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❝We accept the love we think we deserve.❞

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BOOKS SLAM SHUT, zippers zip closed, and chairs scrape against the floor as everyone rushes to get to the lunch hall. Not me, I think as I remember that I need to get to the library, feeling my heart tug at the disappointment. I've recently got my Physics quiz back with a smacking grade of a D. A D?! The lowest grade I've ever gotten in my school years was a B-, and that was because I was absent and didn't study for that lesson. Maybe it's because of the stress of having to finish the plan before Winter Break or because of my other personal issues, I don't know what it is, but what I know is that I can't fall behind in my grades regardless of anything.

I stack my books in my arm and make my way along with everyone out of the class, separating myself to the more secluded hall that leads to the library.

My hair is ruffled when the air curtains blast a whip of cold air upon my entrance, and I'm hit with the familiar musty scent of old books and green apple air freshener. As expected, the library is mostly empty, save for the brunette in the corner giving me her back. When she tilts her head, I realize it's actually Lexa. After signing my name on the admission paper, I make my way over to her table and put my books lightly on the table. She looks up, slightly startled, and gives me a half-smile before going back to her book. I pull out a chair and seat myself, opening my books as well.

"Hey, is this seat taken?" I ask rhetorically; no one is in the library, and I already sat down.

"No, you can sit down," she replies, not looking up from her book as she write furiously, the pen racing on the paper.

We sit in silence for a while, each one of us focusing on our studies. The pen in her hand seems to be dashing across the paper at a speed of two hundred miles per hour. A couple strands of hair fall into her long thick eyelashes and she pauses from writing for a half second to push them away with the inside of her wrist.

"So, are you and Jeromy a thing?" I ask, deciding to test the waters, playing with the pen in my hand.

She blushes lightly as she looks up. I realize that she does that a lot and gets flustered easily. She's like an open book, her facial expression and body language the words to be read. That can prove to be quite useful to me. "We've been on a couple of dates."

I gesture to her to continue.

"He's really really funny and sweet and always makes sure I'm comfortable and happy." She clicks and unclicks her pen repeatedly. "But I don't think this is going to last."

"Why?"

"Jeromy is the most popular guy in school. Lots of girls want him, lots of pretty cheerleaders that want the hot jock. It makes perfect sense for them to be with him. I'm not insecure or anything, I've been told that I'm very pretty and I know that my social status is good. But . . ." She trails off, her fingers still fidgeting with the pen. "Whatever. Let's not talk about it. So, you like Hunter, right?"

I blink once, startled. The question is a belt that slaps me across the face. I'm so surprised that my jaw opens and closes twice before I manage to form a coherent thought. "No. No, I don't. What makes you think that?"

"I don't know, just the way you look at him sometimes." She shrugs dismissively, like this couldn't affect my social status. Lexa is the only person that sees through my facade — the facade I've worked so hard to build. She's smarter than I took her for.

"Well, I definitely don't. I don't know where you got this from," — I force out a laugh — "but you can forget it."

She smiles, and for the first time in a while, I feel threatened.

---

Later that evening, Phoebe invites us for one of her sleepovers. Surprisingly, the Moore sisters are also invited; Phoebe tends to keep our group knit-tight which explains why no one has joined it for a while.

The whole thing really started with Hunter, Jeromy, and I in third grade. It was my 'rebellious' phase — I didn't bother making any friends with the girls. In fact, I tried everything in my might to scare them off. They all hated me because the boys found it easy to talk to me and because I had enough knowledge to talk to them about video games. I simply became 'one of the boys'. Two of them, specially, were close to me, we were practically inseparable — Jeromy and Hunter. Some people instantly click together, like it's just a matter of time before we finally meet and become really close, like it's meant to be. But others become friends slowly, the way you grow attached to a fictional character that you once might have hated. Jeromy, Hunter, and I instantly clicked together.

Then, in eighth grade, Phoebe enrolled into our school. Everyone loved her, she just had an aura that attracted everyone and made them want to know her. And after being in school for only a week, she managed to redeem the title of the prettiest and most popular girl in school. Now that I think about it, I don't think she went through that awkward phase of growing boobs, acne, and braces. Perfect since birth.

Our group soon came to be — the jock, the mysterious dark hottie, the perfect cheerleader, and the badass. I could easily push Phoebe aside, take her place, and become more popular than her — I've been with them longer never than she has, and I'm just as pretty — but I don't. I let her have the satisfaction of being better than me at some things because there are other things I'm better at that are more important to her, like Hunter. There is always more than what meets the eye.

"India, come on, we're starting the alcohol games," Lilly tells me excitedly. Her eyes are bright, and she's jumping on the balls of her feet — she's excited to be part of the elite group of Kingston High. I feel my stomach knot as she grins expectantly at me; for some reason I have a feeling that Phoebe has an alternative motive behind inviting them.

"I'm coming."

Phoebe leads us to the pool downstairs, and we all sit on the chex lounges with a bottle to spin. The pool glimmers like slick oil under the moon, and the humid air is filled with the scent of chlorine.

We start with a game of truth and dare, for every truth that we take, we have a shot of tequila.

"This is what each of us had to do to enter the 'royal group' of Kingston High. If you really want to be one of us, then you'll have to answer the questions truthfully and do the dare properly," she explains. I have no idea what's going on, there was no game of truth to enter this group when Heidi and Ruby came along. This, I realize, is what Phoebe has planned all along. It's not going to end well. Out of nowhere, she pulls a Bible from behind her and gives it to the sisters. "You need to swear on this that you'll answer all the questions truthfully."

They put a hand on it and the other hand on their heart, swearing solemnly to answer the questions truthfully. It looks like they're signing the contract to their death, the way Lilly loses the excited glint in her eyes and Lexa keeps rubbing her arms up and down.

"But isn't it only fair if they also swear?"

"We're already in the group," Heidi says, making Lilly get one of her sorry-for-the-stupid-question-moments. "Plus, I'm a Muslim and Ruby's an atheist."

Everything is settled and we start. Her questions are playful and harmless at first, but they start to border on the line of daunting as the game goes on.

The bottle's cap lands on Lilly, and the other side faces Phoebe. "Lilly Moore," she says dramatically, rolling the last word on her tongue, "are you a virgin?"

"Yes," she says with a blush. She's embarrassed.

Phoebe smirks and gestures to the shot of tequila. Lilly downs it in a gulp, wincing as it slips down her throat.

Then, it's Ruby's turn to ask me — I choose dare. "I dare you to skinny dip."

"Fine, but I want all your phones."

They all hand me their phones and I wrap them in a towel, leaving them by the pool. The girls cheer me by whistling and giggling as I slip out of my silk pajamas and strip off my underwear.

The girl's cheering increases. "Nice ass!" I think I hear Phoebe exclaim and I flip her off.

A cold breeze slips past me, up my spine, around my arms, down my chest, and I let myself be pushed by it into the water. The water still shocks me as I feel it everywhere, and the chlorine shoots up my nose — I feel it burning the back of my head and the top of my nose.

Suddenly, I laugh hard, the water muting all sounds. It's then that I realize Ruby and Heidi are gay and I just stripped off in front of them.

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(A/N) Hey! I'm sorry for the very late update, I've been hit with a big mass of writer's block, and every time I opened Wattpad, I shut it close again. But I've decided to push myself harder when someone really inspired me to write: @ilovethemerrelltwins She's such a sweet gal and made me cry with her words. This chapter is dedicated to her.

Next chapter is going to be a continuation of their dares, be prepared :)

Much love,

MD ❤️