Page 20 of Truth or Dare

“I’m not using him,” she snapped, her voice rising. “This conversation is pointless.”

“You know it’s not,” I said softly, the tension thick between us as she stared at the dashboard, her lips pressed into a thin line.

Presley turned in her seat, fired up the Jeep, and gunned the engine a couple of times before flicking on the headlights and wipers. I gathered up the crumpled wrappers, shoving them into the bag before hopping out. The rain hit me immediately, cold and relentless, but I darted toward the trash can, tossing everything in with one smooth motion.

Just as I turned back, Presley yanked the door closed with a loud thud and slammed her foot on the gas, backing out of the parking space. She stopped about twenty feet away, her headlights illuminating the downpour. I started walking toward her, only for the Jeep to lurch forward another five feet.

I froze, staring her down. She grinned and raised her eyebrows as if daring me to chase her.

“Really?” I muttered, wiping rain from my eyes as I jogged forward.

She did it again. Five more feet.

By the time we got over her little game, I was drenched, water dripping from my hair and running down the back of my neck.

“That wasn’t funny!” I shouted, arms raised in exasperation.

Presley flashed me a grin, her straight white teeth glowing in the darkened cabin. “It was totally funny,” she said, her voice unapologetic.

I shook my head, sending droplets of water everywhere, including all over her. Presley shrieked, arms flying up to shield herself as I laughed uncontrollably.

“Now that was totally funny,” I teased, feeling victorious.

She glared at me, then shoved me hard in the shoulder. “Jerk!”

“Pres, I love when you get mad,” I said, still chuckling, “but can you please get me home? My underwear’s soaked.”

Her eyes flicked down, tracing the way my shirt clung to my chest and torso, soaked through and sticking to my skin. I caught the briefest flicker of something in her expression before she quickly averted her gaze, her hands tightening on the steering wheel.

“Fine,” she muttered, shifting the car into gear. “But you deserve it.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I sighed, leaning back in my seat, dripping wet but more amused than annoyed.

I didn’t seePresley for most of the week, and even worse—she hadn’t done my dare like she promised. Instead, she clung to Evan in the cafeteria like he was her lifeline, the perfect little couple everyone admired.

To mess with her, I ramped up my interest in Reagan. She was easy, always eager to be noticed, and the way she pressed her body against mine when she sat on my lap left no question as to what she wanted. Her ass rubbed against my thigh, and while it was obvious, it did nothing for me.

But I knew it grated on Presley. I could see the irritation in her eyes, the way her jaw tightened whenever she looked my way. She had a choice—keep dating Evan, riding the high school popularity wave, or break it off and stand on her own. I hated how he treated her, like she was his personal assistant, always talking down to her. She didn’t need him, but she couldn’t see that.

Reagan leaned in, her lips brushing against my ear. “Wanna go to the movies tonight?”

I barely turned my head. “What’s playing?”

She giggled, the sound high-pitched and artificial. “Does it matter?”

I shrugged, keeping my voice indifferent. “I guess not, but I’ve got plans tonight.”

Reagan slid off my lap, taking the chair next to me, her brow furrowing. “Like what?”

I leaned back, casual. “My stepdad’s out of town on a business trip. I don’t want to leave Mom alone with the unpacking. Still have boxes everywhere.”

“I could help,” she offered, eagerly.

I arched an eyebrow. “Don’t you have a game tonight?”

“Yeah, but it ends at ten. I could come by after.” She smiled like she thought it was a solid plan, but I wasn’t interested.

“Nah, we’ll figure something out another night.”

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