Page 12 of Dare
“Spareme, you skinny bitch,” she scoffs. “I swear I was walking through my house theother day and saw something out of the corner of my eye. I had to take a few stepsback and stare at the wall to realize it was the shadow of my ass, followingme.”
“Menlove that ass, though.”
“Yeah,they do,” she replies, grinning around a bite of cheesecake.
“I’vebeen talking to someone…sort of,” I blurt. I don’t know why, but I’ve beendesperate to tell someone about Dare.
Hermouth forms an O and she places her fork on her plate. “Details. I want detailsright now. This is fantastic! I was starting to think you’d never get back inthe game.”
Slumpingback in my seat, I shake my head at her enthusiasm. I really couldn’t ask for abetter friend. “Don’t get all excited. It’s not like…we’re not dating oranything.”
“Butyou’re hanging out?”
“Sortof.”
Shefrowns. “Sort of? How do you sort of hang out with someone? Are you stalking him?”
“No!”I throw my napkin at her. “He lives next door and—.”
Herhand clamps onto my arm. “Tell me you’re talking about that mass of tattooedbad boy I saw leaving the apartment next to yours.”
“Uh,yeah. His name is Dare.”
Customersturn to look at us as she lets out a squeal and stomps her feet under thetable. “He’s gorgeous! Shit, I’d dare. So, you just hang out and talk?”
“Yeah,our walls are really thin and we can pretty much hear everything the otherperson does, so we started talking.”
“Wait.”She holds up a palm. “You only talk through the walls?”
“Iknow it’s not exactly normal.”
“Hashe tried to meet you in person?”
Uh-oh.I shouldn’t have said anything. “He’s mentioned it a few times.”
“Thenwhy haven’t you?”
Igive her a “don’t be stupid” look and get a glare back in return. Before shecan speak, I shake my head. “Just don’t. I like talking to him. He’s fun andinteresting, and we both keep late hours. I’m happy with how things are now andif he meets me, I’ll lose it. It’s pathetic, I know.”
Shesighs. “It’s not pathetic, hun. If this guy has won you over just by talkingthrough a wall, he must be something special, and I really think you shouldgive him a chance. Face to face.”
“Andif he runs once he sees me?” I snap.
“Thenhe’s a dickhole and I’ll tell him to his face, right before I kick his ballsinto his throat.”
Seewhy I love her?
Herhand closes over mine. “I really don’t think that’ll happen, though, Ayda. I’vetold you before, no one is as conscious of your scars as you. If he’s a goodguy, he won’t care. He’ll see how beautiful you are. And if he doesn’t, you’rebetter off without him, as a friend or anything else. I know you. I know youwant more, but you’ll never have it if you don’t take a chance and put yourselfout there.”
Iknow she’s right. I’ve been alone so long and grown so accustomed to it, Ididn’t even realize I was lonely. His smooth voice has filled an empty place Ididn’t know I had, and a small, aching part of me really wants to believe Icould have more than his words.
“I’llthink about it,” I reply in a near whisper.
“Good,now let’s get out of here.”
Herwords run through my head all through the ride home and as I let myself in myapartment. I know it’s only a matter of time before he sees me anyway. I mean,he lives next door. It’s amazing we haven’t met face to face yet. Still, I wantto delay the inevitable as long as possible.
Tuckeris gone and there’s a note on my kitchen counter telling me my toilet is fixedand thanking me for the food. The laundry room smells faintly of fabricsoftener, so he must’ve washed his clothes and bedding. I’m usually mostcomfortable when I’m alone, but tonight, my place seems hollow and empty.
