Chapter 212 - Proposal For Marriage

"I'll mix the drinks!" Angelina called out. She pulled out a bottle of vodka and some lemonade. With how emotionally charged Angelina was, liquor would make for an explosive night. On the other side, no one missed how Lily was avoiding Jared's eyes and he was looking at her like she was the most beautiful woman on the planet. 

How could they forget that all the people here had issues that they needed to solve and from the looks of it, Lily and Jared were not doing well either. 

They had some drinks and chatted until Stephen groaned and threw his arms around. 

"I'm bored. Shall we play a game?" His eyes lit up. 

Jared looked at Stephen curiously but didn't say much else. "What game?" he asked, looking at the others. He didn't know if anyone had bought board games. He sure as hell hadn't. 

"I know a game we can play," Angelina commented slyly. The girls turned to her with a horrified expression. They knew what she wanted to play. Never Have I Ever. With the emotional high in the group, it would only lead to disasters. "We can switch to something lighter and play Never Have I Ever." 

Cage looked at Katherine knowingly. They had played this very game a week ago and it had led to explosive... results. The boys accepted immediately. Lily and Katherine just played along. 

With friends who knew too much about you. Dark things about your past came out. 

Angelina explained the rules as the cans of beer were passed around. 

"I'll start," Angelina jumped in before anyone else could. "I've never had s.e.x in a public bathroom." Everyone looked around. 

Jared and Lily drank. No one asked any questions. 

"Never doing that," Cage said from the side. Thank god. Just imagining someone walking into them and taking a picture of Cage? She would never let that happen. 

"My turn," Lily said with a devious look in her eye. "Never have I ever had Skype s.e.x." 

Katherine glared at her. This was definitely pointed towards her. She took a swig and saw Cage doing the same. They shared a sly smile and everyone understood. 

"That's why you were so happy..." Realization dawned on Angelina. She sounded a little jealous too. 

It was Cage's turn. "Never have I ever slept with a fan," he said, sounding proud. Angelina took a drink. Everyone looked at her. It seemed like Jared was the most confused. 

"Fans? I know Angelina is a model so she might have people following her... what about you?" The innocent confusion was hilarious. This man really didn't know a thing. Stephen coughed. 

"You teach high school, right?" Stephen asked. Jared obviously nodded. "You've heard about Kevin Heart?" Again another nod. 

Lily had pulled out her phone and was typing in it. She handed the phone to her clueless boyfriend and saw as his face morphed. 

"You're a movie star?" Jared gasped. He looked mortified. "I'm sorry I didn't recognize you," he said with a bow. 

"Ah, I really liked that you behaved normally with me. Don't treat me differently. It was refreshing." Cage felt a twinge of disappointment that this guy had found out. He really saw him as a friend... or someone who could become close to him. 

"Don't worry, I don't have an interest in movies these days unless they win Oscars, so you are safe," Jared said with a soft smile. 

"Cage, I think he is saying you will never get an Oscar," Stephen said in a hushed voice, filled with amus.e.m.e.nt. Jared's eyes widened as he shook his head vehemently. 

"I know you didn't mean it." Cage chuckled and then shook his head. "Jared, you start next," he said raising his beer and pointing at him. 

"I have never been proposed marriage to." Silence fell on everyone. Jared was looking pointedly at Lily but she didn't pay him any attention. She took a swig of her beer. 

What surprised everyone was that Katherine took two swigs of beer instead of one. 

"Lily is not going to tell her story, so I will tell mine," she started, taking turns to look at every one. "You all know Jonathan asked me to marry him and I said yes at some point. The lesser-known story revolves around my mother's friend who saw me when I was twenty-one and liked me so much that she wanted me to marry her daughter." She paused. She was sure that she had told her friends this. 

Lily snorted from the other side. "Ah, yes. I remember. What was his name again?" she asked in a low voice. 

"They pestered me for a year. My mother finally caved in and told me that it would be a good idea. She showed me his picture, too." Katherine nodded her head, remembering. 

"He was a handsome f.u.c.ker," Angelina commented from the side, earning a glare from Katherine. "What, he was. You met him!"

Now Cage turned to look at her with a curious look. 

"Yes, so I saw his picture. He was good looking, had a great job, wanted a wife who was independent. Good guy in general but I was not ready for marriage... definitely not an arranged marriage."

"How does the proposal come about then?" Stephen asked, probing for more answers. 

"Well, the guy eventually got my number and texted me, asking if I wanted to marry him. That's where I got the proposal from. I said no," she injected quickly. "I went to his wedding a year ago. He married someone nice. When he saw me he joked about how he regretted not meeting me before and how I was his almost wife."

Cage looked bemused, Angelina was laughing and Stephen had followed. 

"You regretted a bit. You didn't think he would be that handsome, remember?" Lily said helpfully. These friends of hers were really out to ruin her night.

"I didn't know Cage then. I wanted to live in reality." She turned to look at Cage with a panicked expression. "I showed no interest in the guy whatsoever. I didn't even entertain his jokes. I was in a bad place at the time and thought I would get security if I had married him. I don't think this way anymore." She defended quickly.