Truth or Dare (Ch. 1: Just Like A Dream)

The school bell rang, its sharp sound echoing through my ears. I groaned as I dawned my black book bag and prepared for another boring day at West Seattle High.1

“Brienna, wait up,” Natalya exhaustedly yelled after me. I stopped to wait. It wasn’t hard to miss her short figure with long blond hair tied back with a tie-dye head band. She hurried to catch up.2

“Can you believe Mr. Jameson gave me detention, again?” I asked her annoyed.3

“I know. It’s ridiculous, just because your tie had a skull on it. Goodness forbid you have any slight sign of death on your clothing,” her light voice was sarcastic.4

On the way to class, Natalya went on about a dream she had the night before that featured our band, ‘Just After Sunset’. So far the band only consisted of my on bass guitar and lead vocal, Natalya on lead electric, Natalya’s boyfriend, Daniel, on trumpet and saxophone, our friend, Alex, on keyboard, and Alex’s girlfriend, Misty, on backup guitar and background vocal. We were still looking for a drummer, though, and her dream included just that, a mysterious new guy with amazing medium length black hair, dark brown eyes, and pale skin. She said he was very good looking, and she had me convinced that I would agree.5

“Seriously, Nat, what are the chances that I’ll ever meet this guy?” I asked her realistically as I turned sharply into the classroom.6

I hadn’t been paying much attention, and as I turned I clumsily ran into a tall pale figure dressed in all black. My voice disappeared as I looked into the dark eyes of this stranger. His pale skin was smooth, his hair straight and laying on his shoulders, and the eyes that I found myself unable to look away from were dark, nearly black.7

“S-s-sorry,” I stuttered, barely breathing.8

“It’s cool, no worries,” his voice was low and melodic as he accepted my pathetic apology. “I’m Jayden.”9

I paused slightly, could this really be happening? This amazing guy was talking to me? “I’m Brienna. You can call me Brie.”10

“Well, Brie, it’s nice to meet you.” With that, Jayden leaned down and grabbed my bag, handing it to me and taking a graceful stride out the door.11

“Who was that?” Natalya asked. “He was cute!”12

“That was Jayden,” I answered knowingly, a smile pulling at my lips. “And yes, he was very cute.”13

With a giggle, we took our normal seats in the back of the classroom. I took my spiral and black pen out of my bag and crossed my legs under the desk. While Mr. Jameson started up his lecture, I doodled aimlessly on the back of my notebook.14

“Brie? Brienna!” Mr. Jameson’s voice was harsh and angry. What had I missed? I looked to Natalya for help.15

She just shrugged apologetically, and I answered Mr. Jameson. “Yes, sir?”16

“What are you doing, Brienna?” his voice was short and staccato. He meant business, and he was mad.17

“Nothing, sir,” I said keeping my answers to the point.18

“Will you answer the question, then, please?” he knew I wasn’t paying attention and he was trying to embarrass me.19

I glared. “No, sir.”20

“Well, Miss Brienna, I have to say I’m disappointed. I thought you were as smart as your lovely step sister, I was wrong,” he insulted bringing Lauren into it.21

“Yes, sir, you were wrong. Sorry to disappoint again, but I wont be licking your boots clean like she does,” I spat never losing eye contact.22

The look on his face after the was devious, he was furious. “I see you have the same sense of humor as your mother. Little Miss smart aleck, please come get your pass and leave.” 23

“Fine,” I snapped grabbing my books and leaving the room.24

I stormed through the empty halls thinking about how long another hour alone in the detention hall would be. As I entered the room, I stopped short. He was there, Jayden was sitting in a desk in the back corner.25

“You’re in detention?” I asked confused.26

“I could ask the same,” he stated smoothly. “I’m willing to bet we were sent here by the same teacher.”27

“You have Mr. Jameson first hour? Why would he send you to detention before class started, it’s only your first day?” I questioned.28

“Yes on the first question, I do have him first hour,” he chuckled. “But I took off my jacket and he didn’t like my tattoo.” He lifted the sleeve of his black jacket to reveal a tribal band along his bicep and in the middle of the vines was a skull.29

I gaped at the tattoo and his amazing muscles. He noticed this and smiled. “Why don’t you come sit back here by me?” he invited.30

