Actually, Daria herself just makes a token appearance. This is about the Fashion Club again.
----------
"Sandi," said Linda. "I talked to Mr. Steele. He thinks he can help us. But you have to find that drawing."
It was unusual for Sandi Griffin to feel good after a conversation with her mother. Linda was a control freak's control freak.
But his was the best news Sandi had had in a long time. Especially since she now had a pretty good idea where the drawing was and how to find it.
"Thank you, Mother. I'll let you know when I find it. I think it will be very soon."
-------------
The trouble had started two months ago when Sandi and the rest of Lawndale High's Fashion Club had gone to a local art fair. They had paid a caricature artist to do a drawing of the four of them. The drawing turned out to be completely insulting and inaccurate. He had portrayed them as scowling, bickering, mean-spirited girls, when everyone knew they were the epitome of well-dressed, cute, personable young womanhood.
It was an outrage. Sandi had prevailed upon Quinn Morgendorffer to ask her mother, a lawyer, to bring charges against the artist. But Helen Morgendorffer had told them all that there were no grounds for charges, no fraud, no misrepresentation, and furthermore, that artists could not be disbarred, grounded, or deported, and certainly not for a disagreeable drawing. Mrs. Morgendorffer refused to discuss it any further after Tiffany suggested finding someone to break the artist's fingers.
But Sandi's mother, Linda, thought differently. She would agree to pay for another lawyer, provided Sandi obtain the drawing, which had
disappeared sometime during their pleas to Mrs. Morgendorffer.
--------------
"Quinn! It's for you! Telephone!" shouted Daria.
Quinn picked up the phone in her room. "You can hang up now, Daria."
"Hello, Quinn?" said Sandi.
"Hi, Sandi, what's up?" asked Quinn.
"Quinn, remember that drawing?"
"Uh, what drawing?"
"Those disgusting caricatures."
"Uh, sure, Sandi," said Quinn. "I never found it, even though you said you put it in my backpack at that Fashion Club meeting ..."
"Quinn, I think I know where it is."
"Uh, where, Sandi?"
"Stacy has it."
"Stacy? Why?"
"Quinn, do you remember Stacy complaining about the way she was portrayed in that drawing?"
"Sandi, I don't remember all the discussions we had about that ..."
"She didn't complain. You know, from what I remember, the artist didn't draw her too badly. Maybe she actually liked it."
"Sandi, that's no proof that she took it out of my backpack or wherever ..."
"Quinn, two days ago at the meeting at Stacy's house, I got a look inside her closet."
"I remember. You wanted to see what kind of sweater hangers she used."
"You know what I saw? She had some photographs and other stuff taped to the inside of the door. But there was a big empty spot in the middle, and some sticky marks left by the tape of something that had been there. I think she keeps the drawing in her closet and takes it down when the rest of us are there."
"Um, OK, Sandi, maybe she has it. But who cares? I don't want it ..."
"Quinn! Remember we were going to sue that artist!"
"Sandi, my mother refused to ever again discuss ..."
"Quinn, your mother is not the only lawyer in town. My mother thinks we have a good case and has found a lawyer who will take the case if we can come up with the drawing."
"OK, I'll ask Stacy ..."
"Quinn, I already asked Stacy. She denied having the drawing. But I could tell she was lying. You know how her eyes get big and her voice goes up when she's lying?"
"Sandi, maybe we should just forget about it."
"Quinn! Not when we have a lawyer who will take the case!"
"Who is this lawyer, Sandi?"
"Lawton Steele."
"Lawton Steele? Of Lye, Cheathem and Steele? Oh, my God, Sandi, I've heard my mother talk about him! He's like totally crooked and is going to be indicted for concealing evidence and jury tampering and ..."
"Quinn, he has agreed to take the case for a reasonable price. Providing we get the drawing."
"Well, if Stacy won't admit she has it ... "
"I'll get it from her. I've got a plan ..."
-----------
Stacy Rowe smiled at the drawing taped up in her closet. That artist had been a wizard, showing her squabbling Fashion-mates with angry expressions. Very accurate.
She looked at her own representation. A sweet, innocent girl, smiling
coyly.
Stacy bit her lip, smiled, and blushed slightly.
Yeah, right, she thought. So innocent I stole it right under Sandi's nose. Teehee!
She considered what to wear to the meeting. At lunch today the girls had discussed what their favorite tops were, and the other three girls had agreed that Stacy looked best in her new blue tank top, even though they had only seen her in it once.
Tank top it is, thought Stacy.
