(a.n. please read the thing at the end it's kinda important thanks.)
After about two hours of playing we were rounding the end of the game. It was down to Zay, Riley, Lucas, and I. Riley and Lucas only had one skip yet, because Riley refused to put her hand in the toilet and Lucas wouldn't stand outside shirtless in the cold for five minutes.
"Lucas, truth or dare?" Riley asks.
"You just had to pick me didn't you?" Lucas asked with a sarcastically angry tone and a slight smile.
"I have to eliminate the competition and you are the easiest to get rid of," Riley said rubbing her hands together.
"Truth," Lucas says smiling.
"Wimp," Zay says, coughing before and after the word. Lucas just gives him a glare from the corner of his eyes.
"Wait, since Farkle and Smackle are gone can we get into more of a circle because we're in too much of a line right now?" I ask. Zay and Lucas start to move over until we can all see each other without turning our heads too much.
"Okay Lucas. What did you do in Texas?" Riley asks. I can't believe she actually asked that. I have a feeling he would rather lose than tell us though.
"Well this has been fun," Lucas says standing up and grabbing his coat.
"You don't have to leave," I say.
"It's getting late, I probably should," he says.
"Okay, but please clean off your face before you go," I say. He just looks at me for a second but then the realization hits.
"Oh yeah, I probably should do that," he says, walking out of the room.
"Close the door," Riley says and he pulls it shut with a smirk.
"Well now it's just the three of us," Zay says.
"Okay Riley I guess you ask since you made him quit," I say.
"Zay, truth or dare?"
"Dare," he says.
"I dare you to go tackle Lucas before he leaves, just don't injure him or anything," she says.
"Uh, okay..." Zay says. He gets up and runs out the door.
"Wait for it..." Riley says holding up her finger. A slight thumping noise comes from the bathroom. We both start laughing hysterically.
Zay comes back into the room with a boastful grin.
"He didn't even question it," he says laughing.
"Okay so just to be clear, Riley is probably going to lose," I say.
"Hey!" she says with her voice raised. I wink at her and she scrunches her nose at me.
"Maya, you know the question," Zay says.
"Dare," I say. I can't wait to give Riley her dare, or truth I guess.
"Kiss Riley," he says.
"What?" I ask, my eyebrows moving closer together and my eyes squinting.
Does he seriously want me to do that? What kind of person suggests that? What if I would have dared him to kiss Lucas or Farkle? That's just, no.
"I forfeit," Riley says with her hand up.
"It's not your dare," Zay says.
"But I'm part of it so I quit the game. I will just watch you guys from up here," she says climbing onto her bed.
"Fair enough," Zay says.
I guess I don't get to give Riley a dare now.
"Oh, and you can't involve me in any dares now. I'm a passive observer," Riley says.
"Okay Zay, secret or humiliation, even though they could go together?" I ask.
"Well, I don't think those were the right words but truth," he says.
"Didn't you just call Lucas a wimp for picking truth?" I ask with a smirk.
"That's not important," he says.
"Fine. Okay. Do you like anyone?" I ask. His eyes start shifting around the room.
"Nope," he says.
"I don't believe you," I say.
"You should, I am perfectly fine being single," he says.
"But that doesn't mean you can't like someone," I say.
"I swear I don't," he says.
"Hey Riles," I say.
"Yeah?" she asks.
"Can you like... exit the room for a second? Maybe he will tell me if you aren't here."
"I guess," she says. She stands up and walks out of the room, making sure to close the door.
"Can you tell me now?" I ask with a puppy dog frown.
"Maya..." he says.
"You either tell me or you lose one forfeit, that's how this game works," I say.
"I can't lose on a truth," he says looking down.
"I swear I won't tell anyone, that's like the unspoken rule of truth or dare, because it's the right thing to do," I say, putting my hand on his knee.
I don't think we have ever had such a meaningful conversation before. It's weird how truth or dare might make us better friends.
"Ok... It's uh, I can't," he mutters under his breath.
"Can I try to guess?" I ask.
"Uh, you can try."
"Is it anyone in the group?"
He just stares at me. I'm assuming that means yes.
"So it is?"
He lightly nods his head and looks down and his hands.
