Once a Dare leads to Love

It was love at first sight, at last sight, at ever and ever sight.

-Vladimir Nabokov

****

(PROLOGUE)

The loud music was blasting in the club. Boys and girls covered in sweat were dancing on the dance floor like beasts. The bar section was full of people. Everyone was ordering drinks from their choices. Few cheap couples were making out at the corners, not trying to hide, neither trying to expose completely.

Sitting on the bar counter and drinking my Champagne, I was doing my favorite thing: observing my surroundings.

It may sound funny, that I was the one who arranged this party and I was the one sitting alone. Why?

Well, I don't have any friends nor I thought of making them. I don't like it. Duh, they are just a crowd of fake people around you.

"Cool party." A girl said to me, getting closer.

"Of course, I'm the organizer," I replied with a smirk.

I always gave an Open Club Party where everyone was allowed, including the outsiders and my schoolmates. So, there were so many unknown faces enjoying it. But somehow, I don't know why only three rich jerks caught my attention.

They were sitting in the V.I.P area and flirting with my classmates. By look and dressing style, they looked wealthy and that was enough to tell they were rich spoiled brats. I chuckled at them because both were looking the same; idiots!

"By the way, why did you arrange a party all of a sudden?" Clara asked with a smirk on her perfect makeup face. She was wearing a black knee-length dress with exposing back and smokey eyes make-up with red lipstick.

I didn't have any friends but had you ever heard of childhood enemies? Yes, she was my childhood enemy. I did have a lot of competitors and enemies. She was one of them – Clara Olsen.

"Your path is clear now. I'm moving from this city to New York." I mimicked her tone.

"Oh, barbie doll accepted her defeat." She taunted, and I laughed.

"No, baby girl. I am having pity on you." I taunted back with a wink. She scrunched her nose up in disgust, and her blue eyes reflected anger, telling she didn't like my statement, but who cared?

She was quick to recover her anger in a smudged smirk as she said, "Since you are leaving. What about playing a game. Huh... Truth and Dare?"

Something must be barbecuing in her crazy brain. I could smell it.

"Sure," I shrugged.

"Let's call your friends... Oops! I forgot you don't have any. Let me call my friends." She taunted, laughed, and left.

Whatever!

Soon, she came with her cats and dogs. We moved towards the V.I.P booth. In the center, there was a big round table and around it, there were round comfortable sofas.

We were sitting on the right side of the club, in the center, on the dance floor, sweating bodies were moving with the beat. There was also a V.I.P sitting area on the left side of the club, the exact one where those jerks were sitting. I don't know why but they were aching my eyes.

One of Clara's friends bought an empty bottle of wine. They rotated the bottle, and it stopped on a girl. They asked her 'truth or dare', and she chose to dare. A brave girl or should I say, a poor girl, because they dared her to kiss the guy who was standing with a girl who seemed like his girlfriend. Poor guy!

She went and kissed him. That guy also responded to her kiss, but the next part was my favorite one when the guy's girlfriend slapped her boyfriend along with the girl and stormed out of everyone's sight. I chuckled at the scene. That poor guy ran behind her and the one who completed her dare, came back silently. Anyway, she completed her dare so, everyone applauded for her.

Once again that bottle was spun and waited for it to stop. And when it stopped. All eyes focused on me, a challenging smirked broke on Clara's lips.

Shit! But no problem, it would be fun.

"So Barbie doll, Truth or Dare?" Clara asked, amused as if she had won something. But did she know me?

"Of course, Dare, baby girl." I confidently replied, mirroring her smirk.

She observed the whole surroundings by moving her head like a fish when we put her out of the water. I smirked at my own thought. When she stopped that stupid smirked on her face deepened. I followed her gaze only to find that she was looking at those V.I.P jerks.

"Look, that guy over there with a white button-down shirt and black ripped jeans. Go and slap him." She said, pointing at one of those jerks.

"What?" I said a little shocked.

Did I hear right?

