"Let's play Truth or Dare instead"

I needed a third option, where I wouldn’t be the bad guy.

“I have a better idea. Let’s play Truth or Dare.”

Amy made some crack about how it would be more than a little one-sided to play that game with five girls and one guy, but I could tell that everyone else was happy to have a less-intimidating alternative to getting naked. Best of all, Elizabeth wouldn’t feel like I thought of her as a little kid.

With the sun starting to set and our fingertips starting to raisin, the six of us decided to move the proceedings inside. Elizabeth took me aside and whispered, “Thank you for that. I want you to know, it’s not that I didn’t want you to see me naked. I trust you. I just didn’t want the other girls to make a big deal and tease me about it.” She gave me a peck on the cheek—all the reward I needed.

Everyone lounged around the living room. I did my best not to stare at the towels the girls had halfheartedly tied above their breasts, slipping low enough to expose acres of glistening wet cleavage. Though my imagination was running wild with fantasy outcomes for the situation, I reminded myself that such thoughts were absurd and that this was just going to be a silly game between friends.

Stephanie demanded to go first and called out Elizabeth: “Truth or Dare?”

“Dare,” Elizabeth shot at her, the look in her eyes clearly begging for something wild that would shut Amy up.

“I dare you… to give Ian a hug.”

Elizabeth deflated at the lame request. Fed up with her BFF’s patronizing attempts to protect her, Elizabeth’s eyes went ice cold. It was the same look I was accustomed to seeing in guys’ eyes right before they’d start throwing punches. She walked over to me and gave me a quick hug to fulfill her dare, then immediately turned back to Stephanie: “Truth or Dare?”