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“This is stupid,” Carson said

My head snapped toward him Of all the people to come to my rescue, I did not expect it to be him

“Is it?” Ethan asked “Because isn’t this how you play? Mia picked dare, so I dared her to kiss me What’s the problem? Unless, of course, you don’t want me to”

Next tolike she atching a new episode of Stranger Things, while Drake snickered

Carson’s mouth flattened into a thin line before he opened his mouth and said, “Why would I care—”

“I don’t feel well,” I said, juuys finish without me”

It wasn’t the raceful exit as I stuet out of the rooh Behind me, they booed and moaned I think I even heard soreat First, I’ym class, and now everyone will think I’m a total wimp

“You knohat? I don’t even care,” Ilike a caged tiger

I rounded the island and leaned back on it, glad to be alone for a h I tried to make sense of what just happened, I couldn’t My head pounded from the effort, or maybe it was the alcohol First, Ethan adh he claimed it e were little Then, Carson said he wanted to kiss h I’m pretty sure that was all a part of his master plan to annihilate me once and for all, and then Ethan asked me to kiss him What The Heck

This evening alrounded, other than to work on the Angel Program for the last teeks, I was finally free, and the last thing I wanted to do was go back to my house when both of my parents would be home As awful as this party was, I had no desire to play witness to the ensuing conflict of WWIII

I was deliberating hiding in the bathroom as an alternative when someone entered the kitchen I shovedEthan

But it wasn’t Ethan It was Carson

He stood in the entryway, hands in his pockets, head bowed

Well, at least he had the decency to look sheepish

I squared ht When he stepped closer, I couldn’t help myself as I asked, “Why’d you invite me here? Was it just to eratulations You win”