What a Girl Wants

Chapter Five

Mandy entered her dorm one night and saw Gabby sitting by the front door. "What are you doing over here?" She asked.

"Waiting for you. I need a favor."

"Sure. What's going on?"

"Can we talk in your room?"

Ever since the seemingly spicy thoughts appeared in her mind about Gabby, Mandy had tried to steer clear of them being alone. But Gabby seemed like she really needed her. And wasn't that what friends were for? In her room, Mandy sat on the bed and Gabby sat next to her. "I want to go to a bar. Tonight."

"Okay...?"

"And I want you to come with me."

Mandy pulled in her lips. "I don't usually go to bars. I'm not even old enough," she laughed. She'd only turned nineteen a few weeks ago.

"There's this bar that's having college night and I don't want to go by myself." Before the question could come up about what kind of bar it was, Gabby responded: "It is a known lesbian bar and I know you're not one, but... I'd rather go with a friend who accepts me rather than go alone. Please."

"Yes," Mandy heard herself saying. "Fine. But you owe me."

Gabby dropped a hand to her thigh, arousing her. They stared at each other. "Whatever you want, frosh. Name it."

Scotty burst into the room and Mandy jumped up, her heart pounding. What she was feeling was so brand new and so overwhelming. "Uh, w-we're going out tonight, want to come?" Mandy asked rushing the words out. Her friends glanced at each other. "What? What was that look?"

"Nothing," Scotty and Gabby said together.

Mandy shook her head. "You two are so daggone weird."

The three of them took a taxi to the bar and when they got out, Mandy was enthralled by the sights and sounds. It was her first off-campus shindig and it was living up to the hype. She'd never danced so hard or had so much fun. At the end of the night, the three of them found themselves in someone's room playing Truth or Dare. "Ready?" Maria inquired. She was a small sophomore with light-brown and shoulder-length dark hair. Her younger cousin Callie Torres, a taller, longer-haired version of her, was also in the room.

"Or are you chickens?" Callie's girlfriend, Arizona Robbins asked. The white girl had blonde hair and a high-pitched voice. The six of them sat in the closed room.

Mandy pulled Scotty aside. "You're sure you're good?"

"I am. If you are." Mandy sighed. She'd kinda hoped that her friend would want to bow out. "We can leave," she whispered.

"No, I just wanted to make sure that... you know, you're comfortable."

"You're a good friend." Mandy nodded. "Let's play!"

"Truth, dare, consequences, private or repeat," Callie said looking around the room. She waved at Mandy. Both of them were on the track to medical school. "Honestly, if you don't want to kiss a girl, you should just leave right now." The room laughed and a lot of tension was dispelled. "But nothing more than that, seriously, y'all."

Scotty inhaled. "Also, what happens in this room..."

"Stays in this room," the rest of them echoed.

"I'll volunteer to start," Maria said, "then we can go this way." She pointed her finger around their makeshift circle. Taking note of the order, Mandy realized that she was going fourth, before Scotty and after Arizona. She'd never played a game of Truth or Dare that didn't involve her and her cousins causing havoc in their grandmother's house whenever they were all together. "Callie, truth or dare."