----------
At the Fashion Club meeting, Sandi announced that four boys, Jeffy, Jamie, Joey and Robert, were going to be attending in order to offer "the male perspective" on fashion matters.
"Uh, Sandi," said Stacy, "we tried that once when you were ..."
Stacy hesitated.
"Yes, Stacy?" Sandi said sharply, knowing that Stacy was referring to the time Sandi broke her leg, got fat, quit the Fashion Club and tricked Quinn into quitting in sympathy. Stacy and Tiffany were the only members left, and finding a lack of qualified girls, tried to recruit boys into the Fashion Club.
"... uh, absent for reasons we won't discuss. Tiffany and I tried recruiting boys and it just didn't work ..."
The doorbell rang.
"There they are!" said Sandi, leaping up to answer the door.
The four boys entered and sat down with the girls. They all seemed a bit puzzled about what they were supposed to do.
"OK, guys," said Sandi. "Tonight the topic is jackets."
"Jackets?" said Joey, sounding disappointed.
"Yes, Joey. Jackets!" said Sandi firmly.
"We'd rather talk about miniskirts!" said Jamie.
"Or bikinis!" said Jeffy.
"Yeah! Bikinis!" the four boys said, more or less at once.
"Well, Stacy," said Sandi, "it appears you were correct. It is a waste of time to discuss fashion matters with boys. However, since we're all here, we might as well find something else to do."
Stacy thought that Sandi had given up awfully easily ...
Sandi was staring hard at Quinn.
"Uh, yeah, I've got an idea!" said Quinn, remembering what Sandi had told her to say. "Let's play Truth or Dare!"
"Does everyone know how to play?" asked Sandi.
Everyone nodded, except Stacy, who thought that the subject of the meeting was changing awfully fast.
"So who goes first?" asked Jamie.
"Like this, Jamie," said Jeffy, "Eeenie, meenie, miney, moe ..."
Good a way as any, thought Sandi.
Jeffy finished the rhyme pointing at Robert.
"Um, guys, shouldn't we, like, have some ground rules or something?" asked Stacy.
"Gee, Stacy, what *kind* of ground rules?" asked Sandi. Was Stacy going to ruin the whole thing? She had already played into Sandi's hands by wearing that tank top ...
"Maybe we should have a time limit on dares," suggested Joey.
"Yeah, so everyone gets a chance." said Jamie.
Sandi pondered. How long would she need?
"Fifteen minutes?" said Sandi.
"OK" said everyone except Stacy, still wondering what was going on.
"You turn to start, Robert," said Sandi.
"Quinn," said Robert, "truth or dare?"
"Ummm, uh, truth," said Quinn.
"Do you think I'm cute?" asked Robert.
Oh, God, thought Sandi. Another of Quinn's admirers. And stupid enough to put himself rather than Quinn on the spot in a Truth or Dare game.
Quinn sighed.
"No ..." she said.
Robert began to cry. He would be considered the biggest baby in school if he wasn't a 6'6" second team all-state linebacker ...
"... but you're *almost* cute," Quinn added.
"Oh, thank you, ma'am!" said Robert, gratefully.
"Your turn, Quinn," said Sandi.
"OK, Sandi. Truth or dare?"
Uh-oh, Sandi, thought. They had agreed that Quinn would get Sandi into the game early, but they hadn't discussed what question to use ...
"Truth," said Sandi.
"Have you ever had an erotic dream about Upchuck?" asked Quinn, referring to the geekiest boy in Lawndale High.
Nice try, Quinn, thought Sandi. But Sandi could answer this one with a clear conscience.
"No," said Sandi.
"C'mon, Sandi, you have to tell the truth in this game," said Quinn.
"If I had, Quinn, it would be a nightmare, not a dream, but I haven't had anything of the sort concerning Charles Ruttheimer. That *is* the truth!"
Oh, my God, though Stacy, I had a dream about Upchuck after he told me
about his dream about the mermaids and the fudge sauce. Just so no-one asks me ...
"OK, Stacy," said Sandi. "Truth or dare?"
"Uh, Sandi, can I ask a question about the rules?"
"What *is* it, Stacy?" Sandi was getting annoyed. Was Stacy going to find a way to wiggle out of this?
"Uh, can the same question be used twice?"
Sandi smirked. Quinn's question had turned out to be a godsend.
"Yes, Stacy, it can," said Sandi.
"Um, well then, dare," said Stacy.
Sandi had been counting on that. Rules or not, Stacy would have lied in answer to a "truth" about the drawing.
"Stacy, these four strong boys will pin you down while Tiffany, Quinn and I ..."
