Truth or Dare?

Chapter Four - Penn

After the library meeting, I went into my room and mentally processed and remembered the whole day. I decided I should write about it, so I took out my diary which had a quote (“Life isn’t about learning to survive the storm, it’s about learning to dance in the rain”) on it. I got nothing from the guy after the car got going, so I just turned my phone on and listened to music for the ride there. It took twenty minutes or so, a sign as we rode in told us that “there” was called Oheka Castle. The van pulled up to the huge mansion as three in front of us parked. The Board members walked around and opened the doors of the van, and we got out, Blondie and I taking out our earbuds and all three of us going to grab bags from the back of the car.

“I’m sorry,” the blond one said as we accidentally went for the same bag. He probably thought his was mine, because they’re both black, or was just looking for a reason to talk to me. “It’s fine,” I smiled.

“I’m Ben, by the way. Ben Campton.”

“Penn Hattley.”

“So, bummer being here, right?” Ben awkwardly looked for some topic of conversation. “

Not really, actually,” I said.

Ben looked at me and didn’t say anything.

“I’m a musician,” I continued, “and my family thinks what I do is stupid, so I don’t get on with them too well. I’ve wanted to get away for a few years now, and this is the best chance I’ve got.”

He narrowed his eyes. “I don’t know you all that well, Penn Hattley, but you’re…”

“Strange?” I smirked. “I know.”

“I was going to say intriguing.”

“Nice adjective.”

“Call me the walking dictionary.”

“I might.”

He opened his mouth to say something, but just then the Board guys formed up in some kind of pyramid formation and all the teens lined up and followed them into the mansion. A butler took my bags and motioned for me to follow him. We walked into the huge foyer where two staircases curved up and met at a landing to the rest of the place. I followed the butler all the way to my room, which was huge and looked out over extensive grounds and a garden with fountains. It was a fantastic view.

“Do you need help unpacking?” he asked.

I shook my head and he placed something on my bedside table and left.

I unpacked quickly after he left, setting up my electric piano and my cello and its stand and amp for my guitar in the corner. I put my books on the shelves in the room, and then put my clothes in the mahogany dresser. I reached into my pocket to put my phone on the vanity table near my makeup, but it wasn’t in my pocket. I tried to leave my room to find the door locked. Drawing my hand back, I sighed. Already I felt trapped. I at least had my CDs and stereo system/doc to play music on, so I plugged that in and listened to an old CD by a guy named Ed Sheeran.

As I listened to my favorite song, I remembered the note and figured it might be a good idea to read it. The note, which looked typewritten, said:

Meeting in the library for all members of the Truth or Dare Project. Seven o’ clock. Be there, or else. -Chair Board

“‘Or else,’” I repeated to myself. “Frightening.” I

looked at the clock, it was 6:45. I figured I should make my way down there. I remembered that my door was locked, and I knocked on it. As I suspected would happen, a butler unlocked it and led me down to the library.

I smiled at him when we got there, and then walked into the already-full room. Books lined the walls and vintage-looking couches faced a TV. The room seemed like a place I would enjoy hanging out in some time, and I made a mental note to do so someday soon.

Most kids were there already, and talking, but Jack and Ben weren’t in yet, and since they’re the only people I’d met, I didn’t have a clue as to where I could sit. So I found a guy sitting alone on a couch, and asked him if I could sit down. He just nodded, and I silently noted his clothes. Dressed in a tight black tee shirt and tight black jeans, he basically looked like he stepped out of a punk rock magazine. His brown hair was curly and kind of all over the place, and his eyes were so green they looked like contacts.

I sat down and he said, “I’m Danny. Three.”

It took me a minute to get what he meant by three, but then I replied, “Penn. Four.”

“Charmed.”

He was quiet for a moment, but then he said, “Were you by chance the girl listening to +?”

“The Ed Sheeran album? Yeah, that was me. Why couldn’t it be a boy who was listening to it?”

“Well, I heard a girl singing with it. You’ve got a nice voice. And good taste in music.”

I realized that he spoke with a slightly English accent. “Thanks,” I blushed.

“I really love music, but mostly I play guitar and cello. I write my own stuff too, and I’m really self conscious about my voice. But music is my passion.”

“I could tell,” Danny smirked.

“How?” I replied. “

Your eyes lit up the second I said ‘singing,’ Penn. That’s only what passionate people do.”

I looked at his eyes, noting this statement. They were lighting up, too. I guess that means he was pretty passionate. I smiled, still blushing. “Do you play anything?”

“Violin and piano.”

I nodded. I was going to say something, but twelve hooded guys walked in and turned on the TV.

“Damn Board and interrupting me talking to people,” I thought. That’s when the guys filed in, and we watched the presentation and got our phone things. Mine was turquoise.

There was an alphabetical list on who got their dares, so I was close to the front. I got my dare and came back to the room and wrote this. Now I guess I should get to figuring out how to get into the girl from One’s room. And who the girl from one is. Goodnight. X -Penn.

And the plotting for that night’s dare began