I Dare You

Twenty-four

Novelly sat at the dinner table, pushing her vegetables around whilst her mother and Jessie chatted away about boys in school and how Novelly's mother use to be a hottie in high school.

"May I be excused?" Novelly piped up.

Novelly's mother gave her a rather disapproving look and then shooed her from the table. Continuing her conversation with Jessie.

Novelly left the table and that's when Jessie knew something was up. "Um, I think I should go see what's wrong with her." Jessie said as she excused herself from the table.

"Novelly!" Jessie yelled, following her upstairs.

"What's going on?" Jessie asked. Novelly shook her head, closing her bedroom door and flopping herself on her bed.

"Tell me."

"I can't. You'll judge me."

"I judge everyone." Jessie shrugged. Novelly glared at her and then rolled her eyes, flopping back on her bed.

"This is about Harry isn't it?" Jessie asked. Novelly nodded.

"Did he ask you out or something? Did he kiss you?" Jessie asked. Novelly hadn't told her anything about prom night. She was dying to tell someone how she felt but could she really trust Jessie with this?

"It's-" Novelly started but she couldn't finish her sentence.

"You didn't." Jessie knew.

"I did."

"Oh my god."

"I can't believe I slept with him." Novelly began to cry.

"What the fuck were you thinking?"

"I don't know! He was all bruised up from the fight and I don't know, I just thought he'd stay the night and nothing would happen and then I just- I wanted to kiss him.... I just wanted to. I know Harry likes me okay? I know he does. And I don't know, I just felt vulnerable and I kissed him and then things led from one thing to another and we just did it!"

"You didn't stop him?"

"That's the thing that confuses me the most. I didn't want to!"

"You what?"

"No! I wanted to have sex with Harry. But- I don't know. I've been avoiding him and I feel so awful, I don't want to date Harry, he's such a good friend and he deserves someone so much better than me. Someone well put together, smarter, someone not so fucked up. I mean, I took the kids virginity and then I don't even call him. I'm such a terrible person. I totally led him on...."

"You need to fix this. I'm not going to tell you what you want to hear."

"I didn't think you would." Novelly giggled. Jessie was such a blunt person, Novelly knew better.

"You totally led him on! That kid is like... In love with you or something."

"Well... Not in love."

"What ever... Anyways. You totally led him on! You need to either date the guy or fucking grow a pair and tell him the truth. That it was a mistake and you were just vulnerable and you want him as a friend."

"But I can't do that to him. I can't tell him it was a mistake... Because..."

"Because why?" Jessie asked.

"I don't know. I just- I liked it. I don't regret it... But I do at the same time."

"I think you have feelings for the nerd."