Kelly is a month into her freshmen year of high school. He and his friends, Alexis and Sarah, have just finished the first round of tests of the semester and they decide to relax on a Saturday evening. Alexis invites them over for a game of Truth or Dare, along with their new friend Megan, who Kelly wants to ask out. However, Alexis also invites over the two guys that she and Sarah have been dating. Those two guys reject Truth or Dare and insist, instead, that everyone must accept one dare. What will Kelly have to do? Will he ask Megan out? Will she accept? Most importantly, will Kelly survive the night?

Skirting Disaster
by Mona Lisa

“Who’s the criminal among us?” Alexis half-joked from her perch in the center of the curved couch, raising the lights with a remote control. Playing with her long, honey blonde hair, she looked around at her friends, her blue eyes daring anyone to answer. Meanwhile, the ending credits to a classic movie called The Breakfast Club played on the 96 inch movie screen in her top-notch basement, along with the theme song, “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” by Simple Minds.

They were a month into their freshman year of high school, and had just completed their first round of tests that semester. The Saturday evening get-together had been a way of blowing off steam and welcoming a new friend in their group.

Megan was dressed smartly in designer blue jeans and a powder blue camisole under a black wrap sweater, her shiny, layered, shoulder-length hair flattering her face. Her blue eyes stole periodic glances at Kelly as she rested in her chair at one end of the couch.

The plush basement was a bar, a game room, and a very nice home theater all rolled into one. The walls were painted in a rich cabernet, providing color yet adequate darkness during movies. The furniture was walnut and dark caramel suede. The room was a bit of a man cave, yet a nice place to retire.

“I don’t know that any of us is a criminal. But I’m the athlete and you are definitely the princess. I mean, look at this room!” Sarah enthused from her end of the couch, adjusting her U.S.A. Women’s Soccer jersey and her light brown ponytail as she turned sideways to face her friends.

“And Megan is the brain,” Kelly flirted, from his end of the couch - near Megan. His almond-shaped brown eyes admired her face as he gently tucked a straight, brown lock of his chin-length hair behind one ear, his other hand absently playing with a button on his denim jacket.

“Maybe.” She tittered, momentarily covering her smiling face with one hand as she slumped to one side in her chair.

“Oh, I’d say so,” Sarah agreed. “How many languages do you speak, again? Three?”

“Yeah, three. English, Spanish, and Russian,” Megan admitted, shrugging. “I have a diverse family.” Deflecting the attention away from herself, she quipped, “So, uh… who’s the basket case?”

Since the others were now spoken for, eyes rolled toward Kelly.

“Uh… why is everyone looking at me?” He shifted uncomfortably.

“Are you a basket case?” Megan teased with a giggle.

“Uh, w-well, like the movie says, ‘We’re all a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, and a criminal.’” he breathed, desperately hoping to conceal that he was the basket case. Megan flashed him a playful knowing look. Well, at least, she seems too nice to say anything.

“And we’re back to my original question,” Alexis giggled, straightening her pink sweater. “Who’s the criminal among us?”

TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP!!

Alexis yelped as all eyes went to a small window near the ceiling. Just outside it, two guys began cackling.

“Hi, guys!” Sarah rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

“Dave!!” Alexis whined. “You almost gave me a heart attack!!” With that, she stood and stomped her way upstairs, muttering and giggling under her breath.

“Um, was that a bad omen?” Kelly half-chuckled, glancing at Megan as she shrugged.

“I don’t know.” She glanced at the window. “But I hope they’re not our dates,” she murmured to Kelly, her eyes following Alexis up the stairs.

“They’re not,” Sarah purred, “they’re ours!”

I still wish you hadn’t invited them, Kelly bemoaned.

Moments later, Alexis descended the stairs, followed by the two guys from the window.

“Hey, guys!” Sarah smiled, clearly liking their six-foot, muscular, eighteen-ish, tee-shirt-and-jeans appearance.

Sensing Megan’s apprehension - as well as sharing it - Kelly assured her, “Really. They’re Alexis and Sarah’s dates. They’ve been seeing each other for a couple of weeks.”

“Oh.” Megan relaxed, but Kelly noted a subtle sag to her expression.

Unless I miss my guess, I’d say she feels a tad left out, even though she doesn’t like these guys, Kelly sensed. “W-well, uh… we-we’ve been thought of, too,” he told her. “Hopefully our dates are, uh, more to our liking.”

