Truth or Dare (3 page)

D
ay one of Cancun fun was just kicking off and I was already having an awesome time. We'd hung out at Carson's cabana with him and his friends all day. Carson was a jokester and had kept us laughing all afternoon. Now, we were getting ready to go to a party.

I surveyed myself in the full-length mirror in the suite, admiring the Versace mini dress that stopped in the middle of my thighs. Not too high to be trashy and sexy enough to be classy. I had just fluffed out my curls when the phone in my hotel room rang. It was probably Carson telling me to hurry up. He'd called me a few hours ago to invite me and my girls down to the party. I was supposed to meet him thirty minutes ago, but he needed to understand that beauty took time.

I smiled as I answered, ready to get my flirt on. “Hello?”

“Maya.”

I groaned at the sound of my boss's voice. “Hey, Tamara.”

“Don't sound so happy to hear from me,” she said.

“No, I should've known. I thought you'd at least give me one day here before you were calling to check in.” I leaned into the mirror and applied some more lip gloss.

“Now you know me better than that,” Tamara replied. I could just picture her at her desk, looking all clean in her designer suit as she sifted through papers. Tamara was the queen of multitasking. “So, how's it going?”

“We just got here, Tamara,” I said.

“Well, what do you have lined up for us? We're looking forward to seeing what you come back with.”

I rolled my eyes. “Well, I'm just going to see how things play out.” I knew that I needed to start digging, but dang, could I enjoy myself for just a little while?

I could hear the frustration in Tamara's voice. “Maya, I need to stress to you how important this is. This is our first time taking this show on the road. The next trip they're talking about is to Aruba. Wouldn't you love to take
Rumor Central
to Aruba?”

Oh yes,
I thought. That would definitely be the business.

“But the only way that's going to work,” Tamara continued, “is if you prove that this whole ‘on the road with
Rumor Central
' trip is worth it. And the way to prove that is by coming back with something worth covering, some sizzling stories.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I got it.”

Her tone changed, obviously trying to lighten the mood. “So, where are you guys going tonight?” Tamara asked.

“Well, Diddy's son Justin is here and he's having a party at a hotel, so we're going over there.”

“Oooh,” she said. I could just see her eyes dancing all excitedly. “That should be good. I'm sure that's going to be a star-studded event, so you should be able to get something. Okay, I'll let you go because you probably need to get rolling. Marcus is your undercover guy. He arrived this morning. So you should be all set.”

I couldn't help it. I had to appeal to her one last time. “Tamara, you know I'm going to try and get you some dirt, but just so you know, my friends are so not going to be feeling this. They are not going to give Quincy anything worth filming.”

“That's why we sent two cameramen and the spy cam. Quincy can get the regular stuff on the air and then Marcus can use the little spy cam to get all the good stuff later on. You just tell everyone Marcus is an old friend or something if they ask why he's hanging around.”

I really didn't like going behind my friends' backs and taping them like that, but I knew that was my job. I just made a mental note that I would cut out anything that would get any of my closest friends in trouble. Everyone else was fair game.

“Cool, I'm all over it,” I said.

“I sure hope so, Maya. We're counting on you.”

We said our good-byes, and I took one last look in the mirror before getting Sheridan and Kennedi and heading downstairs.

We made our way across the street to where the party was.

“About time,” Carson said, smiling as he greeted us.

“Beauty takes time,” I replied.

He looked me up and down, his eyes giving his approval. “And you are beautiful.” He took my hand. “Come on.”

Inside the hotel's club, the party was in full effect. There were hot-bodied young people of every race and nationality. It was like a freakin' United Nations party.

Justin definitely knew how to party. The music was pumping and everyone was having a blast. And of course, I was enjoying the VIP section along with my friends.

Around eleven o'clock, the
policia
, what they called the cops in Cancun, came in and shut the party down. It was just too many people, and hotel guests were complaining. It looked like our party was over.

