AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My gaze shifted back to Carson again, and he broke out into one of his trademark, cocky grins. And I knew. He was merely trying to mess with my head. Of course this was all one big joke to him. For a moment, I actually believed him.
How foolish.
Tell Mia you want to kiss her and watch her ensuing panic.
I narrowed my eyes on him, furious with myself for thinking for even a moment he might actually be serious. Then someone to the right of me shouted, “Prove it.”
I swallowed, flicking my gaze toward the voice. But it was no longer one voice. Everyone started chanting, “Prove it! Prove it! Prove it!” Like this was a game and we were in a football stadium.
It was my worst nightmare come true. Worse than the dream where I stood in front of the whole class in my underwear. Worse than having to go streaking through the Brooks’ living room on a dare.
Carson’s plan was probably to make-out with me just so he could spin some kind of lie about how awful a kisser I was. My reputation would never recover.
Well, I’ve got news for you, buddy, I might not have gobs of experience, but I’m a dang good kisser.
But his lips weren’t even worthy of touching mine, which is why I glanced to Ethan and let my expression do the talking. My eyes pleaded with him to fix this.
Ethan’s mouth was set in a half-grimace, half smile. “Guys, it’s not a dare, remember?” Ethan said. “It’s not happening.”
At that moment, I had never been more grateful. Ethan earned every bit of his street cred as my best friend.
“Ethan’s right. And this is my mouth. I’ll kiss who I want,” I said, staring Carson dead in the eyes in challenge.
There were a few boos from the peanut gallery before Carson grumbled at them to shut up and started, “Ethan, truth or dare?”
“Seriously, dude?”
Carson merely raised a brow at Ethan’s less than enthused response.
“Truth.”
I sensed Ethan didn’t want to risk playing kissing-buddies with anyone, hence his choice.
“Have you ever kissed Mia?” Carson asked.
I frowned. Clearly, this was a reaction from the question earlier, but why? Why did Carson care?
“No,” Ethan answered, his voice hard.
Relief flickered through Carson’s eyes as he sat back, looking satisfied.
Then, Ethan turned to me, and I wondered why he was looking at me like that before he murmured, “I have to see something. Just trust me.”
My stomach tumbled, still processing his words because I sensed a weird kind of war brewing. One I wasn’t privy too. Like someone had a secret they weren’t telling me and here I was just stumbling in the dark.
“Mia, truth or dare?” Ethan asked.
It was a good thing we were already on the ground because I would’ve fallen off my chair. Why on earth was he asking me? He knew I didn’t even want to play this stupid game. In my head, I took back every nice, loving thing I had ever felt about him. Best friend?Pfft.
All the questions already asked drifted through my head. So far, Ethan had confessed to having a crush on me when he was eleven. Carson admitted he wanted to kiss me. Maddie had announced she skinny dipped. What deep-seated secrets of mine would be revealed?
I was probably one of the most boring girls on the planet, but I had no doubt if there was something embarrassing to be unearthed, it would be drudged up during a brutal high school game of truth or dare.
And though Ethan was my best friend, the way he was looking at me—with a poker face I had never seen before—for the first time since we became friends, I wasn’t sure I could trust him with my secrets. I don’t think I would’ve trusted anyone at that moment, so I said, “Dare.” Because there was no way my best friend would make me go streaking.
“Kiss me,” he said.
“What?” I blinked at him, sure I misheard.
