Mandy entered her dorm one night and saw Gabby sitting by the front door. "What are you doing over here?" She asked.

"Waiting for you. I need a favor."

"Sure. What's going on?"

"Can we talk in your room?"

Ever since the seemingly spicy thoughts appeared in her mind about Gabby, Mandy had tried to steer clear of them being alone. But Gabby seemed like she really needed her. And wasn't that what friends were for? In her room, Mandy sat on the bed and Gabby sat next to her. "I want to go to a bar. Tonight."

"Okay…?"

"And I want you to come with me."

Mandy pulled in her lips. "I don't usually go to bars. I'm not even old enough," she laughed. She'd only turned nineteen a few weeks ago.

"There's this bar that's having college night and I don't want to go by myself." Before the question could come up about what kind of bar it was, Gabby responded: "It is a known lesbian bar and I know you're not one, but… I'd rather go with a friend who accepts me rather than go alone. Please."

"Yes," Mandy heard herself saying. "Fine. But you owe me."

Gabby dropped a hand to her thigh, arousing her. They stared at each other. "Whatever you want, frosh. Name it."

Scotty burst into the room and Mandy jumped up, her heart pounding. What she was feeling was so brand new and so overwhelming. "Uh, w-we're going out tonight, want to come?" Mandy asked rushing the words out. Her friends glanced at each other. "What? What was that look?"

"Nothing," Scotty and Gabby said together.

Mandy shook her head. "You two are so daggone weird."

The three of them took a taxi to the bar and when they got out, Mandy was enthralled by the sights and sounds. It was her first off-campus shindig and it was living up to the hype. She'd never danced so hard or had so much fun. At the end of the night, the three of them found themselves in someone's room playing Truth or Dare. "Ready?" Maria inquired. She was a small sophomore with light-brown and shoulder-length dark hair. Her younger cousin Callie Torres, a taller, longer-haired version of her, was also in the room.

"Or are you chickens?" Callie's girlfriend, Arizona Robbins asked. The white girl had blonde hair and a high-pitched voice. The six of them sat in the closed room.

Mandy pulled Scotty aside. "You're sure you're good?"

"I am. If you are." Mandy sighed. She'd kinda hoped that her friend would want to bow out. "We can leave," she whispered.

"No, I just wanted to make sure that… you know, you're comfortable."

"You're a good friend." Mandy nodded. "Let's play!"

"Truth, dare, consequences, private or repeat," Callie said looking around the room. She waved at Mandy. Both of them were on the track to medical school. "Honestly, if you don't want to kiss a girl, you should just leave right now." The room laughed and a lot of tension was dispelled. "But nothing more than that, seriously, y'all."

Scotty inhaled. "Also, what happens in this room…"

"Stays in this room," the rest of them echoed.

"I'll volunteer to start," Maria said, "then we can go this way." She pointed her finger around their makeshift circle. Taking note of the order, Mandy realized that she was going fourth, before Scotty and after Arizona. She'd never played a game of Truth or Dare that didn't involve her and her cousins causing havoc in their grandmother's house whenever they were all together. "Callie, truth or dare."

Callie smiled. "Truth."

"Booo!" Scotty said and Mandy jerked her head back.

Maria laughed. "Is it true that you stole my charm bracelet?"

Callie made a face. "No, I simply borrowed it." The women chuckled. "Okay, my turn… Arizona, truth or dare?"

Arizona clapped. "That's easy," she answered. "Dare."

"I dare you to go to the RA's room and knock on the door as hard as you can and then run away." Arizona cleared her throat. Wordlessly, she stood up and most of them got up and poked their head out of the door. Mandy stayed put and jumped when she heard the loudest banging noise and the sound of Arizona running.

"Move!" Arizona yelled practically sliding into the room.

"Damn!" Scotty said as they all sat back down.

"Okay. Scotty?"

"What the hell?" Scotty replied. "Dare."

Arizona rubbed her hands together. "I dare you to kiss Maria."

Mandy's hands went to her mouth. They were both sitting on the floor along with Callie. Scotty stood up and moved toward Maria and kissed her forehead. "Boo!" Callie said teasing her.

Scotty put her hands to her ears. "Should have said on the lips. Gotta be pacific." The best friends cracked up falling into each other while the other women gave them a funny look.

Mandy leaned over. "How was it? Kissing a girl?"

She shrugged. "But it's your turn."

