Don't Keep the Lights On

Chapter 1

"Madison! You ready?" Mom asked. I skipped down the stairs. "Yes. Duh." My fourteen year-old self was bursting with uncanny excitement. A car honked outside. "Oh! Time to go! Have fun, honey." She kissed me and gave me a good natured shove towards the door. I picked up my duffel bag and raced to the car. "Good morning, Mr. Carson." I greeted Andrea's dad. He smiled at me from the rear view mirror. "Morning, Madison." Andrea gave me a hug as the BMW pulled out of the driveway. The ride to Hannah's house was only five minutes, so we pulled up to get breakfast before making it to Hannah's.

"Hannah!" Andrea screamed. One thing about Andrea. She's a scream-bot. Hannah was soon surrounded by two screaming girls, hugging her and giggling excitedly. "Girls? I see you've already started the party." Mr. Carson came in, carrying me and Andrea's duffel bags, and the donuts we brought. "Oops. Sorry." I said, laughing. I hauled up my duffel bag and Andrea took hers. "Hannah? Are your parents out?" Mr. Carson asked. "Yeah." Hannah nodded affirmative. "Oh well, you guys can take care of yourself. Bye Bye!" Mr. Carson gave Andrea a quick peck on the cheek and climbed back into the BMW.

"Oh, let me show you to my room." Hannah waved us upstairs. We dumped our duffel bags on the floor and went back downstairs. "Secrets Time!" Hannah said enthusiastically. "Oh, no." Andrea face palmed. If I didn't love Hannah so much I would've done the same, but I steeled myself and sat on the floor. "Come on, grump. We're playing!" Hannah hands us a number board. We sit in a ring.

"Okay, numbers?" She asked, smiling cheekily as she looked at the overturned piece of secrets on the floor. Okay, back up. Secrets is basically a game where you randomly pick a number from the numbers, and then you flip the paper. You then read aloud the question and you have to answer truthfully. "Madison! You first!" Hannah pushed the numbers toward me. "Umm..okay..5." I said randomly. I flip the paper. Oh no. I thought. With a shaking voice, I read the question out loud. "H-Have you ever...farted in your crush's face?"

My two friends burst out laughing as I blush. Yes, yes I have. Leo Swindon, who I liked, was talking, and I had to pass gas. So I did. I denied it was me, and pointed the finger on Geoffrey Samson, who has had a thing for me since. Of course I told Andrea and Hannah. And what'd they do? The laughed, of course. "Well we know the answer to that!" Hannah gasped between peals of laughter.

"Okay Hannah, your game, your turn." Andrea said. Hannah gave us a shrill laugh. "Twelve." She picked up the paper and read it. "Oh...Punch the wall." Andrea snorted. "You jinxed it!" Hannah turned on her angrily. "How could I jinx it? I didn't even know what it was!" "Guys, stop." I said. "Fine. If Andrea doesn't want to play, then let's play something else." Andrea wasn't expecting this response. She blushed. "I mean..whatever...you can do the dare.." She muttered. "No. It's stupid, I just realised." Hannah said, and she starts walking towards the staircase. This unnerved me, this sudden turn of behaviour.

Hannah would never turn down from a fight. Or would she?