Truth or Dare?

Chapter Two - Penn

Look, I’m going to be honest here. I wanted to get picked. I regret it now of course, I’d much rather be safe and unaccepted in my house, my nice house, back in 4. I think it’s something I’m always gonna regret, that wish, because wishes that come true that wreak the most havoc.

            I was spending my weekend in my messy and chaotic room. My dark hair was thrown in a bun, as per Saturday morning usual, and the pajama shorts I wore under my huge tee shirt looked practically nonexistent. My mother always got mad at me when she saw me wearing this kind of thing, she said that ‘one of her coworkers could stop by and what would happen if they saw me looking so indecent?!’

            In all reality, if one of her coworkers stopped by I would’ve stayed in my room for even longer.

Anyway, on this particular Saturday, I was playing an instrumental I’d been in the process of writing. I couldn’t get the right balance, the light thrown into the dark song. I was getting lost in the minors when there was a pounding on my bedroom door. “PENNY CLARA DURHAM, PACK SOME BAGS AND GET PROPER CLOTHING ON. YOU’VE BEEN PICKED.”

I heard the panic in my mother’s voice. I grinned and reached for the two pre-packed bags under my bed, threw on a seafoam green sweater, lightwash jeans, and khaki fur boots, adjusting a white scarf around my neck as I walked out of my room and to the living room.

Sure enough, there were three hooded figures standing there. My little sister Rylie cowered behind my twin brother Matt, and I smiled at the hooded guys. Board members.

“Limo ready, boys?” I said as I walked out of the front door. I waved at my family behind me, too good for tears and far too willing to go. Matt called after me, “Wait, Penn!”

I turned around.

“Don’t go being an idiot now, you got me?”

I grinned widely at him. “Wouldn’t give you the satisfaction.”

He smiled back, saying, “I’ll miss you a little, dweeb.”

“I’ll think about you twice, maybe, you big idiot.”

He waved at me, and I waved again, this time at my mom and Rylie.

After they waved back, I walked into the crisp November air. I hopped into the black van parked in front of my place, greeted by two guys who both looked very shaken. One had golden hair and brown eyes, and was sitting against a window and looking out. He had earbuds in. The other guy, with spiked up brown hairs and brown eyes stared at me like I was crazy. I smiled at him “Hi, I’m Penn,” I paused. “And I’m here to screw shit up.”

“I’m Jack, and I’m pretty sure I’m gonna wind up screwing shit up as well.” He smiled cheekily.

“Pleasure.” The car started and I knew that I was in all the way, there was no going back, even though I know I couldn’t have even if I’d wanted to.

I was in for an insane ride.