I Never Knew

Chapter 7

***(Jay's POV; song for this chapter: "I Honestly Love You" by Olivia Newton-John)***

I am sitting between Nya and Cole, nervously biting my fingernails. I only ever played truth or dare once, and that was when I was thirteen. I was at my first middle school party, and it was either this game or spin the bottle. And I was not about to kiss Tox.

I only picked dares, since I didn't want to rehash my mom's story to strangers. I remember everything started out simple: I got dared to eat a banana with the peel on. I had to prank call the Jade family butler. And then, someone dared me to lick Cole's toe. I cried all the way home.

I guess I'll only be picking truths tonight.

"Maybe I hang around here

A little more than I should.

We both know I got somewhere else to go.

But I got something to tell you

That I never thought I would,

But I believe you really ought to know."

Okay, nevermind. Truths could get very, very bad.

"All right, I'll be the one setting the rules for this game," Kai starts us off.

"Um, I didn't put you in charge, and I'm pretty sure I organized it," Nya argues.

He rolls his eyes. "Consider this payback for yesterday. Now, everyone, the only rule is that we don't do anything that'll get us killed. Understood?"
"That's pretty broad," Nya complains.

"I'll screen each dare. Live with it. And I'm going first." Kai looks to Lloyd. "Lloyd, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Did you and my sister do anything I wouldn't consent to outside last night?"

"Golly, Kai! Of course not! Is that all you think about?"

He rolls his eyes. "I just wanted to make sure. And the penalty for being caught in a lie is drinking lemonade from one of my gym shoes."

Lloyd makes a retching noise. "Believe me, I'm not lying."

"Okay. Then you get to pick who goes next."

Lloyd looks to Nya. "Truth or dare?"

She throws her head back in a laugh. "Dare, of course."

"Cut one lock of Kai's hair."

"Hey! That's not fair!" Kai yells.

"Is it a matter of life or death?" Lloyd asks flatly.

"Yes!" Kai squeals.

Nya rolls her eyes. "Kai, just deal with it." She leaves the room and comes back with a pair of scissors.

"Don't come near me!" Kai screams.

"Relax. It's only a lock of your hair. Lloyd doesn't have the heart to ask me to cut all of it." She comes up behind him.

"No! I'll do anything!" he screeches.

She thinks. "Is that okay, Lloyd?"

"This is his punishment for having his mind in the gutter all the time. There are no alternatives."

Nya quickly snips a few strands of her brother's hair. He squeals, then falls to the floor as if dead.