"DONE DONE DONE!" I cried, throwing my parchment across the room. I was sitting in the Gryffindor common room, joined by Zoey and Nadia, whom I had snuck in. Nadia looked up, surprised, while Zoey fell back in her chair, laughing.

  "DONE WITH HOMEWORK!" I cried, throwing my quill over next to my parchment.

  "Alyssa!" Nadia scolded. Ravenclaws apparently did not appreciate me insulting homework. "You can't just do that!"

  "Oh come on, Nad," Zoey sighed. "We can finish it in the afternoon."

  "Fine," she huffed. "Let's go meet up with Nickolas and Steven then."

***

"Hey guys," I said, waving to Nickolas and Steven, who we found sitting under a tree outside.

  "Hi," Steven replied briefly.

  "Hey," Nickolas said. I felt butterflies in my stomach. I pushed them aside. It was probably nothing.

"I'm bored," Zoey cried out suddenly. She looked at Nadia. "Quick! We need something to do!"

I laughed. Typical Zoey.

"Uh," Nadia started. "We could play truth or dare...?"

"Good! Anything!" Zoey cried. I held in my laughter at her over-dramatic antics.

"Um, sure I guess," I said nervously. I didn't much like this game.

"I'm in," Steven said.

"Me too," Nickolas replied.

  "Great!" Zoey said evilly. "Let's get started!"

***

  "Alyssa, truth or dare?" Nadia asked. I gulped. Just great.

  "Er- truth," I replied. I wasn't about to let Nadia dare me. That girl can get evil when she wants to.

  She smirked. I suddenly wished that I'd picked dare.

  "Do you like anyone," she started. "And who is it?"

  "Wha- No!" I said. I was fully aware of the fact that I'd gone as red as my House colors. Nadia smirked again.

  "You sure??"

  "Uhh... FINE!" I said. Zoey looked at me smugly. "It's uh-" I couldn't tell them the truth! That would be so weird! Nadia's brother! "- it's Nathaniel Chammak!"

  "Wait- really?" Nadia asked, surprised. She had been sure it was her brother.

  "Yep!" I said, going red. "Gotta go!" And with that, I ran out.

  This was not happening. Trying to escape public embarrassment, I'd just dug myself a deeper hole.