Page 11 of Electric Wounds
Across the bus, Dylan’s been eyeing the room, a mischievous grin playing on his lips. I know that look too well. "What if we play a game?" he finally says, breaking the silence.
I glance up at him, amused but wary. "A game, huh? Let me guess… Truth or Dare?"
Dylan’s grin widens. "More like Dare or Dare. Only losers pick truth."
I chuckle. “Of course. You’re on.” I lean back, stretching my legs out in front of me. The rest of the guys perk up a little, the tension cracking just a bit. Even Enzo strolls in from the back, settling onto the couch, intrigued but trying not to show it.
"Alright," Dylan rubs his hands together, already plotting something wicked. His eyes land on Enzo. "Enzo, dare or dare?"
Enzo rolls his eyes but grins. "Dare, obviously."
"I dare you to call the nearest pizza place and order the grossest toppings you can think of," Dylan says, barely containing his laughter.
Enzo raises an eyebrow. "We’re on a bus, genius. Where’s this pizza going?"
"Figure it out," Dylan shrugs. "It’s all about the dare, not the logistics."
Enzo smirks, pulling out his phone. He dials the nearest pizza joint, putting it on speaker. "Hi, I’d like to order a pizza with anchovies, pineapple, jalapenos, and marshmallows. Make sure those marshmallows are toasted, yeah?"
The girl on the other end pauses. "Uh… are you sure about that, sir?"
"Absolutely, and make sure those marshmallows are extra toasty," Enzo deadpans, making all of us stifle our laughter. He wraps up the call, hangs up, and gives a satisfied grin. "Next?"
Dylan’s still giggling as he turns to me. "Marcus, dare or dare?"
I tilt my head and look him square in the eye. “Dare, obviously.” My voice is calm, steady. I can feel the others watching, waiting to see what comes next.
Dylan grins, eyes twinkling. "I dare you to stand on one leg, play your guitar, and sing ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’ in death metal style."
I don’t hesitate. "You got it."
Balancing on one leg, I start shredding the melody on my guitar, growling the lyrics like a demon from the underworld. I throw in some exaggerated head banging, just for show. The bus erupts in laughter. Even Lily—who’s been a bit stiff—clutches her sides, tears rolling down her cheeks.
When I’m done, I hand off the guitar to Enzo and settle back down in my seat. "Who's next?"
Dylan, still wiping tears from his eyes, turns to Lily. "Alright, Lily, dare or dare?"
Her eyes sparkle with a mix of nerves and excitement. "Dare."
Before Dylan can open his mouth, I step in, my voice firm but teasing. "I dare you to wear Jax’s hat for the rest of the game and imitate him."
Lily’s eyes dart to me, a playful smile tugging at her lips. She grabs Jax’s hat and plops it on her head, immediately slouching back, crossing her arms, and adopting his brooding expression. "Alright, guys, let’s get our shit together," she says in a deep, gravelly voice that’s spot on.
We all lose it. Even Jax cracks a smile, which is rare these days.
She gives us a stern glare, still in full Jax mode. “No more distractions. We need to stay focused. Don’t screw this up, boys.”
The whole bus is roaring now, and even Jax has his face in his hands, shaking with laughter. Lily’s nailed it.
"Lily, your turn," I say, curious who she’ll target next.
Her gaze sweeps the room, landing on Dylan. "Dylan, dare or dare?"
"Dare," he replies, leaning in, his usual mischievous look plastered across his face.
Lily grins mischievously. "I dare you to text your mom and tell her you’re quitting the band to become a professional yodeler."
Dylan groans but pulls out his phone, typing out the message. "Hey, Mom. I’ve decided to quit the band and become a professional yodeler. Love, Dylan."
