Free Dare by Hannah Jayne Page B

that her mouth filled with the hot, metallic taste of blood. Brynna blindly shook her head from side to side.
    Her mother came to her side immediately, but her dad stood in the doorway looking both parts helpless and angry. He used one hand to pick up her laptop and the other to unplug it.
    â€œYou’re supposed to be grounded.”
    â€œAdam, can you forget about the rules for two seconds? Something happened to Bryn.”
    â€œI understand that, but forgetting about the rules isn’t going to help her.” His eyes flicked over Brynna’s, but she was too scared to care. She wanted to curl into her mother and cry, to let everything out, every last detail of the last fourteen months. But she couldn’t. She was supposed to be better. She was supposed to be starting a new life.
    But something from the old wouldn’t let her go…
    â€œThere was—I got a call from—” Brynna looked at both of her parents, each one wearing an expectant expression. She couldn’t tell them.
    They’ll know you killed her, a little voice at the back of her head whispered. They’ll know you’re crazy, another one confirmed. They’ll have you locked up…again.
    Brynna dropped her head into her hands, using her fingertips to grip at the skin on her forehead as she pinched her eyes shut.
    â€œI just got scared is all.”
    She didn’t have to look up to know that the loud whoosh of air she heard was her father trying to regroup. She wasn’t surprised when she felt her mother’s palm on the back of her neck, gentle and warm.
    â€œThat’s okay, Brynna. We know that this is difficult for you.”
    But Brynna didn’t want to hear another Dr. Rother-ism. She was tired of hearing her mother utter phrases from the Alateen handbook—the one handed out to the parents of every teen in Alcoholics Anonymous, empty words that were meant to be helpful or inspiring but only made Brynna want to escape all over again. She was tired of her father working hard to act concerned when Brynna knew the only thing he was doing was biding his time until his next trip, until his next flight where he could be a thousand miles away from his drunken, screwed-up daughter.
    â€œI’m sorry,” she said, pushing away from her mother. “I’m sorry I worried you guys. I think I should probably just get some sleep. It’s been a long day.”
    Her mother eyed her suspiciously but eventually kissed Brynna’s forehead and got up to leave. Her father blew her a kiss and offered a “sleep well, honey,” and they both shut the door, leaving Brynna in silence. She crawled to the wall and clicked off the lights, then made her way into her bed, not bothering to change her clothes or take off her makeup. At least in sleep, she wouldn’t have to think.
    â€¢â€¢â€¢
    â€œBryn! Bryn, is this going to be an every morning thing now?”
    Brynna’s mother was standing a half inch from her bedside. Brynna tried to open eyes that felt glued shut.
    â€œWhat?” she finally mumbled.
    She heard her mother smack the top of the alarm clock, quieting the fuzzy quips of two morning DJs as they screamed about something. Then there was a hand on her arm, shaking her violently.
    â€œOkay, okay, I’m up!” She propped herself up on one elbow, her body screaming in protest as every muscle tightened and ached.
    â€œYou look awful. Did you sleep at all last night?”
    The details of the previous night flooded back, and Brynna’s eyes were wide now, blinking at her mother. She cleared her throat. “Uh, no, I slept fine. Just tired, I guess. Sorry about the alarm clock.”
    Brynna threw her blankets off and went straight for the bathroom, her mother’s eyes hot on the back of her neck. She didn’t want to face her, was afraid that every detail of last night’s call was written on her face—or at least the guilt of