by B. N. Hale
“I assumed it was one of you,” Kate said.
All three shook their heads in unison, and Kate reached for her purse. Pulling out her phone, she opened it and froze, her eyes fixed on the text message that had followed the call. She didn’t hear her roommates until their queries became more ardent. Then she finally looked up.
“It was Jason,” she said, stumbling over the words. “He’s coming back to Boulder and wants to meet.”
Volume: 6
By B. N. Hale
Chapter 1
In the week after their starry date, Reed wondered if he’d gone too far. Kate had become a dominating presence in his thoughts. He went to class and work, but she was there, her face, their hands almost touching, her smile when they stood in the pool, her in a towel after her shower.
He swallowed and forced his attention back to his homework. Opting to study in the library instead of his house, where Jackson and Shelby were constantly talking about him and Kate, he found a seat at one of the tables in the large study area.
The library filled all three floors of the building. Stacks of books lined the interior while a bank of windows looked out onto the sunlit grass. Computers were on the second and third floors while the first contained desks and chairs, many of which were occupied. The sound of students discussing group projects was a welcome hum. Reed turned the page and tried to read about the chemicals in the brain that contributed to certain psychiatric disorders.
What about Kate made her so arresting? He wanted to call her, to be with her, to see her smile. His classes, even the ones he liked, had become a chore, a distraction from planning the next date. Even though it was her turn, he kept thinking of what he could do next, with each idea becoming more extravagant than the last. As he considered his options, he surveyed his surroundings, wondering when her next invitation would come.
Growing bored with his textbook, he sat back in his chair and looked around the library, smiling and nodding mechanically at the girl behind the counter, who he’d taken on a date several months ago. She was a short brunette with a perfect sense of humor, and their date had been clever and fun. She’d described it as a pinnacle of her single life, and initially showed interest. When it became evident the relationship would not progress she’d accepted it well, and they were still friends. Molly smiled and nodded back, and then she returned her attention to her book, her expression annoyed. He guessed she was working on her physics homework, which she hated with a passion.
He sighed and returned his attention to his book. His professor liked to surprise his students with a quiz every Friday. The surprise was gone after three weeks and the students came prepared. Realizing he was reading the same paragraph, he rubbed his face and leaned back again. For what felt like the hundredth time he tried to solve the enigma that was Kate.
She’d matched him date for date, stepping into the creative dating with an ingenuity that surprised him. She didn’t just try, she triumphed. He smiled as he recalled her exiting the pool, her expression apologetic yet amused.
A clatter of metal drew his attention to the doors, and he spotted a member of the band entering, dressed in his uniform and carrying a trumpet. While not strange in itself, he was followed by the rest of the band. Whispers and smothered laughter followed as the group continued to file into the library and fall into formation, bringing their instruments to their lips.
The librarian spotted them and rushed over, her urgent hiss for quiet going ignored. More and more came in through the door and stood against the wall. All marched in place, their eyes fixed on the drum major as an expectant hum filled the library. Drawn to the disturbance, students appeared between the bookcases as the drum major stepped to a place between tables and raised his hands.
Reed braced himself for a blast of music, but instead the song was incredibly quiet. Titters of laughter came from the students as the full marching band attempted to play within the quiet confines of the library. Even the drummers were muffled, barely touching the drumsticks to their drums as they kept time.
At first Reed assumed it was a stunt from the band, perhaps orchestrated by a fraternity for their pledges. But as the band played and the librarians hissed their dismay, he caught numerous looks in his direction, and realized the band was there for him.
A smile spread on his face as he witnessed Kate’s handiwork. The band’s effort to keep quiet was well executed, but occasionally an instrument blasted a note, causing the entire library to erupt into stifled laughter, eliciting the ire of the head librarian, Miss Sturges.
The elderly woman loved the library more than the students, and many had been on the receiving end of her infamous glares. She made even the football players scurry away like frightened mice, although she was a third their size.
She stood several feet from the drum major, attempting to quell the marching band’s uprising by force of gaze alone. She nearly succeeded, but the combined might of a hundred and fifty students huddled together and armed with brass instruments proved too much for the old woman, and they continued to play.
“I never thought I see someone best the Sturg,” a student nearby murmured.
“The band will probably be banned,” another said, eliciting smiles and groans in equal measure. Someone threw a ball of paper at the speaker.
Reed sat listening to the muffled song, his smile undiminished. He’d used the stars and she’d returned with force, somehow enlisting the entire school band. How had she done it? How did she convince so many to show up for such a stunt? Or perhaps the better question was, who had her forceful roommate, Ember, terrified into assisting?
He snorted as he wondered who would win between Miss Sturges and Ember. One had a glare hard enough to bend steel, while the other possessed a look of fire that would melt said steel.
Reed noticed Molly shifting at her desk and glanced her way. She stood, enjoying the spectacle like everyone else. But every time the Sturg looked at her, she pretended intense annoyance. After three full minutes of quiet playing, the song came to its conclusion, and the banner bearers entered the room. Instead of their usual school colors, the banner displayed a question.