Without an answer, I slowly made my way over to the seat next to him. Could this really be happening? Was this just a dream? I pinched myself lightly, just to make sure, but I wasn’t sure if I felt anything. I was numb.31

“You must really think I’m good looking for you to believe this is a dream,” he mentioned noticing my action. I felt a deep rose colored blush grow warm in my pale cheeks.32

He didn’t wait for an answer, and he continued, laughing, “I thought this school was going to be all stuck up jocks and wanna-be girls. I was thrilled to run, literally, into a girl like you.”33

I just laughed and nodded. “Where did you move from?”34

“I used to live in San Diego with my dad, but he got annoyed with my ‘rebel ways’ and sent me to live with my mother.”35

“Oh,” I wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or not.36

It was like he had read my mind. “It’s a good thing. My mom is more laid back. Dad was so strict, he hated who I was. He would ban me from practicing in the house because of noise, so I kept my drum set at a friend’s house.”37

“You play the drums?” I must have sounded happy, shocked, and relieved together. Maybe Jayden was the real version of the guy in Natalya’s dream.38

“Yes, I’ve been playing since I was six. I’ve been looking around for a year or so to find a group to play in.”39

“My band is looking for a drummer,” I mumbled quickly. I was surprised he could decipher what I said.40

With a laugh he added, “Mind if I try for the position?”41

“It’s yours!” I was thrilled to have found a drummer, and one that was this nice and good looking.42

“Really? Cool. But, you don’t want to hear me play first?”43

“Oh, well, maybe.” I blushed.44

“Why don’t you come by tonight? I’ll play for you then,” he suggested. “We could chill together, the two of us.”45

Was this a date? I couldn’t believe that I was going to be with Jayden, alone. “Yah, I’d love that.”46

He wrote down his address, and I knew exactly where he lived. With a smile he slipped it smoothly into my hands, his hands simply gave me chills. “How are you so perfect? I’m still not convinced you’re not just a dream and that I wont wake up in Mr. Jameson’s class with him spitting at me.”47

His smile widened and I looked down shyly realizing what I had just admitted. “Maybe I’m being too forward,” I corrected quietly.48

“Not at all,” he said moving his hand towards mine. “I was just thinking the same thing. We had an instant connection, Brie, we both know that.”49

I looked up and got lost in his eyes. We both smiled, and I felt the connection he had mentioned. He slowly began to lead toward me, and I couldn’t believe it. He was going to kiss me, already? I was strangely okay with that, but just as his lips were about to touch mine, the bell rang. Our bodies jerked back as if we had been shocked by some unknown force, and he winked before I got up and walked away. Talk about not saved by the bell. On my way out the door, I purposely dropped a piece of paper with my phone number on it, knowing that he’d find it.50

The rest of the day passed, and when the final bell rang, I rushed to my black 1995 mustang to leave. I sped home; it felt like time was just rushing by today. When I arrived home and stepped in the door, my mother gave me a look that made my stomach drop to the wooden floor below my feet. My mother was a beautiful woman at age 43. She had curly blond hair with few small streaks of gray surely caused by raising me. Her deep blue eyes were angry.51

“Your father called,” she stated. That was all she had to say. Her short arms crossed over her petite figure and I cringed.52

“Ugh,” I muttered. “What did I do this time?” My father had a tendency to overreact.53

“He said that you got detention, again. And Lauren swears she saw you ditching English,” she scowled at me.54

“Yes, Mother, I got detention again, I’m sorry. But no, I never ditched.” Lauren was my 16-years-old step sister. My mother and father got divorced and my dad married Sarah. Lauren, the preppy strawberry blond with blue eyes is her only daughter.55

“Oh, Brie, what am I going to do with you? Grounding never seems to work and you already get no allowance. I have no way to stop you from rebelling.”56

“Mom, just let me be who I am. If I don’t have to rebel against the world, I wont. I just want to be me,” I explained.57

“Okay, Brie, you have one more chance. I want you to at least have respect towards your teachers, Lauren, and Sarah.”58

“Alright, Mom, I will try.”59

“Oh, and before I forger,” she started. Dang it, I though, I was out of there.60

“Yes?”61

“I’m going out with Cameron tonight and you need to find something to eat, okay?” Cameron was my mothers 48-year-old hunk of a boyfriend. He had black hair and blue eyes, and he was strong. My mom adored him.62

