Truth or Dare

Kyla's POV

"Hi, I'm Kyla Malik. I'm seventeen and I go to Lockwood high." I introduce myself in front of the camera, putting on my best fake smile.

"Cut!" Riley yells shooting a massive glare directly at me.

"What did I do wrong this time? We've shot it almost ten times. I'm hungry Riley," I whine, pouting my lips.

"We're going to do it over and over again until you sound convincing,” she says in a firm tone. I know better than to argue with her.

"Ugh!" I groan, but she simply chuckles.

Okay, as I said I'm Kyla Malik and the annoying girl in front of me is my best friend, Riley. We've been friends since kindergarten when she stole my lunch. Funny, right? I shrugged my shoulders, watching Riley stifle a small laugh.

We are currently shooting a reality video, as she calls it and apparently, I'm not being real enough. I told her beforehand that I'm a very boring person. She picked the wrong girl for the job. I can't sound "real" over a camera or say funny things to get people hyped. It's just not me, sadly.

"I'm coming over to your place tonight. We're going over it again until…" She stops talking. Her mouth falls open, her gaze is fixed on something, someone.

"Hey, Riley. You're gaping." I snap my fingers, teasing her.

"Can you blame me? He's so dreamy," she coos, placing her hands on both sides of her face.

The dreamy guy is Stein. He goes to our school but he's a fuck boy by nature. It's rumored that he's slept with at least ten girls at Lockwood High. I don't blame him because they practically throw themselves at his feet and I don’t blame them because he's really cute. Too bad I don't do boys; unlike Riley who’s had a crush on him since forever. I wonder when she’ll get over him.

"There's a party later today. We're going."

"You know my answer every week. I'm not. I would rather lay in bed and watch Netflix all night than watch young teens drink themselves into a stupor."

"That's why this week I'm not asking. I'll be at your house by eight p.m. We're going."

"Yeah, good luck with that." I roll my eyes and we went back to our food or at least I did. Riley is still gushing over Stein and giving me the creeps.

****

After lunch, we each go back to our separate classes until the bell rings. I didn't have a car yet. My dad always says I am too young. Riley takes me to school and back, and it's fun riding with her.

She drops me off at my house, then decides to offer some words of wisdom. "I'll be back by eight p.m. Look pretty." I roll my eyes making a mental list of all the movies I would watch before falling asleep. I'm not going to a party and even Riley can't convince me otherwise.

I find the hidden key under the doormat and enter my house. I live with my relatives here in California as my parents are way up in Texas. My aunt and uncle treat me like their own child. Maybe because they didn't have any of their own.

I lock the door behind me, place the keys on the counter, and walk to my room for a refreshing bath.

When I am done, I pick up my phone and scroll through my watch lists.

The moment the clock strikes eight p.m., my phone rings. It’s Riley.

“Hey babe,” I chirp eager to go back to watching The Kissing Booth.

“I'll be at your house in ten minutes. Be ready before then.” I snort as she hangs up and go back to my movie.

True to her words, she arrives shortly after ten minutes.

"You're not dressed!" she exclaims. I was too busy staring at her to respond. Riley looked pretty; I mean she doesn't even have to try her skin is flawless.

"Why aren't you dressed?" she added in a high-pitched tone.

"Because I'm not going. I told you I don't want to."

"Kyla, you can't keep doing this. This is high school, where we’re supposed to have the best years of our lives. You have to live it to the fullest. Yes, you're scared of being judged, but that shouldn't stop you from doing things. You might be a bookworm, but as your friend, I can tell you I love being around you. But since you want to drown yourself in movies, I hope you have fun. I'm off. "

Guilt stabs me straight in my heart. She plays with my emotions and she's damn good

"Wait," I say sucking in a harsh breath.

"Come help me pick out my clothes." She dashes towards me, hugging me tightly.

"Let's do this."

"Don't go overboard please."

"I'll try my best." She grins, flashing her white teeth. By trying her best, she means, “get ready because when I’m done, you won't recognize yourself.”