Sandi paused for dramatic effect ...
"... *tickle* you!"
"What!?" said Stacy. "Sandi, that's not ..."
"No rule against it," said Sandi. "As dares go, it's pretty mild, isn't it, guys?"
"Yeah, Stace" said Jamie, "usually it's something like running around the block completely naked. I had to do that once."
"Naked?" said Stacy.
"And all you have to remove is your sandals," said Sandi. "So you're getting off easy."
Stacy thought hard. To refuse a dare was considered a disgrace, as she had learned the last time she'd played this game many years ago. But then, being an animal lover, she could never have done such a thing to a cat.
And she wasn't, after all, unbearably ticklish. Maybe if she could act *completely* unticklish for a minute or so, Sandi would give up.
"Um, OK," said Stacy. "What do I do?"
"Lay spread-eagle on the carpet," said Sandi. "Joey and Jeffy, you two pin her ankles down. Robert and Jamie, you pin her wrists down. Don't let her move. Pretend it's, like, a goal-line stand or something." Sandi thought the four football players would understand that.
Stacy felt herself solidly pinned to the floor. She braced herself for the tickle attack. She wished she hadn't worn the tank top which gave such exposure to her armpits and navel, but Sandi probably would have had her change into one of hers otherwise.
"OK, Tiffany, you tickle her feet. Quinn, you get her armpits. I'll do her belly."
Stacy grimaced and closed her eyes. She felt Sandi straddle her midsection.
"Ticklish, Stacy?" teased Sandi.
"Not particularly," said Stacy, trying to sound casual.
Tiffany tickled her feet.
"Eeeheeehee," said Stacy, trying to keep a straight face.
Sandi lightly tickled her ribs.
"Mmmmmmph," said Stacy, grinning slightly, "Mmmmmm. Ha, ha."
Sandi frowned. This wouldn't work if Stacy wasn't more ticklish than that.
"Quinn, get started!" said Sandi.
Quinn tickled Stacy's armpits.
"Mmmmmph," Stacy said, trying to keep her mouth closed. "Mmmmm, heheee."
"OK, girls," said Sandi, sounding annoyed, "let's do this all together."
Stacy again braced for the co-ordinated attack.
"Uh, uh, uh, hahahaha, uh, uh, uh, mmmmph, hahahahah!" laughed Stacy.
"I think we're finally getting somewhere," said Sandi.
Sandi tried a spot closer to Stacy's hips.
"EEEEEE!!" said Stacy.
"That's more like it," said Sandi. Stacy was finally starting to buck a little.
"Hold on, guys," said Sandi, "she's going to struggle!"
Sandi tried the hips again.
"AHAHAHAH! EEEEheeeee, mmmmph," said Stacy, regaining a bit of control.
"C'mon! Do I have to do it all?" said Sandi.
Quinn and Tiffany began tickling more enthusisatically. For several
minutes Stacy alternated long stretches of light giggling with an
occasional belly-laugh.
"EEEEHEEEHEEE!! AHAHAHAHAHA!!" laughed Stacy, finally breaking into a
full-fledged grin.
Sandi thought the moment was at hand.
"Sta-cee! Remember that drawing of the four of us? The one from the Art Fair? I think you have it, and I'd like you to give it to me. If you do, this dare will cease and you won't have to do any more dares tonight. Deal, Stacy?"
Sandi lightly tickled Stacy's ribs again.
"AHAHAHAHA!! EHEEEEHEEE!! Mmmmmmph!"
"What do you say, Stacy, you can stop right now!"
Stacy tried to think. She was starting to lose control. But the last thing she wanted to do was give up that picture. But how much time was left?
"MMMmmmmph!!! HEHEHEHEEEE!! MMMMmmmph, HAHAHA!!"
"Stacy? Do I get an answer?"
"I (heheheee) don't (hahaha) have it!" Stacy managed to say.
"Oh, I think you do, Stacy," said Sandi. "You're much too ticklish to hold out for another twelve minutes ..."
"Nine," said Robert.
"Robert, from here on out do not let Stacy know how much time she has left. Is that clear?" said Sandi sharply.
"Sorry, ma'am," said Robert.
"And keep holding on tight. Don't let her get away."
"EEEHEEEHEE HAHAHAHA!!" laughed Stacy, now starting to buck harder.
Sandi was getting worried. She thought Stacy would crack by now. Several more minutes went by.
"C'mon, Stacy! You can end this right now! Agree to give me the drawing!" said Sandi.
"MMmmmmMMMMph. Heeeheeehee." laughed Stacy.
