Dan sat near the middle of the classroom, head tilted, half-listening to the lecturer's droning voice. Outside the tall glass windows, the sky stretched out in pale grey, hints of sun flickering through the clouds like they couldn't decide whether to show up today. Inside, fluorescent lights buzzed softly, and the classroom smelled faintly of ink, worn-out textbooks, and tired ambition.
Behind him, his so-called friends exchanged glances. Quick ones. Calculated. Eyes flicked between Dan and one another, barely tilting their heads so he wouldn't notice. It was quiet coordination, subtle enough to escape the average person's radar — but this wasn't an average day.
As the lecture drew to a close, the students began packing their things. Zippers zipped. Chairs scraped. Bags were slung over shoulders. Dan blinked slowly and remained seated, checking something in his notebook. Meanwhile, the group — Barbara, Anna, Zack, Nancy, and Ella — stood and filtered out together, leaving him behind without a word. No goodbye. No nudge. Just silence.
Dan didn't think much of it.
Maybe they were in a hurry. Maybe they had plans.
Shrugging it off, he closed his notebook and exited the classroom minutes later, casually scanning the corridor. His eyes narrowed slightly when he didn't spot any of them nearby.
He decided to look for them.
It didn't take long to catch a glimpse — Anna's ponytail bouncing as she rounded the school gate with Barbara. The others followed behind. Dan watched from a distance as they walked away from the campus, headed down the hill toward town.
They were in a hurry. But why?
Curiosity tugged at him. With no real reason not to, he followed.
The group reached a small restaurant tucked between a pharmacy and a laundry shop — the kind of place you only noticed when you were really looking. The windows were fogged from the air conditioning inside, and the hanging sign outside read D'Table in faint red paint. Barbara pushed open the glass door, holding it briefly for the rest of the group, and they slipped in one by one.
Dan watched them disappear inside. He hesitated.
Then he followed.
Inside, the restaurant was modest and mostly empty, quiet except for the clinking of dishes behind the counter. The group had claimed a booth in the corner, half-hidden behind a wooden divider. They didn't notice Dan slip in through the front.
Barbara had taken charge. She flipped open a small notebook and tapped her pen against it with a kind of theatrical energy. The others leaned in closer, their voices hushed.
"So," she began, "we officially begin the first meeting of Operation Sherlock Holmes — Phase One: Lookout on Dan."
Anna nodded, lowering her voice. "Here's what we know. Dan dared George to fall off the roof."
Zack crossed his arms. "Yeah."
"But George refused," Anna continued. "He left. Said it was suicidal."
Ella gave a small nod. "That's what he told me too."
Barbara glanced around the table. "Now here's where things get weird. According to one rumor, someone saw George talking to a stranger outside the building that same day. Then, another person claims they saw someone on the roof about to fall. George supposedly ran up to save them… and fell in their place."
Silence passed over the group. Even Nancy, who had barely spoken the whole way, looked unsettled.
"But that doesn't make sense," Zack said. "Why would George lie about refusing the dare if he went up anyway?"
Barbara leaned forward. "Exactly. Something about it feels off. And Dan? He didn't even react. Not surprised. Not sad. Just… nothing."
She lowered her voice.
"That means Dan is—"
"Dan is what?"
They froze.
The voice came from behind them.
Dan stood beside their table, hands in his pockets, wearing his usual unreadable half-smile.
Barbara blinked. "Oh—Dan. Why are you here?"
"I saw you guys walking out earlier," he said casually, glancing at each of them in turn. "Thought I'd tag along."
He gestured at Zack. "Mind scooting over?"
Zack shifted awkwardly, and Dan slid into the booth, right between Nancy and Ella.
"Thanks," he said. Then leaned forward just enough to make them all uncomfortable.
"So… Dan is what?"
Nancy, panicked, spoke first. "Dan is amazing!"
Zack flinched. "Y-yeah! Totally amazing."
Ella jumped in with a forced smile. "Dan is… ultimately amazing."
Dan's eyes narrowed slightly, amused. "Oh. Okay." He chuckled. "So, what were you guys talking about?"
Barbara didn't skip a beat. "We were planning our next game."
Dan blinked. "Our next game?"
"You know," she continued, "we didn't really finish our last Truth or Dare. We were thinking of inviting you to play again."
"Oh!" Dan smiled. "Funny. I was thinking the same."
Barbara mirrored the grin. "Really? When?"
Dan shrugged. "Maybe… next week?"
"Cool," Zack muttered quickly.
"See you then," Anna added.
Dan stood up, brushing nonexistent dust from his pants. "Alright then. Later."
He walked out of the restaurant, his back turned to them — calm, relaxed, like nothing was strange at all.
The moment the door closed behind him, the table collectively exhaled.
Barbara's hand tightened around her pen. Zack looked down at the table, and Ella let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
Then, quietly, Nancy spoke.
"So we all take dares from him… to check out our suspicions."
No one replied.
They just looked at each other, the game taking on a new meaning — one they hadn't fully planned for.
To be continued…