[alli55]

The sleepover that changed my life


Chapter 2 Truth or dare


At Abi’s suggestion, we had decided to play Truth or Dare. Bethany and Paige were both keen on the idea, so I had agreed.

It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy the fun part of playing the game, because I did. Teasing secrets out of the others; sharing personal information; doing fun and silly dares – all those things I liked as much as anyone else.

It’s just that I had one or two issues that I didn’t want putting in the spotlight. Specifically, I had very low confidence around boys and consequently no experience, and that was because of my other issue: my tits, or rather lack of them. I was nearly 14 and, although my breasts had started to develop when I was 12, I was still practically flat. My mum has small breasts and told me I’ll probably be the same. She assured me they will grow from what they were, but they weren’t exactly hurrying about it!

So that’s why I stuck with the baggy t-shirts, and that’s why I was nervous about playing Truth or Dare. Especially with Bethany. I’d never been to a sleepover with her before, so I didn’t know what sort of level she would play the game at, but I suspected it might be a bit more than we were used to or than I would be comfortable with. But I didn’t want to spoil it for everyone, so I had tried to appear as up-for-it as the others.

We agreed on the rules: you can’t pick the person who just picked you, and no exact repeat questions or dares. This was to stop the game getting to repetitive or too vindictive. Then Abi announced that since it was her sleepover she should get first go, and we happily agreed.

I knew she’d start by picking me, so I was ready for it when she said, “Megs, Truth or Dare?”

There was only one thing I was choosing first time out! “Truth,” I said.

Her question didn’t come as a surprise either, which I suppose comes from knowing someone, so well, for so long.

“Who was the first boy you fancied?”

I looked at Abi and smiled a “thank-you” smile. I knew that she already knew the answer anyway and was just giving me an easy way into the game.

“Flynn at primary school when I was 9,” I answered.

Neither of the other girls had gone to our primary school and they didn’t know Flynn so it meant nothing to them.

Since I didn’t really know Paige, I decided to pick Bethany, and she also chose Truth.

Following Abi’s lead, I tried to ask a question that Bethany wouldn’t mind answering, but I didn’t want it to be too lame.

“Bethany,” I said, “have you ever kissed a boy?” Of course she had and we all knew it.

“Yes, loads,” she replied with a fair degree of pride.

Bethany then picked Paige, presumably so that everyone was quickly included in the game. As I expected, Paige chose Truth.

“Have you got a boyfriend at the moment?”

“No,” said Paige, and no-one had any reason to doubt her. “Abi, Truth or Dare?”

I had a sneaky feeling that Abi was going to be the one to break out the Dares, so I was a little surprised when she chose Truth, but quickly realised that it was the first time she’d been asked, so it was understandable.

“What kind of person do you want to marry when you’re older?” Paige asked.

Oh dear! Paige hadn’t quite worked out the level of the game.

Abi had to think for a while about this one, but eventually opted for a cop-out.

“I’m not sure I want to get married,” she said.

Paige also saw this as a cop-out, so pushed further.

“But if you do …”

Abi gave in and continued, “But if I do, he must be kind.”

Well, duh!

After looking at me, Abi decided instead to pick Bethany, who once more chose Truth. It looked like the game was starting slowly, which was fine by me.

“Okay, Bethany,” Abi said slowly, “who was the last boy you kissed?”

Ooh, this would be more interesting!

“Lewis in Year 10,” replied Bethany.

There was a sharp intake of breath from each of us. Lewis was pretty much the hunkiest, most fanciable boy in school.

Abi spoke for all of us when she said, “Good for you, girlfriend!” and high-fived Bethany. Paige and I also high-fived her. Not surprisingly Bethany looked extremely pleased with herself.

Bethany picked Paige again, and Paige stuck with Truth. This time, though, the question was much tougher.

“Paige, what’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done?” said Bethany, and she gave Paige a knowing smile.

From that look, I was sure Bethany already knew the answer and that it was going to be pretty embarrassing. My thoughts were confirmed when I looked at Paige and saw she had screwed her eyes up tight and was blushing furiously.

“Come on, Paige,” teased Bethany.

Paige opened her eyes and slowly told her story. “It was when I was 10 and we went on a school trip to some farm place. We were wandering round all these barns and fields and things for ages and I began to really need the toilet. But I kept being told to wait. Well, in the end I couldn’t wait and started to pee myself. When I felt it start to come out I burst out crying and everybody looked at me. I couldn’t stop, so I ended up peeing myself in front of the whole class.”

After looking around the group for a bit, Paige said, “Megan, Truth or Dare?”

Well there was no way I was going to be the first to choose Dare, so it was Truth again.

“Who is your best friend?” Paige asked.

Only Paige could have asked that question. Bethany would have considered it too feeble, and if Abi had asked me it would have thrown up so many questions and doubts about why she was asking that I wouldn’t have known what to think.

