You

"John," he says, and you feel an instant relief at having one of your best friends daring you, you just know he will take easy on you. That is, until you notice a glint on his eyes that fills you with uneasiness. "Well, since we're on the business of embarrassing each other, I dare you to kiss Nicole."

You suppose everyone could have heard a pin dropping at the other side of the house with the silence that followed. All of your friends know the nature of your friendship with Nicole, that you consider her more as a sister than an actual friend. Even if you can see Tom quietly snickering, you feel a bit puzzled at the glare Sarah is directing at Matt.

"That's a low blow, you of all people know how they are." She says.

"Chill, Sarah, it's just a game," Tom chimes in. "Let them prove how close they are."

You look at Nicole, noticing the expression of shock on her face, and it annoys you that Matt made her feel that way. All the uneasiness you were feeling suddenly gives place to confidence, an idea popping up in your head as you recall the dare.

Wordlessly, you stand up and crouch in front of a wide-eyed Nicole. You nod at your best friend before gently touching her chin with a finger and turning her head so you could place a brief kiss on her cheek. You pull back and smile at the grateful look on her face.

You turn around to face the slackjawed expressions on your friends' faces before looking at a stuttering Matt. You shrug, grinning wickedly at him. "Should've specified where and for how long, buddy." You say while walking over to the bowl.

Just as you were reaching for a slip of paper, you pull back your hand and turn to the others. "I can use a few minutes off, what do you guys say?"