Truth or Die

"Truth or dare, Lesli?" I asked, smirking at her.

He face went red. "Um...truth," she said.

"Ooh!" Cameron shouted. "I've got one!"

I pointed at him. "Go ahead."

The way we play truth or dare is...well, different.

See, everyone goes in a circle, saying 'truth or dare' to the person on the right of them. And anyone's allowed to give the truth or dare. Anyone. If it's a truth that requires an action, it turns into a dare and they have to do it.

"Hmm," Cameron said. "Should I give this one to you, or should I be nice and give you something else?"

Lesli, the quietest and most innocent girl in high school squeaked. "Nevermind!" she shouted. "I choose dare!"

Cameron and I smirked. "Are you sure?" we said.

She nodded.

"Alright then," he leaned and whispered something into Lesli's ear.

Her face turned red and she started shaking. "No!" she said. "I can't do it!"

"What was it?" I asked.

"I..." she hesitated. "I have to kil---"

Cameron covered her mouth. "Nothing," he said. He quickly changed the subject. "Alright then. If we're playing correctly, then I think it's my turn." He took a deep breath and grinned at me. "So, Ethan..." he said. "Truth or dare?"

"Um..." I hesitated. I had to think very very carefully. Cameron always came up with the best and worst ones. One time, he made me admit that I still sleep with stuffed animals. (Hey! Don't laugh!) Another time, he dared me to lick the dirty ground after everyone stepped on it with their shoes. I was sick for a week from that one...

"I choose dare," I said.

"You sure?" he asked.

I nodded. "I'm sure."

He shrugged. "Alright then. I dare you, in fact, I triple dare you---you know you can't back out now, right?"

I nodded. "I'm ready."

* * *

I didn't know a game of truth or dare could go so wrong.

How could I agree to this?!

Why did I agree to this?!

You know those times where you're just questioning the decisions you've made in life? Yeah, these were one of those times.

There I was, kissing Lesli, her legs wrapped around my waist, my arms wrapped around hers.

When we stopped to take a breath...

"Wow," I mumbled.

Lesli looked like she was going to be sick.

"First kiss, huh?" I asked.

"Yeah," she squeaked.

"You know, it wasn't too bad." I said.

Her face turned red. "Um, Ethan," she said. "Can we go into the bedroom for a second?"

Everyone 'oohed.' I rolled my eyes. "Sure," I said.

We walked into the bedroom and closed the door.

"What's wrong?" I asked. "Is everything okay---"

Suddenly, I felt something cold against my throat. Something shiny.

A knife? Where'd a knife come from?

"Lesli," I said with a slight laugh. "What're you doing?"

"I'm sorry," she said. "I have to do this. It was my dare. I have to kill you."

"Wait what---"

She slammed me into the wall and kissed me.

A sharp pain shot through my neck. I felt blood drip down my shirt as I kissed her.

The last thing I saw before I blacked out was her face.

* * *

I don't know how I survived to this day, but I did.

I was sitting in the hospital, my monitor beeping beside me.

I looked out the window. The sun was high in the sky, so I guessed that it was around eleven or twelve o'clock in the afternoon. My mom would be at work and my stepdad would be out gambling and playing poker and stuff around this time, so there was no one to come see me.

Then I heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," I said.

It was Cameron. "Hey, man," he said.

"Hey, Ethan," And Lesli.

I almost jumped out of bed right then and there.

"What are you doing here?!" I shouted. "You tried to kill me yesterday---" Then I realized... "Wait, how long have I been here?"

Cameron and Lesli exchanged looks. I raised an eyebrow. "How long have I been here?" I repeated.

Lesli held up a finger.

"A day?" I said.

She shook her head.

I took another guess. "A week?"

"You've been here for a month, Ethan,"

I let that sink in. A month? That's how long I was out?

Nevertheless, I was still angry.

"You tried to kill me because of a dare?" I yelled. "A freaking DARE?!"

"I'm sorry!" Lesli shouted back. "If I didn't do it, he---he would've killed me."

"Who would've killed---"

"I want to talk to Ethan alone," Cameron told Lesli. "Just wait outside for a second."

Lesli nodded and rushed out the door.

When she was gone, I asked, "What's she talking about?"

"You think I'm your friend, right?" Cameron said.

I nodded. "I don't think you're my friend, I know,"

Cameron laughed. "That's funny. That's really funny." He took a switchblade out of his pocket. "I was never your friend. I just acted like it. I never really liked you. You've always been better than me. Better clothes, better house, better life. And I'll kill you for it."

* * *

That's two near death experiences. One from the girl I liked, one from my best friend. Or...the guy I thought was my best friend. The second time, I got closer to dying than ever. Honestly, I have no idea how I lived. Sheer luck? God? I don't know. I just have to be careful. I'm out of the hospital now. Moved states with my mom after what happened.

"Hey, Ethan," Melody asks. Melody is this girl I like in my new school. But, she had this crazy look in her eyes. And the way she looked at me, it made me feel...uncomfortable. "Wanna play 'truth or dare?'"

I staggered back. "No thanks," I said. "Sorry. I think I'm done with truth or dare for now." Then I went and walked the other way down the hall. "Or for life."