Dare You To (Pushing the Limits 2)
Panic flickers through me. “Stay on the court. ”
“No. Way. ”
“Do it with me. I’ll be right by your side the entire time. ” Putting her on the court was my way of pissing her off, but now I want her on it—with me.
“That’s your world. Not mine. ”
But it could be her world if she tried.
“Nothing will happen with homecoming for another month. How about this—if I can find a way to completely wow you by then, you agree to stay on the court and if I can’t, then I’ll help you remove your name. ”
Silence as she contemplates. “Are you asking me to dare you to wow me?”
Even I see the irony. “Guess I am. ”
“Should I remind you that you have a lousy track record with me in regards to dares?”
I sit up straighter. “I don’t lose. ”
Scott knocks on the door and points at his eyes then points at me. He leaves again.
Hell. “Did you come home drunk last night?”
The last time Scott and I talked, we were on good terms. Something’s changed.
“No, but you did leave this. ” Beth flips her hair over her shoulder and reveals a red-and-blue spot on her neck. Everything within me wants to disintegrate and hide beneath the porch. I gave her a hickey. I haven’t done that to a girl since middle school.
“He hates me,” I say.
Beth laughs. “Something like that. ”
Beth
I PUMP MY HANDS HARDER INTO HIS CHEST and ignore the world around me. My wrists hurt, but I must keep the heart going. I must.
Twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty.
“Breathe!” I yell.
Lacy tilts the head back and blows into the mouth. The chest moves up, then back down.
Lacy begins to pull away.
“No, Lacy, check the vitals. ” She puts her ea
r near the mouth and nose. I wait. She places her fingers against the artery in the neck. I wait again. Lacy shakes her head. Nothing.
“Your turn,” I tell her. I’m frightened that I won’t be able to give the heart enough pressure if I go another round. Lacy scrambles toward his chest and I slide my body near the head.
She counts out loud with each compression.
A long beeping noise comes from the team next to us. “Flat line,” says Mr. Knox.
“Yes!” says Chris. “This is ours!”
Of our entire health class, it’s down to me and Lacy against the combo of Ryan and Chris.
With his hands clasped together, Ryan pumps his dummy’s chest.