Disclaimer: I own nothing

AN#1: Mixing it up a bit. Only Maddie/Belle/Cassie POV in this chapter. Next chapter will be all boys POV.

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Don't Forget About Me

Chapter Seven: Secrets

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I raised an eyebrow and repeated Dalby's last statement. "We're going to play a game."

"Yep." He replied nonchalantly, as he slid into the space beside me.

"What kind of game?" Matilda asked, but was distracted from her question as soon as Lucas sat down next to her. She jumped a little, having not really expected him to do that. Then, she began shifting herself, so she was a tad further away from him.

"The truth or dare kind." Henry replied for Dalby as he sat down, shock horror, next to Cassie.

There was a simultaneous groan from Cassie, Matilda and myself, before we looked up, met one another's eyes and all began giggling.

"Are we missing something?" Lucas asked as he nudged Henry, who was looking almost as confused as Dalby looked.

Eventually, we calmed down and shared another look, before Cassie said, "We're in."

"Huh, all that for a 'we're in'? Girls are so strange." Henry said, which earned him a whack in the arm from Cassie, followed by a mockingly sweet smile as he glared at her and rubbed the spot she'd so graciously attacked.

"We're in." Matilda confirmed as I nodded. "Who goes first?"

I watched as the boys shared a look. No good could come from that look, I thought to myself, as their faces transformed from overwhelmed to confident… poker faced almost.

I wondered silently how long it would take them to crack, as Dalby began to explain their oh so 'gee we just had this idea like, fifteen minutes ago therefore giving us tons of time to plan, but don't tell the girls' rules.

"We start." Dalby began, before I interrupted him.

"We? No, not going to happen. Truth or Dare is an 'each man for their own' kinda game. So that's how it will work." I said firmly, as Dalby glared at me.

"Would you let me finish?" He asked, as I raised an eyebrow, but kept my mouth shut.

"We start. We've got one question prepared each."

"I knew they were up to something" I heard Matilda mutter under her breath, and I had to stifle the giggle that threatened.

Dalby shot her a glare before continuing once more. "So we get to ask first. Then it's your turn." He finished, sitting back and smirking at us.

"Do we get a chance to confer on our questions?" Cassie asked sarcastically as she moved slightly away from Henry, to his utter disappointment.

"We didn't collaborate." Lucas insisted "We simply bounced a few idea's off one another." He said, his voice growing quieter as Matilda raised a suspicious eyebrow at him.

"But we figured, you girls would be fine with it because you're clever enough to know what you want to know." Lucas said quickly, hoping to save himself from humiliation.

I let out a low whistle before saying, "Good save."

"It's a little unconventional, but I guess that's the definition of this group, sitting on a rooftop playing truth or dare. So I'm in." Cassie finally said, as I saw Matilda nodding in agreement.

"Fine." I said, "I'm in too. Now, who exactly goes first?"

I watched the sly grin cross Dalby's face slowly, as he answered, rather happily, "Me."

I couldn't help the groan that escaped my lips, I swear.

It just kinda, came out.

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I smiled as I watched Belle groan. She so knew what was coming. As did I. If Eric Dalby got to go first, then ten bucks said the first question of the day would be thrown to… Belle. It was just so predictable I had to laugh. And I did, until I felt Lucas's eyes on me. I turned to look at him, raising a questioning eyebrow at him, until he leant down and whispered in my ear "You think that's funny, guess who gets second question?"

I shivered slightly before regaining composure and shrugging off his closeness. How the hell does he get under my skin? Make me feel so… unlike me. With one glance, one look… one quirky comment, all the walls I'd built so high around me come crashing down. No one should have that kind of power.

I felt Lucas tap my arm gently and it snapped me out of my thoughts. I watched as Dalby moved in closer to Belle, an evil grin across his face. These boys were enjoying this way too much.

"Okay Taylor." He began "Truth or Dare?"

She bit her lip, truly contemplating the question, before she sat back and said "Truth".

"Okay Taylor." Dalby said "Why are you here?"

"That's it?" Belle spat out, confused as hell. "No, 'What happened in your childhood to make you see the world through your oh-so-cynical eyes? Or any traumatic events that have made you who you are? Better what, what about questions with underlying sexual implications?" Belle ranted on and on.

Eventually, Dalby placed a hand over her mouth and left it there until it looked as if she'd finally shut up.

"No, none of that. Why are you here?" He asked, removing his hand as Belle glared at him.

"God you've got a short memory Dalby, all the alcohol affecting the brain? You were in class when I got in trouble, remember?" Belle finished sarcastically.

"Oh yeah." Dalby replied, a small, satisfied smile crossing his face.

I shared a concerned look with Belle, as we both drew the same conclusion. They were really up to something. And it was not good, not good at all.

"My turn." Lucas said happily from beside me as he began to stare me down. I sighed, resigned to the fact that the question was obviously going to be directed at me, when he did something that knocked me for six.

In a moment, he'd looked straight past me and said loudly "Cassie, truth or dare?"

Cassie. He'd asked Cassie.

And I felt something akin to rejection boil through my blood.