As it was, three people answered the question together. “Abi,” said Bethany and I, at the same time as Abi said, “Me.”

Paige looked crestfallen at being seen to be so stupid as to have not picked up on this fact already. I felt sorry for her and, since I was sat next to Paige, I subtly took hold of her hand in mine and gently squeezed it. She squeezed back, looked at me and smiled, and our hands parted.

I was still convinced that Abi would be the first to take a Dare, so I decided to try her. I was right. Maybe she trusted her BFF to not give her anything too hard. I had to get this right, so I took my time. Finally I had one that I thought would work.

“I dare you to let everyone paint your toenails any way they want to.”

Straightaway Abi took off her socks and stretched her legs out so that her feet were in the middle of the room. We got the nail polish and brushes and began to decorate her toes. When we had finished she had multi-coloured toenails and she waggled her feet as the polish dried.

Leaving her decorated feet uncovered, Abi looked at each of us and picked Bethany. Following Abi’s lead, Bethany chose Dare.

“I dare you to sniff everyone’s feet and tell us whose smell nicest and whose smell worst.”

“Including my own?” asked Bethany.

“Including your own,” Abi confirmed.

I wasn’t sure Bethany was flexible enough to do that, but otherwise the dare wasn’t too bad. We had all been only wearing socks since we arrived so, assuming everyone’s basic hygiene was alright, our feet shouldn’t really be stinky. We all took our socks off and stuck our feet out for Bethany to sniff. She made a big play of wrinkling her nose and saying “Ewww” a few times, but I could tell she was only playing around. Eventually she announced the results.

“The award for the nicest smelling feet goes to …” she threw a pause in for effect like they do on X-Factor, “… Megan,” and I stood up and took a bow, “and the award for the stinkiest feet goes to … Abi!”

Abi playfully stuck her tongue out, but it was fair enough since she had come up with the dare. None of us bothered to put our socks back on, so they were chucked into a corner out of the way.

Bethany then picked me, and I had to decide whether to take a Dare or not. I didn’t feel quite ready yet, so I opted for Truth. Bethany and Paige seemed a little disappointed, but I knew Abi understood.

“Megan,” began Bethany, “what do you wear to bed?”

They’d find out later that evening, so there was no point in lying. “A t-shirt that’s like much too big for me so that it comes down a long way, and my knickers,” I informed them. Abi, of course, already knew this.

So far I’d picked Bethany and Abi, so it was only fair that I picked Paige this time. She thought for a while before choosing Truth. I was rather glad that I didn’t have to think up another dare just yet.

“How old were you when you had your first kiss?” I asked her.

She thought for a moment then said “10,” which seemed reasonable.

Paige looked around and then said, “Bethany, Truth or Dare?”

Bethany opted for Truth and seemed quite pleased when Paige asked, “How many boys have you been out with?”

She was quiet for a while and seemed as if she was counting in her head. I wondered at this: surely it couldn’t be that many, could it?

In the end she looked at us and said, “Seven.” I’m not sure if any of us knew whether we should be impressed or not, but I think we all secretly were.

Bethany then took her chance to get Abi back for the earlier feet-smelling dare, and Abi, being Abi, rose to the challenge and took Dare.

A little grin appeared on Bethany’s face as she said, “Abi, I dare you to do a headstand for one minute.” Trying to be helpful, she added, “Someone can hold you up if you need help to do it.”

Abi looked knowingly at Bethany. She had obviously worked out what was going on. Yes, she would need someone to hold her up, but that wasn’t the biggest issue. As soon as she was upside-down, her skirt was going to fall over her top leaving her showing her knickers to everyone. Bethany just smirked at Abi.

“I’m going to do it on the bed so it’s softer on my head,” Abi told us, before selecting me to hold her up.

Abi and I got on the bed and Abi propped herself up against the wall for support. Then, slowly, she pushed her feet further up the wall until she was nearly in position. I stepped in and helped her up the last little bit. Her skirt duly flopped down, giving everyone a fine view of her pink knickers.

“Nice!” said Bethany. “Pink suits you!” I wasn’t sure if she meant it or if she was mocking.

By the time one minute was up Abi’s face had gone the same colour as her knickers, but I was pretty certain that was just the blood rushing to her head rather than embarrassment. When she tried to stand up she was a bit wobbly, which kind of confirmed what I’d thought.

Once she had settled down, she got the game going again. “Megs, Truth or Dare?”

I knew I couldn’t keep taking Truth without appearing a killjoy, and I kind of trusted Abi to not give me too bad a dare. Especially I hoped she would consider what sort of dare I really wouldn’t like.

She did, sort of.

However, I think she was still a bit pumped up from her last dare and that played a part in what she chose for me.

“Megs, I dare you to take off one thing of your clothes and leave it off for the rest of the game.”

My heart skipped a beat and my mouth went dry. The game had just gone up a level.