#TheBoyfriendDare

by Yesenia Vargas

  But just as he pulled into my driveway and I reached for the door handle, his hand grabbed mine. “Wait,” he said.

  I glanced at our hands, and he let go.

  “I actually wanted to ask you something,” he said. We were both still in our sweaty uniforms. Ian’s long-sleeved goalie shirt was covered in dirt and grass, and I was aching to take off my cleats and hop into the shower. But I wondered what was on his mind.

  “What’s up?” I asked, trying to guess.

  It didn’t help that he was taking his time.

  “I already said I’d go to Homecoming with you,” I teased.

  He gave me a small smile before going back to being nervous. “It’s not that,” he said. “My parents kind of want to meet you.”

  “Huh?” I said.

  He shrugged. “My mom follows me on Instagram, and she saw the couple pictures I posted of us. And now she wants to meet you.”

  I blinked back at him. “Did you tell her I was your girlfriend?”

  “Yeah,” he said sheepishly. “I didn’t think she’d like this whole fake relationship thing.”

  I nodded.

  “I was also lucky enough to get the talk again, if you know what I mean,” Ian said, blushing.

  I was sure I was blushing too. “I’ll let her know she has nothing to worry about,” I teased. “But yeah, sure. I guess I can come over sometime.”

  Ian grimaced. “She…kind of already planned a dinner for tomorrow. She says it’s not a big deal, but it kind of is so I guess wear what you’d wear to church?” he tried.

  I sighed. “Got it. Cool. Dress conservative.” Then I opened the car door. “Oh, and Ian?”

  “Yeah?” he asked.

  “You owe me. You owe me big time.” I winked at him.

  He scoffed. “Whatever. After what I went through with your dad, this is nothing!”

  All of a sudden, a huge question came to mind, and no matter how much I didn’t want to mention Bethany, I had to ask it. “Um, can I ask you something?” I said.

  He nodded. “Anything.”

  I exhaled, wondering if that was actually true. “This dare, like, what we’re doing? Are you sure it’s not time to end it? I mean, if you’re over Bethany, what’s the point?” There was an awkward pause. “And if you’re not, then…I’m sure it’s not too late to get her back…” My voice faded until it was nothing.

  Ian stared into my eyes for what felt like forever. His hand reached for my cheek, grazed it ever so slightly. “What if I just want to keep doing this?”

  Mostly surprised I hadn’t passed out hearing him say that, I met his eyes.

  His question, the tone of his voice, sounded like a dare.

  One I definitely wanted to take.

  Fifteen

  Now I knew what Ian had felt like being interrogated by my parents.

  Just like Ian, I was more nervous than any soccer game I’d ever played, even when we’d played against the toughest teams.

  I linked my arm with Ian’s and walked to the front door of his house, hoping his mom and dad liked me and that I made a good impression.

  Before we could even knock or touch the doorknob, the door swung open.

  A boy and girl stood there, nicely dressed but with clearly mischievous grins on their faces. They looked pretty close in age. “Mom, Ian’s girlfriend is here!” the girl yelled. She had a bow in her hair the size of her head, kind of like the ones Tori wore with her cheer uniform.

  I glanced at Ian.

  “Sorry,” he said. “Lena, this is Jacob and Mia. And you two,” he said, pointing at them, “settle down or I’ll sit on you.”

  They took off giggling. I saw another younger brother on the couch, but this one looked old enough to stay on his best behavior.

  Or at least play video games instead of running around non-stop.

  A middle-aged woman stepped toward us from the kitchen. “Hi! You must be Lena.” She was all smiles, and I relaxed just a little.

  I stuck out my hand, but she came in for a hug. “Hi,” I said, awkwardly, not expecting all the contact. But hey, it beat the disapproving glare I was expecting. It wouldn’t be my first one.

  Especially since teachers often labeled me the “loud one.”

  “Hi, Mrs. Reynolds. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I said with my best smile.

