Page 98 of It Couldn't Be You
“Gabe, we are not teenagers anymore. Plus, the last time we played, I wound up soaking wet in the dead of winter.” I handed him his phone back.
“Emma, truth or dare?” There was a challenge in his voice.
“Fine, fine.” I couldn’t help but smile a little as he punched the air victoriously. “Dare.”
His eyes went wide. “Dare? Living on the edge, are you, Em?”
I took out my headphones and slide them into my bag as he tapped his chin, pondering a dare.
“Okay, I got it. I dare you to walk down the aisle of this plane singing ‘Alone Together.’”
“What?Why would I just randomly walk down the aisle singing?” I immediately had my face hiding in my hands.
“Just act like you’re singing to yourself, very loudly albeit, as you saunter to the bathroom.”
“Saunter?”
“Yes, I’ve seen you. You saunter.”
I took in a deep breath to steady myself.
“Come along now, Em,” Gabe urged me.
I scowled at him. But, proceeded to slip out of our tiny row, walking down the aisle, and then shakily started singing the chorus, staring straight ahead, letting my voice get louder.
I ignored a few people who I heard whispering, “Does she realize we can all hear her?” and “God, there are always weirdos on our flights.”
I got to the restrooms, then slipped inside. I hid out for a few minutes before racing back to my seat to find Gabriel shaking with laughter.
“Truth or dare?” I spat angrily.
“That was utterly beautiful. When’s the album?” he asked, obviously pleased with himself.
“Someone literally said I was a weirdo.” I sunk down into my seat.
“A beautiful weirdo,” he said. “An angel.”
“Truth or dare?” I asked again.
“Truth. I do not trust a dare made in vengeance.”
“When was the last time you kissed someone?” I asked without thinking, almost wasting the question on impulse.
“Ah.” He took a beat. “Last summer. I told you about her outside the mechanic shop. We were seeing each other. Then, we broke up, you know, with the holding back and all. But at least, I was one heck of a kisser.”
“Last summer,” I said, wondering…Heather or Lila?
“Your turn.”
“Dare.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Feeling bold today.”
He brainstormed for a moment as I tried to not imagine what a girl Gabriel would kiss might look like.
“I dare you to go ask the guy down the aisle for his number,” he said, his voice secretive and quiet. We both turned in our seats. “Him, in the blue cap.” He pointed.
The people in the row behind us were staring at us. We noticed and jolted forward facing again. I nodded, bracing myself to go.
