Truth or Dare

Truth or Dare: Part 1

"So how are you going to do this?"

"I don't know, how should I do it?" I countered in aggravation.

    My best friend, Beau, and I were walking to Nicky's house the next day. She lived a few blocks away and it didn't hurt to get a little bit of exercise.

    What's a childhood without a best friend? Beau has been my right hand man for as long as I could remember; which isn't that far behind since I was hungover out of my mind the day after the party. We became friends six years ago, and since then, we've stuck together through everything, and that includes being a chaperone to initiate a dare.

    "We haven't seen this girl since the eighth grade, man. You obviously have to plan out something to say to her."

    It was true, the last time I'd seen Nicky Dallas was back in the eighth grade. She moved across the country after 'personal issues', and four years later she's right back in Autumn Valley. I never payed much attention to her, and I doubt anyone has, but I'm sure that I'll have something to talk about when we reach her house.

    "I'll just go with the flow," I decided aloud, Beau nodding along with me.

    Soon enough, we reached her house, walking through the pouring April rain to get there. My clothes clung to my body in the most uncomfortable way, but the beating of my heart seemed to numb me from everything. As Beau and I walked up to the front door, my eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

    "Do you think... you can go somewhere?" I ask, glancing at Beau.

    "Wait, what?" Beau asked, mirroring my expression.

    "Maybe it would be less suspicious if you left," I elaborate, seeing the confusion on his face melt off.

    "Where the hell do you want me to go?" he asked, gesturing around. This neighborhood was completely flat and woodless, with virtually no place to hide.

    "Climb onto the roof," I grin sarcastically. Before I could realize it, he was taking a running start.

    "Beau! I didn't mean it!" I exclaim, laughing in amusement. He was never the sharpest tool in the shed. I watched as he used the gutter rimming the roof to push himself on to the one-story house. He looked pleased with himself as he sat cross-legged, smiling triumphantly at me.

    "You're so-" before I could finish my sentence, the front door flung open, catching me by surprise and I jumped.

    "Lukas Passero?"

    I look in front of me to see a girl with bright red hair and sparkling chocolate eyes. Her complexion was pale and she was about a foot smaller than me. This had to be her.

    "Nicky?" I question, taking in her appearance. She definitely changed since the eighth grade, along with her hair. The once brown hair was completely gone.

    "Yeah, hi," she chuckled lightly, and I let out a relieved sigh.

    "Long time no see," I broke out into a half smile and she nodded.

    "Four years."

    Our exchange of words was only growing more and more awkward, not knowing the way to ask her out. As much as I had loved to stay and chat, my best friend was sitting on her roof and I just wanted to get the dare over with.

    "Do you know what that noise was? I swore I heard something on the roof..." she tried to move behind me to get a look but I blocked her way.

    "It was a raccoon. Pretty vicious. Wouldn't want to look up there, it's not pretty." I lied, looking at the expression on Nicky's face. She didn't believe a word I just told her.

    "You're completely soaked!" she exclaimed, quick to change the subject. "Would you like to come inside?"

No, I really don't. "Sure," I smiled. She moved away from the door to let me in, shutting it behind me once I was inside. I looked around.

Her house smelled like cheap air freshener and moth balls. The carpet we were standing on was stained in many places, the floral wallpaper plastered on the walls slowly peeling off. This wasn't the nicest house I've ever been in. As I glanced at Nicky she seemed suddenly self-conscious about her place too.

"Your house is... nice," I lied in hopes she would feel less self-conscious. It was awkward.

"Nicole, did I hear someone-" my eyes snapped up to another voice in the house.

If there was one word to describe this unnamed person in front of me, it would simply be tired. Her face was pale, contrasting the dark circles under her eyes. Her body language, slouchy and slow, showed just how exhausted she was.

"Oh, hello," the woman's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"This is-" Nicky started, but I cut her off.

"I'm Luke Passero."

"How do you know my cousin?" the woman came off as defensive and cold. I didn't let it faze me.

"I know her from school."

"This is-" Nicky started to introduce the woman, but was promptly cut off once more.

"I am Amanda, Nicole's cousin and guardian."

"Nice to meet you," I forced a smile, leaning forward to shake her hand. She was unresponsive. I brought my hand back to my side slowly. The situation went from uncomfortable to unbearable; I could never go through with this dare.

"I'm going to leave now," I didn't waste a beat turning on my heel and taking long strides to the door. Although Nicky called my name when I opened the front door, I pretended I didn't hear.

I let out a sigh of relief once I was walking through her front lawn. I had a knack for leaving situations quickly.

"Did you do it?" a voice spoke from behind me. I jumped up at the voice, heart pounding.

"Shit, Beau," my anxiety was already through the roof. "You almost gave me a heart attack."

"How was it?"

"I didn't do it." heart still rapid in my chest, I rummaged through my pockets until I found what I wanted; a pack of cigarettes and my lighter. My already shaky hands fumbled with getting the lighter to work.

"Damn it," I muttered, my lighter not working. Beau promptly took my lighter from me and lit my cigarette for me.

"Thanks," I sighed, not wasting a minute before taking a drag. It instantly calmed my nerves. As the pair of us walked off, I heard a voice calling my name.

"Luke!"