“Well!” her smile returned with a note of caution. “Not to be ungrateful, but… I hope they’re not blind dates!”

“No, not blind dates.” Kelly had just enough time to shake his head before the guys plunked down on the couch between him and Sarah, making Alexis sit in the other chair opposite Megan. Kelly scooted away from them to the very edge of the couch.

“Sorry!” Dave chuckled. “Didn’t mean to scare you ladies!”

“Oh, yes you did.” Alexis giggled. “You’d better behave!”

“Oh, wait. You’re a dude.” Dave studied Kelly, pointing a “finger gun” at him. “Just kidding!” Dave chuckled.

They just had to come. It couldn’t just be the girls. Oh, no, not that. Kelly chafed.

“Come on Dave, you know Kelly by now, though I don’t think either of you have met Megan over there.” Alexis realized.

“Hey there. I’m Frank.” He eyed Megan long enough for her to lean away, fingering her black opal pendant.

Why don’t you keep your eyes on your date, you dick? Kelly stewed.

“Got any booze?” Dave smirked.

“Oh, shut up!” Alexis playfully pooh-poohed him.

Why don’t I think he’s kidding? Kelly wondered. Well, as long as they keep their hands to themselves. He glanced down to his right, wishing he could move away.

“Whatcha watchin’?” Dave gestured at the screen, putting his feet up on the coffee table.

“We just finished a classic called The Breakfast Club.” Sarah told them.

“Oh yeah? Good flick. Love that Bender dude.” Dave bantered. John Bender was the criminal in The Breakfast Club, and it made Kelly uneasy that Dave approved of the scoundrel.

Rolling her eyes, Alexis decided to change the subject. “Alright, the movie’s over already. Next on the agenda…” She glanced at Kelly, who paused but nodded.

“Whatcha cookin' up?” Dave smirked.

“Who’s up for Truth or Dare?” She made her eyebrows dance as she looked around the room.

“Truth or Dare’s for sissies.” Dave insisted. “I have a better idea: everyone gets one dare that they have to accept.”

Kelly glanced at Megan and saw a nervous expression on Megan’s face mirroring his own.

“Now, hold on a minute-“ Alexis began.

“Okay, you can set boundaries,” he mollified. “Go ahead.”

“I will not undress, have sex, drink booze, or do drugs. And nothing that would hurt anyone or… burn the house down.” Alexis demanded.

“I second that,” Megan nodded.

“Same here,” Kelly readily agreed.

“Works for me,” Sarah added.

“Fine. Who’s taking the first dare?” Dave grinned.

What about your boundaries, guys? Don’t you have any limits? Kelly pondered, sharing another look with Megan.

“I’ll go first,” Sarah volunteered.

“Dare you to flash your tits,” Frank blurted.

Smirking and unruffled, Sarah drawled, “I believe we said no undressing. Try again.”

“Oh, come on!” Frank whined.

“You behave!” Alexis asserted. Sarah swatted his knee.

“Kiss me?” Frank attempted.

“You’re on.” Sarah happily draped her arms around him, and moved in for lip-lock. Dave and Alexis were bold enough to cheer at the spectacle.

A little decency, puh-lease! Kelly’s eyes sought refuge in Megan’s - and he found himself offering her the same. Kelly shook his head, as his eyes wandered to the ceiling. Maybe we shouldn’t… well, they seem harmless enough… so far, at least. But I’m keeping a wary eye open.

“Okaaaay!” Dave “high-fived” his buddy, Frank, who hung his tongue out like a dog. “Who’s next?”

“I dare you to belt out the national anthem on the front lawn,” Sarah challenged Frank, knowing perfectly well that he could sing about as well as a hippopotamus.

“Oh shit,” he moaned.

“No take-sie backsies!” Sarah chided.

“I’ll do it, I’ll do it!” Frank assured her, standing and pulling his underwear out of his backside before they filed up the basement stairs toward the front door.

* * * * *

Congregated on the front lawn, they prepared to witness the spectacle of Frank trying to sing. Kelly couldn’t help glancing at the neighbor’s homes and hoping none was currently occupied.

“Ooooooh, saaaaaay can youuuuuuu seeeeeeeee!” Frank began.

“I’d rather listen to a leaf blower,” Megan whispered in his ear, making them both laugh.

“Byyyyyy the daaaaawn’s earrrrrrlyyyyyy liiiiiiiight!”