Cassie raised a questioning eyebrow at Lucas, her eyes darting quickly between Belle and myself, as if asking 'What should I do?'

The only answer I could give her was a small shrug, saying 'Sorry girl, I don't know what is going on any more.'

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she replied truth. Henry looked grief stricken next to her, as if truth was the last thing in the world he wanted to hear her say, but she'd made her choice.

Lucas smiled, before asking "Why did you attack Henry in the Library?"

And his question was as simple as that. It was like they weren't even trying to play the game, more like they just wanted to be near us… in a sick, twisted kind of way.

Cassie turned to look at Henry, and studied him for a while. He didn't break eye contact, if anything, he strengthened the hold, until Cassie finally looked away and back at Lucas.

"For things past, and things present, for everything and nothing. Because he represents everything I hate about school, about adolescence, about people. Because he was the closest thing to lash out at, and because Dalby gave me an opening. And because of our history." She finished quietly.

"Which is?" Lucas prodded.

"Nope," I interrupted, shaking my finger at Lucas "Only one question at a time. That means,"

"It's my turn" Henry said, looking directly at me.

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Belle had Dalby. Fair enough. Lucas picked me. Slightly out of the ordinary, but I could deal. But Henry and Matilda, well, I knew once upon a time, how susceptible their relationship was to pressure. How one would crack, and strike out completely at the other. How within minutes, both could be red faced from screaming at one another. And they had only been twelve years old at the time.

Now they were staring each other down right infront of my very eyes, and I couldn't help but wonder if history would repeat itself once more.

"Truth or Dare Maddikins."

"Don't call me that." Matilda replied forcefully as she crossed her arms across her chest, a mannerism which meant she was truly annoyed at him.

"Truth, I guess. I wouldn't trust you with a dare." She replied evenly, not meeting his eyes.

A wide smile formed across his face, as he leant down closer, uttering the words I'd dreaded since we left the library.

"What happened in the bathroom before?"

Matilda's eyes snapped up from the spot they'd been staring at on the ground, but instead of meeting Henry's eyes, she met mine.

I saw her anguish, her confusion, and most of all, I saw her lack of betrayal, and I knew what she was going to do. She was going to lie. I smiled tiredly at her, and shook my head. Everything was clear now. They just wanted to know, wanted to know how girls could hate one another one minute, then be best friends the next.

They would never fully understand, but they still wanted to know, they wanted to be included into the ritual bonding that was taking place. And who was I to stop it?

Matilda took a deep breath before saying quietly "Cassie and I, we just, fixed things. That's all."

Dalby, Henry and Lucas all looked at her, waiting for her to continue, obviously unsatisfied with the response.

"We realised some stuff, about one another, and about ourselves, and everything that's been thrown away in the last four years." Matilda continued, speaking to me instead of them now "That we've both changed, but that doesn't mean we have to hate one another."

She sighed, smiling sadly at me, which quickly turned into an evil grin as she finished "Oh yea, I'm an ideal, right Lucas?" She said, to Lucas, as he blushed and looked away, "And you two haven't been able to keep your eyes of two certain brunette's either." She finally finished, as Belle and I both cracked up at the embarrassed look on their faces as they turned away.

Trust Matilda Hunter to turn a drowning situation into a rescue mission.

Rubbing his neck which was slightly red from his blush, Lucas was, surprisingly enough, the first to recover. "Okay, so you heard the conversation. Would you care to share your thoughts?"

"How about, no." Belle replied instantly.

"Yep, they are for us to know, and you lot to never find out." I said, laughing along with Belle and Matilda as all three boys groaned in unison.

"Besides," I added, looking happily between Matilda and Belle, knowing that we could take them down now, "Isn't it OUR turn to ask the questions now?"

Another groan.

"Paybacks a bitch boys." Matilda said "Get ready to play Truth or Dare our way."

"No fair," Dalby cut in "We set out the rules at the beginning."

"Well the rules are changing." I stated simply.

"Says who." Henry challenged.

"Says us." Belle replied,

"Now suck it up boys, it's time to play dare or dare." I finished.

"What now?" Dalby asked, looking completely lost.

"Dare or Dare. Basically, we say, and you do. Too hard for your puny brains?" Matilda asked sweetly, mockingly.

"I'm in." Lucas said, staring at Matilda, who looked slightly shocked by his expression.

That boy could surprise you in the strangest ways.

"Me too." Dalby said, not to be out done by who he believed to be the biggest geek in the school.

Henry apparently, wanted to prove his manhood too. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Rubbing my hands together, I said, "Belle, let the fun begin."

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My eyes darted around looking each member of our little circle of friends in the eye. The boys had wanted to know one thing and one alone… what can happen to make three girls who hate one another, not hate one another. It was as simple as that for them.

For me, I didn't know what I wanted to do. There were so many plausible options. There was so much sexual tension that I could always play with that, and then there were always the ever-embarrassing same sex tendencies that came out during such games.

Momentarily I had flashes of Henry and Dalby… and I shuddered at the thought… I was not going there, not now, not EVER.

