Truth or Dare (First Love H.S. Romance)

Chapter 9- Rayne

Small town America holds two things near and dear: making everyone else's business their own and spending their Friday nights at a sporting event.

The bleachers are packed with bodies. One side a sea of blue and silver and the other green and yellow. The roaring crowd chants, "Let's go Trojans, let's go!" followed by stomping feet and clapping hands that revved up the players.

The score board shows we're up by six points with two minutes left in the second quarter. Cedric's head moves back and forth following both teams fighting over the ball. When number twenty-three recovers the rebound, he races down the court, side steps a Greenbrier player then dunks on him.

The Crestfield side goes crazy and even Candis, who thinks she too cool for school, joins in on the excitement. She settles back down and sticks her tongue out when she catches me looking.

"Do you know him, sissy?" Cedric points to the tall player with a cross tattoo on his muscled arm.

Everyone in town knows Kevin. He's the star player on the team and has his pick of any Division 1 school.

I nod. "He's pretty good huh?"

"Really good, better than Lebron James."

I give him an incredulous look. "Uh, I think he has a long way to go before he gets on Lebron's level."

The Hornets score a couple more points before the buzzer putting the score at 30 to 23. After the players retreat to their respective sides, the cheer squad gets into position.

As they start their performance, Candis turns up her nose. "The slut squad needs new moves."

I cut her a warning glare and tip my chin at my brother.

"Sorry." She nudges Cedric on the arm. "You didn't hear that did you?"

He slides his eyes to me. "Nope, I'm deaf in my left ear."

Laughing, she drapes her arm around his neck. "A freaking genius, this one."

"And you're a bad influence."

"Not true. We've been friends for years and your halo is still intact." She scoffs and stands up. "Come one, Cedman, let's get some snacks."

"Do you want anything? I'm buying."

"Oh, really?"

"Yup. Mrs. Payne paid me for helping clean out her attic last weekend." He grins, his cheeks round and pinchable.

The older woman lives down the street from us and often watches Cedric when my dad or I have to work. She's a widow with children in Maryland and has become somewhat of a surrogate grandparent.

"Okay, big money. Just a pack of milk duds, please."

"Got it. Come on Candis." He makes his way down the bleachers.

"Right behind ya."

While the cheer squad gyrates their hips, I spend my time people watching until I hear a shriek from one of the girls sitting below me.

Daniella and Dina Simmons, or as Candis likes to call them, Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dumb, are Sophomores and have the biggest mouths at school. From what I hear they get that trait from their mama, the town gossip.

"Oh my gosh, they're here!" Daniella squeals. She points to the group of guys by the double doors. The way she's bouncing in her seat, all star-gazed, you would think A-list celebrities had just strutted down a red carpet and not students we see every day at school. "No offense, because I love you like a sister-"

"You are my sister." Dina interjects.

Both twins are petite with dark hair and peachy skin but Daniella has a rounder face.

"Stop being so technical, you know what I mean. Anyway, sister or not, I would sell you out to mom that you're the one who dented her car for fifteen minutes alone with Ian."

"Please, I would rat you out to dad about your secret stash of weed for ten minutes with Justin."

"You bitch!" She smacks her sister on the arm.

"You're momma."

I bite my tongue to keep from laughing as the gossiping twins continue yammering away like yipping Chihuahuas.

"Whatever. Ian is way finer. I mean the accent alone gives him extra hot points." Daniella fans herself. "Then, those eyes. Like, there so freaky but in a good way."

"True, but blondes always do it better." Dina flips her hair over her shoulder and leans closer. "Plus, I heard from Beth who heard from Stephanie that he's, like, really big down there."

What the hell!?

My eyes grow to saucers. They're all of fifteen, too young to be talking like that and I'm too much of a prude to be listening.

Losing the battle, I let out a snicker of laughter that has the twins whipping around and pinning me with the stink eye.

"Nosey much?" Daniella scolds before turning back in her seat.

They scoot closer connecting from hip to shoulder like Siamese twins. The commotion of the music and people returning to their seats smothers their hushed voices as they, no doubt, continued running down the boys' considerable attributes.

Whatever, I roll my eyes.

After going into overtime, Kevin sinks the winning shot with ten seconds left in the game cementing his legacy as the player that ended our long standing losing streak against Greenbrier High.

The players all converge into a circle, jumping up and down while the other team sulks in stunned disbelief.

After fighting our way through the crowd, we head down to The Row. The main fairway of our small town is lined with restaurants, a strip mall including a six-screened movie theater, and a bowling alley beside an old school arcade.

Traffic from the game floods the streets and the sound of honking horns mix with loud music rents the air. Once we find a spot to park, we walk down the block to the greasy spoon, Big Jeans. The place is packed and even though the night air is cool, a few people wearing thick coats sit at the picnic tables on the grass.

"I'm so hungry my ribs are clapping."

Cedric giggles. "Ribs don't clap, Candis."

"They do when your starving." She zips up her jacket.

I texted Eli earlier to let him know we were on our way. I glance around hoping he's already here before Candis goes postal and yells, 'feed me' like that overgrown plant in Little Shop of Horrors.

Just as I'm about to send another text, she points to the blue Chevy S-10 and the person stepping out the truck has my jaw dropping to the ground.

"Well, hot damn!" Candis exclaims and wags her brows.

Hot damn, it is.