It Started with a Dare

28

"What is that on your finger?!" Emilee exclaimed as I pulled my books from my locker.

I blushed, smiling. She grabbed my hand. "Babe, it's beautiful, but who gave it to you?" she asked.

"Yours truly," Ridge said, causing me to turn. "Hey, baby." He kissed me, and I turned back to Emilee, who looked kind of shocked.

"Could you give us a minute?" Emilee asked.

"Sure. I'll be in homeroom," he said and took off.

"Braelyn, you didn't, did you?" Emilee asked.

"Didn't what?"

"You know," Emilee said.

After a moment, I caught on. "What? No! I'm not stupid," I said.

Emilee looked relieved. "Okay, you scared me there for a moment."

I rolled my eyes. "You gotta trust me more than that, Emilee," I said.

"Yeah, I know. It's just that I don't want you to make a decision you'll regret. It'll eat you alive. Trust me. I know," she said.

I looked at her, confused. "What do you mean?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. Come on. Let's get to class," she said.
××××××
I couldn't get what Emilee said out of my mind. What did she mean by she knew? Emilee didn't keep secrets from me.

Ridge rubbed my back. "You okay?" he asked.

I looked at him, sighing. "I don't know. Have you ever felt like someone close to you was keeping a secret? Someone who never kept secrets?"

Ridge froze. "Who's keeping secrets?"

"I think Emilee is," I said, and Ridge relaxed. "Today we were talking, and she told me something that made me think she was hiding something."

"What were you talking about?"

"She told that she didn't want me to make a decision I would regret, saying it would eat me alive. Then, she said she knew the feeling. Emilee doesn't keep secrets from me, Ridge," I said.

"She'll probably tell you someday. Everyone has to keep something to themself at times," Ridge told me.

I leaned back. "You're probably right. It just makes me worry," I said.

"You know, you've been at my house for about thirty minutes, and we haven't even been watching the movie," he laughed, changing the subject.

I smiled. "Yeah, maybe one day we'll actually watch the movie instead of talking," I laughed.

"I love you," Ridge said.

I looked up at him. "I love you, too," I said.

He gently placed his lips on mine. When he pulled away, he smiled. "I'm never going to get tired of you saying that."

"I'm never going to get tired of saying it," I replied, grinning.

"Oh, so about Spring Formal, my mom kind of wants to come over when I come pick you up for pictures," he said.

"Is she taking us to Formal?" I asked.

"No, she's driving over to your house then driving home," Ridge said.

I shrugged. "It's fine by me. My mom would do the same thing," I said then immediately felt sad.

"Have you spoken to your mom?"
"Yeah, a couple of weeks ago. She's coming home for good at the end of the month," I said.

Ridge kissed my head. "That's good, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it's great."

"Then, why do you sound so sad?" Ridge asked me.

I sighed, "I don't know. I've been waiting for this day since last time she came home, which was two years ago. I don't know how much longer I can wait."

Ridge pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. "She's coming home, Braelyn. Just a few more weeks. Keep your mind off of it, and she'll be home before you know it," he said.

I nodded. "Yeah, you're right."

"I know," he chuckled, and I playfully slapped his chest.

"Don't get cocky, or I'll stop admitting you're right," I said.

"Fine," Ridge sighed.