When I Picked Dare.

   I sat down between my friends Ashley and Leah. We'd been at this party for about 3 hours and it was getting close to midnight. Half of the party decided they wanted to play Truth or Dare, while the other half stayed outside in the backyard. Swimming, singing, and dancing to whatever trash rap music was playing. The party didn't end till about 10am due to people having to stay the night for being too drunk. We were teens, but we were responsible for each other when it came to drinking. For example, Leah and Ashley were drinking, and I was the designated driver. I didn't mind, I didn't even like the taste of beer, I drank wine coolers instead. Just not tonight, I held off so the 3 of us would get home safely.

   All of us that stayed inside formed a huge circle in Amanda's living room. Her parents were out of town, but gave her permission for the party as long as the cops weren't called on us. We had pushed all the furniture to the walls in order to create more space. I counted 22 of us total around the circle. Amanda stayed inside, and decided she was going to start the game.

    "Jacob, truth or dare?" Amanda smiled. Jacob was caught by surprised for being picked first. Jacob played football and baseball, and apparently had the best butt of the senior class. I for one didn't care for butts, I didn't know how anyone did. They're plumps of fat and muscle on your lower back, how was that cute?

    "Eh, hit me with a dare." Jacob shrugged.

   Amanda giggled and whispered to her best friends sitting next to her, her friends began to giggle with her. "I dare you to remove your shirt till the end of the game" I saw girls around the room begin to swoon. I rolled my eyes, and I noticed Jacob did too. But he did what he was told and removed his top, then threw it behind him and added a little flex for show. I thought Ashley was going to pass out. She's been crushing on him since middle school.

   Jacob laughed at the girls drooling over him, "All you girls need to go jump in a dryer." The guys in the room snickered at his foul joke. I sighed and realized Ashley was trying to get my attention, I turned to her as she whispered to me, "Best day of my life, shirtless Jacob sitting right across from me." Jacob must have noticed the secret telling, cause his next words were, "Ashley, truth or dare?" Jacob knew about this little crush, and I always warned Ash to be careful around him, she faced me after the question with wide eyes.

    "Don't do it" I mouthed to her.

   She ignored my warning and raised her eyebrow with a smirk, "Dare" A few guys snickered again, wondering what terrible fate she had to have met with by choosing dare.

   Jacob smiled and patted his hands on his lap, "I dare you to sit on my lap for 10 turns." The girls began to exchange "What the hell' 's and "Why her?!" 's, but Ashley on the other hand was in complete awe. She stood up and barely made her way to Jacob without fainting. When she sat down I knew she must have felt like she was on Cloud 9. I was happy for her, but also scared Jacob would be leading her on. I'd have to kick his ass.

