuckled. “You sure? You’ve been talking about her for ten minutes straight.”

“Because you idiots won’t shut up about it.”

Li leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You know what’s funny, though?”

“What?”

“She’s the only girl on campus who hasn’t tried to throw herself at you.”

I smirked. “Give her time.”

Tao laughed. “Nah, bro. I don’t think she’s into you.”

“Please,” I scoffed. “Every girl here wants me.”

Lucas grinned. “Except her.”

I leaned back, crossing my arms. “She is not any different.”

Tao nodded slowly. “Yeah. Different. She’s not from our world, Kai. “Then she should stay scared,” I said coldly.

Lucas shook his head. “Man, you talk big, but I bet she wouldn’t even give you the time of day.”

That made me laugh — low, sharp, humorless. “You’re joking, right? You think a girl like her would turn me down?”

Tao’s smile widened. “You sound confident.”

“I am confident.”

“Then prove it.”

I paused. “What do you mean?”

Li leaned back, eyes gleaming. “Since you’re so sure she’s easy, prove it. Hook up with her.”

Lucas nearly choked on his drink, laughing. “Oh, sh*t. You’re actually daring him?”

“Yeah,” Li said, smirking. “You heard me, Kai. I dare you… make Cesca fall for you. Sleep with her if you’re as irresistible as you think.”

I stared at him for a moment, the noise of the party fading behind the thump of my heartbeat.

He wasn’t joking.

“Really?” I asked.

“As serious as that juice on your shirt yesterday,” he said.

Lucas whooped. “Oh man, this is gonna be fun. The great Qin Kai, challenged by a girl who doesn’t even like him. I’m living for this.”

I didn’t answer immediately. I just sat there, the dare hanging in the air like smoke.

Part of me wanted to laugh it off. Another part…the one that still burned from humiliation…wanted to say yes.

Li lifted his drink toward me, eyes gleaming. “What’s it gonna be, Kai? You in or not?”

I looked down at my empty glass, the reflection of the lights warping across the rim. Then, slowly, I smiled… the kind of smile that made people nervous.

“I'm in..” I said..

Because if she wanted to play games…

She had no idea who she was dealing with.