Alternative Ballad ✔

Chapter 2

[Kendall McGuire]

Wow. I can't believe I skated for two hours straight without getting a single bruise. I mean, I usually get almost injured on that hellish thing.

Okay, I actually shouldn't be complaining, since I promised Alyssa I wouldn't do so, yet I can't help it. I mean, skating is not exactly my thing. Though, I'm willing to do this and much more for a friend, no matter what it is.

***

Back at my house, Alyssa, Chiana and I are sitting on the comfortable leather couch, having snacks and trying a new mask made with some strange ingredients Chiana borrowed from her grandmother's pantry. I mean, why on hell would she do that, especially considering that there are some things that could be dangerous for our skin? Oh, who gives a damn? Honestly, this isn't what matters the most.

Anyway, the three of us are desperately hoping that the mask has some effect and removes all imperfections, or, at least the visible ones. I'd do whatever I can to have a beautiful skin and a gorgeous aspect. But I know I can't have everything in life, so I must just work hard to get what I truly want: being accepted for what and who I am.

In the meantime, it's time for us to wash the masks away. Alyssa starts first, making it clear that she wants to get rid of it as soon as possible, given that she doesn't exactly like it. Better say, she's not very pleased by the mix of honey, garlic and cucumber that's filling our nostrils. Oh, come on Chiana, you definitely messed this!

As we rinse our faces thoroughly, I catch Alyssa laughing and winking randomly, probably at me. Yet, I look away for no particular reason. Why on Earth am I acting like that?

However, this is the last of my thoughts as I realize that I'm the only one left with parts of scrub on. I'm too afraid of hurting my eyes while removing it, all because of the garlic and other strange ingredients in, which leads me to beg Alyssa and Chiana for help. Nonetheless, neither of them has their mind set on helping me, until I insist.

At last, Alyssa offers to help me and rinses the scrub off my face. As I caresse my skin, I find it perfectly polished and clean, much to my pleasure.

Meanwhile, Chiana has disappeared in the kitchen, probably to look for some extra snacks, since we've already munched most of them - oh, God, we should've waited a little bit more, since we haven't even started binge watching a TV series on Netflix.

As she returns, she drops herself on the couch. "Okay, what do you want to watch?" she asks, expecting in particular an answer from me, since Alyssa is the kind of girl who'd watch literally everything.

In fact, the latter suggests, "What about Stranger Things? Or else, The End of the F**king World?"

I shake my head, since I've already binge watched both successfully and I fear that, given my tendency to talk a little too much, I might spoil them. After shooting down a whole lot of suggestions, though, we stare at each other, worried that we might not be able to come with a consensus for the final decision.

This is why we decide, at last, to ditch the idea of Netflix and chill and do something a little more exciting. Still, what is more exciting than binge watching Netflix shows? If only I knew...

Oh, actually that's no longer a problem. In fact, Chiana is suggesting that we play Truth or Dare, much to my joy, since I really love that game, especially when it comes to coming up with absurd dares and weird jokes. Even Alyssa is excited, which leads her to go and look for an empty bottle to spin every time we have to take turns.

However, I stop her. "We don't necessarily need a bottle to decide who's going to take turns. We can just come up with that in another way. Who wants can volunteer to start first and then we go clockwise," I say, earning a frown from Chiana.

"Or we could go counter-clockwise, who knows?" is Alyssa's reply. Anyway, she and Chiana are sitting on the couch, their legs crossed, while I'm staying on the bare floor in the same position. I decide to start asking questions first, choosing to target Chiana.

"Truth or dare?"

She chooses truth with no hesitation. Knowing that she loves dares, even the silliest ones, I'm surprised that she chose truth first instead. I mean, she's not exactly the kind of girl who would tell me her biggest secrets, especially in a context like this.

"Well," I continue, "have you ever tried extreme sports?" I start with something apparently simple and not embarrassing, a question that shouldn't be too hard to be answered.

I expect Chiana to hesitate, but she smiles confidently and replies, "Yes, I have."

Neither Alyssa nor I are very convinced by her answer. In particular, I raise an eyebrow and frown. "Are you sure?"

She suspects that I think she's lying, which prompts her to say again, "Trust me, Kendall. I've done extreme sports before. In fact, I tried skydiving in the Caribbean two years ago." To prove herself right, she takes her phone from a pocket of her jeans and opens Instagram, where, among others, there are sixteen pictures of her skydiving and trying other dangerous activities such as windsurfing and parachuting. Yeah, she seems to be the adventurous type, unlike me.

Even though I still can't fully believe her, I nod and exchange glances with Chiana, who then turns to Alyssa, asking, "Truth or dare?"

Alyssa picks dare. Chiana then disappears once again in the kitchen, before returning with a huge pack of chips and a bottle of Tabasco sauce. As she passes them to Alyssa, she says, "You have to eat them all, accompanied with all the sauce." Now, Alyssa is not to sure she can do it, to the point that she is even regretting not choosing truth instead.

"Spicy, huh?" I tease, to which she reacts blinking at me.

As she opens the pack of chips and pours them all in a huge blue bowl, before drowning them in Tabasco, she takes a deep breath and closes her eyes for a millisecond. "Let's do this."