"Miss Quine Skylee Kingston, I said go and slap that guy over there." She said, using my full name. I passed her a deadly glare, she knew not to use my full name. I stood up from my seat.

I stared at that guy. His back was facing me, and he looked busy with someone over there, probably making out with a girl. I was not afraid of slapping someone, but slapping someone without any reason, would be a bad idea. It would be rude, and the consequence might make me end up in trouble.

But who cares when you're challenged? I'm going to left this city anyway.

"Do you even hear your words, Clara?" I titled my head, giving her a look.

"Why? Are you scared?" She winked.

That hit my ego, and I controlled myself from crashing that wine bottle on her head. Then she would know who the scariest one was here.

"Do you know me? If yes, then you should know who needs to be afraid of me right now." I retorted with my calm voice with a smile and turned to look at that jerk. I would have to slap him because now, it was a matter of my dignity.

Taking a sharp breath in, I walked past many dancing bodies from one corner to the other corner of the club, and soon I was standing behind him.

Gathering all my courage, I patted his shoulder. He turned around with a confused look on his face. His grey eyes met my emerald ones.

Without thinking further, I slapped him, hard. Very harshly that his head moved to the left side. My hand ached badly. Damn! It was a hard one. Even every person in the club went still that only the sound of ear-crushing music left.

He slowly tilted his head back with a huge frown on his face. It took all my strength to bite back my laugh looking at his face. There was a slight red mark printing my fingers on his perfectly sharp jawline cheek.

His friends who were standing on both sides glared at me. The right one who had Korean features shouted, "What the fuck!"

The left one stepped forward, "Why the hell did you slap him? Do you even know who is he? You bitch!"

Anger was fuming in both of their voices. Of course, good pets, but...

"How dare you call me a bitch? You asshole!" I shouted back loud enough for everyone to hear.

"You......" The left one was about to shout something back at me again, when finally 'Mr. Got Slapped' stopped him by raising his hand, showing some gesture after getting slapped.

He was silently watching the whole drama from the last minute. He looked at me with his fierce gaze. His grey eyes were boring holes in my skull, and even his stare caused a shiver to run down my whole body.

His continuous glare made me skip a heartbeat and I freeze at my spot. He came closer and closer, so close that he started interrupting my personal space. His grey eyes were seemed ready to kill me if only looks could kill. I literally felt his not-so-minty breath fanning my face. But I didn't move nor even blink, but kept on staring at him.

Am I scared right now?

But before he could lean further, a muscular arm pushed him back, and I release my breath that I was holding for so long. It was my bodyguard; Number 1.

He stood in between me, and Mr. Got Slapped, blocking my view of him. Then spoke to me, probably passing daggers at those guys.

"We need to leave, Miss." Number 1 said, and I nodded even he couldn't see me.

I signaled Clara and her friends with a nod and wink that I completed my dare. Good thing that those guys didn't create any fuss except for just glaring. Soon we exited the club and I bounced on the back seat of the car.

My heart was thumping badly in my chest. I was so close to creating a big mess tonight, but now it would be fine because soon I was going to leave this city. And well, who cared?

"Ma'am Octavia ordered us to bring you back home." Number 2 said, and I nodded.

"Who was that guy, by the way?" Number 1 asked, curiously.

"Who knows." I grinned with a shrug. I don't know who was he? Probably a rich jerk... whom mood and reputation I had ruined. I laughed, remembering his face.

The last memory in this city, which was funny, interesting, stupid, and more than idiotic but a memorable one. But who thought that it was just a start of a memorable life.

But who thought that it was just a start of a memorable life.

(Skylee P.O.V)

"Mum!" I called her in a really annoying voice.

"Sky baby, listen to me. It's for your help and for me to relieve myself that you are safe there." Mum was trying her best to persuade me.

"Seriously! But why so many people? I'm grown up now, and I can manage everything on my own." She knew very well that I wasn't a person from whom she could win easily.

After the long tiring flight, when I sat in the Taxi to drive to my new home, suddenly, I found out that Mum had prepared an army consisted of four people to take care of me there. Because for the first time, I was going to live alone. So, for the past 10 minutes, we were discussing, no, trying to persuade each other.

