Page 24 of Truth or Dare

I pulled into the school parking lot, my heart thudding in my chest. We had a few minutes before the bell, so I parked and turned to him.

"What were they saying?" My voice was sharper than I intended, but I needed to know.

Neil wouldn’t meet my eyes. "You know how guys talk."

"Yeah, I do," I growled. "What did they say?"

“They were saying… stuff. About what they’d want to do to you.”

Anger simmered beneath my skin. “Was Evan there?”

Neil shook his head. “No. But they said you were hot.”

"Neil, it’s just words. But they say those things because they don’t respect girls. Dad doesn’t talk about Mom like that, and you shouldn’t either."

"I know. I wouldn’t."

I softened, glancing at him. But inside, my worry deepened. I didn’t want Neil falling in with guys who saw women as objects.

"You should stick with friends your age," I said, trying to keep my tone gentle. "Those guys are too old for you. They’ll get you into trouble."

He scowled. “I like hanging out with them.”

"And I’m telling you—it’s not worth it." I sighed as he grabbed his backpack and opened the car door.

“Whatever,” he muttered before walking ahead of me, disappearing into the school.

I watched him go, my stomach knotting. He had plenty of time to grow up. But right now, he was in a rush, and I wasn’t sure how to protect him from what came next.

I avoided Evan until lunch,hoping he wouldn't notice. But as I stood in line, waiting for a slice of pizza, his arm slid around my waist, warm and familiar. His lips brushed my ear as he whispered, “You’ve been avoiding me.”

I stiffened, forcing a casual tone. “I haven’t. I’ve just been busy.”

He wasn’t buying it. “Can we talk after you eat?”

The thought of sitting through lunch, pretending everything was fine, made my stomach twist. We’d taken a step too far, too fast, and now all I wanted was to slam on the brakes. I didn’t want to have this conversation, but I couldn’t avoid it any longer.

“I’m not really hungry. We can talk now,” I offered, glancing down at the pizza I no longer wanted.

Evan wasted no time, grabbing my hand and leading me out of the cafeteria, ignoring the hoots and hollers from his friends.I hated how they assumed we were sneaking off to hook up, like we were just some high school cliché. Instead, Evan guided me toward the weight room, the dim light from the high windows casting long shadows across the equipment.

He sank onto one of the benches, his expression guarded. “What’s up with you?” he asked, voice softer now, as if he didn’t want to spook me.

I dropped my backpack to the floor and paced the room, feeling the tension building inside me. “Nothing,” I mumbled, though we both knew that was a lie.

His jaw clenched. “Nothing? You let me touch you on Friday night. I didn’t force you into anything.”

I stopped, running a hand through my hair as I tried to form the words. “Evan, I’m not accusing you of anything. It’s just… it was a lot to take in.”

He stood up and crossed the room, wrapping his arms around me from behind. His breath was warm against my neck. “You’re almost eighteen. Don’t you think it’s time?”

I turned in his arms, cupping his cheek in my hand. “Age doesn’t matter. I’m not ready. Not emotionally.”

He frowned, searching my face for something—maybe a sign that I was changing my mind. “What can I do to get you ready emotionally? I’m committed to you. You know that. I mean, you’re the hottest girl in school. I’d be an idiot to throw this away just for sex.”

I let out a nervous laugh. “I’m not the hottest girl in school.”

He smirked, pulling me closer. “If not you, then who?”

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