But she leans forward and kisses him anyway. Ryder pulls away with a smack, and then reaches a hand up to squeeze her boob. Everyone cheers, and I force a laugh, even though I don’t think it’s funny, even though I see the frown on Ava’s face for a fraction of a second. I wonder if the other girls in the circle know it’s wrong too, if they’re all forcing laughs because the guys are laughing, if they’re cheering because it’s Ava and that makes it okay.

And then Ava is laughing too.

“Not in front of everyone, Ryder,” she says, sitting back down on her side of the circle. “Behave.”

Now it’s Ryder’s turn. The bottle is spinning, spinning, spinning, and I pray it won’t land on me. The thought of Jason Ryder’s tongue in my mouth makes me want to vomit.

The bottle stops on Chase.

Everyone goes wild.

“No fucking way!” Ryder says. “Guys don’t have to kiss each other.” He motions to Susie. “Susie is right here. I’ll kiss her.”

“Jason,” Danielle says, reaching into the circle and picking up the bottle, like by holding it she has the power to speak. “My house. My rules. And I say you have to kiss Chase.”

I see the twinkle in her eye. She’s loving this. This is her payback to Ryder for what he just did to Ava and for what he said to Danielle in the senior lounge. It’s her payback to Chase for a lot more. “Come on, boys, we don’t have all night.” She smirks and taps the bottle against her open palm. Tap. Tap. Tap.

“This game is fucking stupid,” Ryder says. “I don’t need a game to get with girls.” He stands up. “I’m getting another beer.”

“Does that mean you’re out, Jason?” Danielle asks, her voice saccharine sweet. He walks into the kitchen and raises a hand in the air, flipping her off without turning around. “So touchy,” she says.

“Do I get to spin?” Chase holds his palm out to Danielle. She looks at him for a moment, sighs, and then places the bottle into his open palm.

“Use it for good, Brosner.”

“I’ll just kiss you instead.” He turns the bottle so it points in her direction. “You’re the one I want it to land on.”

“Those aren’t the rules.” She turns the bottle back at him. “Spin.”

“Dani,” he says, his voice soft.

“Spin.”

He sighs and reaches forward, giving the bottle a spin. It lands on Danielle, of course. Because that’s the way things work for Chase. She rolls her eyes and leans over the circle toward him.

“All right, Brosner, fair is fair. Lay one on me.”