"I know, baby. But you know, you are going to live alone for the first time without your Mum. I'm worried." She said on the other side of the phone, and I could clearly imagine her doing a cute pout.

"You don't have to be. Bro Xander is here too." I reminded her.

"I know, that's what hinders me from taking tension. He will take care of you very well. You should listen to him whatever he said to you, alright?" She ordered.

"Mum! We are not done yet." I said and looked at the view from the window. We were at a red signal and let me say it was so crowded! New York was a big crowded city.

"I guess, we are!" She said sheepishly.

"Mum!" I said, annoyed and added, "Just persuade me with one damn reason."

"Baby, I'm your mother and I know you better than anyone." She said and I could again clearly imagine her signature smirk appearing on her lips.

"Do you know how to cook? Especially your favorite barbecue pizza. No! Do you like household choruses like cleaning and washing? No! You don't even know how to protect yourself from robbers, do you? Can you guard 24/7 in your own house like a guard? No! Do..." She continued like that and I scrunched my nose.

Why the hell did I even ask her for a reason?

"Okay, Mum, you win and I lose." I said because technically, she was right.

"Good girl." She said excitedly because Skylee Kingston rarely accepts her defeat.

"And yes, stay away from trouble." She added.

"I'll try my best." I chuckled.

"Ok, then I'll call you later. I have work to do. Bye! Take care!" Mum said and cut the call. I leaned back on the seat and sighed.

After 5 minutes, I was standing in front of a simple yet attractive gate. A guard, who was wearing a black suit, hiding his eyes under his black glasses and an earpiece connected to his ear, came forward. After greeting me, he took my luggage from the car. He had black hair and light skin color which gave him the personality of a bodyguard. On top of this, his muscular body indicated that he was not just an ordinary gate guard, he was someone different.

"This way, ma'am." He guided me the way. I slipped my guitar bag over my shoulder and followed him.

We went inside the gate and a beautiful lawn greeted me. In the center, there was a path on which I was walking. On both sides, grass and different flower vases increased the glory of that beautiful front lawn.

I entered the house and it was damn beautiful. White interior and red furniture, so well settled that not even a hair was out of place. Bro Xander gave a warm welcome hug, "Welcome! Did you like it?"

"Beautiful!" I commented and sat on the sofa in the lounge. It was a two-floor house. On the ground floor, there was an open kitchen on the left. In the center, there were seven-seater red-velvet comfortable sofas. There was a big LCD on the right. In front of that LCD, there was also a wooden swing couch.

Xander bro sat beside me, "Your room is upstairs. How was the flight?"

"I'm tired," I yawned.

He looked at his wristwatch and then said to me, "I have some work to do but, don't you leave this house without my permission. The guard at the front door, his name is George. That maid will handle all the house stuff, and her name is Asli."

"Asli?" I asked, looking at her. She had sharp features with a straight face, no signs of polite behavior.

"Yes. She is Turkish and..." He stopped to think something.

"What?" I asked, raising my brows and trying to read his expressions.

Is he hiding something from me?

"Never mind. Your two bodyguards." He gestured towards Number 1 and Number 2. And here I thought I have succeeded in leaving them behind. Well, these two were with me since the start of high school. I never remembered their names, so I named them 'Number 1' and 'Number 2'. What? It's way too much easy to remember and who has time to memorize so many names? I nodded at them.

"By the way, your school is going to start tomorrow. I have already settled everything there." He said with a wink.

"Ok." I smiled back.

"You must be hungry so your favorite pizza is waiting for you. Go and eat. Then get some rest." He said and stood up.

"Ok." I also stood up.

"What about my club nights?" I asked. I liked to spend my time alone in the clubs. I mean, what's the use of going somewhere with friends? It's useless. They were just a roar of voices. I always traveled alone or sometimes with Mum.

