A Dare With The Player

**Kyla's Pov**

"Hi, I'm Kyla Malik. I'm seventeen and I go to Lockwood high." I introduce myself in front of the camera putting on my best fake smile.

"Cut!" Riley yells with a massive glare shot directly at me.

"What did I do wrong this time? We've shot it almost ten times. I'm hungry Riley." I whin, pouting my lips.

"We're going to do it over and over again until you sound convincing."

She says in a firm tone. I know better than to argue with her.

"Ugh!" I groan but she simply chuckles.

Okay, as I said I'm Kyla Malik and the annoying girl in front of me is my best friend, Riley. We've been friends since kindergarten when she stole my lunch. Funny right. I shrugged my shoulders, watching Riley stiffen a small laugh.

We are currently shooting a reality video as she calls it and apparently, I'm not being real enough. I told her before hand that I'm a very boring person. She picked the wrong girl for the job. I can't sound "real" over a camera or say fun things to get people hyped. It's just not me sadly.

"I'm coming over to your place tonight. We're going over it again until. .." She stops talking, her mouth falls open, her gaze is fixed on something, someone.

"Hey Juliet. You're gaping." I snap my fingers teasing her.

"Can you blame me, he's so dreamy." She coos placing her hands on both sides of her face.

The dreamy guy is Stein. He goes to our school but he's a fuck boy by nature. It's rumoured that he's slept with at least ten girls in Lockwood high. I dont blame him or them.

Him because they practically throw themselves at his feet and them because he's really cute. Too bad I don't do boys unlike Riley she's had a crush on him since forever and I wonder when it'll end.

"There's a party later today, we're going."

"You know my answer every week, I'm not. I would rather lay in bed and watch Netflix all night than watch young teens drink themselves to stupor."

"That's why this week I'm not asking. I'll be at your house by eight pm. We're going."

"Yeah, goodluck with that." I rol my eyes and we went back to our food or at least I did, Riley is still gushing over Stein and giving me the creeps.

****

After lunch, we each go back to our separate class with small talks until the closing bell sounds. I didn't have a car yet, my dad always said I am too young. Riley takes me to school and back and it's fun riding with her.

She drops me off at my house, deciding to offer some words of wisdom.

"I'll be back by eight pm. Look pretty." I roll my eyes making a mental list of all the movies I would watch before falling as sleep. I'm not going to a party and even Riley can't convince me otherwise.

I find the hidden key under the door mat gaining access to my house.

I live with my relatives here in California as my parents were way up in Texas. My aunt and uncle treat me like their own child maybe it's because they didn't have any.

I lock the door behind me, place the keys on the counter and walk to my room for a refreshing bath.

When I am done, I pick up my phone and scroll through my watch lists.

The moment the clock struck eight pm, my phone rings and Riley is calling.

**Hey babe. I chirp eager to go back to watching "The kissing booth."**

** I'll be at your house in ten minutes. Be ready before then. I snort as she hangs up going back to my movie.**

True to her words, she arrives shortly after ten minutes.

"You're not dressed!" She exclaim, I was too busy staring at her . Riley looked really pretty, I mean she doesn't even have to try her skin is flawless.

"Why aren't you dressed!" She added in a high pitched tone.

"Because i'm not going. I told I don't want to."

"Kyla you can't keep doing this. This is highschool where we'll have the best years of our lives. You have to live it to the fullest. Yes you're scared of being judged but that shouldn't stop you from doing things. You might be a bookworm but as your friend I can tell you I love Being around you. But since you want to drown yourself in movies, I hope you have fun. I'm off. "

Guilt stabs me straight in my heart. She plays with my emotions and she's damn good

"Wait." I say sucking in a harsh breath.

"Come help me pick out my clothes."

She dashes towards me, hugging me tightly.

"Let's do this."

"Don't go over board please."

"I'll try my best." She grins flashing her white teeth. By try her best she means, get ready because when I done, you won't recognize yourself.

****

**Kyla's POV**

True to her word, she does try her best. It takes nearly two hours of struggling to fix my face since this is the first time in almost a year I'm wearing make up.

After making me "sparkle." She rotates the mirror, so I could have a look. I pinch my cheeks to make sure this is my real face.

