Dare Me Read Online Free PDF Page A

cousin built it for him. But you can’t order through it, and it hasn’t been updated in forever. He’s a dinosaur, but I take his advice. “Watch, I’ll go talk to her.”
    “Good, but don’t make an ass out of yourself.”
    I walk to the counter where Alexia is counting the drawer. I wait until she slides the money into the drop envelope before I speak. I can’t stand it when people try to speak to me when I’m dealing with numbers, especially cash. “Hey, Alexia.”
    She jumps and puts a hand to her chest. “You almost gave me a heart attack.”
    “I know CPR. I would have brought you back to life.” As I say it, I feel a little like Chuck.
    “Thanks, I guess.” She rolls her eyes and swats me with the envelope. “Hey, I saw that link on a bunch of people’s pages. Tell Ricky that was a nice catch.”
    My ears ring but I play it cool. “All right. We still have our bet for the second stunt?”
    “You still sticking with the bridge jump?”
    My face is hopping, like it wants to smile, but if I do, she’ll know something’s up. And after signing that contract today—for exactly what, I’m not sure—there’s too much on the line for me to lose it around Alexia. It takes a lot of effort to say, “Yeah, I am. You?”
    “I think it would be hilarious if they went streaking through some store.”
    “Is that your thing? Guys running around naked?”
    She blushes and I feel bad, but it is also so familiar. I could do this all afternoon.
    “No, you know that’s not what does it for me.” She turns away, and when she speaks, her voice is barely a whisper. “I’d like to stay hidden forever.”
    Everything freezes for a moment. Did she just say what I think she said? Her eyes scan mine. She doesn’t only look at me; she is searching to find out whether I remember. Of course I do. “But if you stay hidden forever. The game never ends.”
    Her face droops. “Yeah, that’s it.”
    I want to touch her hand or shoulder, something. She was smiling, but her tone was sad. I don’t know why reminiscing about hide-and-seek would do that. Alexia shakes her head, as if getting rid of a thought, and looks up.
    “If it’s a bet, then something has to be at stake.”
    “Of course. Name it.”
    She raises an eyebrow. “Hmm. Let me think.”
    I can’t imagine I have much she’d want, but I wait patiently.
    “This is totally going to sound stupid.”
    “No, it’ll be fine. What?”
    She shields half her face from me. “Talking about when we were kids got me thinking.” She pauses. “You remember that one story, the one I loved?”
    “The legend of Sherlock’s corner?” As if I need to ask.
    “Yeah, that’s it! I win, you tell it to me.”
    I’d recite that story right now if she asked. I don’t understand why she’d want me to retell it, because I’m sure she knows it by heart, but this is her bet. “And if I win?”
    “Fine, if you win?”
    “You bring me to a party.”
    Alexia stares. “Just you?” And the way she asks lets me know how to answer.
    “By me I meant John and Ricky, too.”
    “You’re hanging with Ricky again, aren’t you?”
    I’m surprised she’s noticed. “Yeah. We’re older now . . .” I don’t finish, because I don’t really know if anything’s changed.
    “Sure. The three of you, that’d be fun.” She extends her hand.
    I shake it and force myself not to hold on longer than necessary, but enough to say, “Deal,” and feel the delicacy of her wrist as we shake. And because of that fragility I look down. There at the edge of her wrist and palm, beneath the pinkie, are bruises. Not one random. A pattern of four, equidistant, and thick, with a fifth toward her elbow, square in the center. Shit.
    I’d ask about this if I could. But if we weren’t working together we’d probably never have spoken again. She’s got Jesse Holmes, the king of the school. And it’s obvious that in her mind I’m still her friend. The one she used to play childhood games