CHAPTER TWO #5
Theresa couldn't explain it. Maybe it was intuition. Maybe it was the uncomfortable feeling she'd had ever since Maria invited Melissa upstairs. Or maybe... It was simply because she'd seen enough of Maria Romano over the years to know that kindness from her usually came with strings attached.
"I just have a feeling."
Melissa smiled reassuringly.
"It'll be okay."
Theresa wanted to believe her. She truly did. But as the two girls walked downstairs... She couldn't shake the uneasy feeling settling in her stomach.
Meanwhile... Amanda finally reached the kitchen.
She peeked around the corner. Her eyes immediately landed on Michael.
He stood near the island, laughing with a few teammates, one hand wrapped around a soda can as he listened to another football player tell what was clearly a terrible joke. Amanda froze. Her heart skipped.
He's here.
She ducked back around the corner before he could notice her. Then immediately groaned.
"What am I doing?"
She'd spent years hoping he'd notice her. Now she was hiding behind a wall. Amanda laughed quietly at herself.
"Real smooth."
She peeked around the corner again. Michael was still there. Still smiling. Still completely unaware that Amanda Smith was having a full internal crisis fifteen feet away. She took a deep breath.
"You can do this."
Another.
"Just..."
Her courage immediately vanished.
"...maybe in five minutes."
She leaned against the wall, laughing at herself.
"Definitely five minutes."
Behind her... Voices began gathering in the living room. Someone shouted excitedly.
"Everybody!"
Another voice followed.
"We're starting!"
Amanda frowned. Starting what? She stepped away from the wall and followed the growing crowd. She had no idea... That she was walking toward the moment that would change the entire night. The crowd gathered in the center of the living room.
Conversations slowly dissolved into curious murmurs as students drifted toward the open space Maria had cleared in front of the fireplace. Amanda lingered near the back. She still hadn't found Melissa. Instead, she found Michael.
He stood with John near one of the couches, laughing about something Amanda couldn't hear.
For a brief moment... Everything else disappeared.
He looked up. Their eyes met. Amanda's stomach immediately performed a backflip.
Michael smiled. Not a huge smile. Just enough to recognize her.
Just enough to make her cheeks warm. He remembered her.
Amanda smiled back before quickly looking away.
Act normal.
Please, for the love of God, act normal.
She pretended to examine a bowl of chips that had absolutely nothing interesting about it.
"Those chips getting prettier?"
Amanda nearly jumped. Michael stood beside her, soda can in one hand.
"...Maybe."
He laughed.
"I've been watching you stare at them for like thirty seconds."
Amanda looked at the chips.
"...They're very convincing chips."
Michael chuckled.
"I'll have to try one." He reached into the bowl, grabbed a chip, and popped it into his mouth. Amanda couldn't stop smiling.
"So..."
Michael leaned casually against the kitchen island.
"You survived gym."
"Barely."
"My offer to call an ambulance still stands."
Amanda laughed.
"I think my pride suffered more damage than my knees."
"I figured."
Michael smiled.
"You doing okay?"
Amanda nodded.
"I've definitely had worse days."
She almost believed it. Almost. Michael studied her for a second.
"You don't sound convinced."
Amanda opened her mouth. Before she could answer— A shrill voice echoed through the house.
"Alright!"
Maria clapped loudly.
"If everyone could stop flirting for, like..." She pretended to think.
"...thirty seconds?"
The room erupted in scattered laughter. Amanda looked toward the center of the living room. Maria stood grinning, a glass bottle dangling loosely from one hand. Loren stood beside her, wearing the exact same mischievous smile. Amanda frowned.
"What are they doing?"
Michael followed her gaze. "I think..."
He sighed dramatically.
"...we're playing spin the bottle."
Amanda laughed.
"Seriously?"
"It's Maria."
"Fair point."
Michael looked back at her.
"You playing?"
Amanda hesitated.
"I don't know.”
Before she could decide— Maria's voice carried across the room.
"Amanda!"
Every head turned. Amanda froze. "...Me?"
Maria smiled brightly.
"Come here!"
Amanda blinked. Why was Maria smiling? She looked toward Melissa. Melissa stood across the room beside Theresa. The second their eyes met, Melissa smiled and gave Amanda an encouraging thumbs-up. Amanda couldn't help smiling back.
Maybe... Maybe things were okay. Maybe she'd been wrong.
Maybe Melissa had actually talked Maria into behaving like a decent human being.
Amanda stepped toward the circle. Students shuffled around to make room.
Someone pulled a beanbag closer. Another person slid across the hardwood floor to squeeze into the growing circle.
Amanda lowered herself onto the floor cautiously.
Michael sat a couple of places to her right. John settled beside him. Melissa sat across the circle next to Theresa, who gave Amanda a warm smile. Loren quietly took the spot beside Maria. Amanda noticed something immediately. Maria had positioned herself directly opposite her.