  She smiled back, and I relaxed just a little. “Pleasure to meet you, Lena. I told Ian here that I just had to have the gorgeous girl I saw in his Instagram picture over for dinner.”

  Ian shook his head, clearly embarrassed. “Maybe we should head into the dining room. Need any help carrying anything in there, Mom?”

  But he was already on his way over to the kitchen. “Yes, sweetie! The two containers on the counter, please.”

  Mrs. Reynolds led me to the dining room, where Ian’s dad was waiting.

  After more awkward introductions, getting Ian’s three siblings to join us, and blessing the food, we began to eat.

  I counted down the minutes until I could go home, hardly able to stay still. I was itching to run, feel the cool air on my skin, and kick my soccer ball back at home. But at this rate, it would definitely be dark by the time Ian dropped me off.

  And the stilted conversation came to an end.

  After dinner, though, the kids clamored to go outside to play.

  Mrs. Reynolds hesitated, but thankfully, her husband spoke up first. “Actually, maybe a walk would do everyone good.”

  I could have jumped up and down. “I agree. Nothing like fresh air, don’t you think?”

  Ian’s siblings headed straight for the yard, though. I glanced at the jump rope in his sister’s hands. Not to mention the soccer ball across the yard. “Why don’t we hang out with the kids?” I asked Ian, hoping he’d get the hint that I’d rather do that than go through more small talk with the adults.

  He shrugged. “Okay, sure. But you can play with Amy. She’s tireless, that one.”

  Within minutes, I was teaching Amy how to double dutch.

  “Ian, your girlfriend is cool!” she said, which made me laugh out loud.

  Ian’s parents watched us from their fold-up chairs, drinks in hand and smiles on their faces.

  Ian was busy playing soccer with his brothers, and I wanted to join. “Come on,” I told Amy. “Let’s go play with them.”

  But she didn’t look so excited about that idea. “I don’t know. They always knock me down. I’m no good.”

  I put my hands on her shoulders, leaning down towards her. “Don’t worry. You can be on my team.”

  By the time the sun went down, sweat dripped down my forehead and back, and I realized maybe I shouldn’t have taken our game so seriously.

  The curls in my hair had completely fallen out, and instead of looking romantic, my hair now looked like a rat’s nest. Oops.

  I walked over to Ian and hoped the setting sun kept his parents from realizing what had happened to my hair. “Maybe I should head home now. I don’t want your parents to see me like this inside your fully lighted living room. And for the hooligan I obviously really am,” I added.

  He chuckled. “I think you look great. And for the record, everyone loves you.” Ian stopped then, like something had occurred to him just then.

  Then I realized why. I distinctly remembered him saying a while back that his mom had not liked Bethany.

  So hearing that his family already liked me?

  I was on top of the world.

  “So what time do you have to be back home?” I asked Ian.

  He glanced at me for a quick second before getting his eyes back on the road. “Before eleven. Plenty of time to get some frozen yogurt.”

  “Are you sure?” I asked him. “I thought you were going to take me home?”

  He glanced at me again. “Well, you said you wanted to change and get the dead leaves out of your hair.”

  “True. I’d also like to get out of this dress and back into my jeans. But I also definitely could go for some frozen yo
gurt. All that running made me hungry,” I said.

  Ian grinned. “Me too. By the way, you and Amy only won because you cheated. Tickling opponents is definitely a red card in my book.”

  I laughed, remembering how hard his brothers had been laughing, lying there on the grass while I tickled them endlessly and Amy made a goal. “That was fun.”

  Ian went on. “And tripping me so she could get a clear shot? Also not cool.” But he was smiling as wide as me.

  After I ran inside my house, brushed the tangles out of my hair, slipped into some jeans, and called to my parents that I’d be back later, we left in search of frozen yogurt.

  Ian pulled his car into the frozen yogurt shop in no time. We loaded our favorite flavors with about a dozen toppings and found a solitary table in the corner to sit at.