Instead, I thought about the conversation that we'd heard while in the bathroom. And all their feelings that had been unwittingly revealed to us.

Looking between Matilda and Lucas, and Henry and Cassie, and finally, towards Dalby, I wondered if I began this now, whether Matilda and Cassie would have the nerve to finish it... like I hoped they would.

"Henry" I said sharply, turning to face him fully "Dare or dare."

He sighed deeply, and looked almost, shell shocked to be chosen first.

"Dare" he replied finally, as if he had another choice.

"I dare you…" I said, sucking in a breath, delaying the moment for as long as I could. "tokissCassie" I said quickly, running the words together in a rush.

Cassie turned to glare at me, while Henry gaped at the dare that had just been thrown out there. Matilda looked highly amused at the situation that was playing out infront of her, while Lucas began the "Wooting".

But Dalby? Dalby, he just stared directly at me, locking eyes with my own, reading them, knowing exactly what I had done, and, why I had done it.

I looked away, not able to bare his scrutiny. I turned to watch Henry cup Cassie's cheek and softly connect his lips to hers. There was no hunger or lust in the kiss; there was something more… something I couldn't understand or comprehend, because there was something between them that only they understood.

Them and Matilda, I guessed, as she smiled slightly, as if seeing something she knew was inevitable.

Something I kind of wished I could see too.

Henry pulled back, his eyes opened, his hand remained on Cassie's cheek momentarily. Her eyes remained shut for longer, as if she were trying to keep the moment for that much longer. They opened lazily, and she gave Henry a smile that made me wish we weren't here.

A smile that I knew would be reserved for him.

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Cassie blinked several times as if she was trying to get her baring back. That kiss had effected her a fair bit, but then again, apparently my brother had a way with kisses. He had sat back and simply continued to look at Cassie in the same, amazed way he had been all day.

He truly was infatuated with the girl that was for sure.

Cassie's fingers traced lines on her lips, like she were savoring the moment, while Dalby and Lucas were whistling and cat calling, causing her to finally blush.

"Your turn." Belle said mischievously, grinning from ear to ear now that the desired effect of her handiwork had been accomplished.

Cassie turned to glare at her, but as they shared a look, I saw Cassie begin to grin evilly too.

"Lucas, Dare or Dare." She half smirked.

"Well, I don't know, there's so many choices." Lucas said in an attempt at sarcasm. "How about a dare." He finished daringly.

"I dare you to… kiss Matilda." Cassie said as her fingers continued to trace her lips, where, only moments before, Henry's mouth had been.

My jaw dropped open in surprise, in shock, in complete horror. How could she betray me like this, now, after everything we'd already been though… okay so it wasn't that dramatic, but kissing the video/audio geek of the school. .

I opened my mouth in protest, my voice was lost as Lucas' lips pressed themselves lightly against my own. An involuntary shiver ran down my back as my body fought against giving into the kiss. My eyes remained open for as long as they could, before finally gave into the kiss. Moving closer to Lucas, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him to me.

His tongue slid across my bottom lip, begging to deepen the kiss, which I gratefully allowed. His hands pulled on my waist, drawing me even closer, so eventually I was almost sitting on his lap. My hands had become entangled in his hair as our tongues battled for dominance, a fight that neither of us was willing to give up on.

Pulling away only when we realised the obvious need for oxygen to breathe, I rested my forehead against his own and whispered, to him, to myself, to no one in particular, "Nerds aren't supposed to kiss like that."

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Matilda momentarily relaxed into Lucas' embrace, before realising the magnitude of what she'd done. And where she was sitting.

She pulled fully away from him and snapped her head towards the group and said sternly "Tell anyone, and I will get you. You do not want to mess with me." She finished threatening, before sitting stiffly back, just waiting for someone to challenge her.

"And the ice-queen is back." Belle muttered under her breath, causing everyone, except Matilda, to grin.

Lucas even managed to give a little smile, despite the fact he was probably more than a little hurt by Matilda's comments. So I decided to try and reach out to her, and bring it back to the fact that…

"It's only a game." I said aloud, giving Matilda a small, encouraging smile.

All I got in reply was a small 'hmph', before an evil smile crossed her face.

"Finally," She said, "My turn. Eric, Dare or dare?"

"Dare" Dalby replied as he rolled his eyes, "Matilda" He said, drawing out her name, I guessed because he felt slightly insulted at being called "Eric"

"Why break tradition?" She said sardonically, smirking towards Belle, who groaned, knowing exactly what was coming. "I dare you to kiss Belle over there." She finished, motioning with her head to where Belle sat.

Rather than smirking back at her, Dalby smiled brightly before crawling over towards Belle.

Belle's face remained neutral, not showing any change of emotion, any anticipation, any excitement, any fear was well hidden beneath a perfectly perfected façade.

He leant across to her, and Belle closed her eyes, showing momentarily the expectation she was feeling. His arm moved around her pulled her closer and….

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AN#2: Thanks to Katya for proof reading :)

Sorry. I hate to leave you hanging, but I felt, this story needed a bit of a cliffhanger. Did it work…?

I thought not, you're all too smart for me.

Thanks for the reviews.