“Louder, dude! Don’t be a pussy.” Dave goaded.

“What so prooooooooudly we haaaaaaailed, by the twiiiiliiiiight’s laaaaaast gleeeeeeamiiiiiiing. All right, that’s enough. I dare to you ask for more.” Frank finished.

“One dare each, now!” Sarah half-joked. “You already got yourrrrrrrs.” She flirted, deliberately brushing her body against his as she passed him.

“Oh, brother!” Kenny whispered to Megan, who rolled her eyes, nodding her head.

* * * * *

Back at the theater, once everyone was seated, Frank encouraged the games to continue. “Next dare, please!” He rubbed his hands together with enthusiasm as he looked around the group.

“Dare you to give me a lap dance,” Dave picked on Alexis.

“Why, you little lecher!” Alexis reacted with faux indignity, rising and drifting toward the low cabinet in front of the screen, ensuring that she tossed about her wavy, honey blonde hair - and showed her butt to Dave.

Shit, those baby blue eyes are definitely giving him the come-on. Jesus, you two! Enough already! Kelly silently observed. Judging by Megan’s chuckling, she had much the same thought. I can see that she’s getting nervous, though. Not that I blame her; so am I! Kelly noted.

Briefly turning away from the crowd, Alexis put on Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.” Channeling her best exotic dancer, she allured her way back to Dave and gave him that lap dance. Megan and Kelly locked eyes more than once to avoid watching, Megan covering her mouth with one hand as she laughed.

As the song wound down, Alexis turned down the stereo from the remote, but left the music playing. Mentally tabulating who was left to take a dare, Kelly realized that Megan had yet to take one. I’d better do something before Frank dares her to give him a lap dance to compete with Dave. Sure, he’s dating Sarah, but the way he’s looking at Megan, that won’t stop him. Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” came on, giving Kelly an idea.

“Hey Megan, I dare you to dance this song with me!” Kelly smiled.

“Boooring!” Sarah whined.

Yet, the relief and enthusiasm on Megan’s face told him that he’d made a good move - as did the sour look on Frank’s face. As Alexis cranked the volume again, Kelly took Megan by the hand and danced them both behind the couch, where there was plenty of space. Kelly showed considerable skill with his moves, spinning Megan around and letting her spin him around in kind.

Nervous as he was, he did his best to show signs of interest without being vulgar about it, maintaining eye contact with her as they let the music lead them both. Before long, they lip synched the words to each other.

You… make… me… feel like I’m living a…
tee… nage… dream… the way you turn me on.
I… can’t… sleep… let’s run away and
dooon’t ever look back, dooon’t ever look back.
My… heart… stops… when you look at me.
Just… one… touch… now, baby, I believe.
This… is… real… so take a chance and
Dooon’t ever look back, dooon’t ever look back.

Throughout the song, they managed to hold each other’s hand and not let go. The song ended with hearty applause from the girls and facetious cheers from the guys. What’s the matter, guys? Are your balls too small to handle a chick song? Kelly shook his head as he followed Megan back to their seats.

“Alright! Who’s taking the next dare? And let’s make it interesting this time.” Dave enthused, staring at Kelly. Britney Spears’s “Work, B**ch” played next and, glancing at Kelly, Megan blurted, “Dave, I dare you to dance to this solo!”

Alexis and Sarah erupted in laughter. Dave leaned his head back and groaned, “Aw, fuck!” Shaking his head, he stood up and started dancing, with an annoyed look.

Meanwhile, Alexis made eye contact with Kelly, her face asking a question. Should we go through with our plan? He bit his lip. Well, I think these guys are more obnoxious than dangerous. This is going to be a lot more drastic than I had wanted, but… if I have to take a dare - and that is the rule - then I want it to come from Alexis, not from those guys! Looking back at her, Kelly slowly nodded. I hope nobody freaks out.

As the song neared the end, Alexis abruptly cut the music. “Alright, y’all. One dare left.” She looked straight at Kelly, and quickly continued before the guys could speak up. “Kelly! I dare you to dress up as a girl!” She glanced at Megan, who seemed surprised, but not bothered. “All the way! From the skin out!” She feigned an evil smirk. “If you’re man enough!”

Frank guffawed. “That’s not a man!” he gestured at Kelly. “I don’t know what that is!”

