My Brother's Best Friend

1. Truth or Dare

"Dare," Lucas says confidently taking a sip from his red cup.

Lucas was my brother's best friend, he was pretty good guy but simply annoying much like my brother. I have been to too many parties to know he always chose dare. Never does he like to spill a secret.

"I dare you to kiss Mini Mather," Matt another guy in the group turns and grins at me.

My mouth falls open. Mini Mather is me by the way because my brother is Harris Mather and is pretty well known as Mather head of the football team. I got stuck with Mini Mather ever since I was a teen.

Kiss Lucas? My brother's best friend. This was just plain weird because Lucas was practically my brother.

I glance over at Lucas who looks frozen.
He is handsome I guess in a rugged kind of way.  I have never really taken the time and looked at him (in that way) before. He has always just been Lucas. My kind of annoying brother's kind of annoying friend. He is literally just a third mouth in our house eating all my favourite food. Nothing more nothing less.

Now I'm looking at him I can't help but notice he is pretty nice on the eye. A stray and unwanted thought crosses my mind...
I  wonder if he is a good kisser?

I glance around the circle at the other 10 or so players in the game. Most players are sitting In the circle crossed legged like me or perched on a few couches around and everyone is wide eyed and staring between Lucas, my brother Harris and  occasionally even back to me.

All eyes wide and waiting expectantly for the drama to unfold.

I glare at Matt for including me in his stupid a*# dare to get at my brother. To my dismay my glare is wasted because his piercing blue eyes are focussed solely on Harris. Just waiting for a reaction. The antagonistic little pr*#% that he is doesn't bother hiding his sh*#-eating grin.

Everyone is silent and unmoving.

I can't handle the awkwardness of it all so I attempt to get past it all in a hurry. I get up on my knees to make it easier for Lucas to kiss me.

I hope it's not too weird.
I hope he isn't a bad kisser.
I hope that I'm not a bad kisser. He has probably kissed loads of girls. I've never kissed anyone.

"No," Lucas states firmly not looking at me.

Everyone stares at him for an explanation.
Including me.

A strange twisting feeling of rejection creeps into my gut.

How can I feel so hurt and rejected when I didn't even want the silly kiss?

I feel the flames of heat on my face and I watch Lucas waiting.

Instead of explaining Lucas stands up crushing his cup and walks away from the circle without so much as an apologetic glance my way.

"You won't kiss me?" I can't help the words tumble from my tipsy mouth in shock.

All 10 guys and girls in our circle are now staring at me. Lucas either doesn't hear me or ignores me completely as he leaves the room.

My face floods with heat.

"Of course he won't," Harris, my brother snaps at me. His words sting me like I've been slapped in the face twice now. Publicly.

Thanks Harris.

I feel the start of hot tears welling in my eyes but I blink them back hoping no one will notice.

Harris turns his scowl  sharply towards Matt. His voice in uncharacteristically venomous as he threatens, "start something like that again and it'll be the last thing you do," he stands up over Matt. Matt's smile slides straight off his face. A few guys stand up to hold him back before he does something stupid like get suspended for beating up a member of his own team that he is supposed to be leading.

"Well," I hear a nasal voice that could only be Sabrina's say in satisfaction, "now that Lucas and Harris are out" she pauses giving me a sly smirk, "and we have confirmed no one wants to kiss Emily," she pauses again to allow her minions giggle loudly on cue, "I'll go next,"

I sat down feeling a hot rush of tears welling in my eyes. I look into my drink trying not to be obvious hiding my face and blink them back furiously.

I refuse to cry.

Definitely not in front of Sabrina.

I am good at forcing the tears back down.  All those years I was a kid trying to play football. I wasn't allowed to cry no matter what or I wasn't allowed to play. That was the rule otherwise Harris and Lucas would get in trouble by our parents for playing too rough. Even though I chose continually to join in.

I sit for two more rounds silently before I slip away from the dumb game unnoticed. Thankfully I am not called upon otherwise my voice would have cracked.

I needed a drink. I hauled my butt up onto the kitchen bench and grabbed a bottle of something red, maybe vodka. I don't know that much about alcohol because I don't drink that much. One premix drink is usually all I need to giggle and have a dance. I pour a lot of the red stuff into my cup and sip it. The burn in my mouth and throat is serious pain. I nearly choke spluttering.

In walks the devil himself... Matt.

I groan audibly at the sight of him and take another swig.

A/N - confession - I love cliche teen romances. My faves are lighthearted romances that keep twisting. Or fantasy so their is an interesting new world and society as well as romance. Massive Mikaleany  fangirl!!!