The-Lucky-List-Rachael-Lippincott

really wants. Except for this.”
It takes everything in me to break this pull between us, but finally I turn, pushing through the trees,
everything hazy as I fight my way along the path to the bonfire. I break into the clearing, the light and
the sound overwhelming me, colors and shapes all morphing together. I take a deep breath, trying to
steady myself.
“Em,” I hear Kiera say, feel her pressing a beer bottle into my hand. “You’re just in time to play truth
or dare!” She leans in as she pulls me over to the group, whispering now. “It’s showtime.”
I sit down on a giant log, joining the circle formed around the bonfire. Looking up, I see Matt
sitting across the way, his lips pulling up into a knowing smile as Kiera ushers more people over. She’s
always able to get things going, and tonight is no exception.
“I like your dress,” he mouths, motioning to his torso and then to me.
I smile back at him, but it feels so forced and wrong, just like this white floral dress he likes so
much.
I try to match everyone’s enthusiasm, but I feel… completely thrown o-balance, the ground
unsteady underneath me.
But, with or without me, the game still begins, the plan set into motion.
It’s a blur of dares lobbed back and forth across the circle, truths spilling out of people’s mouths.
Leah ompson confesses to cheating on her bio final, and Brad Hammond eats a worm, and Jake
strips down to his underwear and jumps through the bonfire like an actual lunatic.
I watch as he grabs a beer from someone, chuing the rest of it before spinning around and
pointing the empty bottle at…
Blake. I hadn’t even noticed her come join us, my mind still spinning from her words a moment ago.
“Blake Carter,” he drawls, a shit-eating grin on his face. “Truth or dare?”
She crosses her arms, raising her eyebrows at him. “You know I’m always game for a dare, Jake.”
Jake laughs, an evil glint in his eye. Everyone goes quiet with a palpable excitement, watching the
exchange, eager to see what the new girl will do. He points to the rusty lifeguard stand at the end of
the dock.
“I dare you to jump off that. Into the water.”
Blake doesn’t even bat an eye. And she definitely doesn’t look at me.
Everyone cranes their necks to watch as she walks down the dock, some even stand up to get a
better view. I watch her climb the rickety ladder up to the top, silently praying that she doesn’t follow
through with her part in the plan.
Blake steadies herself, the stand creaking underneath her, and Jake starts a chant.
“Bla-ake! Bla-ake! Bla-ake!”
ere’s a collective intake of air as she soars o the top, doubling down on the dare by flipping
backward into the water, everyone clapping and cheering as she surfaces. As fearless as she’d been when
we went cliff jumping.
So totally unlike how she’d been just a few moments ago in the woods. Her confession was scarier to
her than this… but she did it anyway.
Kiera’s fingers dig into my arm, and I swing my head to look over at her. She gives me a big, excited
smile, knowing what’s coming.