Call It What You Want To - Style

01. Truth or Dare

"Dude, I'm so fucking bored," Eric says.

The boys are finally at Stan's new house at Tegridy Farms for the first time since he'd moved in a few months ago. Stan thought it would be fun, having everyone over, but he forgot one crucial detail: the farmhouse is really fucking boring.

The sun has set and they're lying in the dark of Stan's bedroom, staring up at the glow-in-the-dark stars that were stuck to the ceiling before the Marshes moved in. Eric is on Stan's bed because Stan, nicely, gave up his bed for the others, and Eric, not so nicely, wanted it all to himself. The other three are on the floor with a random assortment of blankets and pillows.

"We could play a game," Kyle suggests.

"Like Spin the Bottle," Kenny says.

Eric scoffs. "We're all dudes, Kenny."

"Oh, yeah."

Usually, whenever they're spending the night together, they have something they've planned, but Stan, stupidly, had thought them coming over was plans enough. He thinks about what people on TV play at sleepovers and parties. "Truth or Dare?" he raises.

Kenny practically jumps out of his seat at the idea. "Yes!" he says, rolling over to lay on his stomach and rest his chin on his hands. He's kicking his feet like a little schoolgirl.

Since Kenny's so excited about it, Stan starts, "Kenny, truth or dare?"

"Dare!" He shakes his fists eagerly.

"I dare you to, um..." Stan didn't think this far ahead. He looks around for ideas and almost considers pulling out his phone and looking up dares before he realizes how fucking lame that is. "Uh, lick the floor," he says insecurely.

"Fuck that middle school shit," Eric interrupts. "We're juniors in high school, dumbass." He says it like they should be proud of being 17 and stupid.

"Fine, fuck," Stan says, throwing his hands in the air defensively. "Uh." Yeah. Still no ideas. He looks at Kyle and Eric for help.

"Jesus, do you always need me to save you?" Eric asks. "Kenny, I dare you to run in the weed fields in your underwear."

"Dude, what the hell?" Kyle exclaims. The dare seems to surprise Kyle so much that he doesn't even point out the fact that it's hemp, not weed.

"I'll do it!" Kenny exclaims, already stood up and stripping his orange pajama bottoms off. He stumbles down the stairs while pulling at his matching shirt, Eric and Kyle behind him.

"I don't wanna see this!" Stan complains, even though he's already following the others to the front door.

Kenny drops his shirt on the inside doormat and swings open the door. The absolute freight train that is cold night air in Colorado creeps up Stan's long sleeves and he shudders silently as they step out onto the illuminated porch. Kenny, seemingly unbothered by the freezing chill, breaks off into the fields. The boy shrieks a loud "WOOHOO!" as he weaves in between the crops and Stan has to keep himself from yelling at him to not trample the hemp.

"He's insane," Kyle mumbles under his breath, and Stan can hear the smile on his face. "He's actually fucking insane."

"YEAH, KENNY!" Eric yells, egging him on.

Kenny does a figure eight and barrels towards the boys. "IT IS SO FUCKING COLD," Kenny shouts and sprints up the porch stairs straight into the house, almost knocking Stan over in the process. He doesn't stop, running up the stairs and into Stan's room. Stan, Kyle, and Eric just look at each other for a second, bewildered, before hurrying after the boy; Stan grabs the orange nightshirt from the doormat on his way.

Once back in his bedroom, he throws it at Kenny, who's still visibly shaking from the frigid outside as he hastily replaces his pajama pants. "Honestly," Kenny says through his teeth clacking while he buttons up his shirt, "that was kinda fun."

"You're demented," Kyle says, a huff of a laugh following. He sits down on the floor, criss-cross applesauce like they used to do in kindergarten. Stan does the same.

"Well, truth or dare, Kyle?" Kenny asks. He grabs a blanket and pulls it around him.

"Truth."

"Pussy," Eric, sitting on the bed, says and Kyle rolls his eyes, pointedly ignoring him.

Kenny hums as he thinks. "How many people have you kissed?" he asks with a smirk.

"Zero," Kyle shrugs. "I've never even dated someone, you think I've kissed someone?"

Eric guffaws loudly. "Freak!" he exclaims, pointing.

"Yeah?" Kyle asks maliciously. "What about you, fatass? No one will get close enough to even touch you!"

"IT'S NONE OF YOUR FUCKING BUSINESS," Eric shrieks and everyone else erupts into laughter.

"Oh my God, wait," Eric says. Stan can practically see a lightbulb form over his head and he says, "I have an idea." He turns to Stan. "Truth or dare?"

"Dude," Stan responds. "It's Kyle's turn."

Kyle shakes his head. "I didn't have any ideas anyway."

"Truth or dare?" Eric pushes.

"I don't know... Dare?" Stan says. "Just don't make me do anything too fucking stupid."

"I dare you," Eric says, pointing a finger at him, "to pretend to date," Stan's eyes follow the boy's chubby finger as it slides across the room, "Kyle, for a month."

Stan's back straightens. "Hey, it's not my dare!" Kyle says at the same time Stan says, "I said nothing too fucking stupid!"

Eric raises his hands suggestively. "You and Wendy are off again, right?" he asks Stan.

Wendy and Stan have been dating on-and-off for God knows how long. Last week, Wendy said it was over. Completely over. "Yeah. For good," he says, even though he doesn't believe it.

"For good," Kenny parrots mockingly. "Yeah, sure. Just give it a few days," he laughs.

"If you and Wendy aren't together, there's no reason you can't date," Eric says as if it's obvious. Stan is so taken aback that he doesn't bother to correct him – can't fake date.

The two look to Kenny, expecting sympathy and the boy telling Eric to knock it off, but are only greeted with the sight of him grinning widely. "I think it'd be funny," he explains. "You guys act like an old married couple already."

"No, we fucking don't!" Kyle says, and Kenny only shrugs with a stupid, giddy yet sly expression on his face.

"Fine," Eric says, crossing his arms and leaning against Stan's headboard. "If you're too chicken to do it, then don't. Pussies."

"I'm not a pussy, you're a pussy!" Stan points a finger in the boy's face.

"Yeah! Stan and I can fake date better than anyone you've ever fucking seen, fat boy!" Kyle says. He turns to Stan and the two high five. It's only until Kenny starts giggling do they realize what's just happened.

"Oh, fuck you guys!"