Free Roadkill (LiveWire) by Daisy White Page B

knows about it too. He’s trying to distract you isn’t he?”
    I protest that even if he’s right, and Ash is dealing drugs Matt doesn’t have to be in on it. But it sounds feeble even to me, and Leo follows it up.
    “Why else would he suddenly ask you out?”
    Why indeed? “Okay, okay, but I want to do this on my own. I’ll ring you after okay?”
    “Fine. Just stay safe Caz.”
    After a moment’s thought I tell him about the secret admirer, not letting on it came from Ash though.
    Surprisingly he is unenthusiastic, “Sounds like just gossip to me Caz. Did you hear that from Ashley? Probably trying to cover his back.”
    “Did I mention how annoying it is that you always have to be so smart?”
    “Always here if you need me. You know that right?” He sounds more cheerful, and we arrange to grab a drink at Ratz tomorrow.
    Melissa texts back that we can meet up next week instead and she adds:
     
    ‘ Keeping my fingers xed 4 u & matt!! X’
     
    Sweet. I was feeling a bit guilty actually that I’d neglected Melissa since Leo arrived. But just now all I can think about is Rose. Anita? Ash? Even poor bumbling Garry is currently twirling in my list of suspects. And Matt? Even though I am totally blown away by our kiss last night, I need to focus on this one last thing before I can carry on with normal life. Even as I think this I get a text from Matt, which I instantly assume will be cancelling our date:
     
    Hey, Ash told me about Livewire. I kind of remember reading something about the bloke who runs it being interv iewed by the police. Last month s paper. See u later x
     
    I guess it’s not surprising that a bloke who runs a site dedicated to getting teenagers all over the world to chuck themselves off buildings etc would have quite a lot to do with the police, but still…..
    Logging on to LiveWire Kelly is back, betting me she can get another star before I do.
    Playground stuff, I think, amused, but hit the events list again. Which one would Rose like that I could actually do. Eventually I hit on ‘Rising Tide’, which according to the scanty details means we all turn up on a beach about twelve miles from here, get in a boat, head out to sea. Easy so far? Then once you’re out at sea you get ditched and have to swim home.
    As it turns out it’s pretty much the only one listed I could do. I’m a good swimmer (Dad taught me), and if you’re in the sea you don’t have to worry about heights, which are not my thing. Result.
    I sign up for the dare as Farlan and edit her details giving my mobile number instead. 2am on the sixteenth, which gives me a day to prepare. The final details are sent by text when you’re there. Creepy, but kind of cool. I can so see why my sister loved this. Quickly scanning Rose’s previous messages for tips, I notice she and Kelly talked about me a lot. I can’t make up my mind if that is weird, or nice.
    Kelly, the patronising cow, actually said I looked sweet in the photos Rose posted, and she would like to set me up with her cousin, who would be in the UK in the fall. Cue Rose telling her just about everything about me, bar the colour of my knickers, oh, and the fact I have two fillings. Anyway, the cousin apparently changed his mind (probably seeing pictures of me put him off), and went to India for a couple of months. That was all last year and luckily she seems to have lost interest in the little sister, and re-focused her attentions on goading Rose into more and crazier dares.
    An army of fear spiders make their icy way down my spine as I actually consider instead of being safe in bed, in less than twenty four hours time I will be battling the tides in the cold sea. I take a deep breath and ignore them.
    Ignoring my mum too, who is washing up in the kitchen looking sad, I charge out the door and head off for my haircut. The rain has stopped as suddenly as it started, bad luck for the scorched lawns, and crisp looking trees. I feel lighter suddenly, despite the dare