I was going to kill Cecil! How dare he! How dare he do that to Nico!

I had been glaring at him before he made his choice.

Do not do anything with his dad!

I guess Cecil hadn't noticed.

"I dare you to...go over to your dad's house."

I stepped in front of Nico protectively.

"Nico, don't do that. A game of truth or dare isn't worth your safety."

I glowered at Cecil, and I noticed (to my satisfaction) that he shifted uncomfortably.

Nico nodded, and I relaxed but didn't move.

-----Npov-----

"My real dare is...to talk about yourself in third person." Cecil said.

"Nico does not like this." I said.

Lou Ellen grinned.

"Nico wants to ask Lou Ellen what she's grinning about." I pouted.

"It's funny!"

"Nico thinks it's stupid."

I crossed my arms and put in my best grumpy face.

"Would you like some cookies to make you feel better?" Cecil asked.

"Nico wants cookies."

"I thought so. I'll go make them."

"Nico says to hurry up."

Cecil pretended to look offended, making everyone laugh.

I went ahead and asked Lou Ellen truth or dare.

"Dare."

I bit my lip in thought.

"I dare you to take two Pringles and make duck faces until the game's over."

She grinned and went in the kitchen. When she came out, she had a duck beak made out of Pringles. She quacked for a while, then took them out to ask one of us a question.

Cecil came back in with cookies around this time too, and set them on the table.

"Truth or dare, Will?"

"Truth."

"Dare it is! I dare you to kiss your crush."

Will paled. "You know I can't do that...he's probably not...."

"I bet he is."

"I didn't even choose dare!"

"Do it."

Will gulped. He glanced at me and I wondered why.

Then he leaned in to kiss me. It took a couple of seconds for my brain to process what was happening.

When it did, I pulled away and ran. I ran downstairs and outside, into the forest. I kept running past the tree house, hearing their voices draw nearer. They were bigger than me so, it would be pretty easy for them to catch me.
Luckily, they stopped to check the treehouse.

I kept running until I found a cave. I needed to sort out my thoughts and I couldn't do that with other humans around. I went inside the cave and sat down. I shut my eyes tight.

Will kissed me. Will solace kissed me! But he was told to kiss his crush. I couldn't possibly be his crush, could I? I'm just a worthless piece of trash. Why would he like me? But then why did he kiss me? Why did I care?

I took a deep breath and tried to sort out my thoughts again.

Will must have just wanted to see my reaction. He must have been pranking me. But I thought Will was nice...

I felt a couple of tears slide down my cheeks. The tears were something I recognized.

"Guys, look, he's in here!" I heard Lou Ellen say.

I tensed, but I didn't run. I opened my eyes, trying to stop the tears.

Cecil came into the cave next, pulling Will behind him.

Will was a disaster. His eyes were puffy and he had tears running down his face, too, but he looked less comfortable with them. His hands were scraped and I wondered why. His knees were also bleeding and I wanted to go over and heal him, but I knew I shouldn't.

"I am so sorry, Nico! I shouldn't have-"

Lou Ellen cut him off, glaring at me, "Nico you better apologize to Will for running away like that. It was extremely rude."

"I needed to get my thoughts sorted out." I said quietly.

"Why would you need to do that? I mean, it's kind of obvious why he kissed you."

"I decided he doesn't actually like me."

They all stared at me, appalled. "Why would he have kissed you then?"

"He wanted to prank me. To see my reaction."

"Nico...I-I wouldn't...I wouldn't do that...." Will looked hurt, making me want to help him as soon as possible. But I knew nothing I did would ever heal anybody. I seemed to only be able to poison things.

"Why would you have loved me?! I mean, really? I'm worthless! I-I'm..." the tears thickened and Will came over and started wiping them away.

"Nico your not. That had been drilled into your brain for years but it's not true."

"Then what am I good for, Will? Give me one thing that I've been good for!" I was yelling now.

"Well, your loyal. You've been loyal to me, like at the tree house when you could have let me get hurt."

"Youre brave." Lou Ellen said quietly, "you put up with your dad for years..."

But I didn't believe what they were saying. I shut my eyes again.

"I'm not. I was terrified of my dad."

"Being brave isn't about being afraid of nothing. It's about being afraid but still fighting against it."

I didn't say anything and Will sighed. "Nico...will you...will you go out with me?"

My eyes shot open, "What?!"

Will coughed nervously, "Will you go out with me?"

"I-you-yes."

Will's eyes brightened and it seemed like the world was smiling down at me. Like the world was finally at peace.

Will hugged me tightly and squealed. "I can't believe it! I can't believe you said yes!"

He let go and took my hand. "Let's go." He said happily.

He walked with a bounce in his step that day. His smiled never faded. A few times I would catch him looking at me and I would blush and look away.

Will led me up to his room, holding my hand the whole way.

"Nico, I have to go make lunch, I'll be right back, okay?" He said.

I nodded.

"Oh and Nico? Thank you."

Word count: 1014