The Dare

Chapter 4

When we show up to the bonfire, after a long silent car ride, Mason and Grayson rush over to the car. It looks like they've been here for a while, by the number of cars parked in this dirt lot I'm going to guess that most of the Seniors are already there. The three of us unbuckle before stepping out of the car, Mason opening my door for me.

I give him an awkward smile as a thank you, pulling my thin gray sweater tightly around me when the wind hits me. The wind is light, but it's a crisp October breeze. I look towards the wind, it's coming through the trees. We are surrounded by woods, I don't see a lake in sight.

"The lake is through the woods, we need to take a trail there," Grayson says to me coming over to my side of the car as if reading my mind. "In my opinion, it just makes the whole ordeal much more secret and fun, there are only about thirty people who showed up to this one." He smiles at me, I nod to acknowledge what he's saying to me.

His words calm my anxiety only slightly, but I'm thankful for the attempt. Still, a rock in my gut doesn't let me forget how he embarrassed me yesterday. "Should we have a safe word or something?" I flinch, I hadn't noticed he was still standing next to me. Why is he still talking? Can I not just sit in silence?

"What?" I ask, snapping a little too much. "I'm sorry, what?" I say a little bit more gently, making eye contact with him. He smiles, despite me snapping. I notice now that I'm making eye contact that he's very lanky and tall, unlike Avery.

"A safe word? I can tell you're a nervous person, I am too. We could come up with a safe word that you can say if you get too overwhelmed, so I can get you out of the situation." I'm not sure how to feel, my brain registers that this is a kind offer from someone who's trying to be nice. However my body responds in annoyance, it turns my face warm.

Who does he think is trying to act as he knows me? Is he being a cocky asshole still? I can't decide. But a part of me can tell he's being nice, so I should try to be nice as well.

"Yeah, that sounds ok. How about, 'help I'm afraid?" I say sarcastically, making him laugh as he scratches his head.

"Hm, it's a little lengthy. What about 'Uncle'. Good ol' fashioned 'Uncle'." I exhale heavily out of my nose smirking, it's the closest I'll get to laugh.

"Um...sure, yeah. I'm warning you though, I'm not one to say, uncle." He laughs and I smile a genuine smile. It feels weird on my cheeks. Avery pops over to our side of the car and grins at us.

I'm struck by how odd it is that she is so friendly since her purple hair and nose piercing makes her seem like she'd be off-putting. On the contrary, she's the opposite.

"Hey, guys, ready to go to the fire? I'm freezing my ass off just standing here." She does look cold, so small and cold. I peel off my sweater to extend it to her, she tries to deny it so I nudge it at her a little harder until she takes it. "Thank you, you're sweet." She says to me but I don't allow my face to react, even though the statement put a deep pit in my stomach.

Together as a group, we take to the wooded trail that Grayson had told me led to the lake. It was a windy path that isn't even really set, more like trampled down grass and weeds to form one. The closer we get to the lake the more soaked my shoes get, the ground permanently wet from the lake as well as the thick overhead of leaves denying the sun to dry it.

My body gets thrown forward when my shoe gets caught in a root, hands from behind me grab my shoulders snagging me in time to not fall on my face. I look back and Grayson grins at me but doesn't say anything, like he is saving me the embarrassment of other people knowing that I tripped.

"Thanks," I mumble under my breath and he nods. Grayson is shockingly kind, when he had first introduced himself to me I had gotten a cocky vibe. Now he seems just as nice as his sister, which if anything just makes me feel more guilty about being rude.