Kelly paused as he rose, but stood fully, all five and a half prepubescent feet of him. He wasn’t hurt, but he was feeling very uncertain of things. So he took a dig at my manhood. Big deal. I still think it’s safe enough.

“Come on, Kelly, I’ll help you out,” Alexis volunteered.

“I’ll join you after I use the powder room,” Megan offered, grabbing her purse as she rose.

“Why do you need your purse to pee?” Frank kidded her, still giving her more attention than his date.

The poor girl’s probably on her period and doesn’t want to carry the tampon in her hand, Kelly silently empathized. Megan merely rolled her eyes and shook her head.

“Okay. Follow me,” Alexis smiled.

Kelly felt relieved to be leaving the room. A quick glance gave him the sense that Megan did, too. “You know, Kelly, you don’t really have to do this. Fuck ‘em,” she whispered her assurance.

“Uh… it’s okay. I’ll survive.” Kelly smiled, mounting the stairs. “But thanks.”

* * * * *

When they reached the upstairs floor, Alexis gestured across the light gray hallway with white-painted oak wainscoting toward the bathroom. Megan went in and Alexis led Kelly into her room across the hall. I have always liked this room, Kelly mused. He loved the teal and rust color scheme, and the queen-sized bed with its colorful comforter cover and matching canopy.

“Okay.” Alexis whispered. “Are you sure you want to do this?” She reached into her closet and handed Kelly the duffle bag that he had provided.

“Well,” Kelly sighed, “this won’t be anywhere near as gentle an approach as I would prefer, but… I still need a way to get a sense of things without revealing more than it’s safe to while doing it in a way that’s nonthreatening. I don’t know how else to do that. I might get some snide remarks from your dates, but I can handle snide remarks.”

Alexis shrugged. “They’ll be fine. They’re just… total guys.” She giggled. “Come on! Do you really think that we would date violent thugs?” She smirked.

“No, I don’t think you or Sarah would date violent thugs,” he smiled bashfully.

“Alright, I’ll let you change.” With that, she turned and stepped into the hall.

Kelly removed his denim jacket and olive cargo pants, placing them carefully on the bed. Stripping naked, he hurried to put on the nylon lavender bra and panty set, followed by the denim skirt, white turtleneck, white, leather belt, lavender cable-knit sweater, lavender tights, white Keds sneakers, and white, stretchy headband.

The toilet flushed and Alexis stepped into the room, looking over her shoulder. Kelly pulled a makeup pouch out of the duffle bag and handed it to Alexis as he sat at her vanity.

“How’s it coming? Whoooo, look at you, Kelly!” she smiled, giggling at his transformation-in-progress as she sat on the bed. “Tights and everything, huh? Wow, Alexis, you really went all the way, didn’t you?”

“That’s right, baby!” Alexis enthused.

“Eh. The rule is, I have to take the dare,” Kelly shrugged, his heart now revving in his chest with Megan eyeing him. Well, she’s still smiling.

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” Megan inquired, her nose gently crinkling.

Uh oh. That doesn’t look too good. “Well, there’s really no harm done, right?” he smiled, wishing he could calm down.

“No, I guess not,” she smiled. “You’re certainly taking it well.”

Thank my lucky stars I’m holding together. I’m more nervous than I anticipated!

Adding a heart-shaped silver pendant around Kelly’s neck and replacing his skull-and-crossbones earrings with dangly silver teardrops, Alexis declared him finished.

“Okay, Cutie! Stand up! Wow, you really do look like a girl,” Alexis giggled.

“Um, thanks, I think!” Kelly chuckled, moving toward the full-length mirror standing in one corner. He started to smile at the makeup job but made his expression an amused one before turning to Megan. “I hope you’re not freaked out by this.”

“No, I’m not freaked out. Maybe a bit curious as to why you seem relatively calm about it, but that’s all,” she insisted.

“Good.” Kelly took a breath. “Well, shall we head back downstairs before those guys come looking?”

Now Megan’s smile dimmed. “I suppose so.” She took his arm and they headed downstairs to meet Kelly’s fate.

* * * * *

From the kitchen, at the top of the basement stairs, they heard the sound of a crowd cheering from the basement television. The two guys, ostensibly watching the game, hollered loudly at whatever had just happened.

“Was that a home run or a touchdown?” Alexis giggled.

“Who cares?” Kelly muttered, winning a laugh from Megan.

“Right??” She agreed, glancing at Kelly as she released his arm to leave her purse on the kitchen counter.

