"Can't we make some sort of excuse, say one of us has been called away in a family emergency or something?" Lee pleaded with Lucy, far from enthusiastic about their neighbours Toby and Anna coming round for the evening.

Lee didn't know either of them particularly well – he'd shared drinks with Toby in the pub a few times and they got on okay but they were hardly close friends. And as for Anna, she always seemed so stuck up, looking down her nose at him and everything he said. They just weren't the sort of people he felt comfortable around. And now he had to spend a whole evening with them.

"No we can't. Why are you so against them coming over anyway?"

"I don't think they even like us. They probably only accepted your invitation out of politeness".

"I told you, Anna's nice when you get to know her, and you like Toby. Just give them a chance. I know you think they're posh…."

"They are posh"

"Maybe they are but that doesn't mean they're not nice. Just behave yourself tonight okay. For me?"

"I always behave myself. Why can't I be myself?".

"I didn't say you couldn't be yourself. I just mean, don't say anything offensive or be rude for the sake of it. And don't get too drunk…and keep all your clothes on".

Lee sighed, and nodded reluctantly. This evening was probably going to be incredibly boring. Still, it looked like he wasn't going to get out of it, and seeing as though Lucy had her heart set on making a good impression, he decided would try his best to 'behave'.

…..

A few hours later, and all four were now very tipsy. Toby and Anna had brought some very expensive looking bottles of sparkling wine with them and they had been polished off quickly, followed by several helpings each of Lee's homemade punch.

Lucy had dug out her Wii console, and they were now in the living room, playing one of her old dance games. At least that was how it had started, now they were just messing around, no one was really following the moves on the screen.

Lucy giggled as she watched Anna try to dance with Lee, or rather show off her best bump and grind moves against him. As Anna's dancing got more and more suggestive, Lee noticed Lucy begin to frown. All the time he was fairly mortified, not sure where to look or how to react. He was a little worse for wear, but definitely the least drunk out of all of them, and determined to keep his promise to Lucy and not embarrass her tonight.

"Okay Anna, I think that's enough dancing for tonight don't you? Maybe we should play something else", Lee said as he gently prized Anna's hands off his hips.

"But we don't know who's won yet".

"Never mind. Shall we just say you won?", Lee's voice was starting to sound desperate as Anna wrapped her arms around Lee's neck this time, despite his attempts to get away. He laughed nervously, looking across at Lucy, mouthing 'help' to her.

Finally, Lee breathed a sigh of relief when Toby came over and pulled his wife away.

"Sorry about that Lee, Anna doesn't hold her drink very well I'm afraid. What exactly is in that punch? I haven't had any myself yet".

"Oh, it's mainly fruit juice, there's only a couple of shots of alcohol in it", Lee fibbed.

"I think I'll have some then", Toby concluded, walking into the kitchen with Lee.

….

"Lucy, why don't we play truth or dare. I used to love playing that as a teenager".

"Anna, don't you think we're all a bit old for that. And it's not exactly sophisticated is it?" Lucy was surprised how different Anna with a few drinks down her. She was the last person Lucy would have expected to make such a suggestion.

"I know you think I'm uptight. Well Lee does, and even Toby sometimes, and I'm sick of people seeing me that way".

Ah, that explained it, Lucy thought. Anna was trying to prove something tonight.

"Anyway Lucy, just think about it. You always say you wish Lee was more honest, that you wish he'd tell you what he was thinking and feeling more. Well, now might be your chance".

Lucy nodded. Although she knew Lee really well, there was always something he seemed to be holding back from her. If Lee had a few more drinks, and the cards were on her side, this game might not be a bad idea after all.

"Alright, why not? You know something…I think I've still got a truth or dare game somewhere from my Uni days. I think it's at the back of my wardrobe. I'll go and look".

….

When Lee and Toby came back into the living room, fresh glasses of punch in hand, Anna was grinning.

"We're going to play truth or dare. Lucy says she's got an old set of truth and dare cards back from when she was at University, she's gone to find them".

Toby and Lee looked at each other in horror. This sounded like a really bad idea.

"Truth or dare? You're not serious? We're not 15!", Lee exclaimed.

"Come on, it'll be fun! We can get to know each other more", Anna announced.

"I think I know you well enough already thank you", Lee replied, still not really over being the victim of her dirty dancing display a few minutes ago. "Anyway, those sort of games are just really embarrassing".

"Come on, don't be so boring…maybe you'll even learn something about Lucy, find out any dirty little secrets she might have been hiding from you for the past six years, or maybe she'll finally admit how she really feels about you".

Lee's ears suddenly pricked up. What did Anna mean by that? How does Lucy really feel about me? Maybe Anna had a point, maybe this game could work in his favour.

"I suppose, if we must, it could be quite entertaining".

Anna smiled at how quickly he'd changed his mind. She knew a mention of Lucy's feelings would do that.

As soon as Lee spoke, Toby looked at him, clearly feeling betrayed. "Lee! You're supposed to be on my side! Great, it looks like I don't have any choice now"

"Just think about it Toby, Anna's very drunk, you might be able to find out some stuff that you can later use as blackmail, or as comeback when you have your next argument".

"You make a very good point there Lee, I'm suddenly warming to the idea".

"Found it!", Lucy called as she bounded back in to the living room.

"Right, we have to sit on the floor, in a circle. I couldn't find the spinner, so we'll use an empty wine bottle…".

Lee, Toby and Anna joined Lucy on the floor as she started to relay the rules.

"…We take it in turns to spin the bottle. The person who it points to has to pick up either a truth or dare card. You can't choose either truth or dare more than twice in a row. If once you've read the card you pass on a truth, you have to do a dare. If you pass on a dare you have to do the dare on the next card in the deck. If you pass again you must spin the bottle and whoever it lands on gets to make up a forfeit. The only rules for this forfeit are that it must not be dangerous or illegal. So, are we all agreed, are we all clear on the rules?"

The three nodded in response to Lucy's question.

"Good, then let the fun begin!", she enthused...