I want to ask more, like brought it from where? But Ky slips his hand on my back like a warning, and I don’t push further. Not yet. We have all night, and I can be patient. It’s the one skill I’ve mastered while stuck on this stupid island.
I can wait till it gets later and everyone's cheeks light up with that rosy tint of the fire and alcohol, but I realize pretty quickly that I’m not going to get far on my own. I try and exchange a look with Cade, but he’s not paying much attention to me, and it becomes pretty obvious that if I want his help I am going to have to pull him aside and spell it out.
When Cade excuses himself to use the restroom I make up an excuse and follow him. He about jumps out of his skin when I come up behind him in the woods behind our camp.
“Jesus, Lena, a little privacy!”
“Don’t worry. I didn’t sneak a peek at your junk.”
“What a relief,” he growls.
The sound of the zip on his jeans alerts me that he is finished with his business so I turn around to face him and whisper what has been on my mind.
“You know that radio didn’t crash land here and neither did those bottles of lotion by Toni’s tent.”
Cade shrugs. “And?”
“Don’t you wonder where she gets it all from? It didn’t come from the plane, and it’s not like Ky became a scientist over the last six years.”
Cade sighs and folds his arms across his chest, “I’ve been waiting for her to give something away, I thought while we were fishing she might, but she was more interested in flirting with me than talking.”
“I’ve noticed that.” It’s not intentional, but bitterness creeps into my voice and he doesn’t miss it.
“What are you, jealous?”
“Maybe.”
Cade’s face goes stony in an instant. “Don’t be. The rules are still the rules. I don’t care if no one else thinks they matter.”
Even though I should be thinking about more important things, I feel a huge wave of relief. He doesn’t know about Toni. Not yet and I want to keep it that way.
“We have to get her talking,” I say, careful to keep my voice low.
A sly smile slips across Cade’s lips. “That’s why you wanted the party.”
I waggle my eyebrows at him. “Well it certainly wasn’t because I enjoy choking down the vile stuff in that cup.”
“You’d better be careful with that. Those two have been drinking it a lot longer than you or I. You might be the one who does the talking.”
“I’ve been pretending to drink it,” I admit, “but I can’t do that all night. I need your help. She likes you. You can get away with questions I can’t.”
Cade bites his bottom lip while he thinks it through.
“I can try. But you might not like my strategy.”
I cringe at the thought of Cade coaxing information out of Toni.
“Lena.”
“I know. I know. I know.”
“I promise you I won’t enjoy it.” But I have a hard time believing him when his mission for the evening has just become respond to the advances of an attractive woman.
When the two of us return from the woods all of the food has been put away and more wood added to the fire. It crackles and pops in front of us. Every once in a while a spark shoots up and disappears in the swirl of smoke above it.
Cade catches my eye across the fire, and I realize that he looks older to me now, changed. With the rest of our group it was like we were forever frozen, 14 and 15, the age we were when the plane hit the water. But here with the orange and yellow glow of the fire casting shadows across his face, he’s a man, and I’m not the only one who sees it.
Toni hands us each our cups, and I can tell right away that ours have been refilled because Cade’s sloshes at the brim and mine is heavy in my hand.
“Truth or Dare,” says Toni, and her eyes line up with Ky’s. He has been quiet all night, and the way he’s sipping his glass and watching Toni’s every move I am starting to wonder if he knows enough about Toni’s games to not be in a playful mood.
Cade on the other hand laughs. “Really? I haven’t played this since I was ten.”
Toni gives a wicked smile and runs one hand down the length of his arm.
“I promise you this won’t be anything like when you were ten.”
Thirteen
My first thought is no. Truth or Dare with Toni feels like too much of a gamble. I don’t know what she wants from us, other than Cade, and I’m not sure I’m willing to hand him over even if it means saving Christa.
But Ky is beside me, and he doesn’t seem alarmed. If anything, there is a little glint in his eye, like maybe this game is fun if I relax and let it be.
The dares put me on edge, but the truth could be a weapon. What better opportunity could there be to pick at Toni’s backstory than a game of Truth?
Ready to be brave, I gulp down a quarter of my cup and ask who goes first.
“How about you,” says Toni, turning toward Cade. “You’re the strong quiet type. Let’s find out what you’re made of. Truth or Dare?”
“Truth, I suppose.”
Toni looks disappointed, but only for a second. We’ve only been together for 24 hours, and if I am curious about her she must be curious about us.
“Truth. If you could bring anything from home here with you, what would it be?”
I lean in a little toward Cade anxious to hear what or who he will answer.
“Xbox,” says Cade. No deliberation.
All dramatic tension fizzles. Xbox. Seriously?
Ky cackles beside me. “What are you going to do with an Xbox in the rainforest.”
“You got that thing to work with the sun. Why can’t you make my Xbox work?” Cade points at the music player on the stump behind us. There is still old timey jazz pouring from the speaker and I find myself agreeing with Cade. If we can have music and moonshine why not an Xbox? It’s not like this game is magic and the item will appear beside us. What does it matter if it’s plausible?
“Fair point, but boring answer,” says Toni finishing the contents of her cup and pouring another.
“You know how fast technology moves?” asks Ky, shaking his head. “I doubt the Xbox is even a thing anymore.”
Cade looks gravely offended, but I can’t seem to wipe the smile from my face. This is what he is passionate about? Video games?
“How about you?” says Cade, jutting his chin at Ky. “Truth or Dare?”
Ky rubs his hands together like he’s been itching for a challenge for too long and this is his golden opportunity.
“Dare.”
“Finish your cup,” says Cade. Our plan was to get Toni talking not Ky. If Cade lets his anger toward Ky get in the way of our plan I’m not going to be happy. Pissing Ky off is only going to make him a more fierce opponent.
Ky doesn’t hesitate. He tips his glass back in one swig and reaches for the bottle to refill. I get the feeling that Cade is out of his league and someone, if not multiple someones, are going to spend the evening heaving in the bushes.
With an absolutely revolting burp Ky turns to me. “Truth or Dare, Lena?”
I wave the scent of alcohol from my nose and pick truth. It may be the chicken shit thing to do, but I’m not ready for a dare just yet. Toni’s eyes roll across the fire.