Dare Me

|04|

Allie stands beside Keith and cross her hands over her chest. She never felt more exposed, more in the center of things, like in the moment the crowd burst out from between the trees, running towards them.

#Nora_8: Can someone tell me already who the hell is she!?!?!?!

Allie first instinct is to look for Maisy and Lane, but it's not an easy thing to do with the dozends of shadows staring at her and talking excitedly. She looks away in embarrassment at Keith, who is already watching her, and doesn't seem to be bothered with the audience at all.

#Samantha.R.M: Silly, isn't she with us in theater class?

Keith gives her a playful smile. "What is it, Moonshine? Jumping off a cliff is fine but standing in front of a crowd not so much?"

Allie chuckles, trying to release the pressure inside her. He is right, in the light of all the things that happened to her tonight- the crowd should be the least of her worries.

#Nora_8: Oh God I'm dying. She is the silent actress!

#Nikola.T: Ugh, look at her body. She looks like a little girl.

"Allie! Allie!" Lane yells and runs to her.

#Ryan69: I dunno bro, there's something sexy about her.

Allie feels relief when Lane reaches her. He stares at her for a second, and immediately pulls off of his jacket. "Here, take it."

#Zoe101: You guys are disgusting. Like really.

Allie grabs the jacket from his hand and puts it on quickly.

"You must be freezing," Lane says.

"Yes, thank you. You totally saved me."

A group of people run to Keith and pulls him away. One guy gives him a light push on his shoulder, and two girls try to hug him at the same time and colldie against each other.

But Keith's gaze still rests on Allie and Lane.

#Drake18: Well, well, he survived after all.

"Allie... it was, it was crazy! What's the matter with you?" Lane says, looking at her like he doesn't recognize her. When she doesn't answer him, he glances over at Keith and back at her, and whispers, "It's not because of him, right?"

"No!" Allie answers louder than she meant.

#Nora_8: Drake, if only one more time you will say you want Keith dead...!!!!!!!!!!

Drake18: Yeah, and what will you do? text me to death?

Allie almost falls on the sand when somone collides into her. "Oh my God, I thought I saw you jumping but I couldn't believe it! I just can't beliebe it..." Maisy says as she hugs Allie. "I'm so dumb. I didn't mean to hurt you! I wasn't talking about cliff jumping!"

Allie tries to breathe through her tight embrace. "I'm fine, Maisy."

"You must tell me everything. How was it? Did he talk to you? Yeah, of course her talked to you... He hugged you too, didn't he?" Maisy fires questions and lets Allie out of her embrace. "I saw him hugging you all the way down! I still can't believe it was you! Well, why don't you say anything? "

"Let's just get out of here first, alright?" Lane asks them and looks around, annoyed.

"Yes, please," Allie says gratefully.

Maisy elbows Allie on her side, and Allie blurts out, "okay, okay, he called me Moonshine." Let the girl hear what she wants.

Maisy covers her mouth in surprise, and then they both burst out laughing.

"You are so dramatic," Allie says.

On their way back, different people point at Allie and whisper among themselves. Allie tries to ignore them. She takes a last look at Keith, but he can barely be seen between all his... friends? fans?

Well, Allie thinks and bites her lip, it was a one-time experience. Tomorrow she will back to her normal life, free from Keith and his challenges...

She turns her head away from him, and swallows what feels like the bitter edge of disappointment.