As we made our way outside with all of the other disgruntled party people, Carson said, “You know it's too early to go back the hotel. Let's take this party to the beach.”

“Oh, I'm definitely feeling that,” Kennedi said.

“Yeah, a couple of my friends are already there,” Carson said.

“They got the brews and we've got the broads,” one of Carson's friends added.

I looked at him like he was crazy. “Broads?” I said.

“You'll have to excuse Jeremy—he has no class,” Carson said.

I rolled my eyes at Jeremy, but we still went ahead and followed Carson out. Kennedi, Sheridan, Shay, Evian, and a few other girls also followed us out. I wanted to know why Evian and Shay were coming, but I'd noticed earlier how Shay had hooked up with Carson's friend Princeton.

The party on the beach was nothing like the one we had just left, but it was still fun. We were laughing and telling jokes and just having a good time. A few folks were buzzed, but no one was out of order—yet. Finally, Carson said, “Anybody up for a game?”

“What kind of game?” I asked.

“Truth or dare,” he replied, a sneaky grin on his face.

“Really? Truth or dare?” Sheridan said. “Isn't that so seventh grade?”

Carson and his friend exchanged glances. “Not the way we play it,” Princeton said.

“And just how do you play it?” Shay asked, as she leaned back on Princeton like she was his girl.

“No, this is grown-folks truth or dare,” Carson said.

I glanced over at Marcus, the undercover cameraman who had the spy cam glasses on. He had slowly eased out with us. When Carson asked me who he was, I'd lied and said one of our classmates. I was sure he was getting everything on video. Marcus was perfect playing that role because he looked like he couldn't be more than seventeen.

I gave Marcus the signal we'd agreed upon to let him know this was definitely something he needed to start filming. His glasses were going to record our escapades in high definition.

Carson explained the rules. It was about twenty of us sitting around.

“I'll start,” one of the girls I didn't know said. She turned to Princeton. “So, I dare you to take off your underwear and go skinny-dipping in the ocean.”

“Really?” he said, standing up as he stepped out of his clothes—all of them. “Is that the best you've got?” He laughed as he took off into the water.

Shay looked disgusted behind it all. I and everyone else actually thought it was funny as we watched his wrinkly booty take off running.

“His butt looks like a prune!” someone yelled, and we all busted out laughing, everyone except for Shay.

A few minutes later, Princeton emerged, dripping wet and butt naked. He stood in front of the crowd, all of his privates boldly on display. “My turn!” he announced.

“Yeah, can you put your drawers on?” Sheridan said as we all kept laughing.

Shay tossed Princeton his underwear and he stepped back in them, then looked around and said, “Let me see. Who's next? You!” He pointed at me. “I dare you to flash your breasts.”

This fool had straight lost his mind. “Sweetie, these are only reserved for certain people.”

“Come on,” Carson said, trying to coax me as he scooted closer. “You know how the game is played.”

“No. I don't get down like that,” I said.

“Don't punk out, Maya,” Kennedi said. I know she was teasing me because she of all people knew that wasn't about to happen.

“The only way out is if someone takes your turn,” Carson said.

Suddenly one of the quiet girls who had been sitting off to the side said, “I'll take her turn.” Before anyone knew it, she had pulled her shirt up and flashed her breasts.

“Ewww!”Sheridanexclaimed.

“Wow!” several of the guys said as they began whooping and hollering.

All I did was shake my head.
Incredibly tacky.

“Now it's my turn.” The girl pointed at Carson. “I dare you”—she pulled a dollar out of her pocket—“to put this dollar inside
her
underwear.” She pointed to the redheaded girl next to her and I could tell by the way the girl was giggling they had planned this.
How incredibly lame.
But Carson was up to the challenge because he stepped up.

“My pleasure,” he said, taking the dollar.

The crowd started shouting, “Make it rain,” as the redheaded girl stood and did a stripper dance. Carson put the dollar in his mouth, then leaned in and placed the money in her underwear. Yeah, he had just lost major cool points with me on that move.

