The face of a monster

Truth or dare without the dare

"So...what should we do now?" David rests against the wall, I never noticed how tall he is. It's weird really since he has always been so skinny and should therefore appear lean and tall.

"What do you mean?" I say, still stuck with my thoughts in the endless maths problems in front of me.

"Well, we're done calculating for now" he yawns casually and I get the feeling he's too tiered to really care about anyone else, he has relaxed.

"Oh okay then just let me check" I say and browse quickly through all my papers. I find the instructions on our little groups project sigh at the sight of what's next.

"Get to know each other" I read out loud. "Say whut?!" I mumble quietly but David hears me and chuckles.

"It's for the psychological part of the project, right?"

"Yeah were supposed to write some evaluation afterwards about if it changed how we worked and stuff" David explains loosely which to me is surprising because even though I knew he was good at math and other school stuff I didn't know he was that... what's the word? Organised? Interested? Committed! I think that's the word.

"Oh okay" I say and try to understand how exactly we're going to get to know each other because oddly enough I only know some basic stuff about David. Yeah it kind of went fast from complete strangers to kissing in public though no one but Nora seemed to notice it. "So how do we get to know each other?" I ask curious.

"Truth ore dare?" David asks and I don't know if he says it as a funny proposal or if he's actually serious.

"Truth" I test him.

"Aha.." he pretends to be thinking deeply of a question even though it's obvious he knows exactly what he wants to ask.

"What's your definition of impossible?" He's deadly serious but I can't even keep a straight face.

"That's the worst 'truth' ever" I laugh "like the worst" I continue to laugh but David just smiles with an almost... I don't know the word but he looks so... pillemarisk... and that's Swedish but... he looks like he's planning something that I don't know of, like he's about to prank me. Still he looks kind, careful as if he was holding a fragile butterfly wing in his hands trying not to break it. It would be safe to give him my heart, I just know it. If he was to fall he'd put his hands above his head to soften my fall. He'd do anything for me, it scares me a little because I'm afraid he'd wreck himself as he's trying to keep me safe. But I remind myself that this I do not know, it's just speculation, imagination.

"Well-" I inhale deeply like if I was out of breath after the laughing "as a kid I was often told everything was possible and you know, all the other kids my age smiled at it and felt hopeful while I just said matter of factly 'you can't breath under water or in space without oxygen tubes' and all the teachers at school and parents went all crazy at me because apparently I killed their fantasies or some other bullshit" when I swear David's eyes open slightly more than before and I smile at the thought of him being surprised by how I'm not the ordinary smart girl.

"Did they rage just because of that?" He asks about the teachers and adults and I giggle as I explain "no, it happened a lot of other stuff like that. Like when we practiced reading and it was some fairytale about princesses and dragons and I got furious because dragons don't exist and why did the prince have to save the princess, why couldn't it be the other way around?" David laughs at me and I think about how nice this is, this completely normal maths class.

"So, your definition of impossible is pretty much anything that doesn't agree with the laws of physic? God, I love his smile, his thin lips and his perfectly normal teeth. What is wrong with me?

"Pretty much" I nod. "Now it's your turn. Truth or dare?"

"Well, I can't say dare can I?"

"Of course you can. I mean, it's not impossible" I joke.

"Oh yeah I'm pretty sure it is. Anyway, I wouldn't do anything embarrassing. I'm a real coward" I can't tell wether he's serious or if he's just making fun of himself.

"Oh yeah?"

"Oh yeah. I wouldn't do anything such as running through the halls with my pants on my head if you thought that" now it's obvious that he's joking.

"Really? That's what you think I would ask you to do?" I laugh a weird sharp laugh.

"I don't know" he's suddenly awake, no longer resting against the wall, smiling almost a bit... no it can't be... he looks almost... flirty. "What would you ask me to do?" I have no idea. What would I ask? Thankfully I'm (pun intended + wait for it, wait for it... ) saved by the bell. Now please imagine some drum thing telling you how good that joke was. Thanks. And if you didn't understand the joke, the bell rang which means class is over and I can go home. I discretely take David's hand as he's finished collecting his stuff. I wait for everyone else to leave the classroom before dragging him to my locker to get my jacket then to his locker so he can get to his stuff and then out. When did I become this brave? When we walk out of the school building I can almost feel David's confusion as if it was a physical buzz around me. Maybe that's just my nerves prickling from the touch of David's hand. To be honest his hand is kinda sweaty but I can't blame him, it's sorta hot outside. Why are we both wearing jackets? It's not as if it makes anyone of us sweat less.

"What's this?" David asks with his voice full of worry. Why is he so nervous? Then I remember, he's always nervous. Sometimes I wonder if he's even aware of it, if he's always been like this. I really don't know him well.

"I just thought we could continue our little game" I chuckle and realise I'm just as nervous as David. If I hadn't been holding his hand I would have been shaking. He suddenly lets go of me and desperately tries to wipe the sweat of his hands and apologises over and over again. "It's really no problem" I smile at him and he actually returns the gesture and seems to relax a little. "Let's continue the 'truth and dare without the dare' shall we?"

"Yeah sure" he squeezes my hand gently and we begin to walk though the destination is uncertain or whatever, it's actually at the moment none existent but who cares. I'm happy here and now.

To be continued.