The room explodes. Not literally, of course. The girls squeal with excitement and the guys sound like a bunch of chimpanzees.
“That’s a juicy one,” Jonah says, clapping me on the back. I imagine his eyes glinting as he grins at me, but I'm not paying any attention to him. Heck, the room could be full of chimpanzees and I wouldn’t know. I can’t keep my eyes off Holly. She won’t look at me. She has her eyes focused on the floor, but the corners of her mouth lift, and the flush of color to her cheeks does something weird to my stomach. It’s like I’ve swallowed a pill that is now effervescing like crazy inside of me.
“What’s the forfeit?” Ryder asks. Holly’s head snaps up and her expression turns to horror, as if Ryder just dropped a stink bomb.
“We’ll do it,” she says firmly. I feel my brows go up. Does she want to do this?
I’m an actor. I’ve kissed more than my fair share of leading ladies. In fact, I’ve never been in a serious relationship. The problem with acting is you lose a part of yourself. It’s hard to know what feelings are real.
Then there’s the fact I’ve spent most of my life pretending to be strong. But that brings me to a topic I’m not willing to think too much about.
Holly and I have been best mates since… forever. We’ve been in plays together, but never in a romantic setting. So we’ve never kissed.
But she’s an actress too. A professional one. I can’t see this being a hard dare. Not on that front.
It’s the uploading to social media part that I feel nervous about. All of our friends and family will go nuts. My mom has been calling Holly 'the daughter she never had' since we were in high school. She’ll be on the phone in no time, planning our wedding.
Then there’s my work. When you work with kids, there’s an expectation to be a good example. I can’t post anything sleazy online. A lot of the kids follow me.
But maybe we can pull it off. We just have to make sure it looks like a romantic gesture, and less like a drunken kiss. I snap out of my thoughts, suddenly aware that everyone is looking at me and I’ve not said a word since the announcement. Holly’s expectant eyes burn right into my soul as she bites her lip. I’ve never thought about her lips before, now I can’t stop staring.
“Shall I set up the camera, then?” I offer with a shrug. I'm trying to sound casual and hoping no one picks up on the fact that my voice is a bit too high. Holly’s expression turns to delight as she looks at Michelle.
“Okay, we’re doing this.”
Holly
Don’t freak out. Don’t freak out. Don’t freak out.
A part of me wants to run around the condo, screaming at the top of my lungs.
I’m finally going to makeout with Cameron James.
I’m buzzing with so much intensity, I could burst at any moment. It’s the perfect dare. I want to grab Michelle by the shoulders and kiss her!
What better way to leave the friendzone than to lock lips with the man you love? Surely as soon as our lips touch, Cameron will be consumed by the realization that the two of us are destined to be together.
Why do I love Cameron? Let me count the ways.
He smells good. Always. Even when he’s been out playing soccer with the guys. He has that masculine scent that drives a woman crazy. And don’t get me started on how hot he looks when he’s been working on his dad’s car for the day––covered in oil, and wearing a ripped shirt with his biceps shining with grease and sweat in the sunshine.
Another reason why I love him; he makes me feel like I’m home. When we went on a school trip to Washington D.C. in senior year for a week, I got homesick. I hated being away from my creature comforts. Cameron knew just what I needed. He snuck into my room, put on my favorite rom-com, and let me curl up in his arms.
Another reason I love him; he reads me like a book. If I’m in a sad mood, no matter how chipper I try to be, he sees right through it and is the first person to offer me a hug.
That should make the list as well. His hugs are the best.
“This party just got interesting,” Ryder says. His words pull me out of my daydreams, and I notice the others have evacuated the couch. Cameron, meanwhile, has propped his phone up on Michelle’s tripod.
“Ready?” he asks, turning to me. His question hits me square between the eyes and my mouth turns dry.
After all these years, after all this time. After all the sleepless nights I spent fantasizing about the day we finally kiss, the moment has arrived, and I do not feel prepared.
“I’ll be right back,” I say edging out of the room. Then I bolt up the hall to the bathroom.
With the door shut and the sound of everyone’s excited chatter muffled, I allow myself to take deep ragged breaths.
“It’s fine,” I say aloud, looking at myself in the mirror.
“This is totally what I wanted.”
A knock on the door has me jump with a yelp.
“It’s me, let me in.”
The soft voice of my bestie, Katia, settles my nerves a little and I open the door for her. She enters and closes it behind her.
“Just checking to see if you’re okay,” she says. I shoot her a quizzical look. “I’m great,” I say. “This is the best dare, ever.”
“Is it?” Katia asks. I frown back at her, wondering what the reason is behind her concern. “Why do you ask?”
Katia is the most sensible person I know. Maybe it’s because she’s been heartbroken in the
