[Emily] The dares begin

Rachel looked very serious as she thought on her challenge for Noah. "Aren't you boiling in that shirt? We're among friends, pop that sucker off." Noah laughed, and rolled his eyes, and looked right at Emily as he pulled it off, but for a second it seemed like he was genuinely enjoying the hoots and hollers from the girls around the table. Emily pretended she didn't notice.

"There, ice is broken," Rachel laughed. She snatched the deck of cards out of Noah's hands and dealt one out herself. It was bright red, one of the wildcards that Emily had only seen once or twice before. It was like the bitch had planned it. This one read: DARE ONLY. TWO PLAYERS.

"So... what does that mean?" said Kate.

Lucy sighed. "It means Rachel is going to do what Rachel always does. Take things too far."

Emily was surprised to see that Rachel actually looked hurt. Normally she loved that kind of attention, but now she looked right at Ben. She's in love, thought Emily. Now we're all screwed. She hemmed and hawed for a second before Sarah spoke up. "So like, does that mean the dare has to involve more than one player?" she asked.

Jason grinned. "Doesn't sound too bad to me," he said.

"Woah woah woah," said Ben, looking, terrified, at the girl who was almost his girlfriend. Too bad, friendo, thought Emily. Should've put a ring on it while you had the chance.

“It’s no big deal,” Rachel said. She was trying to sound like she was trying to reassure herself, Emily could tell. But by the way she glanced over at Ben when nobody was looking Emily knew that she only had one person in mind. Emily didn’t know whether Rachel was just putting on a show, or if she actually wanted to do this.

“How are we supposed to figure out who makes the dare?” said Jason.

“Better for it to be two people who haven’t gone yet, I figure,” Rachel said. Her dark eyes were gleaming. That meant Ben, Jason, Sarah, Lucy, and Mark. The night was still young. “Any volunteers?”

Ben opened his mouth, but he wasn’t quick enough. Both Jason and Mark raised their hands in a flash. He shut it just as fast. Rachel noticed that, too. “Okay, so what’s the dare?” she said.

Mark and Jason glanced at each other. Was that envy Emily was feeling? Envious over what? She inched closer to where Noah was sitting a few places away. She was accounted for. The two boys were trying to think how much they could get away with, she knew it.