Naked on a Dare by India T. Norfleet

Back in the Day
     
    “ C ome on, Asia, hurry up and choose. Truth or Dare? You know we got to be in the house before the street lights come on,” said Ricky, the neighborhood bully.
    “Okay, I will if you would just shut up for a minute.” Asia really didn’t want to choose dare, but she was tired of being teased for always chickening out on her dares.
    “Yeah, Ricky, shut up and let Asia think,” Asia's best friend, Natalie,  yelled.
    All of the neighborhood kids had gathered down the street at the city park to enjoy the last days of beautiful weather, extended play hours, and timeless childhood games. It was 6:41 on a Friday evening, at the end of a long super humid summer. Summer was finally about to come to a close in just a few short weeks, but you couldn’t tell by the cinematic scenes on this block. The sweet, spicy aroma of barbeque lingered in the evening air, and not even a hint of a cloud in the pretty blue sky. Maze, featuring Frankie Beverly, could be heard from miles away. The adults sat on their front porches playing cards, and sipping on fresh squeezed lemonade, while rocking to the beat and keeping an eye out on the children and the neighborhood. This scene on the west side of Detroit, with its slowly setting sun, was picture perfect. 
    Though this tradition was pretty much obsolete with the children of this generation, it wasn't to the children that lived in the third block of Wisconsin. They knew that if they weren’t home before the street lights on their block illum inated, there would be grave consequences. And most times, you would be able to hear very clearly just what those grave consequences were, as the close knit neighborhood settled down for the night.
    “You shut up Nat, ain't nobody even talking to you.”
    “Well I'm talking to you, clown,” Natalie said, as her hands flew to her hips.
    “Okay, okay, dare, Ricky, I choose dare.”
    “Dang, finally.” Ricky shook his head.
    “Okay, I dare you to go kiss Tony.”
    “What? No!” Panic was now suddenly visible on Asia’s innocent face. She wanted to bolt but knew that she would never live this down, and if she didn't agree to the dare, she would never be included in this game again.
    “That's your dare, go kiss Tony, or get ready to get punched ten times in your arm,” Ricky said, pounding his fist into his hand.
    “It's only five times, Ricky.”
    “Oh my God, Nat, shut up.”
    “Fine, I'll do it,” Asia said, trying to hide her increasing fear.
    “Good, come on everybody.”
    All of the other kids, who were playing Truth or Dare, quickly fell in step and headed toward the other side of the park, where Tony and Asia's twin brother Austin had run to the ice cream truck. Tony was laughing, as he stood next to Austin. He bit into the head of his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle ice cream as Asia walked up to him.
    “Uh, Tony, I need to tell you something.”
    “Okay, what is it?”
    “Yeah, sis, what's so important that you had to interrupt us?” Austin asked.
    “Yeah, cause we were just-”
    Asia had quickly leaned over and pressed a small peck to Tony's soft, cool, full lips. Excited Asia stood licking her lips and grinning. She could taste remnants of Tony's ice cream as she proudly took in her victory of no longer being known as the chicken of Truth or Dare. Then, just as quickly, what she'd done hit her like a ton of bricks.
    “ Ooooo, I'm telling momma on you,” Austin said.
    Embarrassment now covered her exotic features, and a single tear escaped her as she broke through the crowd of gawkers and ran all the way home. Natalie took off after her and tried to catch up, but Asia unknowingly left her in her dust. Asia was three houses down from her home, when her mother walked outside with her gardening tools in hand, and began to tend to her lawn. Instantly, panic was visible on her face as she stood in front of her neighbor Ms. Jone's home, and tried to figure out how she was going to get past her mother. She saw