"Don't touch it. You'll ruin it!"

She snaps and slaps my hand off my face getting a little powder to touch-up the place I ruined.

"Fuck! I'm gorgeous." I say doing a little twirl while seating. Furthermore, I have to admit, Riley is fantastic at what she does. She turned a simple girl into a party bitch.

"You are, aren't you. Let's go!" She sounds pumped and excited unlike me. I just want the night over soon, so I grabbed my purse containing the things I would need, and we leave in a hurry. According to her, we are fashionable late.

My aunt may get home soon. She will let me go but I'd hate the questions that followed when I get back, so I have to hurry. I need to start acting my age.

We rush into Riley's car while I giggle. I fe a little rush within me. The feeling of breaking a law or doing something I'm obviously not supposed to.

"Let's go!."

I scream with my hands high in the air, and she drives into the night.

********

Music is blaring from all directions. My first ever high school party. People talk that the experience is forever, memorable, and I am about to find out.

"Let's go."

"Why are you in such a rush anyways?"

I question noticing her nervousness.

"Stein might get here soon. I want to see him before the girls start gushing over him."

She pleads with a pout.

"Sooner or later, you'll have to get over that crush or yours."

I caution with a playful grin.

"I'm not crushing on him, I fucking love the dude."

I roll my eyes while we stepped out of the car.

"What am I going to do here anyways?"

"It's easy Kyla. Go in, get drunk and dance like there's no tomorrow."

She grinns, and I roll my eyes for the hundredth time.

"I don't really want to drink."

"Don't be a buzz kill. Just one drink or two."

She tugs at my arm.

"Just one drink or two."

I agree and we were going in.

It got even worse by the time we reach the door. Students are trooping in.

If I thought my dress was short, some of the girl's clothing were extra short, and they didn't even care. Some guys will grab their ass earning a giggle from them.

I gag in disgust and trail behind Riley.

True to her words, Stein and some of his friends dropped in.

Riley gushes over him keeping her gaze unable to look away.

I wonder how someone could be ever be in love with Stein.

"Come on, let's follow them."

"But why?"

I complain and she shrugs

"They're going upstairs. I might get a chance to talk to him."

"You know he'll say no."

"Still Kyla. I don't care if I get rejected, I just have to tell him how I feel before I literally explode."

"Alright girl. Good luck."

I beam tailing behind her. We walk upstairs following them into the room.

A group of students ars already there.

"This is it, I'll tell him how I feel. There's Stein."

She grin and we heard cackling behind us.

"Joanna! "

She exclaims.Joanna was like the boss bitch or something. The same girl who just over heard our conversation. She will surely make a mockery out of Riley.

"Good luck getting him to look at someone like you!"

"You'll be surprised Joanna."

"Oh if it isn't the best friend Kyla. How pathetic."

She spat out and walk away.

"Okay people! Who's up for a little game of truth or dare."

A guy suggests making everyone squeal.

"This is perfect. I'll finally get an opportunity to confess my feelings. Let's play please."

Riley pouts her lips and I can't refuse. We move xloser to the crowd and the game commences.

********

After a while, the person asking the questions gets tipsy and goes out to the restroom for a while.

"I'll continue till he gets back."

Joanna offers with a dirty smirk.

"So Richard, truth or dare?"

The guy in question has his head bowed. In fact, he acts nonchalant throughout the game. I notice him out of everyone else.

He finally raises his head slightly and his eyes darkened.

They are hazel, and I nearly get lost in them.

I quickly avert my gaze, so I will not be caught.

"Dare."

He states simply.

"Great. This night is a little boring so why don't I make things a little weird. I dare you to use thirty days to make Kyla Malik fall in love with your best friends. You don't stop until they're hopelessly in love with each other. You're cupid, and I want you to shoot them arrows. We all know you never turn down a dare so this was very interesting."

The whole room falls silent after those words and my gaze falls back on Richard. I squint my eyes to get an in-depth look, but he let out zero emotions.

********

**RICHARD'S POV**

My eyeballs were about to pop out of their socket, due to the dare I was given. Obviously I was the king of dares, but Stein was a stone-hearted player.

He used and dumped women. Kyla was a boring, old and plain girl. She would never catch his attention. I can't do this dare, I can but I don't want to end up losing in the end. I never lose, no matter what happens.

