Page 28 of Counter Bet

Me: Where’s Shrek and the others?

It’s unnerving how curious I am about her. I try to picture her lying on the bed, her hair fanning the soft pillow, or sitting in the living room with her legs curled up and a bowl of popcorn in her lap. I like that I’m on her mind. I’m angry, but the intrigue wins out.

Dallas: Ha! Shrek! I’ll let him know you have the hots for him ;)

I snort a laugh and type out a reply before she decides to follow through on her threat.

Me: Don’t you dare! I don’t have the hots for Ben!

Dallas: My lips are sealed.

I’m typing out a reply when another message pops up on my screen.

Dallas: Tell me something about you. Something no one else knows.

I scoff. What game is she playing now?

Me: Do you expect me to trust you with my secrets?

I chew on my bottom lip, watching the dots on the screen. She’s typing.

Dallas: I’ll go first. I’m scared to lose myself completely.

What?

My fingers fly over the screen.

Me: What do you mean?

Dallas: I lost my family in a fire a little over a year ago and got sent to live here with my uncle. I’m fucking numb and feel like I’m slowly fading. I don’t know who I am anymore.

Dallas: That’s my secret…

Wow.

This conversation got dark fast.

I rub my chest to ease the sudden ache, unsure how to respond.

Her family died in a fire…

Me: Is that why you get into trouble at school? Because you’re numb?

Dallas: You should pay less attention to gossip, Emily.

Me: You’re always in detention and covered in bruises. Tell me that’s not just gossip?

She doesn’t reply.

Maybe I overstepped? I throw caution to the wind and type out another message.

Me: I worry about what others think of me. I feel I have an impossible image to live up to, and it’s slowly drowning me.

Me: What happened between us was so out of character for me. I should probably feel embarrassed about Friday night, but I don’t. I don’t regret a single thing! It’s the most free I’ve ever felt.

I lie back on my bed and stare up at the slime stain on my ceiling. I can’t believe I shared my truth with Dallas of all people. Rick doesn’t even know. Neither does Hailey.

I feel lighter.

I shouldn’t trust Dallas, but she shared something of herself with me.

The phone pings in my hand. I bolt upright in my rush to unlock the screen.

Dallas: Thank you for trusting me, princess.

I suppress a smile. My heart feels too big for my chest and my stomach flutters with a new feeling I haven’t felt before.

---