Brave a Dare?
Or Bare the Truth?
Friday, 6:00
They walked about the room, weaving through the sea of desks and chairs, ignoring the questions cast at them as they marched back to the band. Then the drum major closed the song and began to file out. Undeterred by the Sturg’s glare, the students erupted into quiet applause, their collective whispers a stamp of approval on the band, many of which broke character, their expressions showing triumph at their feat.
The whispers of praise and near-silent clapping came to a close, and Miss Sturges still hadn’t moved. She folded her arms and rotated like a wrinkled cannon, unleashing the full might of her glare. The students resisted, but ultimately could not endure and gradually fell silent.
“You will respect this institution,” she said, her voice somehow piercing the library to the corners, “or I will have you all thrown out.”
She turned on her heel and strode away, leaving smiles in her wake. The students didn’t dare raise their voices, but they whispered in huddled conversations, texting videos of what they’d witnessed to friends and reliving the moment.
Reed turned when someone stepped to his table, and found Molly leaning down. “She must really like you.”
“How do you know that was for me?” he asked.
Her smile was condescending. “I’m not stupid. What number is this for you. Five? Six?”
“Does everyone know about our dating challenge?” he asked.
“You’ve dated hundreds of girls on campus,” Molly said with a smile. “And I’m not the only to wonder who would finally snag you.”
“You make it sound like I’ve been hunted.”
Her smile widened. “Have fun on your date. Don’t worry about telling me afterwards. I’ll hear all about it.”
“Are all my former dates in a club now?” he asked.
She merely shook her head and walked away, leaving Reed confused and excited. Realizing he would never be able to study now, he gathered his things and left the library behind. On his way home he wondered what exactly he’d unleashed.
Chapter 2
The night before their date Reed pushed through his studies, forcing a paper for one class while completing the research statistics for another. Then he rushed out the door to meet Jackson at Shelby’s game.
The intramural program ran a fall basketball tournament and another in the spring, and Jackson and Shelby played in the men’s and the women’s leagues, as well as a co-ed team together. Shelby’s team had managed to reach the finals and Reed had promised to attend.
Reed parked in one of the empty spots and hurried into the Coors Events Center. Due to the popularity of the intramural program, the final games always took place in the arena, and after a flurry of texts he managed to find Jackson close to the half-court line on the second row. He took his seat just seconds before the first whistle.
“You made it,” Jackson said, sparing him a look.
“I promised, didn’t I?”
With his entire face painted silver, and dressed in silver and blue, Jackson sat among the other hardcore fans. Shelby waved as she walked onto the court and took her place. Their team, the Silver Bullets, referenced a video game that both Jackson and Shelby liked, and explained Jackson’s getup.
The whistle blew and the two teams fought for the ball, with the Disney Princesses coming up with it first. They dribbled the ball down as the Silver Bullets fell back onto defense, Shelby taking her position to guard the small forward.
“You’ve been distracted,” Jackson said. “We would have understood if you couldn’t—WATCH THE THREE!”
Jackson slipped into the bellow and then back to normal conversation with ease. After attending many events with his friend, Reed didn’t even blink. The guy next to him thrust a fist into the air when his girlfriend scored.
“We’re taking them down, Jackson,” he said.
“Not this time, Clint,” Jackson replied.
Reed glanced at Clint. Dressed in full princess garb and a yellow wig, the tall ball player was clearly Rapunzel. He was also Jackson’s friend and they were on the same team in the men’s league. Reed always found it amusing that bitter rivals could be fast friends in sports—at least when they loved the game more than themselves.
“You look ridiculous,” Clint said to Jackson.
“Look who’s talking,” Reed retorted. Both looked to Reed in surprise, and he realized he’d never joined in the trash talk. “Sorry,” he said. “It’s been a distracting week.”
“How was the invite?” Clint asked.
“How do you know about that?” Reed asked.
“It made the school paper,” he replied, and fished a newspaper from his backpack on the floor. “And it’s on YouTube.”
Reed accepted it and read about the band stunt in the library. It made no mention of Kate or Reed, but a picture of the banner and the invitation to a game of Truth or Dare was front and center—on the first page.
“This is getting bigger than I anticipated,” Reed said, reading the article as Jackson crowed in delight at a Silver Bullet’s play. His triumph was matched by Clint’s dismay.
The article painted the stunt as Reed had suspected, as a prank by an unnamed fraternity or sorority. The author clearly knew nothing about the dating challenge, but it seemed everyone else did. Jackson and Clint were friends, so it made sense that Jackson had told him. Still, Reed wondered just how far it had gone.
“Why is everyone so interested in our challenge?” Reed asked.
“It’s like you’re an elephant in a city street,” Clint said. “Everyone wants a look.”
“Plus,” Jackson said, “girls talk.”
“Amen to that,” Clint said fervently, causing a nearby boy dressed as Ariel to laugh.
“But this is getting out of hand,” Reed said. “Molly at the library knew. I mean, how did she know?”