  I observed his cup and what clearly looked like gummy worms and chocolate syrup. “That looks gross,” I said.

  He used his spoon to point at my concoction. “I can’t even see your frozen yogurt!”

  For some reason, that comment made me laugh until there were tears in my eyes. Ian began laughing too, which only fueled my laughter more. When I finally got my act together, there was Ian, grinning and biting the inside of his lip like he was trying really hard not to say something.

  “What?” I said.

  He stared down at his frozen yogurt for a second and shook his head. “Nothing.” But then he looked up. “I just like the way you laugh.”

  Oh gosh. There were the butterflies. Why’d he have to go and say something like that??

  Clearly, he felt the same way because he began eating his frozen yogurt without another look at me, and I did the same.

  What was happening with us?

  I could hardly focus on my frozen treat from thinking about it.

  I wasn’t sure if this weird tension between us lately was something that scared me in a good way or a bad way. Maybe both.

  But I almost sighed in relief when Ian started talking again, and things felt mostly normal.

  “I’m really glad you came over tonight,” he said.

  I licked some chocolate off my spoon. “Me too. Your family is a lot of fun.”

  “Nah,” Ian replied. “You are. You make everything fun. Even riding a bus for two hours.”

  I smiled at his words. “I really missed us hanging out,” I confessed.

  He looked kind of confused. “What do you mean? We’ve been hanging out almost constantly since we started ‘going out.’”

  I played around with my spoon, pretending I was looking for more cookie dough pieces. “I just meant, since…you know.”

  Realization swept his face, and it almost looked like he’d tasted something bitter instead of sweet. “Oh. Yeah.”

  Hoping I hadn’t spoiled the moment with my awkward comment, I said, “It just feels like old times is all. These past few weeks have been the best, despite accepting your stupid dare.”

  Ian chuckled, and things felt right again. He ate some more of his frozen yogurt, and I did the same.

  When all our frozen yogurt was gone and our cups sat there empty, something like sadness spread from my chest to the rest of me.

  Maybe it was the fact that all the cookie dough pieces were gone.

  Or maybe it was the fact that I wished we could sit there forever.

  Ian stood up, and I did the same, wondering if there was anywhere else we could go and hang out but knowing it was time to go home.

  He took my cup and threw it away, and I breathed in deep, wanting to memorize this moment, this feeling inside me, forever. Something way better than the satisfaction of finishing a really tasty treat.

  Ian came back, and I got ready to follow him to his car.

  But then he outstretched his hand toward me. I glanced at it for a split second than up at him, trying to read those bright baby blue eyes.

  I couldn’t quite figure it out, but I took his hand anyway, trying to ignore the fact that my heart felt like it was about to leap out of my chest and focus on the perfect way that my hand fit in his.

  Sixteen

  Even though I felt like I was walking on air for the next week, I had to buckle down and focus.

  Our next game was a state qualifier. So no more ogling Ian during soccer practice. Coach demanded each and every player’s best. More than our best, in fact.

  “Just when you think you’ve used up everything you got in you, guess what?” he liked to shout during scrimmages. “You’re only at 40%! You’ve still got 60% left in you! So let me see it!”

  His motivational rants annoyed a lot of the other players, but it was usually the extra push I needed to do better than ever before.

  And we’d need it during the game.

  Our biggest opponent, Chestnut Mountain, was the team to beat at state. Last season, we’d tied against them at the state tournament. The year before that, we’d lost.

  I definitely wanted to win state my senior year so we had to beat them. Had to.

  Or else it would be that much harder to get a scout’s interest.

  And Ian? Ian was just as focused as me. Just another reason we clicked.

  But before state and facing Chestnut Mountain once again, we had to beat this next team first. And then win two more games after that.

  Game day came, and just like any other high-stakes game, time flew as soon as the shrill sound of the whistle reached my ears.

