𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐝 𝐁𝐨𝐲'𝐬 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞

38 | 𝐵𝑢𝑙𝑙𝑠𝑒𝑦𝑒

I tilted my head back and looked up at the canopy of air above my head. The tree was as bare as my math homework which sat beside me, yearning to be completed so I could cross it off my never-ending To-Do list, but I didn't even bother picking up the pencil.

Sullivan looked at me, his back to the hefty bark of a tree as we watched the flat ground of soil and patches of grass as if it were entertainment. There were trees surrounding us and a lighter trail of dirt leading back to his house on the far left-hand side. He was scribbling in his composition notebook with messy italicized handwriting before meeting my eyes again.

"Why are you staring at me?" he wondered.

"Oh, I'm just..." I sat criss cross applesauce, facing him more straightforwardly. "I want to do something with you."

He instantly moved his notebook to the side and started unbuckling his jeans making my hands launch up in surrender. I quickly added, "woah, woah, hold up there, Buddy! Um... that's great and all, but I was thinking more along the lines of... conversational?"

"What do you mean?" He stared dumbly at me.

"Like..." I raised my hand and gestured to the forest. "Twenty questions."

"That sounds boring." He popped up an eyebrow. "What about truth or dare?" He tilted his head in question and helplessly, I agreed. "Truth or dare."

I thought hard. "Truth."

"When did you lose your virginity?" he questioned making me freeze up. 

Technically, well, not technically, for certain, I didn't lose it.

"The night of your party with Vicky," I lied, swallowing down a clump of nerves. "Truth or dare?" He quickly responded with truth. "What is your favorite childhood memory?"

He halted abruptly, then shrugged. "I guess I don't really have any that stick out." Before I could blink, he asked, "truth or dare?"

"No--wait," I was laughing playfully as I spoke, throwing my palm up and nudging his shoulder, but he only stared down at the lingering touch blankly. "You don't have any good memories growing up?"

"I had a tire swing."

"That's nice! I've always wanted one," I said with enthusiasm. "Do you still have it? Maybe you can show me--"

"It broke." He then inquired, "truth or dare?"

Having to accept defeat that I wouldn't get a little insight into his life, I answered with dare. I was under the impression that he was just guarded. He had to have been protective of his emotions and I needed to let him know that he could trust me---

"I dare you to take off your clothes."

Yeah, no.

I was wearing a sweatshirt and jeans. No way in hell was I going to try taking off my skinny jeans in front of him, but most definitely not in mid-January weather. The air ate any exposed skin and I was not going to risk getting frostbite or something. 

"I don't know--" I eased. 

"A dare is a dare, it was your idea to play this game." He gave a soft smirk. "Just for me, Baby," he cooed sweetly, his eyes looking me up and down. "How about this, just your shirt?"

I struggled to catch my breath and it got a lot warmer in the span of a minute. "Okay," I gave in shyly and that was only because I was getting flustered and it probably would do some good to get the chill on me. "But promise you won't tell anyone."

"Or else what? You're gonna kiss the rest of the football team?" He jested and I fixed a grimace on my lips to show that I found his humor funny.