MORE THAN A DARE

MORE THAN A DARE CHAPTER THREE

Chapter Three

The next morning came quicker than I expected. I woke up to the soft buzz of my alarm and the sun gently peeking through my curtains. A deep sigh escaped my lips as the memories of yesterday replayed in my head — Mira’s ridiculous rulebook, the cold stares in the hallway, and that mysterious guy who barely said a word but left a lasting impression. I dragged myself out of bed, quickly got ready, and joined Mom in the kitchen. She handed me a packed lunch and kissed my forehead like she always did. “Just be yourself,” she said with a warm smile. “You’ve got this.”

School was no different than yesterday — whispers followed me like shadows, and Mira’s crew made sure to give me a glare every time I passed. But I held my head high. I wasn’t going to be anyone’s puppet. During lunch, something unexpected happened. Taylor’s friends ordered their food and came to sit next to us. I could clearly see that Debbie likes Grayson with the way she was staring at him, which was both funny and cute. They sat down and started eating without saying a word. We ignored them, thinking maybe they just came to eat and leave.

Grayson turned to Alaric and said, “I wonder where in God’s name Taylor went. I haven’t seen him since after practice. Have you?” “No, I haven’t,” Alaric replied. “Maybe he went home. I heard his dad is likely to drop by today; you know his parents are hardly around.” They continued their meal, and once they finished, they stood up, thanked us, and left. Debbie looked so shy when Grayson winked at her. I gave a faint smile, thank God those witches weren’t around to ruin our lunch. We finished up and returned to class.

Days turned into weeks, and I didn’t see Taylor again. It’s been three weeks, and I’ve only seen his friends or Mira and her crew. I wonder if he’s okay. I was on my way home after the bus dropped me off, and guess who I saw on my street — Taylor! I was shocked and happy, "what is he doing here" I asked myself. I didn’t even realize when a smile formed on my lips. He walked past me like he didn’t see anyone, and my smile faded. Well… what did I expect? He doesn’t even know me.

I entered my house, but no one was home. It seemed Mom had a lot of things to do and also dad went to work in a different city and wouldn't be back for the next few days. This house is going to be more boring than I thought. I went straight to my room, and I still don't know why I felt so hurt. Taylor got home and entered the empty house; no maids, no drivers, and not even his parents were around. He walked straight into his room and lay down. Maids only came once or twice a week to clean up the house and prepare food to store in the fridge, but they didn’t sleep in. The house, despite its size, always felt empty.

Taylor freshened up and came downstairs, entering the kitchen to take out a bottle of water. His mind flashed back to what he saw earlier – Gianna looking at him with a smile. He smirked. "Is she into me?" he asked himself. "Oh, so she's just like the others?" He thought she was different, but now he wasn't so sure. "Well, I think she's actually different, seeing that she didn’t run to me like the others seeking an autograph or anything; she has a cute smile after all." Taylor took out the bottle of water from the fridge, gulped from it, and placed it on the kitchen counter. He opened the second fridge to see if he could find anything to eat; his eyes settled on something, and he took out some waffles, crumpled fries, and a box of pizza. He put them in the microwave.

After about five minutes,he took them out, sat down in the living room, turned on the television, and started enjoying himself.

As he ate, he couldn't help but think about Gianna. What was it about her that caught his attention? Was it her confidence or her smile? He wasn't sure, but he found himself wanting to know more about her. He thought about approaching her and talking to her then but something held him back. The fact that she seemed different from the other girls he knew made him wonder, because why didn’t she cling to him like the other girls.

The next day, Taylor left the house earlier than usual. Instead of taking his usual route, he decided to walk past Gianna’s neighborhood. He walked past Gianna's house, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. As he passed her street, something made him pause, Her house stood quietly, modest and warm,he noticed the small garden in front of her house, filled with colorful flowers,a swing and a small bench. He smiled, thinking that it suited her perfectly. Taylor chose to take the bus instead of driving that morning. Maybe he just didn’t feel like the hassle of traffic—or maybe he was hoping to spot Gianna again. Whatever the reason, he found himself standing at the bus stop with his hoodie up and music playing through his headset.

As soon as he stepped into school, the usual buzz followed. Students turned to stare, whispering behind their hands. Taylor ignored them, adjusting his headset as he made his way toward the gym with his usual calm, confident stride.

Inside, Grayson and Alaric were already lounging by the bleachers, half-asleep and waiting for the first bell.

Taylor pushed open the gym door, a small smirk tugging at his lips. “Look who’s back,” Grayson said, sitting up.

Taylor walked over and pulled them into a quick bro hug. “Sorry I ghosted,” he said. “Had a bit of an emergency to handle.”

“No big deal,” Alaric replied with a shrug. “We figured it was something serious. Mira’s been all over the place looking for you, by the way, even tho she doesn't say it but I know she is searching.”

Taylor rolled his eyes. “Of course she has.”

Before they could say more, the bell rang, echoing through the building. The three boys grabbed their bags and headed off to class. As they walked, Taylor’s thoughts drifted—not to Mira or the noise around him, but to Gianna. There was something about her that lingered longer than he expected.