Sandi thought Stacy was starting to get less ticklish, not more.
"How much time, Robert? Don't say it out loud."
"Five minutes," mouthed Robert silently.
"Tiffany," said Sandi, getting an idea. "Go upstairs and get my toothbrush. The electric one."
"Electriiic?" said Tiffany.
"Forget it, Tiffany. Quinn, you know where it is. Go upstairs and get it."
Quinn ran up the stairs.
"Tiffany, don't stop! Keep tickling!"
"Eeeeheehee!! AHAHAHA!! Mmmmmmph, mmmmmph, HAHAHAHA!"
What was keeping Quinn? She should have been back by now ...
"It's not in the medicine cabinet!" shouted Quinn from upstairs.
God, what now, thought Sandi.
"Wait a minute! I found it!" shouted Quinn, talking the stairs two at a time on her way back down.
Quinn handed the toothbrush to Sandi.
"Let's see how you handle *this*!" said Sandi. She turned on the toothbrush. Then she let it gently touch Stacy's ribs.
"AHAHAHAHH!!!! EHEHEHEEEE!! STOPIIIT!!"
Finally, thought Sandi, this was going to work. Stacy was bucking like mad now. Sandi had to press her knees together to keep from being thrown off.
"Tell me where the drawing is, and I'll stop," said Sandi.
"AHAHAHAHAHAAA!!! IT'S ..."
"Yes?" said Sandi.
"AHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!! NOOOO!!! AHAHAHAA!!"
Stacy was now struggling madly.
"I don't know if I can hold her much longer," said Jamie, a look of
desperation on his face."
Sandi suddenly realized she had missed a spot. She let the toothbrush
rest on Stacy's navel.
"AHAHAHAHAAA!!! HAHHAAAA!! STOOOPP!!! AHAHAHAA!!!"
The boys were holding on for dear life. Stacy was desperately struggling to break loose.
"The drawing, Stacy!" said Sandi. "Just say 'Yes' to agree!"
"AHAHAHAHAAA!!! NOOO!!!! HAHAHAAAAA!!!"
Stacy was struggling so hard she was pulling the boys around now.
"C'mon, Stacy! Just say it! Just say 'Yes"!"
"HAHAHAHAHA!!! HAHAHAHAHAAAA!! OK!!! SANDI!!! Y-"
Suddenly Stacy bucked upward so hard the toothbrush flew out of Sandi's hand.
"Damn it! She was starting to say 'yes'!"
Stacy drew a few well-needed breaths.
"Don't stop! Keep tickling! Where did that toothbrush go?" asked Sandi.
Stacy was barely giggling now.
"I think I went under the sofa, ma'am," said Robert.
"Quinn! Get it!"
Stacy was giggling softly while taking deep breaths.
Quinn reached under the sofa, retrieved the toothbrush, and handed it
to Sandi.
"OK, Stacy, I know you can't handle this. You were starting to agree .."
"Time's up, ma'am," said Robert. "Sorry."
Sandi fell to the floor, rolled over onto her stomach, and buried her face in her arms.
Stacy, now freed, lay on her back with her eyes closed, breathing freely.
Sandi suddenly looked up angrily.
"You two," she said, looking accusingly at Quinn and Tiffany, "didn't try hard enough!"
"It's over, Sandi," said Quinn.
"She started to agree! We *know* she has that drawing!"
"It's over," said Quinn again.
"No, it isn't," said Stacy, still short of breath.
Stacy sat up and looked around to get her bearings.
"It's not over," said Stacy. "It's my turn now."
The other seven looked at each other, then at her.
"The game. Let's continue. It's my turn," said Stacy, looking at Sandi with a hard expression.
"Well, you can't ask me one," said Sandi. "I was the last asker. That's the rule."
"Robert! Truth or dare?" asked Stacy, still a bit breathless.
Robert's eyes got wide for a minute.
"Uh, uh, dare," he said, uncertainly.
"OK, Robert, your dare is to pin Sandi's arms on the carpet over her
head ..."
"Stacy! That is *not* ..." said Sandi.
"Nothing in the rules against it," said Stacy, smirking. "Of course, you can wimp out. Actually, I guess Robert would have to wimp out."
Robert grabbed Sandi's wrists and pinned her to the floor.
"Sorry, ma'am," said Robert to Sandi.
Sandi kicked her legs wildly. "Let me go! Let me go!"
Damn, Robert is strong, she thought.
Stacy straddled Sandi and hitched up Sandi's t-shirt so her ribs and navel were exposed.
"Quinn," said Stacy, grinning, "give me the electric toothbrush ..."
