Saving You, Losing Us

Chapter 1: The Dare That Led to More

I sat back in my chair, arms crossed, watching sunlight filter through the library's tall windows. My friends, Jack and Lex, were causing a ruckus across the table, tossing paper airplanes and skimming notes they wouldn't touch until the last minute. Midterms were coming up, but to them, it was just another reason to procrastinate.

"So, Nate," Jack leaned forward, a mischievous grin spreading across his face, "still single, huh?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Still nosy, huh?"

Lex chuckled, nudging Jack. "You know, it's kind of sad. Last year of college, and you've never asked anyone out."

I sighed, flipping through my notebook, pretending to read. Deep down, I knew where this conversation was headed, and I didn't feel like taking the bait.

"Busy?" Jack scoffed, lowering his phone. "Dude, the last time you were busy was freshman year when you couldn't find your way around campus."

Rolling my eyes, I couldn't help but smile. My friends were relentless, but I loved them for it—most of the time.

"C'mon, man. How about we make it interesting?" Jack said, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Interesting how?" I braced myself.

"See that girl over there?" Jack nodded toward the far side of the library. My heart dropped as I turned to look. There she was—Kiara, a senior with an effortless elegance, flipping through a thick textbook. She was brilliant, out of my league in every imaginable way.

"You're kidding, right?" I said, trying to laugh it off, but my palms started sweating.

"Nope. Totally serious," Jack said, grinning wider. "All you have to do is walk over there and confess your feelings. Tell her you've been in love with her for ages."

Lex barely contained a laugh. "Yeah, right. Nate wouldn't last two seconds in front of her."

I shot them both a glare. "You guys are ridiculous."

"C'mon, it's just a prank. No big deal," Jack said, shrugging as if this was casual.

"Yeah, unless she decks me," I muttered, glancing at Kiara again. She had this aura—calm and focused, too serious for someone who hung out with idiots like them. Why had I agreed to come to the library today?

Jack leaned back, folding his arms. "What's the matter? You scared?"

That did it. I had never backed down from a challenge, no matter how foolish it seemed. Maybe that was my problem.

I stood up, brushing off my jeans. Every nerve in my body screamed at me to sit back down.

"Fine," I said, squaring my shoulders. "I'll do it. But you both owe me."

Jack laughed. "Yeah, yeah. Go get 'em, Romeo."

With a deep breath, I made my way across the library. The closer I got to Kiara, the more I could feel my heart racing. What was I even going to say? 'Hey, I'm Nate, and this is a stupid prank that's probably going to ruin my life'? Brilliant.

Before I knew it, I was standing right in front of her. She hadn't noticed me yet, her attention buried in her textbook. For a moment, I considered turning around and pretending this had never happened.

But then, as if sensing my presence, Kiara looked up.

"Can I help you?" she asked, her voice polite but distant.

I swallowed hard. This was it. No turning back.

"Uh, yeah," I started, awkwardly shifting my weight. "I... uh... I've been meaning to tell you something."