Dared

Chapter 07

I'm late for class on Monday. Mr. Kendrick has been giving me a hard time, asking for a permission letter all week. When I open the door, Mr. Kendrick is at his desk, about to begin the lesson. His face falls at the sight of me.

His face pinches even further when I hand him the letter he kept asking for.

"Welcome to the class, Mr...," he checks the letter, "Jenkins."

I smile enthusiastically much to his dismay. Making my way towards the back of the class, I see a textbook on the seat beside Kara. She gives me a nervous smile as she moves her book away, making space for me.

I give her a suggestive grin as I plop down on the seat beside her. She averts her eyes, looking around all the eyes watching us.

Not a bad day. Kara Merrick saved me a seat. She's definitely liking me, now.

So I decide to return the favor. When lunchtime rolls around, I forego my usual seat with the guys on the team to find a smaller table further into the cafeteria.

Dylan gives me an encouraging look which Noah imitates, as I walk beside them to the table I had secured.

After a few minutes, Kara walks in, joining the line with Hailey.

Like always Hailey is relating a huge incident to Kara. By the wild gestures and her disgusted expression, it looks like it isn't exactly a happy story. Kara nods along to whatever Hailey is sharing.

Her eyes wander around the cafeteria, first roaming my usual table with the guys, and finally a little further to meet my eyes. I toss her my grin and give her a small wave. She looks around nervously, as she picks up a tray behind Hailey.

Once they had walked out of the line, Kara whispers something in Hailey's ear, drawing the latter's attention to me. She gazes at me, bored, her lips pressed to a thin line.

When Kara finishes whispering in her ear, Hailey gives a shrug and a nod before sauntering over to the table where other cheerleaders are crowded.

Kara walks over towards me, her eyes scanning the cafeteria as if someone would ponce on her before she reaches me.

"Hey," I grin at her, as she carefully takes the seat opposite me.

"Hey," she smiles back.

"I got to say, for a cheerleader, you are extremely shy," I say.

A blush creeps up her cheeks and she tucks a piece of hair behind her ear. "Why would you say that?" She eyes me.

Brown. Yup, her eyes are brown with a few flecks of amber in them.

"Aren't you?" I ask, a smirk creeping into my lips.

"No," she chuckles nervously.

"Thank you though, for saving me a seat," she adds.

"Ah, thank you too, for saving me a seat," I follow her tone of voice.

She chuckles at my failed attempt to imitate her voice.

"I'm extremely grateful, Kara, that just melted my heart," I try again, and Kara's chuckles turn into a heaving laugh.

Her bubbling laughter fills the air around us.

"That's not funny," she says, covering her mouth with the back of her palm. She fixes her eyes on me.

"If so, why are you laughing?" I ask her

"I'm not," she says, taking a bite of her burger.

Kara resorts to eating in silence, while I do the same.

My phone vibrates in my pocket. I pull it out under the table and unlock the screen to see that it is a text message from Dylan.

I look at the table the team is sitting at over Kara's shoulder. Dylan has a knowing smile on his lips as Wayne and Noah snicker behind him.

I open the message.

DYLAN: Having a blast, aren't you, Jenkins?

His smile deepens as I gaze back at him with a look that is supposed to say keep-it-down-Anderson. But the three of them break into snorts and high-five each other.

I'm going to kill then. Of course. They think I can't win the dare. I set my eyes on them with a wicked stare which they decide to ignore as they continue laughing among themselves.

"What are you doing?" Kara asks, her eyes falling on my phone that I don't realize I am clutching tightly on the table.

"Uh...It's just a text from the guys," I tell her nonchalantly.

"Oh," she turns around nervously, at which the guys hunch over their trays like nothing ever happened. Cowards.

"What are they saying?" she directs an innocent gaze at me.

"Nothing. Just football stuff," I say, already tying in a reply.

"Oh," she shrugs, running a nervous finger behind her ear, and returning to her burger.

She looks too innocent munching on her food.

'Wait and watch, Anderson.' I press send and watch him pull out his phone. Dylan shakes his head, showing it to the guys.

Before I put my phone away, I pull up the camera and snap a picture of Kara happily munching on her food.

It's important for a relationship, right? Pictures. Dylan had a ton of Hailey's that he had snapped when she wasn't looking.

It's a little fuzzy with my lack of practice. Nevertheless, she looks beautiful in it. And she would be the first girl I snapped a picture of.

This relationship crap seems to be getting to my head. I have to focus on my goal instead. Winning the dare. And proving myself to the idiots laughing at me.

It has to be done.

Now more than ever.

I can't let Dylan and the guys think that I am some sort of naive idiot. They must learn who I am. What I am made of. Invincibility.

It's about time they knew that Brian Jenkins never loses.