-----------
----------
"Sandi," said Linda. "I talked to Mr. Steele. He thinks he can help us. But you have to find that drawing."
It was unusual for Sandi Griffin to feel good after a conversation with her mother. Linda was a control freak's control freak.
But his was the best news Sandi had had in a long time. Especially since she now had a pretty good idea where the drawing was and how to find it.
"Thank you, Mother. I'll let you know when I find it. I think it will be very soon."
-------------
The trouble had started two months ago when Sandi and the rest of Lawndale High's Fashion Club had gone to a local art fair. They had paid a caricature artist to do a drawing of the four of them. The drawing turned out to be completely insulting and inaccurate. He had portrayed them as scowling, bickering, mean-spirited girls, when everyone knew they were the epitome of well-dressed, cute, personable young womanhood.
It was an outrage. Sandi had prevailed upon Quinn Morgendorffer to ask her mother, a lawyer, to bring charges against the artist. But Helen Morgendorffer had told them all that there were no grounds for charges, no fraud, no misrepresentation, and furthermore, that artists could not be disbarred, grounded, or deported, and certainly not for a disagreeable drawing. Mrs. Morgendorffer refused to discuss it any further after Tiffany suggested finding someone to break the artist's fingers.
But Sandi's mother, Linda, thought differently. She would agree to pay for another lawyer, provided Sandi obtain the drawing, which had
disappeared sometime during their pleas to Mrs. Morgendorffer.
--------------
"Quinn! It's for you! Telephone!" shouted Daria.
Quinn picked up the phone in her room. "You can hang up now, Daria."
"Hello, Quinn?" said Sandi.
"Hi, Sandi, what's up?" asked Quinn.
"Quinn, remember that drawing?"
"Uh, what drawing?"
"Those disgusting caricatures."
"Uh, sure, Sandi," said Quinn. "I never found it, even though you said you put it in my backpack at that Fashion Club meeting ..."
"Quinn, I think I know where it is."
"Uh, where, Sandi?"
"Stacy has it."
"Stacy? Why?"
"Quinn, do you remember Stacy complaining about the way she was portrayed in that drawing?"
"Sandi, I don't remember all the discussions we had about that ..."
"She didn't complain. You know, from what I remember, the artist didn't draw her too badly. Maybe she actually liked it."
"Sandi, that's no proof that she took it out of my backpack or wherever ..."
"Quinn, two days ago at the meeting at Stacy's house, I got a look inside her closet."
"I remember. You wanted to see what kind of sweater hangers she used."
"You know what I saw? She had some photographs and other stuff taped to the inside of the door. But there was a big empty spot in the middle, and some sticky marks left by the tape of something that had been there. I think she keeps the drawing in her closet and takes it down when the rest of us are there."
"Um, OK, Sandi, maybe she has it. But who cares? I don't want it ..."
"Quinn! Remember we were going to sue that artist!"
"Sandi, my mother refused to ever again discuss ..."
"Quinn, your mother is not the only lawyer in town. My mother thinks we have a good case and has found a lawyer who will take the case if we can come up with the drawing."
"OK, I'll ask Stacy ..."
"Quinn, I already asked Stacy. She denied having the drawing. But I could tell she was lying. You know how her eyes get big and her voice goes up when she's lying?"
"Sandi, maybe we should just forget about it."
"Quinn! Not when we have a lawyer who will take the case!"
"Who is this lawyer, Sandi?"
"Lawton Steele."
"Lawton Steele? Of Lye, Cheathem and Steele? Oh, my God, Sandi, I've heard my mother talk about him! He's like totally crooked and is going to be indicted for concealing evidence and jury tampering and ..."
"Quinn, he has agreed to take the case for a reasonable price. Providing we get the drawing."
"Well, if Stacy won't admit she has it ... "
"I'll get it from her. I've got a plan ..."
-----------
Stacy Rowe smiled at the drawing taped up in her closet. That artist had been a wizard, showing her squabbling Fashion-mates with angry expressions. Very accurate.
She looked at her own representation. A sweet, innocent girl, smiling
coyly.
Stacy bit her lip, smiled, and blushed slightly.
Yeah, right, she thought. So innocent I stole it right under Sandi's nose. Teehee!
She considered what to wear to the meeting. At lunch today the girls had discussed what their favorite tops were, and the other three girls had agreed that Stacy looked best in her new blue tank top, even though they had only seen her in it once.
Tank top it is, thought Stacy.