Also, going to the clubs didn't mean going all tipsy and wild and more prominently out of limits. I had my limits and despite being the biggest trouble maker, I was the purest soul, not even a kiss. I was kinda proud of it too became those horny teenage boys were way too bad to even touch me. I just liked to spend my time alone in clubs, enjoying music and drinking good Champagne.

"I'm still finding the best club of your taste, wait for a little." He said and added, "Now, I have to go. Call me if you need anything." Guiding me like a big brother, he left.

Bro Xander was like a big brother to me. He was with me since childhood. Basically, he was my mother's best friend and my father's personal and financial lawyer. That explained why he knew everything about me as a parent. He was in his early thirties. His black hair and grey eyes made him damn handsome. I wish if, only, he was of my age.

I came towards the kitchen and filled my appetite. After that, I moved upstairs. I opened the door of my room, and a gasp escaped my mouth looking at that fabulous room. It was the same as the rest of the house with white walls and red furniture.

I settled my guitar on the bed. There was a window beside the bed, a wall-sized mirror on the left, and a closet on the right. There was a couch placed near the bed. Beside the closet, there was the door attached to the washroom.

After changing into shorts and a loose shirt, I slipped over the bed and started to play my favorite rhythm. Today was Sunday, tomorrow will be my first day in the last year of high school. New York was a big city. I came here before once or twice, but now, I was going to spend a year or more here.

Let's hope for the best.

Mum often sang that lullaby for me before I drifted to sleep:

Oh, wind Oh, wind

Go and tell him

That I am waiting

For you...

And...

I'll always be waiting for you

(For you)

Until you'd come and take me

(Take me)

Dear wind, you should tell him

(Tell him)

Oh, wind oh, wind oooh

Before going to the next part. My eyelid felt so heavy and before I knew it, I drifted into a deep slumber.

(Eric P.O.V)

Today was Sunday and I was spending my time with my best friends at my house in the game room which was, more preciously, a big hall room divided into two parts. One side had a gym area with all necessary equipment while the other side was occupied by games and a bar counter, consisting of all flavors and types. In the center, there was a seven-seater round-shaped couch in front of the big wall LCD TV.

"Have you find out who was she?" I asked Zack who was so engrossed with his game PUBG.

"Hold on, bro. I'm going to have a chicken dinner." He replied, waving me off. I rolled my eyes at him while Owen chuckled at his behavior.

"Who? That girl who slapped you?" Owen asked, hitting the ball which ended in the hole. We two were playing Deadpool.

Zack and Owen were my best friends more like my brothers since childhood. We had grown up together and did all kinds of stupid things together.

"Don't remind me," I warned him as I pointed the stick at his face.

"Oh yes!" Zack exclaimed loudly as he turned towards us. "Bro, you should think deeply. She must be someone famous or well-known. Remember those bodyguards who approached to protect her. Even I sensed the rich brat aroma around her. And I also got to know that she was the one who organized that club party."

"Tell me you found something about her personal information or not?" I asked, hoping for a positive reply.

"Not yet." He shrugged.

"No one dares to touch Eric Xander and she does not even touch...but also slapped you." Owen said, quite amused. I gave them a look that made both of them burst into laughter.

"Brave girl!" Both said in unison and I stopped the urge to throw both of them out of my house.

So, I simply ignored them.

"Wait... Have you ever ditched her?" Owen asked, giving me a look.

"Do you guys have a death wish?" I glared hard at them and they both laughed more. You know you couldn't threaten your friends and when you have two insane childhood friends. Still, life is incomplete without them.

"Pay attention in your game you might get lose," I smirked at Owen and turned at Zack. "Don't you have your chicken dinner to eat?" I emphasized the word 'chicken dinner'. They both chuckled in return.

"I already got it. Now I'm hungry and I need a real pizza to eat." He said, standing up from the couch and stretching his arms.

"Count me in." Owen said, again hitting and I cursed, looking at the table. Seemed like I was the one going to lose it.

"Zack finds out about her as soon as possible. I want to know who was she?" I said to him.

I couldn't digest it, she slapped me in front of the whole club. Since then, she became a horrible nightmare for me, and I won't be at peace until I got my revenge.

