Dare

                                    

                                          
I was halfway home when I heard the familiar sound of sneakers slapping against the pavement behind me. I didn't even have to turn around to know it was Meg. She always had a way of catching up with me at the most unexpected times.
"Hey, Danielle!" Meg called out, her breath coming in short, excited bursts as she finally reached my side. "Wait up!"
I slowed my pace, letting her fall into step beside me. "What's up, Meg?"
She takes a moment to catch her breath, then says, "I have an idea. We should do something today."
I couldn't help but smile at her energy. "Oh yeah? And what is that?"
"Come meet a friend of mine real quick," Meg said, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.
I rolled my eyes, the smile fading. "You know I don't have time for that right now. I gotta get home."
Meg's grin turned into a pout, but she didn't give up easily. "It'll only take a few minutes, I promise. This friend... you'll really like him, promise."
"No, Meg," I said more firmly this time. "I really can't today."
Meg's eyes lit up with a familiar spark, and I knew what was coming before she even said it. "It's a dare."
I stopped walking and turned to look at her. 
I groaned inwardly. Meg knew exactly what that meant to me. The whole dare thing was an ongoing joke between us, ever since it brought us together in the first place. We swore that as long as we stayed friends, we had to do whatever the other said was a dare, once a month, and within reason.
I narrowed my eyes at her. "You're really pulling this now?"
She nodded vigorously, her grin widening. "You bet I am."
I sighed, shaking my head with a smile. "You are so annoying, you know that?"
Meg laughed. "Yeah, yeah. So, you'll come?"
I rolled my eyes. "This better be worth it."
Meg immediately grabbed onto my arm and started leading the way.
"I know it will be," Meg said confidently. "You two might not get along so well at first, but I mean, he already really likes you." She slightly dragged out the word "really."
I stopped in my tracks, causing her to tug on my arm. "Wait, how? Have I met him before?"
Meg grinned sheepishly. "Not exactly. I showed him a picture of you."
I blinked at her, processing this new information. "You did what?"
She shrugged, still grinning. "Trust me, Danielle. You'll see."
My face heated up with anger. "Meg!" I snapped, yanking my arm free from her grip.
Meg's grin faltered, and she quickly held up her hands in a placating gesture. "Okay, okay, let me make it fair. I'll show you what he looks like."
She pulled out her phone and started scrolling through her photos. I crossed my arms, still fuming but still curious.
"Here," Meg said, holding out her phone to show me a picture. "This is him."
He had dark brown hair and dreary greenish-brown eyes. He was standing in a strange pose, one that reeked of overconfidence. It was almost as if you could smell his ego through the picture.
"Why is he standing like that?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
Meg shrugged, looking a bit confused herself. "I don't know. Maybe he thought it looked cool."