CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR

JESSICA'S POV.

The crackling bonfire cast dancing shadows across the faces of the gathered crowd, while the warm glow of the flames reflected in our eyes. I sat on a weathered log, feeling the heat seep into my skin as I watched Daniel sip on a bottle of beer, casually speaking with a scrawny looking guy beside him. Laughter and hushed whispers filled the air, blending with the distant sound of waves crashing against the shore.

As the bottle was placed and it was settled, the group's attention shifted to the next challenge—Truth or Dare. My heart fluttered nervously, anxious about what the game had in store for us. I had never been good at hiding my emotions, and the thought of being put on the spot made my palms sweat. But I couldn't back out now; I had to play along.

The link haired girl—whose name I'd learnt was Makayla—always the daredevil, volunteered to go first. She spun the empty beer bottle in the center of our makeshift circle, its neck pointed coincidentally right at Dani