"Alright, um," Mandy scanned the room. Gabby winked at her. She'd been mostly quiet the entire game. "Um, Maria, truth or dare?"

"Truth," the sophomore pulled her hair into a ponytail.

Mandy hadn't thought of a "truth" for her not knowing her that well. "Uh, since being in college, have you ever cheated on a test?"

Licking her lips, Maria said: "Yes." The room swelled with intrigue. "I won't do it again though. I promise." The young woman looked so embarrassed that Mandy apologized. "It's okay. It's our secret."

Scotty turned to her. "Mandy, truth or dare?"

And she really wished that Scotty wasn't the one asking her. Mandy was afraid that she would expose something that she'd been hiding even from herself. If she went truth, she'd have to talk, if she said "dare," she would have to move. "Dare."

Her best friend raised a brow, shocked. "Okay. I dare you to go next door and hug whoever opens the door."

Mandy groaned, relieved. "Why couldn't I just kiss someone?" She murmured as she got up and left the room. She knocked on the door and was so grateful when no one answered the door.

"Try this one," Scotty pointed.

Miranda rapped on the next door. "Who is it?"

"Uh, Mandy."

The girl opened the door and Mandy hugged them. "What the—?"

"Sorry," Mandy said and ran back into the room, her face hot. "Now, I have to steer clear of that girl for the rest of undergrad." The rest of them laughed. "Who's next?"

"Me," Gabby said from the computer chair. "Callie, truth or dare."

"Guess I gotta go with dare this time, huh?"

Gabby nodded. "I dare you to kiss me… on the lips." She looked at Mandy before staring at Callie who was blushing.

Everyone stole glances at Arizona. "I'm fine with it guys, really. It's… it's just a game."

Callie crawled over to Gabby who leaned down. Mandy felt her stomach rumble as she watched them kiss. She kept a smile on her face that didn't reveal how she was feeling inside. Averting her eyes, she waited until she saw Callie sit back down before looking up. Gabby bit her bottom lip. "Nice."

For the next half hour, they played. Mandy felt herself uninterested in anything else, staying relatively quiet. "Mandy? You're up," Arizona said. Nodding, Mandy waited. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Hmmm… have you ever kissed a girl?"

"No, I haven't," Mandy told her with a smile. "On the forehead or otherwise."

Scotty pushed her playfully. "Do you want to?" Gabby asked.

"It's not your go."

"Inquiring minds want to know."

"Like who? Like you?" The sophomore shrugged indifferently and it made Mandy want to pounce. She gritted her teeth and glared. The tensions in the room were high again. And it seemed like everyone was waiting for her to respond. "If I say no, you'd say I was lying." She gave another smile to relax the room. "If I say yes, then I would be lying."

The game continued and Mandy faked a yawn that turned into a real one. She told everyone she'd see them later and got up to leave. Scotty was right behind her. "Hey, you're alright?"

She nodded. "It's been a long night. I need some water and some rest." They walked back to their building. "Did you have a good time?" Mandy asked.

"I did, but…"

"What?"

"Never mind."

"Frosh!"

Hearing her Gabby's nickname for her, she turned to see the older woman jogging after them with her boots in her hand. "What?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Scotty mumbled a goodbye and kept going into their building. Gabby didn't answer. "Then keep your hollow apology." In silence, they walked to her dorm room. Even angry at her friend, she let her in the room.

"I'm sorry for embarrassing you."

The last time they were there alone, they were laying on her bed talking. This time they were on opposite sides of the room. The last time Mandy shared her bed with someone, her mind had gone to Gabby. And now her heart and stomach took turns rotating after seeing her kiss another girl. "I wasn't embarrassed," Mandy told her as she took off her shoes. "I was caught off-guard."

"I feel bad."

"You should. But you can leave. I accept your apology or whatever."

"I'm so sorry, frosh. I don't know what came over me."

"My name is Mandy."

"Right, Mandy. Please don't be mad at me."

Mandy started to take off her shirt, but she decided against it. "I'm not. I'm just tired."

"Are we still friends?" Gabby asked.

"Of course. Even if you're a female philanderer."

"I'm not."

Rolling her eyes, Mandy said: "You think I don't see the way you look at other women? And I heard about you and… what was her name?"

"Don't do that," Gabby blushed. "It was just a one-time thing. Like you and Turner."

"Tucker."

"Whatever." The two women laughed, hugging each other. "You're one of my best friends, frosh."

"Because no one else can tolerate your ass."