Maybe Someday

5- The Dare

Song Inspo: Fire For You by The Cannons

You and Josh stood, frozen in the same incriminating spot, with you pinned against the kitchen counter and Josh's head hung in frustration at the interruption.

Madison: "Were you two like about to hook up?"

Josh sighed and spun around to stand between you and a fuming Madison. Before he could speak a word in either of your defenses, his sister barreled down the stairs:
"What the hell, Madison? Why are you yelling? My parents are asleep-"

Her scolding trailed off as she surveyed the scene she'd just walked in on. Josh finally broke the silence by deflecting: "I was showing your friend where the popcorn was, weirdo. You're welcome?"

Olivia grabbed your arm and pulled you up the stairs with Madison in quick pursuit. As soon as the door shut, Madison immediately went in for the answers she was impatiently waiting for: "Soooo?"

You: "So? What? I already told you. He was just showing me where the popcorn was."

Loren: "Wait, what did I miss?"

Olivia: "Nothing, Madison is just getting weirdly jealous over Josh like hello?! You have a boyfriend, girl."

Madison: "Jealous?---"

Loren sat up in a panic, suddenly taking notice of every nuance from the people who had witnessed what she'd missed downstairs. She was trying very hard to not come off as jealous herself but needing to hear every single detail was an understatement.

Olivia: "Give me a break. She would never go there. She's not you two."

You wanted to speak up in your own defense but you weren't entirely sure what to say that wouldn't sound like protesting too much. Besides, Olivia seemed to believe you and she was the only one you were scared of."

Madison: "Before you go jumping down my throat, Olivia, you didn't see what it looked like when I walked in."

You finally found your voice and grumbled at Madison: "It was nothing so it looked like nothing because I would never-!"

Olivia: "Exactly, she would never. We aren't even sure she likes boys at this point so she's definitely not going to make a move on that one."

You: "Wait what? Why do you think I don't like boys?"

Loren, trying to be as gentle as possible: "I mean it would make sense. You've never even had a boyfriend."

You: "So because I don't run around with a new boyfriend every other week like you, suddenly I'm gay?"

Loren: "Ouch. That was- I was trying to help."

You: "Well I'm not. Okay? I like guys. I just haven't-"

Madison: "Okay then back to the game. Truth or dare?"

You squinted your eyes in a silent prayer that she was addressing anyone but you. Reality spun the desk chair around that you sat in to face Madison. You gulped: "Who me? Uh- truth?"

You didn't open up much to others but anything she could ask had to be better than any dare that would come from how riled up she was over being called out by Olivia.

Madison: "Have you ever even kissed a guy before?"

You froze like a deer in a pair of headlights. You scrambled to pull off as cool and unbothered a response as possible: "I am not talking about who I have or haven't kissed with anyone."

Madison smirked, "Okay, if you don't want to answer then dare it is-"

You: "What? No! That's stupid."

Olivia: "That is how the game works. What's the big deal? You're being kinda uptight, girl."

You turned back to Madison, preparing for the ridiculous dare she was about to inflict on you to embarrass you and take the pressure off having been called out herself: "You have five minutes to find a boy and kiss him."

Loren: "Oooooh this just got interesting!"

You scoffed: "Who can I find in five minutes?"

Madison giggled: "Oh you know who."

You knew Madison wasn't inherently trying to put you on the spot, she was just panicked because Olivia had called her out. You loved your friends but Olivia was definitely the queen bee and no one wanted to piss her off. You looked to Olivia who seemed a little freaked out but sat silently waiting for your response.

You stood up with a huff: "Fine."

You walked out of Olivia's bedroom and stood at the top of the stairs, trying to find the will to not just run out the front door instead. You saw a light flicker underneath his bedroom door that wasn't on before. He must have come upstairs after the moment you'd shared in the kitchen. It was a moment wasn't it? Had he been flirting with you? It felt like it but what if you read it wrong and went into his room and made a fool of yourself. If he rejected you, you would never be able to show your face at this house ever again. Maybe never at school again. Suddenly a scarier thought popped into your mind. What if he had been flirting? That was an even more terrifying idea. What if he kissed you back? What if it led to more? Olivia would–

You shook the thoughts out of your head and turned to tiptoe down the hall as your best friends stood in Olivia's doorway, peeking around the corner. They giggled and shooed you on as you reached out for the doorknob.

Josh was sitting at his desk with a video game controller in his hand and zombies attacking the screen. He spun around, prepared to be annoyed but softened a little when he saw it was you. He turned towards his shoulder and spoke into the foam piece attached to the headset he wore: "Cover me for a second, guys."

You: "Sorry– I–"

He pulled the headset off and tossed it along with his controller onto the desk: "You're good. What do you need?"

You knew anything you tried to say to explain what you were about to do would only make this more awkward. Instead, you crossed the distance of his messy bedroom and leaned down. He clutched the arms of his chair with a confused look on his face as you reached out to tug the collar of his tee shirt. You pulled him close and pressed a firm kiss against his shocked lips. You pulled back but lingered a little longer than you probably should have just a breath away from his lips. You couldn't help but smile. As far as first kisses go, you couldn't imagine it got any better than that.

You stood up and exhaled the pent up breath you'd been holding. You turned to walk out of the room before you said or did anything to ruin what had amounted to the most perfect moment your imagination had never come close to conjuring.

Josh stammered out: "Woah, woah. Wait. You can't just do that and leave."

You grabbed the door frame and turned to smirk: "Watch me."

You ran back down the hall, hoping to reach the safe space of Olivia's room before Josh could catch up with you. You collapsed on the bed, trying to return your heartbeat to its pre-dare pace and hoping against all hopes that none of the girls read into your quickened breath to assume that kiss had meant anything to you.

Olivia: "Girl! That was smooth af."

Madison giggled: "I take back everything I said."

Loren leaned towards you, looking like she might evaporate depending on your answer, "So?!?! How was it?"

You sat up: "Oh no. My turn is over. Olivia? Truth or dare?"