Page 106 of Dare To Break

I’ve already had a visit from the principal this morning to inform me that my mother has been notified about my accident. He wanted to see the dare, but I told him I’d destroyed the note.

I can only imagine what Elena will think. Maybe she won’t care at all.

A text alert sounds. Checking my normal phone, there’s a message from Miles waiting for me.

Miles: Lacy said you weren’t in your room when she woke up this morning. You’re not in math. Where are you?

Me: I’m in medical.

The dots jump up and down.

Miles: OMG, are you okay? The principal said someone got hurt doing a dare.

I catch my appearance in the reflection of the screen. The nasty cut slashes across the corner of my forehead beneath the narrow white adhesive strips. It’s nestled in an ugly spreading purple welt.

Tearing my attention away from the bruise, I focus on my cell phone and text Miles.

Me: I fell and banged my head. I’m lucky I didn’t knock myself out. The good news is that I probably don’t have a concussion, but they kept me in here for observation overnight.

Miles: Why didn’t you tell me you had a dare?

Me: I thought no one was supposed to talk about them.

We message back and forth until my head starts to hurt. I set my phone aside, snuggle under the blanket and close my eyes.

When I open them again, Miles and Lacy are standing at the end of the bed, wearing matching expressions of concern.

I ease myself up carefully into a sitting position. “What time is it?”

“Lunch time,” my roommate informs me. “There’s an only two visitors at a time rule. The others had to wait outside.”

I must have slept and not realized it.

“I bought you some chocolate to cheer you up.” Miles’ brows are drawn tight over worried eyes as he hands me a Hershey bar.

It’s my favorite flavor, which makes me smile. “Thanks.”

“We’re not allowed to stay longer than a couple of minutes,” he tells me. “But if you need anything, text me, okay?”

Plucking up the chart hanging from the end of my bed, Lacy inspects it. “You need to rest. The nurse said you can leave this evening, so I’ll come and walk you back to the dorm after dinner.”

I fidget with the edge of the chocolate bar, turning it over in my hands. “I’m okay to do it alone.”

She rolls her eyes. “And what if you collapse? I would be the worst roommate ever if that happened. No. You wait for me to come and get you. I have a Halloween-related thing to sort out before I’m free, but I will be here.”

The nurse appears, carrying a tray and chases them out. Once they’re gone, I’m given a painkiller and left to eat my meal in peace.

The day drags, and I sleep some more, only to be awakened by the sound of my phone. I check the caller’s ID and groan a second before answering it.

“Hey, Elena—”

My mother talks over my greeting. “We got a phone call this morning telling us you had an accident.”

It’s three in the afternoon, and she’s waited all this time to contact me. Did she spend all morning nursing another hangover?

“I’m okay—”

“Do you know how much it’s costing for you to attend the academy? I expected better from you.”

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