I almost don't want to guess at this point. It is either Smackle or Riley. Or... me. Maybe he does like me. What did I do? I didn't even think about that maybe that's why he's scared to tell me, oh no.
"Okay you don't have to tell me, I'm sorry," I say quickly.
"But I have to."
"No you don't, it's okay I won't count it against you," I say. My heartbeat is picking up in my chest. Oh please don't let it be me. The last thing I want to do is hurt him.
"It's the rule."
"Zay..."
"Do you want to guess or do you want me to tell you?"
Wait what if he likes Farkle or something? I mean he probably doesn't but it's not impossible.
"Up to you."
"I think I would rather you guess," he says sighing.
"Riley?" I ask, he shakes his head. I can feel my palms start to sweat.
"Farkle?" I ask next. He looks up at me and starts laughing.
"Okay, I can guarantee a big no there," he says smiling.
"Smackle?" I ask.
"She is really cool, but unfortunately, no."
It is me. I have thought of the possibility for so long now but I hoped I was crazy.
"It's me, isn't it?"
"Nope."
What?
"I'm sorry I'm confused."
"I told you I don't like anybody. I was just messing with you because you didn't believe me."
"I hate you."
I do feel a lot more relieved now, if he really is telling the truth.
"Sure ya do."
"Is this game ever going to end?" I ask. I lay my back down on the floor and he does the same.
"Probably not. Maybe we should just quit and hang out for a bit. What time is it?"
I pull out my phone and check, "10:24."
"Ok so what do you want to do?"
"It's up to you. We should probably go somewhere else unless you want to stay at Riley's."
"We can go to my house if you want to," he says.
I have never been in his house before. I'm kind of nervous to go, especially after that whole thing but it could be fun. I should probably make sure it's okay with my mom.
"Sure, just let me ask my mom really quick," I say grabbing my phone off my chest.
Maya: Hey mom, is it okay if I go to a friend's house?
Mom: Aren't you already at Riley's? And isn't it a bit late?
Maya: Yeah, but I was going to go over to Zay's house and hang out for a bit. He's here too and he invited me.
Mom: Okay, are you spending the night?
Maya: I don't think so?
Mom: Ok, if you aren't just be home before 1 I guess.
Maya: Thanks, love you.
Mom: Love you too.
"She said yes," I say sitting up.
"Cool, let's go," he says, reaching out his hand to help me up. I guess he got up while I was texting.
As I'm putting my coat on to leave, Riley walks back into the room.
"Who won?" she asks.
"We both did," Zay says.
"Okay? She you guys later," she says.
We both climb out the window and I see the night sky glowing with stars and the bright lights of New York City.
I follow Zay down the street for about twenty minutes before he finally stops at an apartment building.
"Here it is," he says pointing at it.
We walk inside and go up about four floors until he stops and grabs a key out to unlock his door. He opens the door and the room is dark. We walk in and I look around the room. It reminds me a bit of Riley's living room. It doesn't have the same layout, but it's not as fancy as Farkle's and not as worn out as mine.
He has a dark red couch and two windows behind it at the back of the room with the perfect view of the city. There's another chair across from it turned toward the TV that's against the other wall. It looks comfortable, and definitely lived in.
"Maya?"
"Yeah?"
"We've been here for like two minutes and you haven't said anything."
"Sorry," I say," I'm just looking around."
-
Hi. So that's happening. Cool.
I do have a question for anyone who may be happening to read this.
So I have two ideas possibly for something I could write, I'm going to write them and if you could help me pick that'd be great.
a) a song recommendation/review book. so basically I would put songs that I like on the book to give people song recommendations and maybe after awhile other people can suggest songs and it would be a way for everyone to help each other discover new music, which is always fun.
or
b) another story. it could be a fan fiction or not, idk yet. but regardless I want it to be a more... emotional story (and a more well planned) I guess. it'll still have humor and such but it will be in a more serious tone than this story obviously. if you do pick this don't expect anything immediately because I will have to do some hardcore planning. I have a couple ideas floating around but nothing is set yet, which is why I'm asking before I do have an idea, because I will do a more serious story eventually but if you pick this it gives me more of a reason to actually think more about what it will actually be.
thanks, and I hope you enjoyed.