“Well, here goes,” Kelly sighed, his heart speeding up.

“Okay.” Alexis turned and started down the stairs, followed by Megan and Kelly.

* * * * *

On the way down the stairs, Kelly lagged behind somewhat. He glanced at the guys, wary of letting them see him that way, and saw them clinking bottles of beer in a toast over the most recent play. Oh, no! They’re drinking! This is really starting to go south. Megan glanced over her shoulder at Kelly on her way down, perhaps echoing his thoughts. He wondered how many beers they had downed and a quick look at the bar revealed two more empty bottles sitting on the counter. Shit, they don’t waste time!

“We’re back!” Alexis announced, sitting in the same chair and frowning at the drinking. “Hey! Who said you could raid the beer?” She demanded, only to be ignored.

“Don’t hate me. I had to accept the dare.” Kelly tried to kid.

“Whoa!! Holy fuck!!” Dave shot to his feet, making Kelly take a step back.

“Oh, JESUS!!” Frank shouted, jumping off the couch as well. “Too far!! Too fuckin’ far, dude!!” He stabbed his finger at Kelly with the hand holding his bottle before taking a swig.

Kelly could only stand there, rooted to the spot and trembling.

“Whoa, guys, it’s just a dare,” Alexis stood up, glancing at Kelly as she tried to calm them down, clearly becoming afraid of their behavior.

“That’s no dare!” Frank pointed at Kelly. “That’s a faggot! You want me to kick your ass, faggot? I should kick your ass up to your head! Faggot!”

Kelly shakily turned to Megan. “Why don’t we head for the kitchen and, uh, make some popcorn, hmm?” He warned her to follow.

“Popcorn. Yummy,” she tried to giggle, though Kelly knew she was becoming frightened.

“Yes! Food! Good idea. You know where the pantry is, right?” Alexis encouraged.

“Yeah.” Kelly nodded, heading for the stairs, watching to make sure that Megan was behind him.

* * * * *

As they stepped into the kitchen, Kelly stopped and turned around to face Megan. Judging from the look on her face, she knew that they hadn’t come up there for food. He glanced at the basement stairs to make sure the guys weren’t following them and looked back at Megan, shaking his head. “I’m sorry. Alcohol plus threats equals goodbye! Let’s get out of here!”

“Yeah. That sure didn’t take long!” Megan nodded, grabbing her purse.

“Do you think Sarah and Alexis will be okay with them?” Kelly fretted.

“Well, they were lecherous, alright, but they’re respecting boundaries, other than the beer, at least. Let’s just go. But first…” She froze with a hand on Kelly’s shoulder, her eyes narrowing in thought. “Where’s the pantry?”

“Right here,” Kelly led the way. “What do you have in mind?” He pulled the door open and watched Megan rummage in side.

“I’m just thinking that they’re expecting us to make popcorn. So… if we put a bag in the nuke box before we go…” She found what she was looking for and held it up. “They’ll think we’re still here.”

“I love the the way your mind works,” Kelly smiled, as Megan darted for the microwave.

“I’ll set it for two minutes. I don’t think that will burn it,” she glanced over her shoulder as she started the oven.

Kelly leaned on the kitchen island as he waited for Megan to finish. Together, they left the kitchen and went for the front door. When they got to the front door, Megan glanced at Kelly and stopped. “Your clothes!”

“Oh, my God!” Kelly turned around to look up the stairs. He dropped his gaze as he deliberated and something on the floor caught his eye.

“Oh, shit!!” he hissed, staring at what he had found.

“What??” Megan spun around to face him.

“Uh, this just look a serious turn for the worse!” Kelly worried, pointing at the floor between the foyer and the dining room, just below a series of coat hooks.

“Is that a fresh condom??” She grabbed his arm. “What the-??” Megan stared at Kelly in horror. “Alexis was abundantly clear about no sex - or even undressing! Sarah agreed! We all did!”

Kelly stared at Megan. “Yeah, and anyway, they should know by now those girls aren’t open to that-”

“-but they obviously came here planning to have sex-“

“-and they’re getting drunk. I’m calling 911!” Kelly insisted, beelining for Alexis’ kitchen landline.

“I have my cell phone!” Megan offered, putting one hand in her purse, but pulling it back out as Kelly had already reached the landline in the kitchen.

