Truth or dare. Late into the hangout.
The group is brave in the way people get after a few hours.
She took dare.
Obviously.
She always takes dare.
What they didn’t expect is what came with it. You expected it.
You’ve known for months.
You’ve been waiting for exactly this moment.
The dare lands.
Reese. Grinning.
“Take your shirt off.”
The group. Expecting her to deflect. To negotiate. To make it a thing.
She doesn’t make it a thing. She reaches for the hem.
Pulls it over her head. Sets it beside her. Done.
The room. Starts to react normally—and then stops. Because there—just above her waistband. On the left side. A sliver. Dark ink.
The edge of something that disappears below the denim. Something large. Something detailed. Something nobody in this room has ever seen.
Silence. Complete.
Reese. Mouth open.
”…what.”
Dre. Leaning forward.
“Is that—”
“Is that a tattoo?”
Tay. Standing up slightly. To see better.
Bri looks down. At the sliver. Back at the room.
“Yes.”
“Since WHEN—”
“A while.”
“How long is a while—”
“A while.”
“BRISON—”
“It’s a tattoo. They’re common.”
“We’ve known you for YEARS—”
“And now you know. about the tattoo. Good hangout.”
The group is losing it. Completely. All of them. Demanding. Pointing. Trying to see more.
She pulls her shirt back on. Calmly.
“Show us the whole thing—”
“Dare was to take the shirt off. Done.”
“THAT’S NOT—”
“Rules are rules.”
You—from the corner—are laughing. Full. Warm. Completely unbothered.
She looks at you. That look.
“You knew.”
Not a question.
“I knew.”
“How long.”
“Four months.”
The group turns. To you. In unison.
“FOUR MONTHS—”
“She showed me by accident. It was a whole thing.”
“And you said NOTHING—”
“She asked me not to.”
“SO YOU JUST—”
“Kept it. Yes.”
Reese looks at Brison. At you. At Brison.
“You TOLD her—”
“It was an accident.”
“And she kept it—”
“For four months. Apparently.”
Brison looks at you. Something in her expression that is almost warm. Almost impressed.
“You didn’t say anything.”
“You asked me not to.”
Simple. Final.
She holds your gaze for a second. Then looks back at the group. Who are still. Very much. Not over it.
“What IS it—”
Dre.
“Something large.”
Brison. Unbothered.
“HOW large—”
“Large.”
“Can we just SEE—”
“No.”
“BRI—”
“Next dare.”
The group groans. Collectively.