Featherscape Tickle Story Collection

Truth and Dare - Part 1

"You excited for tonight, sweetie?" Edward Pewter asked his daughter as he stepped out of her way. At a safe distance from the rushing blur of the high school sophomore hurrying to straighten up the living room to presentable conditions, Edward watched his daughter Abigail frantically fluff couch pillows and lay out folded blankets.

"Uh huh," Abigail said dismissively focused on setting up for the night she had anticipated since the beginning of the school week. Edward chuckled, imagining that if he had not had in his contacts, all he would see was a maple colored streak matching that of his daughter's hair.

"Would you like some help?" the man asked.

"No, thank you," said Abigail, still not looking up at him as she placed out several boxes of board games. "I have to make sure everything is perfect." She froze and looked up at her father. "Not that you would mess anything up. You wouldn't. But I'd just like to have everything in order for tonight." Edward laughed.

"Hey, suit yourself," said Edward. He sipped a mug of decaf coffee whilst standing in the kitchen archway. "Why are you going so crazy over tonight, anyway? You've had slumber parties over here before and never got like this. You didn't invite the Pope tonight, did you?" Abigail stopped to take a breath, puffing out in loud sighs.

"No, nothing like that," said Abigail. "There's going to be an extra person tonight."

"Who all's coming over, just so I know who to blame for things getting broken?" Edward asked.

"Well, you know Lindsey, Natalie, Caitlin, and Leah," said Abigail.

"Yes, and I've chosen Natalie to blame for when things get broken," said Edward with a chuckle. Abigail rarely ever more than smirked at her father's jokes, and that was fine enough for him.

"Well, there's this new girl in school," said Abigail. "Her name's Sophia, she just started about a month ago, and doesn't have many friends. I thought that I'd invite her over tonight."

"She's not crazier than the rest of you, is she? I don't know if I can handle another one of you."

"No, she's really quiet," said Abigail. The girl looked down and smiled. She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "And smart and sweet and pretty..." Abigail looked up to her father, face beginning to swelter. "... good at... math."

"Pretty good at math?" Edward asked. Abigail returned to setting up for the party.

"Yep, pretty good at math," said Abigail, laying down some extra pillows from a nearby supply closet. "A real Newton, that one." Abigail began gathering snacks laid out in bowls from the kitchen counter, whizzing past her father.

"Fair enough," said Edward. "Well, I'll get out of your way then. Just please try not to be too loud tonight. I know it's a Saturday; I could care less when you girls go to sleep, but imagine that the later it gets, the more aware you should all be about your volume."

"Yes, dad," said Abigail. "I'll be quiet and I'll try to contain the others."

"Just stay on Lindsey about it," said Edward. "Girl cackles like a witch in an empty movie theater." Abigail managed a quick laugh before giving her father a knowing grin. The doorbell rang. Abigail's head snapped to the clock. 6:32. She quickly checked herself over. Pink sweat pants with smiling ice cream cones danced up and down her legs. Her freshly painted toes peeked out from the bottoms. A lazy Saturday tank top tightly hugged her shoulders. She rushed to a wall mirror and looked herself over, straightening out her hair.

"Oh god, I'm a mess," said Abigail. The doorbell rang once more "Coming!"

"You want me to get the door?" her father asked. Abigail hurried in brushing out her hair with her fingers.