----------
At the Fashion Club meeting, Sandi announced that four boys, Jeffy, Jamie, Joey and Robert, were going to be attending in order to offer "the male perspective" on fashion matters.
"Uh, Sandi," said Stacy, "we tried that once when you were ..."
Stacy hesitated.
"Yes, Stacy?" Sandi said sharply, knowing that Stacy was referring to the time Sandi broke her leg, got fat, quit the Fashion Club and tricked Quinn into quitting in sympathy. Stacy and Tiffany were the only members left, and finding a lack of qualified girls, tried to recruit boys into the Fashion Club.
"... uh, absent for reasons we won't discuss. Tiffany and I tried recruiting boys and it just didn't work ..."
The doorbell rang.
"There they are!" said Sandi, leaping up to answer the door.
The four boys entered and sat down with the girls. They all seemed a bit puzzled about what they were supposed to do.
"OK, guys," said Sandi. "Tonight the topic is jackets."
"Jackets?" said Joey, sounding disappointed.
"Yes, Joey. Jackets!" said Sandi firmly.
"We'd rather talk about miniskirts!" said Jamie.
"Or bikinis!" said Jeffy.
"Yeah! Bikinis!" the four boys said, more or less at once.
"Well, Stacy," said Sandi, "it appears you were correct. It is a waste of time to discuss fashion matters with boys. However, since we're all here, we might as well find something else to do."
Stacy thought that Sandi had given up awfully easily ...
Sandi was staring hard at Quinn.
"Uh, yeah, I've got an idea!" said Quinn, remembering what Sandi had told her to say. "Let's play Truth or Dare!"
"Does everyone know how to play?" asked Sandi.
Everyone nodded, except Stacy, who thought that the subject of the meeting was changing awfully fast.
"So who goes first?" asked Jamie.
"Like this, Jamie," said Jeffy, "Eeenie, meenie, miney, moe ..."
Good a way as any, thought Sandi.
Jeffy finished the rhyme pointing at Robert.
"Um, guys, shouldn't we, like, have some ground rules or something?" asked Stacy.
"Gee, Stacy, what *kind* of ground rules?" asked Sandi. Was Stacy going to ruin the whole thing? She had already played into Sandi's hands by wearing that tank top ...
"Maybe we should have a time limit on dares," suggested Joey.
"Yeah, so everyone gets a chance." said Jamie.
Sandi pondered. How long would she need?
"Fifteen minutes?" said Sandi.
"OK" said everyone except Stacy, still wondering what was going on.
"You turn to start, Robert," said Sandi.
"Quinn," said Robert, "truth or dare?"
"Ummm, uh, truth," said Quinn.
"Do you think I'm cute?" asked Robert.
Oh, God, thought Sandi. Another of Quinn's admirers. And stupid enough to put himself rather than Quinn on the spot in a Truth or Dare game.
Quinn sighed.
"No ..." she said.
Robert began to cry. He would be considered the biggest baby in school if he wasn't a 6'6" second team all-state linebacker ...
"... but you're *almost* cute," Quinn added.
"Oh, thank you, ma'am!" said Robert, gratefully.
"Your turn, Quinn," said Sandi.
"OK, Sandi. Truth or dare?"
Uh-oh, Sandi, thought. They had agreed that Quinn would get Sandi into the game early, but they hadn't discussed what question to use ...
"Truth," said Sandi.
"Have you ever had an erotic dream about Upchuck?" asked Quinn, referring to the geekiest boy in Lawndale High.
Nice try, Quinn, thought Sandi. But Sandi could answer this one with a clear conscience.
"No," said Sandi.
"C'mon, Sandi, you have to tell the truth in this game," said Quinn.
"If I had, Quinn, it would be a nightmare, not a dream, but I haven't had anything of the sort concerning Charles Ruttheimer. That *is* the truth!"
Oh, my God, though Stacy, I had a dream about Upchuck after he told me
about his dream about the mermaids and the fudge sauce. Just so no-one asks me ...
"OK, Stacy," said Sandi. "Truth or dare?"
"Uh, Sandi, can I ask a question about the rules?"
"What *is* it, Stacy?" Sandi was getting annoyed. Was Stacy going to find a way to wiggle out of this?
"Uh, can the same question be used twice?"
Sandi smirked. Quinn's question had turned out to be a godsend.
"Yes, Stacy, it can," said Sandi.
"Um, well then, dare," said Stacy.
Sandi had been counting on that. Rules or not, Stacy would have lied in answer to a "truth" about the drawing.
"Stacy, these four strong boys will pin you down while Tiffany, Quinn and I ..."
Sandi paused for dramatic effect ...
