Dared

Chapter 11

On Tuesday, before we head to the ground for practices, Kara surprises me by waving two tickets in the air in front of me. She has gotten tickets to the movies. A new chick-flick that has the female population obsessed over it.

"So...," she pushes a lock of hair behind her ear, "Do you want to go?"

Her eyes roam all over my face, trying to gauge an answer. A movie with Kara would be amazing. My heart pulses at the idea, and I can't help smiling like an idiot.

"Sure," I grin.

Her eyes widen with excitement, "Really? That's awesome!"

"Why would you think I wouldn't want to go?"

She shrugs, "I don't know, I just thought that movies weren't your type."

"Movies are everybody's type. Only," I hold up a finger before flicking her nose playfully, "click-flicks aren't my type."

"Well," she laughs, "this is indeed a chick-flick," she laughs, drawing air-quotes at the word chick-flick.

I mock-pout which cracks her up. It is amazing to watch her laugh. Her eyes crinkled at the sides, lined with thick lashes, shines with excitement. The soft brown in them melts with the amber flakes, pulling me in. Kara Merrick has magnet eyes.

"So, do you want to go?" she asks, expectantly.

"Yeah, of course! I'm a man of my word," I say, placing a hand over my heart.

"Even when it's a click-flick?" she squints at me, biting down on her lips.

"Yes, even if it is a torturous chick-flick, I'd watch it, now that I have given my word."

"How patriotic of you!" Kara giggles.

The air buzzes with her giggles, making me feel livelier than ever. Makes me think that I would do anything to feel that energy again.

I find myself grinning like a fool, but there is nothing that can erase the stupid grin off my face. It just sits there, every time Kara's around.

"Thank you," I say, clutching my heart in a display of being touched by her words, only to induce another of her giggles.

It warms me on the inside out and I can feel my heart begging me to never let that feeling fade.

School buzzes past easily, as Wednesday gradually fades to the evening. I arrive at the movies a full hour before the movies are due, much to my brain creating false scenarios where I am late and Kara is pissed. I hang outside the building, waiting for her.

Dylan is not exactly happy with me sneaking off right after practice, given that we have a game on the weekend. But I find it easy to forego the time with the guys to hang out with Kara. It creates a strange feeling deep in my stomach.

If someone told me a month ago that I was missing time with the guys to hang out with a girl, I would laugh my head off. But right now it seems so far away. Time with Kara is making my life colorful and happier than I expect it to. That is something I am worried about.

Thoughts of the dare, whisk into my mind, physically hurting my heart. I don't want to hurt Kara. She's the best thing that has happened to me so far in high school. She is the one that makes me laugh like an idiot and strangely enjoy it.

What the heck should I do? Is calling the dare off a good move? That would make me the laughing stock of the whole team. It is not something that I can live with.

They would call me a baby. A loser who is a coward to go through with a dare that he calls it off. But going through with the dare would mean ending everything I have with Kara.