I’m driving to my friend’s house; riding shotgun is my boyfriend Zach. The snow is falling down around us as I make my way to her house. It’s New Years and the streets are jammed with other families trying to get to where they need to go. “So, you haven’t seen these people in what, a year?” Zach asks me while we wait at a stoplight. It was more like ten months but who’s really keeping track. “Uh yeah, something like that.” I say breathlessly as the light finally turns green. “You know we don’t have to go,” he says for the millionth time. “I know but I really don’t want to spend New Years lamely. Besides it will be fun to get the whole gang back together and this time with out partners.” I say, trying to convince myself that this will be worth it. As I pull up and punch in the code at the front of her house Zach looks out the window in awe. “Claudia, what type of friend owns this place?” He breathes out, looking back at me with surprise. “Someone who still lives at her parent place.” I reply, getting out of the car. Before I raise my hand to knock on the door, my best friend in the whole world, Rose, pulls the door open. “Hey Claud! I saw you guys pull up, so glad you could make it.” Rose pauses and looks at Zach, “and who is this?” she teases, poking him. “Rose meet Zach, Zach meet Rose.” I simply say. I look around and see my other friend, Chloe, walk up. “Claudia!!!” Chloe squeals while leaping into my arms. Another pretty girl walks up and draws closer to Chloe. “Oh Claud, this is my girlfriend Vivian, call her Vi, you remember her from last time we saw each other?” I didn’t really remember what she looked like, but I did remember that Chloe announced to us that she was gay and that she had already found a girlfriend. I still nod my head yes and smile like I remember her clearly.

“Well now that everyone knows each other who’s up for some games?” Rose asks, looking at each of us. “Ha ha no thanks, I’m fine with the one of tv.” I say, turning my head towards the football game. I knew how this was going to end. It would start with a card game and end with truth or dare. Truth or dare will end with all of us screaming at each other and leaving before the clock hits midnight. That’s what happened last time, the main reason why I had stopped hanging out with Rose in the first place. “Oh, don’t be such a baby Claud.” Rose says clearly remembering what happened. “We’re gonna play truth or dare, aren’t we?” Chloe asks. “Yes, and everyone has to play! No backing out of a dare or lying on a truth.” Everyone agreed and was in, except me. “Fine, I’ll play but no love involved in the dares. I mean it, if someone says even the word kiss then I’m out!” Rose agrees and so does everyone else. Zach just looks at me suspiciously and raises his eyebrows. “I’ll go first!” Chloe yells. “Zach, truth or dare?” I’m not worried about Chloes dares since they’re usually pretty harmless. “Truth” Zach says quietly. Chloe thinks about it for a minute and eventually asks, “When was the first kiss you had?” I scowl at her, and she laughs. “Uh I think I was in fifth grade-.” Zach starts to say. Rose interrupts him and hollers “Okay boring my turn. Chloe, truth or dare?” Chloe stares at Rose for a moment and stammers, “dare, I think I chose dare.” Rose smiles her perfectly white teeth and says, “excellent choice.”

“This is actually a dare for all of you. I just wanted Chloe to answer it since I knew she would say dare.” I jump up out of my seat and start to say “hey! You can’t do that! Its not in the rules-” Rose cuts me off halfway, “my house my rules guys! Did any of you read my text?” Vi looks at Chloe and I and says, “its just a game, don’t freak out too much.” Then back to Rose, “what’s the dare?” Rose says mysteriously, “I dare you…” she pauses to get some dirt from under her nail out, “to have a fun time with your ex and get a picture of it.” Then all hell breaks loose. Chloe starts yelling, I back her up and Vi is crying. Zach sits quietly and eventually asks, “what if you don’t have an ex?” “Zach, you can get your lazy butt outta here,” Rose says. I’m mad but manage to smile at him through my gritted teeth. “See you later?” He asks. I nod, he walks out and leaves. “I’m not doing it; I’m not going to have a good time with my ex! I’m pretty sure he knows I don’t exist anymore anyway,” I say. “Yeah, and I’m not going to cheat on Vi for some boy I don’t even like since I don’t like boys in the first place,” Chloe explains. “I don’t have an ex too, but I don’t want Chloe seeing hers.” Vi sniffles. Rose sighs dramatically and rolls her eyes, “Go out as friends! Who says you have to be lovers to have a good time right?” We’re all silent for a minute until Vi break the awkward silence, “Isn’t that a little weird though?” Rose glares at her, “You shouldn’t even be talking, you don’t have to do the dare let alone be here.” When she says this, I think ‘where’s Zach? Why doesn’t he come defend me on how dumb this dare is?’ “Anyway, we all agree to the rules of this dare?” Rose asks, we all nod. “No cheating you know I’ll identify any fakes so just don’t do it.” After midnight and we all hug I tell them that I’m going home. Rose walks me out, “don’t forget,” she reminds me. How could I? Before I get into my car I ask, “Rose, who’s your ex anyway?” She laughs and says that I’ll see in the picture.

The next day I decided to send my ex a text. His name is Asher, and the only reason why we broke up was because he had different goals and dreams in life and a girlfriend was not one of them. We stayed in touch for a little while, but we had stopped communicating over the years as we drew farther apart from each other. All I say is this: Hey Asher its Claudia! Happy New Year! Hope you’re doing well. Wanna catch up sometime? Before I send it, I show it to Zach, “Do you think this would be enough for a picture?” He glances at it and says “yeah, I think so.” He coughs and then asks, “you’re just going as friends, right?” I laugh, “why would I have feelings for him when I have you?” He smiles, relieved, and then exclaims, “well then go get that stupid dare over with!” I send the text and an hour later I check my phone. Asher responded, Happy New Year to you too. Chipotle tonight at 7? I had meant sometime, not exactly meaning tonight but it would be nice to get this dare over with and not bring him up ever again. Especially when I already have a boyfriend. I texted back, Sure sounds great. See you there. I took a shower and got dressed. I decided to wear something casual, like a hoodie and jeans. I kissed Zach goodbye and got in my car to drive over to the restaurant.

