“Nothing really. He just kind of smiled like he thought it was cool.” Kori coughed out a little laugh. “So, why were you late to Dick’s? Isn’t he, like, right next door to Doc’s?”

I shifted uncomfortably. “Yeah.”

“Oh! You were flirting with Becks again!”

My mouth went dry. “I wasn’t flirting with him.” Then: “It’s obvious he likes you.”

She snorted. “He most definitely is not into me.” I was relieved, even if I wasn’t entirely convinced. “So? What were you doing?”

I thought for a moment about telling her the truth about why I was late. How embarrassed I was after seeing Anthony. Or more precisely about him seeing me. Naked. Nearly naked. But that would mean having to cop to crushing on him a little bit.

“I went for a smoke.”

When I caught the devious twinkle in her eyes, I realized she already knew I was evading Anthony when I ducked into the bathroom. And worse, she remembered I owed her a dare.

As soon as her lips started to part, I screamed, “No!”

eight

Yes! It’s perfect.” Kori snickered; she loved watching me squirm. “What? You dared me to go skinny-dipping in the lake and I did it. You wussed out on me, as usual, which means you owe me a dare. Fair is fair.”

Hmph.

“What? You don’t have to marry Becks, just make out with him. Come on. That’s a great dare. I’d love to be dared to suck hottie face.”

“That’s hardly a dare for you.”

“True, I do like sucking hottie face.”

“I’m not making out with him. I don’t even know him.”

“Exactly. Kiss for the sake of kissing. You don’t have to know him; you don’t even have to like him. In fact, it’s better if you don’t.”

“This is messed up. Even for you.”

“No, it’s brilliant. It’ll make you a better person.”

I stopped and stared at her. Well, more at her pupils. They weren’t nearly as dilated as I was expecting. “It will make me a better person?”

“What? You’re always going after losers,” she scoffed. I started to object, but she cut me off. “Any guy over nineteen who dates a high school girl is a loser. Think about it.”

“So they’re older, so what? Why does a guy liking me have to mean he’s a loser?”

“Oh, Ser, just stop, would ya. Don’t you ever get annoyed with yourself?”

I rolled my eyes. “You and your flattery.”

“I love you too much to pull my punches. So, it’s done. Tonight you will be making out with Becks.”

“Sorry, can’t.”

“Yes. You. Can. He’ll be at the kegger tonight.”

“A kegger? Tonight?” I asked. It wasn’t even the weekend.

“Spirit week. We’ll all go.”