“Molly from six months ago?” Jackson asked. “I liked her.”
“What would you do if you went on the best date of your life?” Clint asked, smirking at Jackson as his team drove the lane and scored a layup.
“Tell my friends,” Reed said.
“Just do the math,” he said. “You’ve been on thousands of dates, and if each girl just told twenty friends? You’re talking thousands that know about you. You’re an urban legend by now.”
“I’m surprised it took this long for it to get public,” Jackson said. “You’ve done a pretty good job of flying under the radar.”
“I’m talking about dating with Rapunzel and a Silver Bullet,” Reed said. “I may need to rethink my life choices.”
Jackson and Clint grinned at each other, and then Jackson said, “Why does it matter if girls know?”
Reed thought back to the girls he’d dated prior to Kate, several of whom had known about his dating habits. It had proved to be a double-edged sword, with most dates already accepting the no-intimacy rule, while a few girls had been dead set on breaking him of his habit.
“Should I back off?” Reed asked, examining the paper again.
“Why?” Jackson said, sparing him a look. “What would that change?”
“I could just be a student,” Reed said.
“Could you do it?” Jackson asked. “I mean, could you stop dating entirely and just do schoolwork and work?”
“I graduate in December,” he said. “Then I’m not going to be in Boulder anymore.”
“Could you do it to Kate?”
Reed fell silent, but one of the girls had committed a hard foul and Clint and Jackson leapt to their feet, both shouting at the ref. He was another student and had apparently refereed enough games to know both Clint and Jackson. He made the call and then stabbed a finger to Jackson and Clint.
“Sit down, girls.”
“I hate that ref,” Jackson said.
“Me too,” Clint said.
Reed watched the game, his mind on Kate. On their last date he’d come insanely close to holding her hand, and he’d begun to wonder if his willpower could endure much longer. He hadn’t told Jackson about the moment because his roommate would laugh in his face. Sex was a common topic in college, so for a guy to be afraid to hold hands seemed ridiculous.
But for him it was an enormous boundary, one he’d maintained for so long that the prospect of crossing it was surprisingly terrifying. He frowned at his own fears and recalled that, in the moment, he had not been afraid. Instead he’d felt excited, nervous, and hopeful.
“What have I gotten myself into?” he asked aloud.
Clint grinned and looked at him. “You never plan to fall for a girl,” he said. “It happens to all of us. The question is whether or not you crash and burn.”
“Which also happens to all of us,” Jackson said.
Reed pointed to the picture. “We’re clearly going to play Truth or Dare.”
Clint smirked. “Your version of Truth or Dare is so bland it’s probably a baked potato.”
“Without butter or cheese,” Jackson agreed.
“Whose side are you on?” Reed asked.
“Hers,” they said in unison, and Jackson added, “It’s her week, remember?”
“Did you tell her I was at the library?”
He grinned. “Guilty.”
“I’m going to stop telling you where I’m going,” Reed said.
“Don’t do that,” Clint said. “I like reading about you in the paper.”
Reed leaned back in his seat and watched the game. The Silver Bullets were up by three, but the game was close, and likely to stay close throughout. Both Clint and Jackson were on the edge of their seats, as if being a few inches closer to the game could ensure victory.
Reed examined his friends, wondering if they had something he did not. They were both in stable relationships, and were confident enough to dress ridiculously to support th
eir girlfriends. As much as Reed had dated, he had very little experience with what to do with a girl he desperately wanted to be with.
He fleetingly wondered what Aura would want him to do. Would she want him to give up all pretense and stay with Kate? Or continue to fulfill his promise? He sighed, realizing that as much as he needed the answer, he still felt torn.
As the game passed halftime, his thoughts shifted to his upcoming date. His anticipation at more time with Kate was tempered by his worry about the game. He wasn’t concerned about the dares, he felt he knew her well enough to know they would not be outrageous. It was the truths he feared.
Chapter 3
The following Thursday Reed got ready for Kate’s arrival, vacillating between worry and excitement. When the doorbell rang, Reed donned his jacket and joined Kate on the porch. He smiled, relieved to feel all his concerns melting away. She smiled back at him and led the way to her car, where she opened the door for him.
“I hope you’re ready,” she said.
“Your invite wasn’t subtle,” he said.
She grinned. “I was actually in the library on the balcony above you.”
“Really?” he asked.
“I wouldn’t have missed it,” she said, backing out of the driveway.
“Who did Ember threaten to get the band to come?”
Kate laughed and inclined her head. “A good guess, but this time it didn’t require any threats. Marta’s cousin is the drum major, and they all have to listen to him. When we were discussing ideas for this week he called to ask Marta for a favor, and it all dominoed from there.”
“Watching the band try to be quiet was epic,” he said. “Well played.”
“Thank you,” she said. “Ready for dinner?”
“Should I be afraid?”
“Not if you like sushi.”
She cast him a look, evidently to gauge his reaction. “Never had it,” he admitted.
“Really?” she asked, clearly surprised.