Kyla's POV

True to her word, she does try her best. It takes nearly two hours of struggling to fix my face since this is the first time in almost a year I'm wearing make-up.

After making me "sparkle," she rotates the mirror, so I can have a look. I pinch my cheeks to make sure this is my real face.

"Don't touch it. You'll ruin it!" she snaps, and slaps my hand away from my face, getting a little powder to touch up the area I ruined.

"Fuck! I'm gorgeous," I say, turning a little in my seat. I have to admit, Riley is fantastic at what she does. She turned a simple girl into a party bitch.

"You are, aren't you? Let's go!" She sounds pumped and excited unlike me. I just want the night over soon, so I grab my purse, and we leave in a hurry. According to her, we are fashionably late.

My aunt may come home soon. She’d let me go, but I would hate the questions that followed when I came back, so I had to hurry. I need to start acting my age.

We pile into Riley's car while I giggle. I feel a little rush like I’m breaking a law or doing something I'm not supposed to.

"Let's go!" I scream with my hands high in the air, and she drives into the night.

****

Music is blaring from all directions. My first ever high school party. People say that the experience is forever, memorable, and I am about to find out.

"Let's go."

"Why are you in such a rush?" I question, noticing her nervousness.

"Stein might get here soon. I want to see him before the girls start gushing over him,” she pleads with a pout.

"Sooner or later, you'll have to get over that crush of yours," I caution with a playful grin.

"I'm not crushing on him, I fucking love the dude."

I roll my eyes as we step out of the car. "What am I going to do here?"

"It's easy Kyla. Go in, get drunk, and dance like there's no tomorrow." She grins, and I roll my eyes for the hundredth time.

"I don't want to drink."

"Don't be a buzz kill. Just one or two drinks." She tugs at my arm.

"Just one or two drinks,” I agree, and we go in. By the time we reach the door, students are trooping in. If I thought my dress was short, I was wrong. Some of the girls wore extra short dresses, and they didn't even care. Some guys will grab their ass and make them giggle.

I gag in disgust and trail behind Riley. True to her words, Stein and some of his friends drop in. Riley gushes over him, unable to look away. I wonder how someone could ever be in love with Stein.

"Come on, let's follow them."

"But why?" I complain and she shrugs.

"They're going upstairs. I might get a chance to talk to him."

"You know he'll say no."

"Still Kyla. I don't care if I get rejected. I just have to tell him how I feel before I explode."

"Alright, girl. Good luck." I say, trailing behind her. We walk upstairs following them into the room. A group of students are already there.

"This is it. I'll tell him how I feel. There's Stein.” She grins and we hear crackling behind us.

"Joanna!” Riley exclaims. Joanna was like a boss bitch or something and she had just overheard our conversation. She would surely make a mockery out of Riley.

"Good luck getting him to look at someone like you!" Joanna sneers.

"You'll be surprised, Joanna."

"Oh if it isn't the best friend Kyla. How pathetic,” she spits out and walks away.

"Okay people! Who's up for a little game of truth or dare?” a guy suggests, making everyone squeal.

"This is perfect. I'll finally get an opportunity to confess my feelings. Let's play, please!" Riley pouts her lips, and I can't refuse. We move closer to the crowd and the game commences.

****

After a while, the person asking the questions gets tipsy and goes to the restroom for a while.

"I'll continue till he gets back,” Joanna offers with a dirty smirk. "So Richard, truth or dare?"

The guy in question has his head bowed. He acts nonchalant throughout the game. I notice him out of everyone else. He finally raises his head slightly and his eyes darken. They are hazel, and I nearly get lost in them. I quickly avert my gaze, so he doesn’t catch me staring.

"Dare,” he states simply.

"Great. This night is a little boring so why don't I make things a little weird? I dare you to make Kyla Malik fall in love with your best friend in thirty days. You can’t stop until they're hopelessly in love with each other. You're cupid, and I want you to shoot arrows. We all know you never turn down a dare, so this will be very interesting."

The whole room falls silent, and my gaze falls back on Richard. I squint my eyes to get an in-depth look, but he let out zero emotions.