“Actually, Mom,” I started. “I have plans tonight.”63

“Brie, it’s Monday night, what could you possibly be doing?” She looked suspicious.64

“Well, Mom, I kind of have a date,” I paused, “with the new guy, Jayden, I’m going over to his house and he is going to play the drums for me.”65

Her look was tense, but as I explained that he was a good guy, she seemed to lighten up a bit. “Okay, be back by ten.” She kissed my cheek, grabbed her keys and purse and left.66

When I knew that I was free and that she wasn’t going to come back in and have more to say, I rushed upstairs to figure out what I would wear. My room was littered with tops, skirts, shoes, pants, hats, and other articles of clothing. Finally, I figured out what I would wear. I put on the black, mid-length skirt, black leggings, a long sleeve purple skirt, a lack and white striped top, and a white tie. It was perfect. I just hoped he wouldn’t think it was over done.67

Just as I was looking in the mirror to see if it was just right, my phone started to vibrate on my dresser making my heart jump out of my chest. My hands were shaking violently as I reached for the phone noticing that I didn’t recognizing the number.68

“Hello?” I answered it.69

“Hey,” his smooth voice was just as amazing over the phone.70

“Hi.”71

“When are you going to come over?”72

“Well, that depends,” I paused for effect. “When do you want me?”73

“As soon as possible. Are you ready?”74

“Yes, I’ll start to head over now,” I said grabbing my black jacket and keys and closing my bedroom door.75

Just as I reached the top of the steps, the doorbell rang. “Hold on,” I said into the phone as I approached the door. I heard a ‘click’ and my heart sank in my chest.76

I opened the creaking door, and there stood Jayden. “I thought I’d pick you up myself.”77

“Wow, okay.” I closed the door behind me and locked it. I stopped short when I saw his car in my drive way. He drove a black 996 Turbo Cabriolet Porsche.78

“You like it?” He asked me.79

I couldn’t speak and just nodded. Jayden opened the car door for me, and I climbed in. The ride back to his house couldn’t have taken longer than two minutes, but it was a perfect two minutes. His house was big and brick, probably three stories tall. My heart fluttered and how perfect Jayden was.80

Inside, Jayden wasted no time on introductions and led me straight down a flight of stairs to a basement door. He opened the door with a key from his black lanyard and pushed it open for me to enter. His basement was transformed into a sound proof music room, and in the center there was his drum set.81

“This is amazing,” I stated looking around.82

He grabbed my hand with ease, like we’d known each other for a while. “Thanks.”83

Jayden led me smoothly over to his drum set and sat down on the stool. I leaned on the floor beside him and he started to play. The rhythms that echoed through the basement were complex and had me slightly dancing in an instant.84

“Do you like it?” He asked watching my slight movements.85

“Like it? You’re amazing!” I exclaimed as he finished his song and spun around to face me.86

“Really?” he questioned me not sure he believed me.87

“Really,” I answered.88

Jayden grabbed my hand, again, and pulled me to my feet as he rose. It was like Jayden’s touch was a cue for the butterflies to swarm in and take over my confidence. Why was I nervous? I was shaking.89

“You’re nervous,” he stated. It wasn’t a question, he knew.90

“Slightly,” I admitted hoping that my voice wouldn’t crack.91

“Why? What makes you nervous?” His eyes looked hurt.92

“Well, you see, it’s just that guys don’t usually seem into me.” It was true, I was 17 years old and still hadn’t ever had a boyfriend or anything close. No guys were attracted to me, at least not at West Seattle High.93

“Why is that I wonder? I find you very attractive.” He emphasized the word very and my knees slightly weakened, my cheeks blushing.94

“Why?”95

“There aren’t many girls like you.”96

“Like me?”97

“Yes, like you. You’re beautiful, musical, and individual. All the other girls are the same, they care too much. You, on the other hand, are your own person and you don’t seem to care what other people say or think.” His voice was hypnotic and I couldn’t look away from his amazing eyes.98

“Thanks. You’re amazing too.” I couldn’t think of anything more clever? Goodness I’m a loser!99

Jayden pulled me closer leaning in slowly. Just as his lips were about to touch mine, my alarm clock went off.100

It was all a dream.101