La Douleur Exquise

Forty-One

In less than an hour of starting this game, almost all of us had used up our three free passes. All except for Ritchie, who had all his remaining, and Darcie, who was down to her last free pass. 

I'd used mine to get out of revealing which girl I'd slept with had been the best between the sheets, having to pledge an allegiance to Sean Thomas in the next football practice, and being dared to dance. Unfortunately, that means whatever truth or dare that I'm presented with, I'll have to follow through, no matter what. 

"I dare Ritchie," Darcie said, her lips puckering in amusement. "To phone the person you're crushing on and declare your love for them."

Just like every other round, Ritchie nodded in agreement and produced his cell phone. He tapped a few buttons and brought the handset to his ear, just as another phone in the cabin began to ring. Looking from one person to another, we all found ourselves looking in Harlan's direction. He blushed under the attention but reached into his pocket and produced his phone. 

"Hello?" Harlan answered the call. 

"Harlan? Hey, it's me, Ritchie!" We all laughed at the high-pitched tone in his voice. "So, I've been dared to call you up and tell you how much I love you."

Harlan rolled his eyes. "Ritchie, you were supposed to call your crush, you idiot."

"But you're my crush!" Ritchie wailed. "This is the second time this week that you've rejected me! I don't think I can take this anymore! Your loss. I shall call my other major league crush and profess my love to them. They might reciprocate better than you did!"

Ritchie ended the call and quickly dialed another number. Once again, a phone inside the cabin rang, only this time, it was Darcie's cell. "Hey, Darcie! Have I told you how much I love you?"

"Ritchie?"

"Yes, my love?"

"Sping the bottle," Darcie demanded before dropping the call. 

Doing as he was told, Ritchie spun the bottle and beamed when the bottle landed on Darcie. 

"Dare," Darcie chose before being prompted to do so. 

You could almost see the word 'REVENGE' flash in his eyes as he taunted Darcie by playing eenie-meenie-miney-mo while going through his options. When he finally stopped on one, his sadistic smile only grew. "I dare you, Darcie Scott, to kiss-" Ritchie took his time as his eyes passed us all. "-My man Nixon, here."

You could almost hear a pin drop as the whole room descended into silence. Harlan and Lauren shared a panicked look while Owen sighed heavily, shook his head and punched Ritchie's arm. Darcie, meanwhile, was simply staring straight at me, an unreadable expression on her face.  

"Pass," she finally said. Picking up the shot glass full of tequila, she raised it to her lips and threw the contents down the back of her throat and swallowed. She winced as the alcohol hit her but quickly regained her composure. Spinning the bottle, she watched as it landed on Owen. "Truth or dare?"