Carson must've known I wasn't feeling that move because after he finished, he turned and said, “I'm gonna let my princess here take my turn.” He flashed an apologetic smile.

I decided not to trip and instead looked around our group until my eyes settled on Evian. “I dare you to hook up with a random guy,” I said to her.

“What?” Evian said.

“I didn't stutter,” I said. “I dare you to go meet up with a random guy.”

“I'm not doing that,” she said, her nose turned up. The shocked look on her face was actually funny, like she was too good for something like that.

“Un-unh, you gotta do it,” Carson said. “Those are the rules.”

“Why you trying to break the rules, Evian? You scared?” I asked. I knew Evian was prissy. She had that old money and was always looking at stuff like it was beneath her.

“I know you're not talking,” Evian snapped. “You just passed on your dare.”

“That's the way the game is played.” I shrugged. “Get somebody to take your turn and you can pass, too.”

She looked around. No one said a word.

“No takers, so you have to go,” I said, teasing her. “But if you just scared and want to punk out the game, don't do it.”

“And just what am I supposed to do with this random guy? Where am I supposed to find him?” Evian asked, looking around.

I looked to Carson for help. He glanced around also, paused, then pointed up to a guy sitting up the hill at a bar.

“Princeton, go get that guy in the red hat.”

Without asking another question, Princeton jumped up and ran up the hill.

We continued to tease Evian about bailing out of the game when she again said she didn't want to do it.

When the guy returned, he said, “What's up? Someone wanted to see me?”

They couldn't have picked a plainer guy. He had on some plaid Bermuda shorts and a raggedy Coke T-shirt. There was absolutely nothing cute about his frazzled-looking hair and pimply face. He looked like a creepy old tourist.

Carson spoke up. “Hey, man, we're playing a little game here and Evian—isn't that your name?”

She didn't reply, but I said, “Yes, that's her name.”

Carson turned back to the guy, a huge grin on his face. “Evian is going to take a little stroll with you,” he said.

The guy raised an eyebrow and said, “A stroll where?”

“Wherever you'd like to go,” Carson replied.

The guy looked at Evian and dang near salivated at the mouth. “And what are we going to do on this stroll?”

“That's up to you and her,” Carson said, patting him on the back.

“We're not going to do anything,” Evian said, although she did stand up. “I'll take the stupid stroll, but that's it.”

The guy grinned like he couldn't believe his luck. “Are you going to at least talk to me?” he asked.

“Just come on,” she said, taking his hand and pulling him away. She stopped and turned to Carson. “Where are we supposed to stroll anyway?”

“You have to at least walk to the gazebo on the next hotel's property and back,” Carson announced.

“That's a long way,” Evian moaned. “This game is so stupid.”

“Hey, my game, my rules.” Carson threw his hands up.

“Fine, whatever.” Evian rolled her eyes as she stomped away.

“Thanks, man,” the guy said, scurrying after Evian. He fell in the sand as he tried to catch up with her. But he quickly pulled himself up and scrambled to catch up. We all laughed like crazy. We would never let Evian live this down.

We did a few more dares, but after a while, most of us were getting bored.

“This game is dumb,” Sheridan declared.

“Yeah, I'm bored with it, too,” someone else said.

“Let's get out of here,” Princeton told Shay.

“I need to wait on Evian,” she replied.

“Well, at least let's go up to the bar,” he pleaded. Shay shrugged, then let him help her up to go to the bar.

Carson's other friend, Damien, turned to Kennedi. “Hey, pretty lady, can me and my friend buy you and your girl some drinks, too?” he asked, motioning toward Sheridan.

Both of them looked at me. Then Sheridan said, “Why don't we all go up to the bar.”

“Naw, you guys go on,” Carson said, pulling me closer. “I have something I'd rather be doing anyway.”

He looked at me, licking his lips. He just didn't know. That little dollar-bill trick had just cost him the chance to get to know Maya Morgan.

“No, I'm coming, too.” I tried to break free from his grip.