"Truth or Dare?"

We were six. With our ears pressed against the screen of the window, we could scarcely hear the words that the older kids whispered late that night.

"Dare." The boy's voice was low and slow, as if he was making a very important decision.

Max and I did everything together. We had since we were two and were forced to play together by our overbearing mothers. There is no rule that says if you're the same age and you live next door, you have to be friends, but it worked out that way. Well, after max got over his pulling hair phase and I got over my yelling phase.

"I dare you to go outside and yell 'fire!' and then run back inside." The girl's voice was a contrast to his. She spoke quickly and loudly in a voice that was so high-pitched it hurt my ears.

This was a stupid, stupid idea.

"Truth."

"Drew! You're chickening!"

Laughing echoed throughout the cabin, even though the onlookers knew they wouldn't do it either.

"So? Allison, do you have any idea how much trouble I could get in if I did that?" 'Drew' said.

I stared at Max with wide eyes. Although I was better in school, Max was older and more street smart. I helped him with his ABC's, and he held my hand when I was scared. We balanced each other out.

"Max, I want to go home. I'm tired and it's cold." I whispered softly to him. He stubbornly shook his head, shrugging off his jacket to give it to me and holding up a finger.

"One minute." He whispered back. I slipped into his jacket, feeling the warmth wrap around me. He continued to listen as I shivered in my boots.

"You're here, aren't you?" 'Allison' remarked, laughter in her voice.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Technically you're already breaking the '#1 rule.'"

"What?" Drew said, his voiced clearly showing that he thought she was idiotic and had no idea what she was talking about.

"They told us that the most important rule was not to leave the bunks."

"Well then you'd better make it worth my while." Drew sounded smug and satisfied. He knew he had beaten her at her own game. "Truth or Dare?"

"Drew! You can't ask me! We aren't done with you!"

"Well, Allison, I do believe you are chickening already. You haven't even heard your dare yet."

"Fine, truth."

"Okay...why not dare? No, no that's not my question. Umm...would you go out with me?"

"Are you asking me out?"

"Ha-ha. No. You wish. Notice I said 'would you', not 'will you.'" He was very good at playing this game. He seemed to always know exactly what to say to make her mad.

"Drew...I don't know. You're a bit too...bad-boy for me." Drew cracked up immediately.

"You do realize that you guys were going to play strip poker, which you suggested, before I got here and convinced you all to play truth or dare, don't you?" Drew said.

"I hate you." Allison said, laughter in her voice.

"Love you too, hon." You could practically hear the huge smile that overtook his face.

Max turned to me, a curious look on his face. We were pretty smart for six-year-olds, but we had never heard of strip poker.

"We can go now." Max said, taking me by the hand and pulling me back through the forest.

*****

"Truth or Dare?"

We were ten. My long, honey-brown hair was curled halfway down my back. His hair was bleach-blond from the summer sun. We were sitting on the floor of our tree house, staring at each other intently. His dark blue eyes were flashing with determination, whereas I knew my emerald green eyes revealed nothing.

"Dare." Max said, thinking he had beaten me. I wasn't good at dares, but I knew what he was afraid of, so sometimes I won.

"I dare you to kiss me." I said, smiling. Girls were his biggest fear.

"That's not fair!"

"How is that not fair?"

"It just... fine." His face got closer and closer. When he was only centimeters away, I jumped up. I quickly ran out of the tree house and slid down the rope, laughing the whole way.

Max appeared at the balcony moments later. He seemed angry, but I knew I was already forgiven. He never stayed mad at me.

"You lose!" I yelled, still laughing to the point of tears.

"Not if I catch you!" He grabbed the rope with both hands and slid down. I sprinted away, back towards our houses. He caught me moments before I stepped on the front porch where we had met years ago. He looked determined to complete his dare, and his face came towards mine again. He was almost there when my mother's voice sounded across the yard.

"Kids! Lemonade!" My mother yelled from the kitchen window. I twisted away and ran into the house smiling.

*****

"Truth or Dare?"

We were sixteen. We were sitting on the couch in his basement watching American Idol.

"Max, we're not two."

