"Truth or Dare?" Pt. 1

Saturday arrived, and I followed my usual routine – making breakfast, catching up on some reading, and tending to my plants in our small, verdant garden.

I went for a walk to enjoy the fresh air and get some exercise, and then returned home around noon to freshen up. My mom mentioned visiting my granny, who resides just outside of town.

My granny is kind of stubborn – probably where my mom got it from. She prefers her place to ours, as she knows everyone in the friendly town where she lives. Despite her stubbornness, she's the sweetest woman I know.

Whenever we visit, she always has something delicious cooking, and she listens with such enthusiasm as we share our news and adventures.

'I should probably go visit her soon,' I told myself as I prepared to leave.

It was already 2 pm, and I quickly snatched up my bike keys and headed out the door. On the way to Sam's place, I couldn't help but feel excited about the evening's events.

Sam is always full of fun ideas, and I knew he had some special activities planned for the night.

When I arrived at Sam's place and got off my bike, I quickly made my way up to the door. Without ringing the bell, I just went in and met Sophia, Sam's sister, downstairs.

"Hey, Soph!" I drew her attention away from the TV. She looked surprised to see me.

"Ray!!!" She screamed and ran to hug me, and I lifted her in my arms.

"What are you doing here, Ray? I thought you wouldn't be here till later this evening."

I smiled and laughed a bit, saying "Sam invited me over early to help him out."

Sophia is a seven-year-old girl with a head of light brown hair and bright, curious eyes that seem to miss nothing. She's always flashing a toothy grin, full of energy and excitement. We talked a bit about stuff before I asked her about Sam.

"Where's Sam?" I asked, expecting him to have heard my voice.

"He's upstairs with Phoebe. Said they have a project due Monday and I shouldn't disturb them." I chuckled and said okay, knowing exactly what kind of project they were probably working on.

Not wanting to interrupt their 'work', I sat down with Sophia and asked her about the show she was watching when I came in.

She excitedly told me about it and all the new characters that appeared, pointing to the TV to show me. We were there for about half an hour talking and giggling about our favorite characters.

Just then, footsteps echoed from the stairs and Sam appeared around the corner, looking a bit flustered, with Phoebe tailing behind.

"I was already thinking of coming up to help out with your project work," I said as soon as I knew they were within earshot.

"Hey Ray!" he shouted, running towards us. "I'm glad you made it!"

He hugged me and gave Sophia a high-five.

"We fell asleep for a while, that's all," Phoebe said, blushing a bit.

I laughed and ruffled his hair. "Oh, so you two are taking naps instead of working on your project? Huh?" I gave him a knowing look, raising my brows to let him know I knew what they weren't saying.

"Sophie, hope you weren't bored?" Sam asked his sister.

"Not at all," Sophia smiled, looking up at me with a grateful expression. "Ray kept me entertained with funny stories and jokes."

I grinned in response and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze before turning back to Sam.

"I'll just go and relax a bit," Sophia added as she stood up and headed to her cozy bedroom, adorned with pink accents and stuffed animals.

"So, where do we start?" I asked, turning to Sam as he collapsed onto the comfy couch.

"One of us will have to grab a few things from the grocery store, including some beer," Sam said, his stomach growling at the thought of the upcoming feast.

"That will be you," I said, looking at him pointedly.

"Me? Why me?" Sam protested, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"Because I'm the one who has to cook! Plus, leaving the two of you alone isn't going to get anything done. So you go to the grocery store while Phoebe and I transform the musty basement into a cozy hangout spot."

"He's right, baby," Phoebe cupped his face in her hands, making him look into her warm, brown eyes. "It's better you go. We'll have plenty of time together tonight." She continued, soothing his concerns with a gentle kiss on the cheek.

Sam reluctantly accepted my answer and grabbed his keys, heading out to the grocery store.

Phoebe and I set to work, cleaning up the basement and rearranging the furniture to make it look more inviting. We set up a few bean bag chairs and blankets.

After making a few trips up and down the stairs, lugging heavy boxes, and sweeping up cobwebs, we finally had the space looking good – warm and inviting, ready for a night of fun with friends.