Snatching up the handset, Kelly tried to dial but noticed that the phone cord plugged into the back of the base had been cut so that it couldn’t be simply plugged back in. Slowly turning to stare at Megan in fright, his jaw slacked open.

“What? No dial tone?” Megan swallowed.

“No! They cut the cord right here!” Kelly held the cut end.

“Oh, my God!!” Megan gasped, speaking rapidly as she dug in her purse. “There’s an extension in the basement and probably elsewhere, but… that isn’t a standalone phone.” She nodded at the landline as she pulled out her cell phone. “It’s the brain of the whole phone system. It’s the only extension that plugs into the phone line. The rest use the electrical wiring to talk through this one. Disable it up here and it’s dead everywhere else!” She looked down at her phone to dial 911. “Why is there no signal here??”

“What?? Let's go upstairs and grab mine!” Kelly held out his hand, which Megan took.

She followed him up the stairs as she crammed her cellphone into her purse with the other. Bursting into Alexis' bedroom, he grabbed his cellphone and… “No signal??”

“What??” Megan was stunned. “Do we have the same carrier?” But a quick comparison revealed that they did not. “Maybe we’re in a dead zone? Did you have a signal in here before?”

“Yes, I did! Five bars!” Kelly emphasized. “What is going on??”

Megan glanced at the bedroom door. “They must have brought a cell phone jammer!”

“Are you serious??” Kelly gushed.

“You can get them on the Internet all too easily,” Megan lamented.

“Shit. We have to get the hell out of here - but we can’t just leave Alexis and Sarah. They’ll be raped!” Kelly darted for the top of the stairs.

“Kelly, wait!” Megan worried, thinking he was going straight to the basement.

She was a few steps behind him as he shot down the stairs. To her surprise, Kelly stopped at the top of the basement stairs and called out.

“Hey, Alexis? I was thinking, why not some chips and salsa, too? That’s always fun!” Kelly shouted down the stairs, hoping to hell he didn’t sound worried.

“What? Kelly!” Alexis whined as her footsteps approached. “You bugger! You know I’m allergic to cilantro-“ Alexis trailed off as she neared at the bottom of the stairs, cocking her head as she realized that Kelly was frantically motioning her to come upstairs.

“Oops! Well, come up to the kitchen and pick something else!” Kelly tittered, staring at her with bulging eyes.

When Alexis took a couple of steps toward the kitchen, Kelly pointed behind her. Luckily, Alexis understood. She looked behind her, trying to sound playful. “Hey, Sarah, come help us in the kitchen! We’ll have fun, maybe some girl talk.” She forced a giggle. “Come on, girl!”

Kelly could see the firm warning on Alexis’ face.

“I can always go for some girl talk,” Sarah replied as she got to the stairs, her smile fading when she saw Kelly.

When the girls arrived in the kitchen, Kelly and Megan told them of the cut landline, the jammed cell phones, and the fresh condom on the floor near the coats. Alexis’s hands flew to her face, her eyes bugging out.

“Hoooooooly shit!!” Sarah trembled.

Alexis’ face crumpled as the thought of the betrayal crushed her heart. Sarah was simply numb.

“We’re leaving. NOW.” Megan insisted, checking the timer on the microwave. “We’ve got sixty seconds before the popcorn finishes. That’ll give us a small head start.”

“Should we leave those guys in your house?” Sarah mumbled in her daze.

“Forget the house. Our safety matters more.” Alexis decreed, willing herself to calm down.

“We’ll go to my house. It’s the closest one - and my parents should be home.” Kelly insisted, as they moved to the coat closet in the front hall, where they quietly but rapidly donned their coats and crept out the front door.

Alexis, the last one to leave, moved to the alarm panel next to the door. Realizing that the alarm was connected to the phone line separately from the telephones, she had an idea. The system had a second code, called a hostage code, that could be used in the event that the resident was forced to disarm the system by an intruder. The system was designed to respond by appearing to disarm while, in fact, hailing the authorities.

She would have to arm the system for that to work, but with a little luck, the game on the TV in the basement would cover the beeping from the alarm. Alexis armed the system and punched in the hostage code, muttering, “Fuckers!” Then she followed the others outside, closing the door behind them.

The alarm company wouldn’t bother to call to verify the distress signal and the police would know to beware the guys inside the house, who in turn would have no idea that the police had been summoned.

