Truth or Dare?

"Dare," I answered.

Everyone looked at each other, anxious and wondering what he was going to dare me to do.

"I dare you," he said. "To spend an hour at the graveyard up the hill. Alone, no flashlight or cell phone."

"Dude," Mark said, patting his shoulder. "You're gonna make her do that?"

"She made me kiss you," he countered. Mark, looking defeated, shrugged. Jake turned to me. "You in or out? If you're too chicken, we'll be sure to remind the whole school that you're the nerd and don't deserve to hang out with people like us."

His words stung more that I thought they would. Come to think of it, why was I even invited here? But he was right. I was the nerd in school, always studying and never going out to party. I promised I would change, and that's why I was here. I was starting to regret coming. But then again, I wasn't a person who quit so easily. One hour in a graveyard? How hard could that be? I needed my social status to raise, and this was the perfect way to prove them that I was more than just book smart.

"You're on," I sneered.

Jake looked taken aback for a moment, but half-smiled his famous, cocky smile. "Alright, if you're sure."

"Hailey, are you sure?" A girl named Kim asked, looking worried. "I've heard that place was creepy. A girl died there."

"No, that was just a story," Amy laughed. "You believed that lie? Josh was just kidding with everyone."

"Didn't seem like it to me," Kim said, taking another sip of beer.

"A girl died there?" I asked, confused.

"Some stupid story," Amy said, rolling her eyes. "A girl went looking for her mommy, or big sister, or something. She went to the graveyard and was literally scared to death. But it's just a story."

My skin crawled. Uncertainty was blossoming in my stomach, but I pushed it away. I couldn't back out now. I had to show them that I was just as fun as them. "I'm not scared. I can do this."

"Then let's go," Jake said. Everyone stumbled onto their feet and followed him out the back door. I grabbed my jacket from the chair in the corner and followed as well. Jake pushed the sliding glass door open and led the way outside. It was a little chilly, considering it was October. Jake walked out of the gate, followed by everyone else, and walked down the street. Two minutes later, he stopped and pointing to a stone path that led up a hill. The moon was my only light, and I had to rely on it as much as I can. "It's up there. We'll time you for exactly one hour."

I nodded. "Bring it on."

He cocked another smile. "We'll see who wins this."

I stepped onto the stone path and walked up to the top. My mouth dropped slightly when I saw the graveyard. It was surrounded by shiny, black metal fences that the moonlight glinted off; the entrance of the graveyard was a huge, black gate with vines wrapping around it. My footsteps echoed as I approached the gate. I touched it, and shivered with the sudden chill that went through my body. My fingers clasped the gate and I pried it open, then slithered my way into the graveyard.