Chapter 1

I lost at Truth or Dare, and my boyfriend Jason Carter's "best friend" egged me on to try a signature cocktail called the Devil's Kiss.

As I brought the glass to my lips, the smell was so sharp and strange that it made my mouth go numb.

"Vera made this drink just for you. You're not really gonna refuse, are you?" Jason slung his arm around my shoulder. He sounded like he was joking, but it didn't feel like one.

Vera Bell, wearing a tiny tank top, shot me a provocative look, with a playful smile tugging at her lips.

She leaned against Jason right in front of everyone, her voice all soft and flirty. "Jason, your girl isn't a party pooper, is she? I mixed this with love, just for you."

Everyone burst out laughing, all with that knowing look.

When I watched her snuggle up to him, my chest went tight and cold.

I downed the drink in one go, and fire burned from my throat all the way to my stomach.

Vera clapped her hands, loud and mocking. "Told you she'd fall for it. Nobody believed me." Jason laughed too, "You always know how to make things fun."

As their laughter echoed around me, my vision blurred, my breath caught in my throat, and I crashed to the ground.

Right before I lost consciousness, the last thing I heard was Vera shrieking in terror, "Blood! Her nose is bleeding. Jason, what's happening?"

*****‍

The sharp smell of disinfectant jolted me awake.

A white ceiling, white sheets, and the steady beeping of machines nearby. There was no doubt I was in a hospital.

There was a tube down my throat, burning like fire, and I couldn't speak and could only move my eyes.

"Cathy, you're awake!" a voice said.

Jason's face appeared above me, familiar but worn. Dark circles hung under his eyes, which were bloodshot and full of fear. Maybe a little regret, too.

He gripped my hand tightly, his voice rough. "The doctor said you almost didn't... This is all on me. I never should've let Vera go that far."

Vera, the girl who always cooed "Jason" in that syrupy voice.

His "best friend"—the one who showed up in his social feeds way more than I ever did. All those cozy selfies, from high school straight through college.

I looked at him, my gaze empty.

Memories came rushing back. The bitter burn of that Devil's Kiss cocktail was still lingering in my throat, trailing down my esophagus like a line of fire.

As a med student, I knew something was off the second I swallowed it.

It wasn't just a sharp burn from alcohol. It was a chemical burn. My body went into full emergency mode before my brain could even catch up—anaphylactic shock.

My mouth and throat swelled. I couldn't breathe, and my blood pressure crashed. Even as I was about to hit the floor, my mind stayed weirdly calm, diagnosing myself on the way down.

"Patient's awake?" A doctor in a white coat strode in, with a clipboard in hand.

Jason jumped to his feet, anxiety written all over his face. "Doctor, how is she? Is she out of danger?"

"She's lucky to be alive. If you'd brought her in even a few minutes later, not even God could've saved her," the doctor said, shooting me a stern look. "You young people are way too reckless. That was industrial-grade capsaicin—a food additive, not a drink. With her severe allergy, her throat swelled shut and she went into anaphylactic shock. That's practically murder!"

The word "murder" hit Jason like a punch to the gut.

His face went ghostly pale, his lips trembling. "We... We had no idea it would be that serious. It was just a stupid prank."

"A prank?" The doctor scoffed, his tone icy. "You call nearly killing someone a prank? Where's her family? Someone needs to sign the consent form. Get ready. She might need a gastroscopy to check for internal burns."

"I'm her boyfriend," Jason blurted out.

The doctor adjusted his glasses, his eyes narrowing. "Boyfriend? But I heard that you and another girl made her drink that stuff."

Jason's face went from red to ghostly pale, like he'd just been slapped in front of everyone.

Just then, the door swung open.

Vera walked in with a fancy fruit basket, her makeup perfectly done. The moment she saw I was awake, she immediately turned on the waterworks, dashing to my bedside with a few fake tears in her eyes.

"Cathy, you're finally awake! You have no idea how scared I was. I swear, I didn't mean for this to happen. I just thought you couldn't handle spicy stuff. How was I supposed to know you'd almost die?" she said.

She kept sobbing as she reached for my other hand, her signature silver charm bracelet jingling so sharply that it made my skin crawl.

I turned my face away, dodging her touch without a word.

Jason jumped in, latching onto her words like a lifeline, "She really didn't mean it, Cathy. Don't be mad at her."

Watching their tag-team performance, I couldn't help but find it laughably ironic.

The doctor had seen enough, frowning. "This is a hospital room, not a theater. If you want to put on a show, do it outside."

Vera's tears hit pause, her sobs stuttering for a moment.

I slowly raised my hand, the IV making my movements sluggish. A nurse noticed and quickly came over to help.

I pointed at my phone on the bedside table.

She picked it up and handed it to me.

With effort, I unlocked the screen, typed out a message, and passed it to the doctor.

He read it, hesitated for a second, then his face shifted, looking thoughtful. He nodded at me. "Don't worry. I get it."

Then he turned and walked out, ushering Jason and Vera out of the room as well.

The room was finally quiet.

I sank back into bed, breathing slowly.

The words I'd just typed were still glowing on the screen.

It read: [Doctor, please call the police. I want to press charges against them for assault.]