They headed quickly for the end of Alexis’ driveway, and turned right, in front of the tall oleander bushes along the side of the road. They were beginning to calm down as they walked, and Alexis began babbling, “I can’t believe it. I can’t believe this. I can’t believe they lied to us. I mean… they’ve been conning us this whole time! I just can’t believe it!”

“Yeah… well, at least we’re safe now,” Megan tried to console her.

“AAAAAAAAAUGH!! What the fuck??” Dave shouted from the front stoop, twenty yards behind them, spooking them into quietly running.

“Get in the car!! Let’s split!!” Frank shouted. A few seconds later, a car roared to life, its tires squealing as it shot backward out of Alexis’ driveway, knocking over the plastic trash cans across the street.

“Oh shit!” Kelly stared behind her. “Here they come!” And all they could do was run. At first, the 1970 Bronco shot right past them, far too close for comfort, and disappeared around the bend just ahead. The runners stopped, trying to catch their breath.

“Do you think they’re gone?” Alexis croaked.

“I don’t know. By now, they know we’re onto them.” Kelly murmured.

“Yeah, that’ll be what Dave was hollering about back there,” Megan agreed.

Sure enough, their tires squealed as they turned around, and the sound of their engine approached again, this time from the oncoming direction, their headlights piercing the rural darkness as they swept back around the bend.

“Oh no!” Alexis wailed before turning and bolting, with Sarah on her heels. And with that, Kelly and Megan ran after them.

“They’re coming fast!” Kelly warned, turning to make sure Megan was close by.

Dave’s car careened around the bend and aimed across the road straight for them. Sarah was an athlete and Alexis had longer legs than any of them. They got well ahead of Kelly and Megan. Alexis and Sarah disappeared into a neighbor’s open front gate - but the car was still bearing down on Kelly and Megan. They wouldn’t make it.

He grabbed her and pulled her behind a stout tree on the side of the road. The car swerved to avoid the tree and the tail slid ninety degrees, causing the tires to trip on the asphalt. The car rolled over several times, landing upright with a collapsed roof. Nobody got out of the car. The engine was dead and the night was silent.

“Megan? Are you okay?” Kelly checked.

“Yeah.” she squeaked, trembling in fear.

Kelly wrapped an arm around her as he stared at the wrecked car. “Alexis?” He turned to look for her.

“Is it safe?” she uttered, peeking out of the neighbor’s yard.

“Looks like it. Let’s get back to your house in case they survived,” Kelly suggested.

“Does anyone have a cell phone signal?” Megan inquired, now calmer, getting out her phone. Kelly stared down at his own phone in his hand.

“Oh, I-I already summoned the police from the alarm system.” Alexis stammered.

“Okay, then let’s go back and wait for them. They should be here any minute,” Megan proposed.

“Yeah, let’s go,” Kelly agreed.

Glancing behind them at the wrecked car, they started the fifty-yard walk back to Alexis’ home. On the way, Megan looked at her phone, turned it on, and called 911. She wasn’t taking any chances. It took the rest of the way to the house to explain the situation to the police and that she was with the resident who had used the hostage code on the alarm.

* * * * *

When they got to the kitchen, the smell of popcorn was still lingering in the air with a hint of smoke. Alexis darted for the microwave, which had long since turned itself off. Removing the bag of popcorn, and pulling it open, she saw that the popcorn had been mildly burned.

“Maybe that was what brought them out of the basement,” Megan murmured.

“And tipped them off that we’d left,” Kelly finished the thought.

“Jesus.” Alexis sniffled, tossing the bag in the sink and getting a paper towel to wipe her tears. “I still can’t believe this. I really liked him.” She paused, as the others stared at her. “I never knew he was like this. He conned me until tonight and I believed him. I swear to God I never would have invited him if I’d known. Or Frank.”

Sarah bowed her head. “I’ve been had, too. They conned us both. I feel like such an idiot. I should have seen something, anything that would have warned me, but I didn’t.”

“Honey, these guys were being what you wanted them to be to gain your confidence,” Megan reassured. “They made sure that you didn’t see anything wrong.”

“I know. I just can’t help feeling like an idiot,” she mumbled.

“Me either,” Alexis commiserated.

The doorbell rang, and Alexis went to meet the police. The others drifted after her, perhaps not wanting her to face that alone. By the time the officers left, they revealed that Dave and Frank had been killed in the accident outside and that a quantity of roofies had been found on their persons as well as a cheap cell phone jammer, which had been destroyed in the wreck. Not only had they had meant business, but the police suspected that they had been involved in three earlier local incidents. They hadn’t found enough evidence until now. Only now, it was over.

