Free Truth or Dare by Peg Cochran Page A

cast a looming, dark shadow on the sidewalk in front of her.  She yawned.  It was only eight o’clock, but she hadn’t been sleeping well lately.  The knowledge that she had taken money—
stolen
it—from Mr. Sobeleski stalked her dreams and had her lurching upright in the middle of the night, her nightgown drenched in sweat.  Every time she heard a siren, her breath caught in her chest, like a fist pressing against her windpipe.  She thought if she could put the money back, the dreams would end, but where was she going to get it from now?
    Mr. Sobeleski was behind the counter and smiled when Mary pushed open the front door.  Mary felt her hopes rise.  Maybe he hadn’t noticed the missing money?   Then again, perhaps he was being polite in front of his customers.  A young couple in shorts and t-shirts stood in front of the counter watching as Mr. Sobeleski put several hiking magazines in a brown paper bag.   
    The back room was stifling.  Mary began to sweat as she put her sandwich and drink in the small fridge.  She heard the bell over the front door tinkle, and the jangle of the beaded curtain as it was pushed to one side.
    “Ah, Mary, there you are.”
    Mary’s mouth went dry, and her stomach knotted up.
     
    They started out watching a movie in the family room.  Even though Rivka had never seen it before, she couldn’t keep her mind on it.  Her mind was on Lance, sitting a foot away from her on the sofa.  He stirred in his seat, and she closed her eyes, half expecting to feel his hand stealing in her direction, touching her, forcing her to make decisions she wasn’t ready for.  But he just reached for the can of soda he’d put on the coffee table in front of them.
    The movie droned on.  Rivka felt herself getting sleepy.  Somehow this wasn’t what she’d expected.   Her mother always preached ominously that boys were only interested in one thing.  She wondered if that was how it had been with Mame and Tate?  She couldn’t imagine it.  Surely they had been different.
    The movie rolled to an end, and Rivka braced herself.  Now.  Now Lance would make his move.  She hadn’t decided yet how far she would let him go. 
    “What did you think?”  Lance turned toward her.  “The critics are calling it one of Spielberg’s bests, but I’m not sure I agree with them.”
    Rivka was startled.  She realized she’d lumped Lance into a certain category.  So far in her experience, the cute boys were dumb, and the smart boys were jerky goofballs like David Chang in her math class.  It seemed incredible that Lance could be good-looking, athletic and smart.
    They talked for over an hour about…everything.  Movies, politics, books, algebraic formulas. 
    And then suddenly he was kissing her, and it was better than the first time.  Better than she’d ever imagined.  She forgot to worry about whether she was doing it right.  She knew she was.
    Somehow they had stretched out on the sofa, Lance’s leg thrown over hers, both his arms wrapped around her. Rivka forgot where she was.  Forgot everything but the moment.
    A door slammed somewhere in the house, and they both jumped.  They could hear footsteps in the kitchen and then Pamela called out.
    “Hey, I’m home.   Who’s here?  I’m home.”
    Lance struggled up onto his elbows and started to call out, but Rivka reached up and slapped her hand over his mouth.  “Shhhh.  Don’t tell her I’m here.”
    “Don’t be silly.”  Lance grabbed her hand and kissed the side of her neck.
    Rivka hardly noticed.  “She doesn’t want me seeing you, remember?” 
    “Who cares what Pammy wants?  It’s none of her business.”
    Rivka struggled upright, her hands sinking into the soft sofa cushions.  She looked at her watch and nearly fainted.  It was eleven thirty!  What on earth was she going to tell her parents?
    “I have to go.”   She yanked her hand from Lance’s and stumbled to her feet. 
    “Okay, okay,” Lance put