I saw him as soon as I walked in. I saw Asher at the register paying for his order. He looked towards me as I was getting in line. “Hey Claudia!” he said, smiling. I waved awkwardly and got my order. He still looked like the boy I remembered falling in love with. Cute, funny, his smile was everything. When I got my food and sat down with him, we talked and ate. I forgot how easy he was to talk to. I didn’t mention the dare though, I didn’t want him to know I had wanted to hang out with him for a picture. When we were getting ready to leave, I pulled out my phone ready to take a picture of us. As I was rummaging through my bag for it, Asher touched my cheek and kissed me lightly. I quickly mumbled an excuse about how I needed to get home and rushed out as fast as I could, not even caring that I didn’t have a picture. I kept hearing my phone, but I ignored it. All I kept thinking was I’m a cheater. When I got home, I rushed to my bedroom and slammed the door. “Claudia!” my grandmother yelled, “don’t slam the doors.” I got into bed and fell asleep, thinking this would all just be a dream when I woke up.

I wake up sleepily the next morning and groan lightly. I look toward my beanbag chair and hear Asher say something. I must still be dreaming. I rub my eyes and look again surprised. “What are you doing here?!” I yell. “Your grandmother let me in, and calm down, you don’t have to act surprised.” “I am surprised though.” I say. He looks at me weirdly and says “didn’t you check your phone? I texted you quite a few times.” “Sorry, I didn’t, but anyway what are you doing here?”

“That’s the funny thing because to be honest I should be asking you, why were you wanting to hang out last night? It was quite a shock to me when I saw your text. At first, I thought you actually wanted to catch up but then I thought that you wanted to get back together with me. Which clearly wasn’t the case since you ran out of there as soon as I kissed you. So, what do you want Claudia?” He crosses his arms and leans back in the chair. I take a deep breath and say, “it was just a game of truth or dare. Two nights ago, I was hanging out with Rose, my friend if you remember her, and a few others, Rose’s dare was that we have to have a good time with our ex, for our proof we just needed a picture with them. I just wanted a picture, that’s it.” “Did Rose have to do the dare too?” He asks. “Yeah, she did, why are you asking.” He shrugs, “just wondering because I wanted to know if she was going out with that Zach kid.” I gasp, “wait Zach, which Zach? Her freaking ex was Zach!?” “Yeah! Zach was my best friend, there’s only one Zach, and at the time he was dating Rose. Why do you care so much, do you know him?” I was red in the face and shouted, “He’s my boyfriend! He lied to me and told me that he didn’t even have an ex. Ahhh!” Why did they both lie, do you think they still secretly like each other!” I kept rambling on and on until Asher said, “why don’t you just go to her house and talk to her? I’m sure she can explain what exactly happened.” I roll my eyes, but then consider it. Before he says another word, I grab my car keys and walk out determined to know what exactly happened with Rose’s side of the dare.

I knock on her door and then decide to just step in. She always keeps it unlocked since she has a gate surrounding the area. “Rose!” I yelled angrily. She comes around the corner in a nice dress. “Claudia? This is an unexpected surprise.” I couldn’t keep it in any longer, “Zach!? Seriously? You dated Zach and decide to just not tell me?” She shrugs, “so I’m assuming he didn’t tell you?” “Golly gee, good going Sherlock, of course he didn’t tell me. Instead, he lied saying he didn’t have an ex. Apparently that ex was you! You were the one who kicked him out.” She holds her hand up to stop me, “I just thought he was your friend. You didn’t kiss him or anything to give me a sign to know that he’s your boyfriend.” We’re silent for a minute and then I hear a door slam and a very familiar voice calling, “hey Rose its just me, Zach.” I shoot Rose the dirtiest look I could and walk around to the front door, Rose at my heels. “You lying, dirty, disrespectful boyfriend!” I yell before he even has time to register that it’s me. “Claudia! Oh, it’s you!” He says surprised. “This is over! We are done! Why’d you lie about this to me? It was just a dumb dare!” I yell at the top of my lungs. I walk towards the front door, before I leave, I hear Zach say, “That’s fine! I knew you kissed Asher anyway. Besides, why would I have you when I could have her, you know?” He smirks and kisses Rose right in front of me. I leap into my car and zoom off to my house, crying my face off.

Asher’s already at my house, in my room, looking at his phone. He just looks up and sees my face. Instead of being a jerk about it he just hugs me close to him. “I’m sorry,” he says while I hiccup annoyingly loud into his ear. When I’m done crying and sitting on my bed I say, “Asher I know that this is crazy but I still kinda like you.” I meet his eyes and continue, “I fell for you again at the restaurant, I don’t really know what came over me but I kinda missed everything about you. I guess I didn’t realize it until I saw you again.” He smiles and draws closer to me. He kisses me lightly and says, “I missed you too.” He holds me for a long time until he gets up and tells me that he has to go.

I walk him to his car, as we walk, I feel a little cold drop on my cheek. “Hey look its snowing!” I say looking up. I stop and crouch in the snow, making a snowball. He notices and decides to do the same. Soon were laughing and throwing snowballs at each other. “Claudia”, he says after he got a snowball in my hair, “I love you.” I stare at him for a moment and say quietly, “I love you too.” Suddenly the cold doesn’t feel so cold anymore.