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It was 8 pm and the final touches on the basement had been completed. The room was cozy and inviting, with comfortable couches and a warm ambiance. As I surveyed the space, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in the work we had put in.

Just as we finished up, our group of friends arrived all at once. I couldn't help but wonder if they had planned to meet up before coming over.

As everyone filed into the basement, I caught sight of Mia. She looked stunning in her jeans and tank top, her long hair styled in a way that emphasized her natural beauty.

Despite the cold outside, she had left her jacket open, choosing to brave the chill in order to show off her outfit.

Sam and I left the group downstairs to check on his sister, who was already in her room. Sam had her invite Donna her best friend over so she won't be lonely.

As we approached her room, Sam hesitated for a moment before knocking gently on the door. After receiving a muffled response, he pushed it open and we stepped inside.

The room was a mix of color and activity, with every inch of wall space and floor space covered in bright, feminine decorations. I couldn't help but notice the abundance of glitter and sequins scattered throughout the room as Sam made his way over to the bed.

The bedspread was a fluffy, pink comforter adorned with images of unicorns and rainbows, and the pillows were covered in fluffy, pastel-colored cases.

The walls were painted a soft shade of pink, and stuffed animals and dolls were scattered haphazardly across the floor. It was clear that this was a space where a young girl could let her imagination run wild.

Sophia and Donna were lying on the bed, each absorbed in their own screens.

Sophia's tablet was propped up against a pile of pillows, allowing her to comfortably play her game while lounging on the bed. Donna comfortably held hers in her hands.

They were both engrossed in whatever they were playing. As we entered, they both turned to look at us with curious glances.

They seemed to be having a great time, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of joy and contentment emanating from the room.

"Just wanted to be sure you don't need anything else," Sam said, approaching the bed. His voice was laced with concern and care.

"No, we're okay," Sophia replied with a warm smile, her eyes still fixed on the screen in front of her.

"Goodnight, then," Sam said, leaning down to kiss Sophia on the forehead. "Have a good night, too, Donna," he added, turning to give her a warm smile.

"Thanks," Donna replied, smiling back at him.

"Have a good time, you two," Sophia called out as Sam turned to leave, gesturing to the two of us.

"Yeah, thanks," we both replied, waving goodbye as we went out of the room and back down to the basement to join the group.

"What kept you guys?" Kira asked as we joined the group in the basement.

"We were already thinking of starting without you," Jack added with a grin.

We all laughed at the comment, and I couldn't help but feel grateful to be surrounded by such a close-knit group of friends.

"Let's start the night with a movie," I suggested, and Sam handed out drinks to everyone.

"Can we get 50 shades of grey?" Jack shouted, causing a chorus of groans from the girls.

"Dream on," Mia replied, rolling her eyes.

I put in a movie and went to sit down beside Sam and Pheebs, settling in for a relaxing night of cinema. After two hours, the movie was over, and we were all chatting excitedly about it.

"Tell me you have something more fun planned for us tonight," Kira said to Sam, a hopeful look in her eyes.

"Yeah, truth or dare," Sam answered with a mischievous grin.

"C'mon, that's a game for little kids," Mia said with a whine.

"Not if we can make it more fun," Sam replied, winking at the group. "Here are the rules. You are forced to take a dare after two consecutive truths. You will also have to take a shot of that whiskey if you have to pass," he continued, gesturing to the bottle on the table.

"It's one of my dad's strongest whiskey. Got it in London I think."

"And you can't pass after listening to a dare," Sam added.

Everyone was looking at each other to seek unseen approval before accepting.

"Don't worry guys, you're gonna like it," Sam added with a reassuring smile.

We all agreed to give it a try and settled on the floor in a circle. I grabbed an empty bottle while Sam filled some cups with the whiskey, and we were ready to begin.

"Who feels like going first?" Mia asked.

"I'll roll." Phoebe got up almost immediately to pick up the empty bottle.

As she rolled the bottle on the ground, we all held our breaths in anticipation. The bottle spun around and around, making a hypnotizing sound as it moved.

It started to slow down, the momentum dissipating until it finally came to a stop, the neck of the bottle pointing directly at Jack.

"Truth or Dare?" Phoebe asked, a mischievous glint in her eye.