Truth or Dare

"Hah!" Ralph exclaimed and I almost jump.

"Why don't you and Raine locked up in the closet for the rest of the night." He wiggled his eyebrows while Monique's bouncing up and down her sit.

"What! That's not fair!" I retorted.

"Yah that's not fair!" Raine echoed.

"Locked up or you strip in front of us, Adam?" Monique said. This little devil.

"What's it gonna be Adam?" Ralph said, fire dancing in his eyes.

I looked at Raine, she's just shocked just like me. But I looked at the brighter side. I will have a chance to be with this beautiful girl.

"Ok," I sighed, defeatedly. "I'm sorry Raine." I looked at her and she's as surprised as I am.

We all stood up and followed the siblings to the guest room. There's a large closet where the 2 of us can fit. No clothes are hanging in there just a bunch of comforters. Raine stepped inside, but I hesitated.

"What!?" Monique retorted.

I shook my head and I stepped inside. Raine moved aside so I can fit in.

Before they closed the door they asked us if we were hungry, or if we need to go to the bathroom. When the answer is no, they closed the closet. It's very dark in here except for the light that's coming through space on the opening. I can hear Raine's breath on my right, it was steady and calm. But mine's a little ragged and panicked.

"Hey." She said.

"Hmm. Yes?" My voice broke.

"Are you ok? You seem restless."

True enough, sweat was starting to fall on my face, and my heart's beating too fast.

"Here, take a seat." She pushed some of the comforters so that I can sit on them. I place my head on the wall and breath deeply.

"You okay Adam?" I heard the door of the room closed. She holds my hands. "Your hands are so cold!"

I can't speak, I feel like darkness is swallowing me. I hate this kind of feeling. So I close my eyes trying to calm myself down. I focus on her soft warm hands squeezing my hands gently, trying to relax them.

"Breath." She reminded and I do what she said. She let go of my left hand and withdraw something from her pocket. Light flooded the dark closet. When I opened my eyes, I saw her phone on the ground with its flashlight turned on.

"Thanks." I loosen up a bit. She held my hand again.

"Much better?" She asked. I just nod my head.

We stayed like that for another minute (but it seems like an eternity for me). When I open my eyes, I saw her looking at me with concerned eyes. I can see the lines on her forehead that she's very worried about me.

"Sorry. You have to see that." I said. I felt my face heated up a little bit.

"It's ok." She let go of my hands and sit on the other side of the closet.

"I'm afraid of the dark," I told her with a smile. "Even Ralph doesn't know this."

She just nodded but waited for me to talk about it.

"It started when my mom accidentally left me in the attic. I was playing there and my mom thought that when she called me, I have gone downstairs. The main power of the attic's light is on the first floor. So when she shut it off, I was left alone in the dark attic. I was very scared, I don't know what to do. I screamed and screamed. But my mother went outside to gather the laundry. And when she realized that I'm still in the attic, she immediately opened the lights and got me. I remembered passing out because of being scared."

She doesn't say anything so I continued.

"I was very ashamed of it, till now. I never put out the light when I sleep, my apartment has many windows so that light can brighten my room. Even in the studio, I always wanted the lights on. I'm embarrassed by it. And you're the first person to see me like this."

I buried my face in my hands. I'm very embarrassed by it. This is the worst day ever in my life and I will never forget it.

Then I feel her warm touch on my arm, she started pulling my hands on my face. "Please."

I looked at her. The concern is all I can see in her eyes.

"Don't be ashamed of that. Everyone has their weaknesses. I, for example, I'm afraid of lizards." I smile at that. "See, you know what I mean. So don't worry, I won't tell anyone about it. Whatever happens here, stays here. Ok?"

"Thanks, Raine."

"You ok now?" She asked rubbing my arm.

"Yes. Thank you." I breathe deeply. I can still smell her strawberry scent. It helps me clear my thoughts.

"Those two. I'm gonna kill them tomorrow morning." She said, determined to kill.

I laugh at her. She looks like a little kitten ready to attack anytime.

"What?" She asked a slightly annoyed.

"Nothing." I chuckled.

She leans on the wall and closes her eyes. I just stare at her. Her steady breathing, lips slightly trembling.

"Arthur." She said suddenly.

"What?" I looked at her confused.

"The one who owns the car in front of our house. That's Arthur's."

"Ok. Uh..." I don't know what else to say.

"He's my fiance." She continued with her eyes close.

"F-fiance." I stuttered.

"My parents and his parents are business partners. They said that it would be helpful for our business if we to marry each other." She opened her eyes, and there's sadness in them. Now I'm confused.

"But I don't love him. And also, he wants me to stop what I am doing. He wants me to just stay in the house. And not only that, he was trying to-"

She stopped talking and tears escaped from her eyes. I moved closer to her and pull her closer. She put her head on my chest and started crying.

"Shh. It's ok, you don't have to tell me anything." I said rocking her back and forth.

"I don't want him. My parents were very eager to push thru the wedding. But I don't want to. I don't want to be with a man I don't even know!"

I just let her pour out her feelings. I learned that her parents were in the clothing business and they have other branches all around the world. But she doesn't want this kind of life, she just wanted to live a simple life.

"Why are you telling this to me?" I asked her when she calmed down.

"The way you shared your secret with me. I think it is fair for you to know what happened a while ago." She said.

"So you don't like him. This Arthur." I inquired.

"Yes, I don't like him. He's not nice at all. He's a very hot-tempered guy. And a very jealous one. He started stalking me, even in school. Monique's protecting me from him. She bravely confronts him whenever he was trying to make me do what he wants."

"Is he the one who called you today?"

"Yes. I didn't tell him where I was. So he's angry. He started to tell me bad things."

I don't like the sound of this guy. I am not a physical type of guy, but I will protect Raine from him.

"You're safe here," I guarantee her. I tighten my arms around her and she sighed. He just let me hold her in my arms. And it feels great.

We just sat there silently, until we started to fall asleep. In my dreams, I was holding her too. We were on a beach, and we're watching the sunset.

I was awakened by the tone of my phone. It was Ralph. I leaned Raine who is still asleep on the wall, then, I answered my phone.

"Yes, man?" I whispered.

"How was your night?" Malice in his voice.

"What?! Open us up, Ralph. Nothing happened ok. So open us up."

"Dang. Nothing happened?"

"What do you expect to happen? We just.. talk."

"Nothing happened?" It's Monique.

"Hey open us up please." I heard the door opened, and next is the closet door.

"She's still sleeping," I whispered. I put away my phone.

"What happened?" Ralph asked.

"We stayed all night just talking. " I stood up and stretched my limbs. I picked Raine up, she moved a bit but did not awaken. I laid her down on the bed and we went out of the room.