Weird.
She brushed the thought aside. It probably meant nothing. Maria looked around the circle.
"Everybody comfortable?"
A chorus of yeses answered. Maria nodded approvingly.
"Good."
She placed the empty bottle carefully in the center of the circle.
The glass reflected the colorful party lights dancing across the ceiling. Amanda glanced around the room. Everyone seemed... Happy. Relaxed. Even Melissa looked lighter than she had all day. Amanda caught her eye again. Melissa mouthed two words.
"I'm sorry."
Amanda smiled softly. She nodded once.
We'll talk later.
Melissa visibly relaxed. Across the room, Theresa noticed the exchange. A relieved smile crossed her face. Maybe everything really was going to be okay. Maria slowly rested one hand on the bottle.
"So..."
She looked around the room.
"Who wants to go first?"
Nobody answered. Several people laughed awkwardly. One football player immediately volunteered someone else. Maria rolled her eyes.
"Cowards."
Her gaze drifted slowly around the circle. Then... It landed on Amanda. A smile spread across her face.
"Amanda."
Amanda looked up.
"Why don't you have the honors?"
The room erupted into encouraging cheers. Amanda looked around uncertainly.
"Me?"
"Absolutely." Maria's smile never wavered.
"Loren."
Loren reached behind her and handed Amanda the bottle.
"Here."
Amanda accepted it carefully.
"...Thanks."
As their fingers brushed... Amanda noticed Loren smirking. Not laughing. Not smiling. Smirking. Amanda's stomach tightened. She looked toward Maria. Maria was smiling too. The same smile. Too perfect. Too rehearsed. Amanda's pulse quickened.
Why are they being nice?
The thought lingered in the back of her mind. She glanced toward Melissa. Melissa smiled encouragingly. Michael gave her a small nod as if to say ;
You've got this.
John looked completely unconcerned. Even Theresa seemed relaxed.
Maybe... Amanda was imagining things. Maybe Maria really had decided to move on.
Maybe tonight didn't have to end badly. Amanda wrapped her fingers around the neck of the bottle.
The cool glass pressed against her palm. She took a deep breath
"Okay..."
A nervous smile crossed her face.
"I guess..."
She looked around the circle one last time.
"...here goes nothing." She gave the bottle a firm spin.
It whirled rapidly across the hardwood floor, catching flashes of colored light as every person in the room leaned forward to watch.
The laughter faded. The music seemed quieter.
Amanda's heartbeat grew louder with every rotation.
The bottle began to slow. Once. Twice. Three times. Finally... It stopped.
The neck pointed directly at— Maria Romano. Silence. Then... Amanda blinked.
"...Do I have to kiss you?"
For one brief, glorious second... The entire room burst into laughter. Even Michael laughed. John leaned forward, shaking his head as he tried—and failed—to hide a grin. Across the circle, Theresa covered her mouth. Amanda looked around, completely confused.
"...What?"
She glanced back at the bottle. It was still pointing directly at Maria. Amanda slowly looked up.
"So..."
She pointed between herself and Maria. The laughter somehow grew louder. Maria stared at her in complete disbelief.
"...Absolutely not."
Amanda blinked.
"...No?"
Maria pinched the bridge of her nose.
"This isn't kindergarten."
Amanda looked around the room.
"...It's not?"
Loren laughed. "Seriously?"
Amanda shrugged helplessly.
"I've never played before!"
Michael smiled to himself. That explained a lot. Maria sighed dramatically.
"This is Truth or Dare spin the bottle."
Realization slowly spread across Amanda's face.
"Oh."
She nodded.
"That makes..."
She looked at the bottle again.
"...slightly more sense."
Another wave of laughter rolled through the room. Even Maria couldn't completely hide the tiny smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. Amanda laughed awkwardly.
"Okay..."
"So..."
Maria folded her arms.
"Truth."
"...or dare?"
Amanda leaned back on her hands. "Hm."
The room grew quiet again. Everyone watched her think. Amanda looked around the circle. Michael sat only a few seats away, watching curiously. John leaned comfortably against the couch behind him. Melissa smiled encouragingly from across the room. Amanda's brain immediately started calculating.
Truth... Dangerous. Maria would absolutely ask something humiliating. Something personal. Something designed to embarrass her. No thanks. Then she considered the alternative. Dare. She looked toward Michael again. Her heartbeat sped up.
There's...
She bit the inside of her cheek.
...a chance.
A tiny one. But still... A chance. Amanda tried very hard to keep a straight face. Inside, however... Her thoughts had become complete chaos.
Okay... Worst case scenario... Maria tells me to sing. Embarrassing.
Manageable. Best case scenario...
Her eyes drifted toward Michael.
...she dares me to kiss Michael.