I dare you {YA romance}

1. Off to camp

*I am a Dutch author trying to write my first book in English. I normally write YA fantasy, this is my first  YA/NA crossover romance novel. If you see any errors, please shout out as it helps me to develop as an English author. Much appreciated. This story just popped in my head after a friend dared me through WhatsApp to do something I am really scared off (and still): picking up a spider. I hope you enjoy reading it and love to read your feedback, good or bad*

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The phone buzzed at exactly seven in the morning, just as he'd predicted. I glanced at the screen and touched the WhatsApp icon. A message from Bones appeared.

First challenge: just before you go to bed tonight, open the front door of the cabin and howl like a wolf for thirty seconds.

"Shit." I clenched my jaws. I just knew he had that trademark smirk on his face right now. My fingers tapped hastily at the screen.

Challenge back: remove your socks with your teeth tonight.

A sly smile slipped onto my face.

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''Bree is waiting!''

Mom shouted up the stairs while I was trying to fix the annoying bump that spontaneously rose in my chocolate brown hair like a freakin' Mount Everest. It was too late to open the suitcase to search for my flatbed iron.

''Yeah, yeah, coming in just... just a minute!''

I knew I needed more than a minute but it would definitely postpone the next step: having her bouncing up the stairs to find out what on earth I was doing.

You never get a second change to make a first impression. My dads' words echoed in my head when I was desperately trying to fix the flaws that for some stupid reason were highlighted by the worst outfit ever: too tight jeans - only shallow breathing was an option - and a green shirt that had a hole near my armpits. It was my favourite... obviously. Should I dare to change my outfit? I lowered my gaze to my suitcase. All the cute shirts and pants were already packed.

"Kit? C'mon!''

No time left to change. I gave up, promising myself to change my outfit once we arrived. I grabbed the book that was lying on the bed, stuffed it into my canary yellow back pack and took a final eye-tour through my room. As far as I knew, I took everything with me that was necessary to survive the coming weeks. I took a quick look in the mirror before I yanked my bedroom door open. Damn! What on earth was I thinking when I chose this outfit?

''Honey, seriously, this is taking...''

''Coming!''

I ran down the stairs, skipping a few steps on my way down and jumped on the black and white tiles of the hallway with a fake smile planted on my face.

''Damn! You look stunning, as always.'' I gave Bree a high five.

''What took you so long?'' Bree raised an eyebrow, trying to throw me her best imitation of Miss Wheelers' face. Thank God we would not see that witch for another three months, because... YES... summer vacation had begun.

''My hair and the story of the mysteriously rising Himalaya that refused to be flattened.''

''Lol. Love my curls.''

I had known Bree since kindergarten and her freckled face had always been surrounded by an aura of ginger curls. It was foolish to try to control them and Bree had never done so.

''At least your hair decided on a look. Mine is still in doubt to be flat or curly.''

''Are we excited?'' Bree's mother clapped her tiny hands with a large grin on her face. With we, she probably meant Mom and herself.

''If we are not allocated the same cabin, we are not excited at all.'' Bree sniffed her nose.

''You'll both be fine. They won't put you in a cabin with complete strangers.'' Bree's mother rolled her eyes before she turned around and walked to her car, parked on the driveway with the doors wide open to have some cool breeze flow in.

''I'm not so sure about that.'' From the beginning I had a bad feeling about this whole plan. I'd rather have stayed at home, as I was intended to, but Bree's mother had convinced my Mom to have me accompany her daughter. It would already be Bree's fourth camp. I really felt sorry for her, but even more so for me. Now I would be stuck in that God forsaken shithole as well, with absolutely no privacy or control of how my day was going to end up. This was not my idea of a well-earned vacation. Didn't anyone knew that every horror movie started out IN A FOREST?

''You'll love Juice.'' Bree grabbed my hand and squeezed it; she must have seen I was in serious doubt. She started pulling me to the car with a smirk on her face.

I raised an eyebrow. Yeah, she told me all about Juice, the entire freakin' year actually. She'd used every occasion to babble about his muscles, his extremely blue eyes, his dashing blond hair, his body that was built as if he was a gladiator and his lips that were perfect and meant to be kissed. He sure sounded juicy. I hated him already.

''I doubt it,'' I mumbled.

''Try to have some fun.'' My mother shot me a last smile.

''We will,'' we chorused.

Unfortunately, Bree's mother's car didn't have air-conditioning, and suddenly I realized that all the morning efforts to perfect my first impression were a waste of time. After one hour and a half I would look like a poodle that had ran into a bulldog on a rainy day.