"Gemma, please! I'm bored! None of these people can sing, end of story. This is a waste of time!"

"Fine. Truth."

"Aww, come on. Why don't you ever pick dare?"

"Is that your question? I don't pi-" He cut me off.

"That's not my question! Okay, okay. Umm... Who do you like? And don't tell me Knox because your friends may believe that, but I know when you're lying."

"I'm not lying. I do like Knox."

"As a friend?! Come on, Gem. Otherwise I'll tell everyone your deepest, darkest secret!"

"I don't care. Plus, I don't have a deep, dark secret." I couldn't tell him. He was the last person I could tell.

"Ooooooh. This person must be HOT." Max said, grinning like a little kid.

I laughed.

"Or... he's a total loser!" His face was going to break if his grin got any wider.

"I don't want to talk about it." I said, turning my eyes dead and lifeless so that he knew I was serious.

"Oh. Sorry!" Max's face fell immediately and he wrapped his arms around me, squeezing me tight. "Forgive me! I can't live if you hate me! I'm sooooorrrrrrrrryyyyyy!"

I had to laugh at that. If only he knew.

"Okay, Maxieboy, if I remember the rules correctly, it's my turn!"

"Mmhmhmmhhhmmh." Max mumbled into my sweatshirt as I pried him off.

"Truth or Dare?"

"Truth."

"Who do you like?"

"You can't ask me the same question!" He looked terrified.

"I just did." I said with a smirk.

"Umm... I can't answer that."

"Why not?" He turned red and dived into the pillows on the couch, burying his face.

"Because..."

"Because why?" I tried to pull him out, but he just kicked his legs.

"It would ruin our friendship." My heart stopped. He froze. I sat on the couch and he sat up and faced me.

"I didn't mean to say that. Forget I said anything." He got up off the couch and began to walk down the hall. I ran after him and grabbed his hand.

"Why would it ruin our friendship?" I whispered. My face was inches away from his. I thought back to that time in the woods when we were ten and I had almost let him kiss me.

"Because... I like you." He broke eye contact with me and stared at the ground. It was silent for a few seconds. He looked up questioningly.

"I...Ilikeyoutoo." I murmured. It was my turn to look somewhere else, so I looked behind him at the wall. He put his hand up to my face, gently pushing my gaze back to his. I could feel him getting closer, until his lips fell gently on mine.

"Dinner!" His mother yelled from the top of the stairs, startling us apart.

"We should probably go up." I looked at him with feelings of awkwardness for the first time in my life.

"Yeah." He smiled softly and cautiously slid his warm hand into mine as we walked up the stairs.

*****

"Truth or Dare?"

We were twenty-two. We were sitting at the park in town, just having finished our ice creams.

"Max, no. I'm not in the mood." After a hectic day, I didn't feel like playing along with his games.

"Just once." He pleaded, kneeling in front of me with his hands clasped like we were six again.

"Fine. Umm... Truth." I said, laughing at his pout.

"Gemma, will you marry me?" He said, his face hopeful.

"Yes!" His eyes shone as his lips settled on mine for the beginning of the rest of our lives.

*****

"Truth or Dare?"

We were seventy-four. Max and I were sitting in our favorite chairs in the house I grew up in. Our grandchildren were running around under our feet, and our children were laughing at us as we played our favorite game.

"Truth."

"Who do you think will die first?"

"You! You were born first." I said, laughing.

"No, let's die together. Then I never have to live without you and you never have to live without me."

"Okay. No matter what, we'll die together." I smiled and placed a quick kiss on his forehead. Truth or Dare may be a silly, childish game to most people, but it's was fun and exciting when I play it with Max.

Author's Note:

I just edited this...added and reworded things.

If there are any mistakes I'd be happy to know!

Thanks for all your reviews...I'm thinking of submitting this to a short story contest, so I'll see how that goes.

Since it's summer now I will be writing more (hopefully) so look for updates on my other stories!

I recently cleaned out my desk and found a ton of old notebooks, so I have been handwriting a ton of stories. Not so good for all of you, but if I ever get around to typing them up I will put them on here!

Brielle Gemson

=]