* * * * *

In the basement, which now smelled of beer, Alexis cleaned up the bottles and wiped down the bar, the others sitting silently on the couch. Megan glanced at Kelly with an expression suggesting that something was on her mind.

“I guess our dates never showed, huh?” She probed, looking deep into Kelly’s eyes.

Kelly sighed before responding, “Well, to be honest, we’re still not sure if they’re coming. This has been such a crazy night.”

“Hmmm.” Megan’s eyes scanned Kelly’s appearance before returning to his eyes. “By the way, whose clothes are you wearing?” she smirked. “You’re smaller than Alexis and… she doesn’t have a sister - in fact, she’s an only child - and Sarah’s sister is, what, six years younger, so… tell me? How did you happen to have girl clothes available in your size for that, uh… dare?”

“The truth is, they’re mine,” Kelly admitted, watching Megan’s eyes widen, her brows rising. “I was the first to arrive and I had them with me. If you’re wondering why I own girl clothes in my size-“

“Mmmm hmmm,” Megan teased, smirking.

“-and you are,” Kelly took a breath, “the answer is that I’m transgender. I’m a girl.” Kelly continued. “For now, I can only be myself at home, here or at Sarah’s house, but come spring semester, I will be myself full time.”

“And the fake dare was…?” Megan probed, thankfully with a smile.

“Absolutely necessary,” Kelly insisted, her face becoming serious. “Dave and Frank made it clear why - and I didn’t even come out to them; they just saw a dare which they thought went too far - even though it was their idea that you had to accept the dare.”

“And they still reacted violently,” Megan nodded.

“Yeah. And girls can be dangerous, too. A week before I graduated from grade school, I trusted a girl who was part of this group,” Kelly gestured to Sarah, Alexis, and herself, “until she started coming out to people for me despite explicit instructions not to because I never intended to come out there at all. That bit of carelessness got me several punches, a few trips down the stairs, and a black eye, so, clearly, it’s very dangerous for me to reveal what I am. Now, I can’t spend the rest of my life hiding, but until I come out at spring semester, the only people in the world who I want to know are in this room or members of my immediate family.” Kelly reflected Megan’s intense stare.

“I wanted to reveal myself to you tonight, because I don’t believe in secrets between best friends-“ Uh oh! Did her smile just dim? “-but I needed to know that it was safe to do so. Unfortunately, I just didn’t see the violence coming. I didn’t feel that my physical safety was in jeopardy until I came downstairs as a girl to find them drinking, getting rowdy, and threatening to kick my ass up to my head. It was just… I read them too late.”

“I think we all did that,” Alexis murmured, flopping down in a chair watching Kelly come out to Megan.

“It was never my intention to be deceitful, Megan. I just wanted to have the option not to come out in case I needed it. We were going to be very gentle about this and back off at the first sign of distress in you. It was supposed to be a normal game of Truth or Dare, with just us girls. At first, Alexis was going to dare me to put on the headband I’m wearing now and that’s it. If you seemed comfortable with that, then Sarah was going to dare me to add the makeup, these earrings and the necklace.

"If you were still comfortable, then Alexis was going to dare me to dress up in girl clothes. She was going to pause for a second to see if that seemed to make you uncomfortable, which she did, and if all was going well, she was going to add ‘from the skin out,’ again, which she did. When I came back down here dressed as a girl, if you were still okay with everything, that was when I was going to reveal to you that I am a girl and,” Kelly took a breath, “ask you out. On a date,” she smiled.

Megan’s face brightened as she added, “So that’s why the other… ’dates’… came along?”

“Yes,” Alexis conceded.

“Why should you two be the only ones with dates, right?” Sarah smirked half-heartedly.

“Right,” Megan nodded. “Okay, Ms. Kelly Gray. Normally, I would not appreciate being tested, but in this case, you do have every justification to protect yourself, so you’re off the hook.” She beamed. “And I would be delighted to go out with you. On a date.” She extended her arms to receive a hug which Kelly gladly gave.

“Oh, look! Our dates have arrived,” Kelly murmured in her ear, making Megan giggle… until she kissed her.

"By the way, you are the basket case," Megan chided, winning a laugh from all, before she kissed Kelly right back.

[ Other Stories By Mona Lisa ]