Write about a kid who is about to do a dare she really doesn’t want to do.
Her name was Karen. I don’t know why Karen- it sounds like an older name- anyways. Karen never liked new white converse but she was wearing them that day to the party. She liked the old shoes- the ones that had gone places, done things, the ones with stories in them. She liked stories- mysteries especially. But even more so- mysteries in people. (She sounds old for her age… a girl leaving for her first boy girl party. So forgive me if the age and story doesn’t align.)
Tyler was his name. He was the kind of kid who never knew how to leave butterflies in girls stomachs. He was shy and a little alone most of the time. But he looked content by himself. He always wore these old ripped up boots, his same white shirt and messy jeans and -well, that was enough for Karen. That was everything actually.
So her mom brought Karen to the front door. It was open. You could see through the sliding glass doors in the back-all of the kids going crazy in the bounce house and jumping in the pool. Nervous was a small word for how big Karen was feeling inside. And there he was- immediately. Her butterfly. The guy she was crushing over. Tyler-the one with the old boots and the mystery hidden somewhere behind those perfect hazel eyes Karen can’t stop writing about in her fuzzy new diary. Shrugged shoulders standing at the corner of the kitchen, eating pretzels from the bright green bowl by all the soda- tyler’s mouth stops chewing. His shoulders perked up. And his eyes. Those eyes. Were frozen over her.
Karen- she was taller than a lot of the girls in her class. Reaching over the rest- she grabbed the Sprite and poured it slowly. Tyler standing, still frozen, could only watch her so perfectly pour soda in her cup. Anything she did made his heart feel funny. She was trying to act natural- but she could feel his eyes on her. Her face turned more red than usual and as she looked up- he looked away and walked quickly toward the group of kids sitting in a circle. His heart was too unsteady.
But he was her mystery. He was her butterfly. So she followed right after and popped down right next to him on the carpet. The kids were playing truth or dare. She hated that game. She loved the mysteries of other people, but never liked spilling her own. She loved watching other people make a fool of them selves, but the thought of her being dared to do something made her want to run out that front door.
The circle was getting big, and the space was getting tight. Tyler’s knee touched Karens and all she could do was stare. She didn’t move. He didn’t move. She was staring and the room felt quiet. His knee was touching hers. More of his butterflies were making their way into her stomach. And the kids were yelling her name- yelling truth or dare, karen? truth or dare?!
Tyler wasn’t frozen this time. Something about her knee touching his knee put his funny feeling heart at ease. He was only hoping that she would pick dare. He was only hoping that all the kids would dare her to kiss him.
It was her turn. She picked dare. She had to kiss Tyler. But it was too soon- she didn’t want to really. I mean she did! But she had never kissed anyone before. Let alone a guy who kept putting butterflies in her stomach. Their knees touching was enough for her to spend pages and pages writing about in her diary. A kiss? She would need two diaries! Maybe three!
The kids were yelling, hollering, staring, just waiting to watch it happen. They turned toward each other. Their knees were no longer touching. Tyler’s heart felt funny again, so he took her hand. But it was taking too long. Karen’s face was turning red, and then white and then red. She couldn’t smile-she couldn’t even look at him. She was so focused on the butterflies. They were spilling out from her stomach and spreading through her entire body.
He was waiting. But she couldn’t do it. Karen’s best friend behind her grabbed either side of Karen’s head and tilted it upward. Her ocean green eyes met his hazel eyes and she was reminded of the mystery. So she lifted her butt off the carpet and leaned into him. It lasted only a second before Tyler pulled away to breathe again. And the kids immediately went back to yelling and laughing and picking the next person to do truth or dare. And Karen left the party that day overjoyed that her converse didn’t feel so white anymore.
Write about a kid who is about to do a dare she really doesn’t want to do. 9-19-15