"... *tickle* you!"
"What!?" said Stacy. "Sandi, that's not ..."
"No rule against it," said Sandi. "As dares go, it's pretty mild, isn't it, guys?"
"Yeah, Stace" said Jamie, "usually it's something like running around the block completely naked. I had to do that once."
"Naked?" said Stacy.
"And all you have to remove is your sandals," said Sandi. "So you're getting off easy."
Stacy thought hard. To refuse a dare was considered a disgrace, as she had learned the last time she'd played this game many years ago. But then, being an animal lover, she could never have done such a thing to a cat.
And she wasn't, after all, unbearably ticklish. Maybe if she could act *completely* unticklish for a minute or so, Sandi would give up.
"Um, OK," said Stacy. "What do I do?"
"Lay spread-eagle on the carpet," said Sandi. "Joey and Jeffy, you two pin her ankles down. Robert and Jamie, you pin her wrists down. Don't let her move. Pretend it's, like, a goal-line stand or something." Sandi thought the four football players would understand that.
Stacy felt herself solidly pinned to the floor. She braced herself for the tickle attack. She wished she hadn't worn the tank top which gave such exposure to her armpits and navel, but Sandi probably would have had her change into one of hers otherwise.
"OK, Tiffany, you tickle her feet. Quinn, you get her armpits. I'll do her belly."
Stacy grimaced and closed her eyes. She felt Sandi straddle her midsection.
"Ticklish, Stacy?" teased Sandi.
"Not particularly," said Stacy, trying to sound casual.
Tiffany tickled her feet.
"Eeeheeehee," said Stacy, trying to keep a straight face.
Sandi lightly tickled her ribs.
"Mmmmmmph," said Stacy, grinning slightly, "Mmmmmm. Ha, ha."
Sandi frowned. This wouldn't work if Stacy wasn't more ticklish than that.
"Quinn, get started!" said Sandi.
Quinn tickled Stacy's armpits.
"Mmmmmph," Stacy said, trying to keep her mouth closed. "Mmmmm, heheee."
"OK, girls," said Sandi, sounding annoyed, "let's do this all together."
Stacy again braced for the co-ordinated attack.
"Uh, uh, uh, hahahaha, uh, uh, uh, mmmmph, hahahahah!" laughed Stacy.
"I think we're finally getting somewhere," said Sandi.
Sandi tried a spot closer to Stacy's hips.
"EEEEEE!!" said Stacy.
"That's more like it," said Sandi. Stacy was finally starting to buck a little.
"Hold on, guys," said Sandi, "she's going to struggle!"
Sandi tried the hips again.
"AHAHAHAH! EEEEheeeee, mmmmph," said Stacy, regaining a bit of control.
"C'mon! Do I have to do it all?" said Sandi.
Quinn and Tiffany began tickling more enthusisatically. For several
minutes Stacy alternated long stretches of light giggling with an
occasional belly-laugh.
"EEEEHEEEHEEE!! AHAHAHAHAHA!!" laughed Stacy, finally breaking into a
full-fledged grin.
Sandi thought the moment was at hand.
"Sta-cee! Remember that drawing of the four of us? The one from the Art Fair? I think you have it, and I'd like you to give it to me. If you do, this dare will cease and you won't have to do any more dares tonight. Deal, Stacy?"
Sandi lightly tickled Stacy's ribs again.
"AHAHAHAHA!! EHEEEEHEEE!! Mmmmmmph!"
"What do you say, Stacy, you can stop right now!"
Stacy tried to think. She was starting to lose control. But the last thing she wanted to do was give up that picture. But how much time was left?
"MMMmmmmph!!! HEHEHEHEEEE!! MMMMmmmph, HAHAHA!!"
"Stacy? Do I get an answer?"
"I (heheheee) don't (hahaha) have it!" Stacy managed to say.
"Oh, I think you do, Stacy," said Sandi. "You're much too ticklish to hold out for another twelve minutes ..."
"Nine," said Robert.
"Robert, from here on out do not let Stacy know how much time she has left. Is that clear?" said Sandi sharply.
"Sorry, ma'am," said Robert.
"And keep holding on tight. Don't let her get away."
"EEEHEEEHEE HAHAHAHA!!" laughed Stacy, now starting to buck harder.
Sandi was getting worried. She thought Stacy would crack by now. Several more minutes went by.
"C'mon, Stacy! You can end this right now! Agree to give me the drawing!" said Sandi.
"MMmmmmMMMMph. Heeeheeehee." laughed Stacy.
Sandi thought Stacy was starting to get less ticklish, not more.