"I can't..." I said and everyone in the room gasped.

There was a first time for everything. This was the time when Richard Lockwood turned down a dare. It barely counted as a dare, more like mission impossible.

Joanna had another plot. She made me a pawn in a much bigger game. I just ruined it for her because nothing or no one can make me accept.

**Kyla's POV**

My head was in a turmoil. Several thoughts ran through at the same time.

Joanna over heard our conversation earlier and figured this was the perfect way to get back at us, pin us against each other, and destroy us from within.

If this Richard guy took the dare, it would indirectly mean being pushed to love the guy my best friend was crazy over.

No way I could ever try to pacify her, so she won't feel bad. The thought of it already hurt.

There was only one option, one thing to do: backing out of the game. If I declined, all of this stop, all of this would end. Riley and I could go back to our boring lives and I'd never attend another high school party again.

I mean, Richard can't try to make me fall in love with someone if I don't want to right?

The group of students present had not dropped any thoughts on the dare.

I was still in deep thoughts when someone spoke up.

"I can't."

At first, I thought I didn't hear properly until students began to whisper among themselves.

"He never turns down a dare."

"He accepts the blowjob, so why can't he do this? He's scared?"

I listened to their thoughts, and it registered that the voice belonged to Richard. A light in the deep tunnel. If he wasn't going to do it, I did not need to worry.

One look at Riley and I tore my gaze back.

She looked angry. Really, furious. Her eyes shot daggers in my direction, it was understandable, the guy she was madly in love with and her best friend could get together.

"That's not possible Richard, you always go through with a dare."

"Yeah man and I actually like this one."

Stein said making me shift back. I didn't dare to look at Riley. Things aren't going as expected.

"I'm not going to make a fool out of myself for thirty days in a mission impossible."

"How sure are you that I won't fall? She's beautiful."

He complimented, Riley squirmed besides me. I need to put an end to this.

"You see Richard, so it's a dare?"

The grin plastered on Joanna's face was glaring.

"I guess so."

Richard stated and finally took a look at me. For a few seconds his gaze was all I can meet. Then, I quickly remember my best friend and her pains.

"You're all making dares about me when I won't even do it in the first place."

I spat out with an angry look.

"Buzz kill..."

Some students mocked. If only they knew how little I cared.

"You can make your dare but leave me out of it. I'm not interested."

I added in a firm tone.

"Actually, that's the point of everything. Getting you interested. The bet isn't necessarily about you per se. It's like when guys make bets about girls. The bet is about you, and Stein, but you can't oppose as you're not the one doing it. In fact, you can't do anything. We both know the only reason you're even saying anything is to try to be a good friend. Everyone knows you'll fall for Stein before it's over."

She cackled afterwards, Riley got up and stormed out of the room. Joanna's words must have taken roots in her mind.

"I'm not falling in love with anyone. Like I said, keep me out of your dare. I'm not interested, pick another dare but leave me alone!"

I exclaimed before running after her. She can't seriously let Joanna get to her. She's spouting rubbish as always. I'm not going to fall for my best friend's crush.

We've been friends since kindergarten.

I finally caught up to her trying to get a drink.

"Riley, wait please."

"What do you want Kyla? Go back to your game."

She shoved me slightly.

"You don't seriously believe what they're saying in there. I thought you knew me better, I'm your best friend. I would never fall in love with a guy you love."

"Right, that's what I said too actually...."

She trailed off chuckling.

"But you know what? When the heart opens up, there's nothing we can do."

"I promise you, I won't fall for him."

I reassured hoping I could still reach my best friend.

"Okay Kyla, let's say I believe you. I trust you and you're my best friend. You don't fall in love with him, what's the assurance he won't fall for you. You're perfect."

She snorted. I couldn't give an answer, at least not a one hundred percent honest one, but I was not perfect.

She scoffed, after my pause.

"You know what Kyla? I felt tonight was it. My night, I never would've taken you with me, you ruined everything. I hoped for a perfect next. Too bad. Thanks a lot best friend."

She mocked, grabbed the bottle and walked away. Hot tears stung my eyes and rolled freely down my cheeks, at the middle of the dance floor where everyone was having such a good time.

********