By the time they reached their hotel Thorne was exhausted. No one else had a licence so he had to drive the whole way, not that he would have let anyone near the wheel of his car.

Scarlet slung her rucksack over her back, her phone finally put away, and was helping Cress with her electronics.

"Couldn't you have gone a day without it?" Scarlet asked.

"I'm important," Cress insisted as they lugged everything into the motel.

It wasn't particularly fancy, but they were only staying the night and would be driving back by tomorrow evening if everything went to plan. They had two rooms, one for the boys and one for the girls, and though Thorne didn't know Kai he would be fun to interrogate.

----

"We are totally playing truth or dare and I don't care what any of you have to say about it," Iko said once they were alone in their room. The other girls glared up at her. "What? It'll be fun."

"You just want to drill me on Kai," Cinder pointed out.

"Maybe, but you'd never tell us would you." Cinder rolled her eyes.

"Actually," Scarlet said, shifting where she sat, "maybe it could be fun."

"Perfect!" Iko said, "now, who's going first?"

"I am," Scarlet said as the girls huddled together with their blankets. "Truth or dare Cress."

"Umm..." Cress said. She hadn't played this with the girls in a while, and last time Winter was there to back her up if she was ever embarrassed by something. "Truth?"

"What's the strangest thing you've ever hacked into?"

Cress thought for a moment. She'd hacked into so many different databases and devices over the years she was losing count. There were some pretty odd things, like once she got into this profile on this dating site which had a virus that corrupted her computer. There was over a thousand files with the same song on, besides the very bottom one which had a document with the recipe for tomato soup. But then there was that other time...

"I once got into the coding of this website – I don't remember which one – but in the notes there were two people having a conversation and all the messages had been left. It was frightening, one of them was trying to convince the other to commit suicide with them, and the very last comment said "Today". I couldn't touch my computer for the rest of the week.

"And you kept hacking anyway?" Cinder asked.

"Of course, it's what I do," Cress said, "anyway, it's my turn. Truth or dare... Iko."

"Dare pansycakes," Iko said.

"What?" Scarlet asked, "What's a pansycake?"

"Doesn't matter, please continue Cress."

"Let me keep your phone for the rest of the night, and anyone who texts you I get to text back however I like," Cress decided, holding out her hand as Iko hesitantly took the phone from her pocket and handed it over, looking like she had never regretted anything anymore.

"Okay," Iko said, perking up suddenly, "my turn." She had an evil grin on her face as she turned to Cinder. "Truth or dare Cinder."

Cinder sighed, "You're going to ask me about Kai either way aren't you." Iko couldn't have looked smugger, and as much as Cress wanted to know what was between Cinder and Kai, she felt sorry for Cinder.

"Just answer the question!" Iko insisted just as Iko's phone vibrated in Cress' pocket. "Seriously!" Iko complained.

Cress stifled a giggle as she pulled Iko's phone out of her pocket, it was from Thorne.

You girls doing okay or do you need some company ;)

"What's it with the winky faces?" Cress asked.

"Oh god, it's from Thorne isn't it," Cinder said, pulling her knees up to her chest, "Ignore him, throw the phone out the window for all I care."

Iko shoved her, "that's my baby you're talking about there!"

"Don't do it Cress!" Cinder yelled.

"It's her choice," Scarlet said, giving Cinder a wicked grin and receiving a scowl in return.

"Let me have my turn first," Iko said, glaring around at the other girls, "Cinder, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"I dare you to tell us what's happening with you and Kai."

"Seriously," Cinder complained, "that's not a proper dare!"

"Oh you knew I was going to ask it, just tell us and we'll all calm down."

Cinder looked over at Cress, pleading for help, but Cress smiled and shrugged, leaning in. She was just as excited to hear this, and she could see the smile on Scarlet's face spreading too.

"Alright," Cinder said, giving in with a sign, "we're dating, I think."

Cress started squealing, and Iko joined in while Scarlet shook her head and patted Cinder on the back, but she was laughing slightly.

"Have you kissed him?" Cress asked, thinking that she'd regret opening her mouth but finding herself not caring.

Cinder was blushing like crazy, looking as if she wanted to sink into the ground, but she didn't have much choice but to answer now.

"Yes," she said throwing her arms up then wrapping her blankets around Iko's head until she was screaming.

"Can I text Thorne back yet?" Cress asked once they'd all calmed down, but found herself incredibly excited about her friends new relationship.

"My turn again!" Cinder called out before anyone could answer her, so she texted back anyway.

You should come join us, we're playing truth or dare

She knew she definitely wouldn't have said it if she hadn't been saying it under Iko's name, the thought terrified her, but Thorne never had to know it was her.

"Truth or dare Scarlet?" Cinder asked with a grin.

"Why do I feel so threatened?"

"Don't worry, it's not like I'm going to get you to jump out of a window or anything," Cinder said. Scarlet burst into laughter, slamming her head back against the bed behind her.