Bullshit! I cheated on so many girls but I didn't remember her. Had I ever ditched her? I didn't think so! She was not familiar to me. Her green eyes with black hair, her perfect little nose with beautiful kissable lips.... but still, I didn't remember her.

Who was she?

Why the hell she slapped me? If I ever saw her again, I would not let her leave any easier, at least unless I get my answers. She should know with whom she had messed, despite the fact of her beauty.

I still felt stings on my face remembering about her. She surely hit very hard. I had to find her at any cost. She should know not to mess with Eric Xander but alas, she did, and now pay pack time will come soon.

We went to Los Angeles for a two-week vacation and it was going very well until that mysterious beauty appeared and slapped me.

Just once I found her then I will show her. Who I am? With whom she had messed up. Probably the wrong person. She is so going to regret it when I'll find her.

"Who? The girl who slapped you?" An annoying voice of my twin broke the chain of my thoughts as I looked at her.

Rosalyn was my twin sister but since we were not identical twins so we just had the same grey eyes and the rest of the features and everything was so different that we didn't even count as siblings.

She entered the room with a playful smirk on her lips. I raised my brows at her skeptically.

"Stay out of it, sister." I glared at her.

"Aww, someone ruined my spider-men reputation in LA. Tsk!" She pouted cutely only to earned a hard glare from me, which didn't affect her a bit. She knew I hate spider-man well, actually not spider-man but if someone called me.

"She must be brave enough to slap you in front of the whole club. From now onwards, I am her fan. And I really want to meet her someday." Rosalyn said, emphasizing every word.

"Who is she? A celebrity?" I said sarcastically and rolled my eyes.

"You should have recorded it, Zack. I missed a lifetime moment." Ignoring me, she turned to Zack who sickly smiled at her. I sighed controlling myself by running a hand through my hair.

Hold on... She wasn't there and I didn't tell her. Then...

"How did you know all this?" I looked at all of them. Zack shrugged and shook his head while Owen cleared his throat and pulled out his phone. That was my cue. I frowned and threw the stick at him. He looked up with a questioning look.

"OWEN?!?!?" I yelled. He ran and I ran behind him.

He always did that. He always told her about our secrets only because he thought of her as her sister and also he thought as a sister she should know about our all deeds. That good brother of an annoying sister, I would have to fix some nuts of his stupid brain.

We ran in the whole room like Tom chasing Jerry. This hall game room was big enough to run around like jerks. Yes, we three were world-class jerks according to my little sister, well just four seconds little.

"Stop it you fools!" She yelled when I accidentally pushed her too.

Yeah and fools too. We have so many remarkable names in the dictionary of Rosalyn.

"What are you doing here? You are not allowed to come here." I said to her when I got tired of running behind Owen. So I sat down on the couch to catch my breath. She just rolled her eyes in return and stuck her tongue out at me, "This is my house too."

"Whatever!" I dismissed it.

"Does my presence really irritates you?" She asked, batting her eyelashes and acting in a full dramatic sad tone.

"Yes!" I replied, without missing a beat.

"No, I don't mind." Owen said, sitting across on the couch.

"I loooveee...your presence around me." Zack said, extending 'love' in a long dreamy voice. She giggled in return and sat beside him on the couch.

"Guys, our school is starting tomorrow. I'm here to remind you." She said and we three cursed in unison.

"OH, MAN!"

"Oh come on, you have enjoyed your vacations a lot. Now it's time to catch up with work." She said, slightly glaring like a big sister.

"Yeah, a memorable slap ended vacations." Zack said and they all laughed.

"It's too much now." I huffed totally annoyed.

"What? Slap?" Owen laughed.

"It's enough!" It was getting intense now. That girl should have to pay for this. But who the hell was she?

"Yeah or else he would kill Miss Slap." Rosalyn chuckled and I walked out of the room in anger.

Look, my own sister and best friends were making fun of me. Thank God that it all happened in another city, not in New York. Or else my reputation would be...