Infinite Love: Ashley and Amal

Dare Me (Amal's POV)

After the car ride with Ashley by his side, Amal felt ready to take a risk. Maybe, today would be the day that he told her how he really felt...

As he walked into school, he shook his head. He really had to get his impulses under control. If he made the wrong move, he could ruin their friendship. Amal didn't want to force Ashley to do anything that she didn't want to do. He could not, would not, compromise her trust in him, not when it meant more to him than anything else in the world.

In the cafeteria before classes, he rejoined Ibteda Hassan, who had come with him in the car.

"What's up? Quiet today, brother," said Ibteda.

"Stupid test today."

"Nah, don't worry about it. Just wing it, like you always do."

"Legit, man."

"Hey, you think I should tell Preya today?"

Like Amal, Ibteda had also fallen in love with a 7th grade girl - Preya Prashad. Preya was tall, athletic, and tomboyish, a startling contrast to Ashley's delicate and fashionable nature. Which was one of the reasons why, he supposed, the two girls spent so much time together.

Ibteda had only admitted this to Amal in exchange for Amal's telling him about his feelings for Ashley. However, Amal strongly suspected that neither girl would ever learn about their admirers...

"I don't know, that's up to you. You think you're ready?" Amal asked.

"Nah," was all Ibteda said, but Amal could see that his friend's heart was slowly shattering each day that the secret was kept.

He told Ibteda, "Want to play Trivia Crack?"

Ibteda's eyes lit up, eager for any distraction from his thoughts. "You're on."

During the game, Ibteda said suddenly, "Hey, you want a dare? I know the perfect one."

"Sure, dare me," Amal said. He didn't really give much thought to Ibteda's request. He and his friends did dares all the time - annoying teachers, putting notes in other kids' lockers - why would he be suspicious? They usually turned out to be fun, anyways.

"You promise you're going to do it?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"Well," Ibteda told him, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, "I dare you - by the end of this week - to tell Ashley everything."