Secrets//Jake Jagielski

~46~

Brighid walked into school tucking her new car keys into her backpack.

She opened her locker to find an envelope with her name on it. She took it out, examined it and slipped it in her bag.

She shut her locker and headed over to the opposite side of the school.

"Did you-?" Brighid began asking Lucas who pulled out an envelope. She then looked to Nathan and Haley who had the same thing. Brighid dug around her bag pulling hers out.

"Brooke?" Brighid asked looking across the hall. Peyton and Brooke had envelopes as well, looking completely confused.

The answer to their questioned was solved a moment later when Felix walks down the hall grinning from ear to ear.

"Should have know" Brighid muttered. She opened the envelope to see a note with the words printed:

You are cordially invited to a night of drama, excitement and intrigue. Be at Karen's cafe tonight at 7 pm.

"So you going?" Brighid asked the group, causing them to all look at the cards once more before shrugging.
———
Later that night Brighid walked in to find everyone waiting by a table. She stood next to Brooke.

"Great everyone is here. Let's begin" Felix with a sly look on his face. Brighid exchanged a worried look with Brooke.

"It's called dare night. One night, two teams, multiple dares" Felix explained. Everyone still looked hesitant. "Every envelope contains a two-part dare. Part one is on the front and part two is on the back. Each dare is worth a certain amount of points. This cellphone has picture and video"

"Oh, sweet" Tim said trying to grab the phone. Felix gave him a look while pulling his hand away.

"You do the dare, you send proof of it to the other team. At midnight, times up. We meet back here and declare a winner"

"What do we win?" Mouth asked.

"You, Mouth, win an excuse to be out until midnight. The rest of you get a night to remember" Felix said sitting back into his chair looking at everyone's faces.

"And you get to humiliate us" Lucas said unimpressed with the game. "Why would we do that?" He questioned.

"Look guys there's nothing in these envelopes that's harmful to you or anyone else. It's all about having fun and testing your limits. Every once in a while you gotta wake yourself up" Felix said trying to convince everyone.

"You wanna do it Nate?" Tim asked.

"I'm in" Brighid said placing her invite card down on the middle of the table. "I can't see the harm in it" she continued looking at Lucas. Felix had a big smile on his face.

"I'll play" Haley said followed by Peyton throwing her card in as well. Brighid smiled at them. Nate followed after Peyton which was then proceeded by Mouth.

"Brooke? Lucas?" Felix asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Pick the stupid teams" Brooke said throwing her card in with Lucas.

"Boys versus Girls" Felix announced. "You six guys versus the four girls, plus me"

Felix slides key towards Lucas.

"What's this?"

"That my friend, is your first dare" Felix said with a grin.
———
They all headed to the mall where they were to divide and conquer the dares.

"Brooke, Peyton and Haley you are one team. Brighid and I are another" Felix explained handing out the cards. Brighid rolled her eyes looking at three girls for help.

"Meet back at midnight" Felix called out as they scurried off. "Now it's just me and you"

"Great" Brighid mumbled under her breath as she followed Felix to do complete the dare.

"You know you do anything I don't like and I will tell-"

"Your brothers?" Felix asked with a grin. "Believe me tonight's about fun that's all"

The two walked into the fanciest restaurant in Tree Hill.

"Name?" The host asked. Brighid looked at Felix who was grinning.

"Scott" Brighid said hoping her father's name would carry some weight.

"No" he responded.

"Really Dan Scott. Check the list"

"No" he said once more not even checking the reservation list. Felix laughed before pulling the host aside.

"Right this way" the host said grabbing menus and guiding them to their seats.

"How did you do that?" Brighid asked.

"I may or may not have made a reservation a week ago" Felix grinned. Brighid rolled her eyes.

The two ordered and talked, eating the food when Felix left for a moment. Brighid waited and waited until the phone on the table rung.

"Where are you?" Brighid asked in a hushed tone.

"Read the back of the card" Felix instructed before hanging up. She pulled the card out to see she had to dine and ditch. Panicked Brighid looked around.

She had never done something like this in her life. She slipped the phone into her pocket and stood up from the table before running out, avoiding the calls from the waiter and host.

She showed back up to the cafe to find everyone gathered there.

"You idiot" Brigid shouted mad.

"Woah Brig calm down" Nathan said.

"He left me to walk out on an almost $200 bill"

"It's harmless fun" Felix countered.

"Nothings fun about stealing" Brighid huffed. Felix ignored here and tallied up the dare count.

"Looks like Brighid walking out on the bill won it for the girls" Felix explained. Brighid still mad stood in place while Haley, Brooke and Peyton rejoiced.

"We'll see you guys around" Felix muttered as he walked out of the cafe.