Just then there was a knock on the door, and all the other girls stiffened – though Scarlet was still trying not to laugh. Cress smiled proudly.

"What did you do?" Cinder asked.

"Hey Iko. You going to let us in?" Thorne asked from outside. Cress received a pillow to her face.

"You didn't," Cinder said, looking murderous.

"At least you've had your turn," Scarlet said, though she didn't appear to care much about Thorne being here.

Iko got up and unlocked the door, finding Thorne and Kai standing waiting.

"Cress?" Iko asked.

"I'm allowed to answer your texts however I like," Cress said.

"So are we allowed in?" Thorne asked.

"Go to hell Thorne" Cinder yelled, but Iko had already let the boys in.

"No getting rid of me now Cinder," Thorne said, winking and earning another shoe in his face.

"You've really got to stop that," he said, dropping down between Iko and Cress, wrapping his arms briefly around both girls and pulling them in for a hug, making Cress' heart jump though he released them both a second later. Kai awkwardly sat down beside Cinder, his knee against hers, and absently took her hand.

"Who's go is it then?" Thorne asked.

"Cinders asking Scarlet," Iko said, and all eyes turned to the redhead.

"Dare I guess," said Scarlet.

"Kiss someone in this room," Cinder said, and though Cress expected Scarlet to start blushing or protesting, she pursed her lips and shrugged.

Then she turned to Cress and pecked her on the lips.

The whole room went fuzzy and Cress found herself flushing brightly while Iko giggled and Cinder sighed in relief. That was her first kiss, her first kiss! She felt violated.

"Why Cress?" Cinder asked.

"Well you two are together now," she said, gesturing to Cinder and Kai, "Thorne would take it as a compliment and Cress is just closer than Iko," Scarlet explained.

"Fair enough," Cinder said, and the game continued on.

---

It was Thorne who finally asked Scarlet the question she'd been dreading.

"Who were you texting the whole way here?"

She had come up with a million answers in her head, but none of them seemed believable anymore, and she'd probably mess up when trying to lie about Wolf.

"Just a friend," she resorted to.

"You know when you put 'just' in front of 'friend' usually that's not what's happening," Thorne pointed out, and Scarlet could feel her face turning red.

"Great! Now your face matches your hair and your name, who is he?" Thorne asked again.

"Who says it's a he?" Scarlet said, not really caring what that implied about her; it was partially true.

Thorne and Cinder simultaneously raised an eyebrow.

"You know Scar, it's totally fine if..." Cress started, but Scarlet held up a hand to stop her.

"It was a he," she said.

"Then who?" Iko asked.

"His names Wolf," Scarlet said, blushing harder as she scrolled through her phone for a picture of him. It was a stupid idea, but anything to keep their eyes off her. When she showed them Cinder and Kai gave each other a look, but Scarlet didn't ask.

"Not as sexy as me," Thorne said genuinely, but Cinder shoved and scolded him before retreating back to Kai.

"You could at least let me finish!" Thorne said, "I was going to say but still a good choice."

"You can't tell everything from looks!" Cress said, seeming annoyed. Calling out wasn't something she tended to do in front of people she wasn't comfortable with, and after the words fell from her lips she scuttled back into the darkness, away from the overwhelming silence that filled the room.

"Not awkward," Kai said suddenly, breaking the silence. All eyes were averted away from Cress and towards him.

"I'm going to explore," he said, getting to his feet, "Cinder, want to join me?" he asked.

She nodded, and they slinked out of the room together, taking each other hand by the door.

"Thorne?" Iko asked.

"Well I'm going to be all alone now!" he complained.

"Well I'm going to go to sleep and it'll be creepy if you stay in here," Scarlet pointed out.

"Oh, everyone already thinks I'm a creep," Thorne said with a wink, but Scarlet wasn't pleased.

"Out!" She yelled, and after a glare he set off running.

---

A/N: Chapter Eleven - brought to you by I became obsessed with a song for a couple hours!

Yeah, this isn't a filler chapter or anything, but I wanted to write it and come on it's probably something Iko would force on them

I'm trying to find a way to get Cresswell in, but it isn't happening yet, but in time I guess

Seriously I listened to truth or dare in nightcore on loop while writing that... the entire time...

Fun!

Whos read stars above?

Guess who hasn't!

I pre ordered it but I pre ordered it in paperback because it was cheaper but now I'm thinking I had the money why didn't I treat myself to a hardcover?

Because the paperback comes out a month later...

Imagine reading stars above, but not only that, reading it in hardcover! I read the one in hardcover and I only have like 4 hardcover books!

Whos read the selection series? I'm on the heir and this series is AMAZING! Like, if you haven't read it at least consider it and if it sounds like something you'd read READ IT IT IS AMAZING!!!

If you have read it doesn't Maxon remind you a bit of Kai?

oh Kai Kai Kai you adorable little dork

You adorkable little prince

Did I actually just say adorkable?

wow... I've sunk so low...

I vowed never to use that work

Look what Kai's done to me...

Damn Kai