  They made a goal, we made a goal, half time came and went, and then we were down to the last few minutes of the game.

  Somebody had to win by the time the buzzer went off. We couldn’t tie today.

  And I wasn’t ready to let the other team—and their super cocky forwards—advance to state instead of us.

  But we couldn’t keep the ball in our possession. Our defenders were struggling, getting tired.

  I called to our midfielders to help them out, but they were wearing down too.

  I screamed words of encouragement, pushed the girls to keep going, keep pressuring.

  Then something crazy and awesome happened.

  The varsity boys, done with their game and still high from victory, all stood up and began cheering for us. Stomping and clapping and chanting at the top of their lungs.

  “LET’S GO, LADY EAGLES, LET’S GO.” The deep boom of their voices filled the stadium, and my smile reached from ear to ear. Ian gave me a fist pump, and I waved, practically feeling my spirits lift despite how exhausted I was from running for the past hour and a half.

  And their cheering worked. The entire team pressed a little harder. That’s all it took. One of our opponents made a mistake, and then the ball was back in our possession.

  Katie dribbled this way with the ball, dodging players from the other team. I made sure I was open and called to her. “I’m open!”

  She passed. It was going too far…

  I pushed my legs to carry me faster.

  Got it! But a couple defenders were closing in on me. They were not going to let me shoot.

  With my full focus on keeping the ball close, I relied on my hearing and peripheral vision to figure out what to do next.

  Several feet away, Katie waved at me, shouted my name. I faked going this way then that, got a bit of space, and passed the ball back to her, far and long.

  It was going to come down to this. There was only a minute left on the clock.

  From the stands, the crowd went wild. Screaming at the other team to defend. Screaming at us to shoot. I ran forward toward the net.

  Katie was going to shoot, but the goalie ran forward to grab the ball.

  It was going to be a tough shot.

  But then she glanced at me, tapped the ball toward me a split second before the goalie dove.

  The goalie was on the ground. She realized her mistake too late. Yes! This was it!

  I sprinted forward, met the ball, and kicked it, hard.

  It sailed in. The goalie was fast. She dove for it again, but too late. It was in!

  The
crowd erupted in cheers and screams.

  The referee blew the whistle. There were thirty seconds left on the clock. The other team still had time for another shot, but it was like our entire team had found their extra 60%.

  No matter how hard the other team tried to get past our defense, they couldn’t do it.

  The buzzer went off for the last time, announcing the end for the game.

  Katie ran over to me. Then Perry and Sam. We jumped and screamed and enveloped each other in a giant group hug.

  Then the boys were there.

  Lifting Katie and our goalie.

  Cheering and screaming with us.

  Ian found me, gave me a hug, and I decided this was officially the best moment of my life.

  Boy, was I wrong. It was about to get even better.

  He pulled away, but only so he could bring his face in close to mine.

  “You did it. That play back there…incredible.” He squeezed my hands, and my heart continued to hammer. This time for a different reason.

  Everything else, the sounds, faded away until it was just us.

  Then he closed the distance between us, and I wondered if this entire thing was some amazing dream.

  It couldn’t be real, could it?

  But the feel of his mouth on mine told me it was real.

  It was the most real thing I’d ever felt.

  I wrapped my arms around his neck, and his hands held onto my waist.

  Whoops and cheers, louder than before, brought me back to reality.

  We pulled away to find ourselves surrounded by both teams.

  Katie clapped. Perry clasped her hands. Were those tears in her eyes?

  I laughed. “What are you crying about?” I teased.

  She pressed her lips together then said, “You guys are relationship goals.”

  I glanced at Ian, thinking about Perry’s words.

  Was that what we had now? A relationship?

  If I was walking on air before that game and bewildering kiss, now I had a permanent heart eyes emoji for a face.

  I didn’t want the night to end. Ever.

  Ian’s kiss had lit me up from the inside out, and all I wanted to do was kiss him again.