"How much time, Robert? Don't say it out loud."
"Five minutes," mouthed Robert silently.
"Tiffany," said Sandi, getting an idea. "Go upstairs and get my toothbrush. The electric one."
"Electriiic?" said Tiffany.
"Forget it, Tiffany. Quinn, you know where it is. Go upstairs and get it."
Quinn ran up the stairs.
"Tiffany, don't stop! Keep tickling!"
"Eeeeheehee!! AHAHAHA!! Mmmmmmph, mmmmmph, HAHAHAHA!"
What was keeping Quinn? She should have been back by now ...
"It's not in the medicine cabinet!" shouted Quinn from upstairs.
God, what now, thought Sandi.
"Wait a minute! I found it!" shouted Quinn, talking the stairs two at a time on her way back down.
Quinn handed the toothbrush to Sandi.
"Let's see how you handle *this*!" said Sandi. She turned on the toothbrush. Then she let it gently touch Stacy's ribs.
"AHAHAHAHH!!!! EHEHEHEEEE!! STOPIIIT!!"
Finally, thought Sandi, this was going to work. Stacy was bucking like mad now. Sandi had to press her knees together to keep from being thrown off.
"Tell me where the drawing is, and I'll stop," said Sandi.
"AHAHAHAHAHAAA!!! IT'S ..."
"Yes?" said Sandi.
"AHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!! NOOOO!!! AHAHAHAA!!"
Stacy was now struggling madly.
"I don't know if I can hold her much longer," said Jamie, a look of
desperation on his face."
Sandi suddenly realized she had missed a spot. She let the toothbrush
rest on Stacy's navel.
"AHAHAHAHAAA!!! HAHHAAAA!! STOOOPP!!! AHAHAHAA!!!"
The boys were holding on for dear life. Stacy was desperately struggling to break loose.
"The drawing, Stacy!" said Sandi. "Just say 'Yes' to agree!"
"AHAHAHAHAAA!!! NOOO!!!! HAHAHAAAAA!!!"
Stacy was struggling so hard she was pulling the boys around now.
"C'mon, Stacy! Just say it! Just say 'Yes"!"
"HAHAHAHAHA!!! HAHAHAHAHAAAA!! OK!!! SANDI!!! Y-"
Suddenly Stacy bucked upward so hard the toothbrush flew out of Sandi's hand.
"Damn it! She was starting to say 'yes'!"
Stacy drew a few well-needed breaths.
"Don't stop! Keep tickling! Where did that toothbrush go?" asked Sandi.
Stacy was barely giggling now.
"I think I went under the sofa, ma'am," said Robert.
"Quinn! Get it!"
Stacy was giggling softly while taking deep breaths.
Quinn reached under the sofa, retrieved the toothbrush, and handed it
to Sandi.
"OK, Stacy, I know you can't handle this. You were starting to agree .."
"Time's up, ma'am," said Robert. "Sorry."
Sandi fell to the floor, rolled over onto her stomach, and buried her face in her arms.
Stacy, now freed, lay on her back with her eyes closed, breathing freely.
Sandi suddenly looked up angrily.
"You two," she said, looking accusingly at Quinn and Tiffany, "didn't try hard enough!"
"It's over, Sandi," said Quinn.
"She started to agree! We *know* she has that drawing!"
"It's over," said Quinn again.
"No, it isn't," said Stacy, still short of breath.
Stacy sat up and looked around to get her bearings.
"It's not over," said Stacy. "It's my turn now."
The other seven looked at each other, then at her.
"The game. Let's continue. It's my turn," said Stacy, looking at Sandi with a hard expression.
"Well, you can't ask me one," said Sandi. "I was the last asker. That's the rule."
"Robert! Truth or dare?" asked Stacy, still a bit breathless.
Robert's eyes got wide for a minute.
"Uh, uh, dare," he said, uncertainly.
"OK, Robert, your dare is to pin Sandi's arms on the carpet over her
head ..."
"Stacy! That is *not* ..." said Sandi.
"Nothing in the rules against it," said Stacy, smirking. "Of course, you can wimp out. Actually, I guess Robert would have to wimp out."
Robert grabbed Sandi's wrists and pinned her to the floor.
"Sorry, ma'am," said Robert to Sandi.
Sandi kicked her legs wildly. "Let me go! Let me go!"
Damn, Robert is strong, she thought.
Stacy straddled Sandi and hitched up Sandi's t-shirt so her ribs and navel were exposed.
"Quinn," said Stacy, grinning, "give me the electric toothbrush ..."
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