   ~~~~~~~~~~

   A good half hour, maybe more, had passed. Almost everyone had been truthed or dared, and some people had been picked more than once, but a couple, like me, hadn't been picked at all. Also, way more than 10 turns had gone by, and Ashley was still on Jacob's lap, people stopped saying things about it and just let it happen. Leah hadn't been picked before she decided to go outside with the other party people, she said she was hot and wanted to swim.   Last time I looked out the window I saw her dancing with the soccer jock, Peter.

   Another turn had gone by while I was spacing out. Rachel, my least favourite person here, had just been asked if her boobs were fake. Apparently they weren't, but I still thought she was lying, or at least stuffed her bra everyday. One of the fuckboys, Jonathan, asked if he could do a motorboat test to check. Rachel giggled and shook her finger, "No no no, pretty boy." I stuck my tongue out in disgust.

   Rachel turned to me with a raised eyebrow. "Alright Alice. Truth or Dare?"

   Not only me, but almost everyone in the circles eye's widened. I hated her so much. I knew she had something for me whether I chose truth or dare, which I know is the whole idea of the game, but still. She was only doing this to humiliate me somehow. I starting wishing I went outside with Leah when I had the chance. The room was quiet and all eyes were on me. Even Ashley and Jacob stopped whispering to each other and stared. They were all awaiting my answer, and honestly I was too. But Rachel wasn't the only one with a surprise up her sleeve.

    I wasn't going to let her win so easily, "Dare." I said boldly.

    The whole circle gasped, and even Rachel winced in shock. She tried to play off her surprised look and smiled sarcastically. 

    "Alright, you wanna play tough girl? I dare you to kiss Tony." The bitch said without hesitation. I should've known she'd have something like that prepared. The circle gasped again and this time their eyes scanned the circle for Tony, and he would be found right between to Nico and Marcus. I didn't even realized he'd been here, but I guess your heart forces your brain to ignore the ex-boyfriend that cheated on you.

    "What the hell?!" Ashley pipped up, still on her crush's lap, "Why do you have to be such a bitch? We're all having fun here and you gotta go and make things serious."  

    "Say what you want, but it's still a dare. Rachel retorted before glaring back at me. "Besides, you know the punishment if you don't do the dare, Alice."

    She had the upperhand again, but she wasn't winning this fight. Plus, I was not about to go jump in the pool naked as punishment. No one had spoken a word besides Ashley, they all stared and waited.

    I stood up, and slowly made my way to Tony. He stared at me along with everyone else as I walked, but he wasn't staring in anticipation. He was staring at me with sadness. I remember the many times he apologized to me after it happened. Maybe I would've forgiven him by now, considering he was drunk and they only made out, but the fact that it was with Rachel blew that option right away.

    I found myself standing in front of him, and I sat on my knees to be at eye level with him. I heard whispering going on around us. Everyone knew what happened because Rachel was more than happy to flaunt the news around school. But the only whispering I listened to, was Tony's voice directed at me,

    "Alice... You don't have to do this. It's a stupid game. Just leave the party. Half these people won't even remember this tomorrow"

    I put my hand on his shoulder, I almost winced from touching him again. "But I will" I whispered.

    I wasn't wasting another second. I shot in for the kiss, and once again the circle gasped. 

    The kiss was only several seconds long, with a little lip movement, but no tongue. I couldn't lie to myself, I missed those kisses. I pulled away and Tony still had had his eyes closed as he took a small breath in and out.

    "See now was that so hard?" Rachel giggled, grinning from ear to ear. 

    I turned around, my body was fueled with hatred. I stood up and and quickly stomped my way to Rachel. Before anyone could say anything or stop me, I slapped her as hard as I could across her face, "Fuck you!" I yelled before storming out of the house.

    ~~~~~~~~~~

    I couldn't believe I had done that. It felt great, so why was I crying in my truck now?

    My head was laying on the steering wheel, I've been in my truck for about 10 minutes. No one came out to find me, and I was half glad they didn't.

    Then there was a tap on my right window, I spoke too soon.

    I'd guess it was Ashley and Leah ready to go home, I didn't know what time it was. I lost track. Instead, I turned my head to see Tony outside my window. I guess I wasn't too surprised, but still surprised nonetheless. I unlocked the door and let him in the passenger seat. We sat there looking down in our laps for a minute or two, then we both turned to look at each other and said, "I'm sorry." simultaneously. 

    Tony gave me the smallest smirk, "You know why I'm sorry. Why are you sorry?"

    I looked back at my steering wheel, "Because I miss you. But I'm not sure if I want to miss you. I'm still upset, I think. Maybe I just can't forgive you, or maybe I'm being selfish."

  Tony shook his head, "You're definitely not being selfish... And I understand everything you're saying about not being able to forgive me. I just want you to know that I miss you. I can't stand seeing you in the halls and having to dodge you, or knowing that you don't want me in your life anymore."  

    "Tony... I WANT you in my life.. I just can't handle what happened. I've already told myself I might have been able to forgive you. But it was with RACHEL. Why did it have to be HER?!" I was raising my voice even though I tried refraining from doing just that, then were both quiet again.  Tony started to say something, but stopped himself. I turned my head in curiosity, "What'd you say."  

    "I don't want you to think I'm begging for you. But I said; she drugged me. I'm not saying that changes anything, but I wanted you to know."

    I felt my body boiling again, "How do you know this?"  

    Tony explained that one of Rachel's best friends, Valerie, had told him a couple months after it happened. Valerie had said it was all Rachel's plan. Rachel was at the party fully sober, and she waited for Tony to get drunk so she could easily slip something into his drink. Then she waited for me to leave for the bathroom or something so she could take the chance to move on Tony. It was all a scam to get me and Tony to break up cause Rachel thought she deserved Tony and not me, but after we broke up, Tony refused any girl that came to him. Even Rachel.

    I realized there were tears falling down my face, it was so much to take in. I never knew the full story because I refused to talk to Tony even for a moment after it happened. "Tony... I-I'm so sorry I never listened."

    "It was still my fault for not being careful" Tony admitted.

    I tried to shake my head and say something else, but Tony had leaned and kissed me. He put his hand under my cheek and cradled my face. His hands were still so soft. I noticed Tony was still careful not to push his limits with the kiss, but I wouldn't have cared what happened. I had my Tony back, we were going to be OK now.

    ~~~~~~~~~~

    We walked back into the party, as we passed by the circle, people were still playing the game. I caught a glimpse of Rachel. Her face had dried tear streaks and I noticed a bruise forming on her cheek. Which only made my night even better. I noticed Ashley and Jacob were gone, which made me guess she didn't need a ride home tonight. Me and Tony walked to the backyard where the other half of the party was. I saw a few people passed out in the grass, two of them being Leah asleep on Peter's chest.

    "Wanna go back to my house to eat cookie dough and watch Netflix?" I said to Tony without looking away from the party.

    He nodded, "Definitely."

    We looked at each other and smiled together for the first time in a long time. Then we left the party hand in hand.