The Target Was Me

Pure Friendship? Let's Test That

Sophie looked a little surprised by how laidback I was behaving. She paused for a second before letting out a cold scoff.

She probably thought I was just playing games.

On the other hand, Sean did not even bother hiding the contempt in his eyes.

To him, I might have been the only son of the Preston family in Kingsford, but I was a useless twat who couldn't keep his girlfriend in line when it came to romance.

In the past, I had always chosen to let things slide no matter how hard he toed the line.

"Oh?" Sean drawled, his tone tinged with sarcasm. "You want in, too?"

He smirked. "Sure, we can include you. But remember, we're playing Truth or Dare. You'll be punished if you lose. So, it'll be pretty pathetic if you end up crying because you can't handle the heat."

Sophie's voice dropped. "Max, stop causing a scene. With your coordination, what are you even going to do with darts? Don't lose it and take it out on me again."

I just smiled and ignored the jab.

I walked over to the dartboard, pulled down the shredded photo of us that was beyond recognition, and tossed it into the trash.

Broken photos, like rotten people, belonged in the garbage.

Then, I connected my phone to the nearby printer and printed out a group photo of the three of us.

It was from Sophie's birthday the year before.

Sean was standing between us. with his arm around her. Frankly, he looked more like her boyfriend than I ever had.

"Let's use this one instead," I suggested, pinning it to the board. "Ten darts each, and the two people with the worst aim..."

I paused as a faint smile tugged at my mouth. "They will spend the night in the master bedroom together. None of them will be coming out until morning."

The room erupted instantly.

Zoe stared at me wide-eyed. "Uh... isn't that a little much? A guy and a girl spending the night alone in a room? That's not exactly appropriate."

Another friend looked just as uncomfortable. "Maybe pick a different punishment? I mean, sure, they're close, but Sean's still a guy. Locking them in a room together is kind of—"

"What's wrong with that?" I cut in, my tone tinged with amusement. "Why does it matter if they share a room overnight if they really are just friends? Or are you suggesting that their friendship isn't as innocent as it appears?"

Sean's face changed instantly.

He had always prided himself on being open and straightforward. He claimed he was the kind of guy who hated petty suspicion.

Now that I had cornered him like this, his decision to back down would mean that he was slapping himself in the face.

"Who says there's anything impure about us?" he snapped, lifting his chin.

"Sophie and I grew up together. We're closer than family. Nothing would happen between us even if we spent the night in the same room or even slept in the same bed. Don't twist it into something dirty just because your mind works that way."

Now, Sophie was getting annoyed as well. She retorted, "Max, what the hell is wrong with you? Do you really think this joke is okay?"

"Why are you so afraid if your friendship is beyond suspicion?" I asked lightly. "Or are you worried you wouldn't be able to control yourself?"

That shut her up for a second.

Her face turned red. "What are you even talking about? I've never done anything wrong."

"Then, accept the bet." I slowly rolled a dart between my fingers, keeping my tone relaxed and cool. "If nothing occurs after you two stay in that room all night, I swear I won't argue about Sean's presence again. In fact, I'll apologize to him publicly and admit I'm the petty one."

Sean's eyes lit up the second I said those words.

There was no way he would pass up a chance like that.

After all, this was a perfect opportunity to humiliate me and get Sophie alone in a room without anyone questioning his intentions.

Plus, he was certain I could not win.

In his eyes, I was just some polished rich kid, and there was no way I could beat someone like him. That was because he was someone who had grown up messing around in bars, arcades, and every kind of entertainment spot.

"Fine," Sean said, raising his chin with complete confidence. "You asked for this. Don't try to back out once you lose."

Sophie looked at me, a complex flicker in her eyes. "If this is the game you want to play, then fine. I'll play. However, you don't get to make a big deal out of Sean and me ever again after this."

I only smiled.

What they did not know was that I had been captain of the archery team back in college. When it came to precision and control, nobody there came close.