When we were called to Adam’s house freshman year, I spent the whole afternoon trying to figure out how I could be on his team. But I didn’t need to worry. As soon as I walked into the backyard, Adam grabbed my elbow and whispered into my ear, “You’re with me.” I skipped behind him to his car, where Shaila and Jake Horowitz were already waiting, our team of four decided.
“You guys ready?” Jake asked before banging on the dashboard. “Let’s do this thing!”
“You okay?” I dipped my head and whispered to Shaila. Her head was turned toward the window, watching Graham get into Tina Fowler’s car.
“Yeah. I just don’t get why couples have to split up.”
“Just part of the rules,” Adam said, turning around in the front seat. “Rachel and I aren’t together. Don’t worry,” he said,patting her on the knee. “This is going to be fun.”
I nodded encouragingly and bumped shoulders with Shaila. Secretly, I was thrilled to be grouped with her. It was the first time we’d be together without Graham in weeks.
“Here. This will help.” Jake reached down and pulled out an oversized water bottle full of orange liquid. “Drink up.”
Shaila snatched it from his hands and guzzled eagerly before passing it to me. “First stop,” Adam said, making a swift turn into the ShopRite. I felt the booze give me extra legs. “Grab that bag,” he said, motioning toward the trunk. “You guys are wearing bathing suits under there, right?” We nodded. We were always ones to follow instructions. “Good, let’s do it.”
We threw the car doors open and sprinted inside the store, trailing the boys by a few yards. “The frozen aisle!” Adam yelled.
“Quick!” Jake said. “Strip!” He whipped out two lawn chairs, set them side by side, and handed us matching pink sunglasses and sippy cups.
I pulled off my T-shirt and stepped out of my shorts, leaving no time to feel self-conscious. “C’mon, Shaila!” I said.
She plunked down in the chair beside me and we did our best models-on-the-beach impressions while Jake snapped a pic.I can’t wait to frame this, I thought.Iconic.
“You guys are so sexy,” Jake said. I giggled and squinted beneath the grocery store’s fluorescent lights. Shaila’s skin looked translucent and she stifled a hiccup.
“Let’s just check another one off the list while we’re here,” Jake said. “You guys should make out.”
I froze and tried to catch Shaila’s eye. But she wouldn’t look my way. Instead, she bit her lip and waited for me to make the first move.
I looked at Adam for help.What do I do?
“That’d be hot,” he said, flashing his dimple at us. He stood with his arms crossed in front of his chest, his eyes encouraging.
I took a deep breath and tried to ignore the insane pounding in my chest. I thought my skin might split open. Then I turned to Shaila and closed my eyes, hoping she would meet me halfway. I parted my lips and thought of Adam, how it felt when he touched my skin in the hammock months before. The phone flashed and Shaila’s warm mouth pressed against mine. Her tongue slithered against my teeth, wet and unsteady. My whole body began to shake. Shaila must have known because she lifted her palm to my cheek and held my face steady just for a second.
After a moment, we pulled apart, and Shaila’s dark, furious eyes met mine. She brought her hand down and wrapped her fingers around my wrist. “Never let them see you hurt,” she whispered. Before I could respond or even nod, she was already standing, pulling on her jeans.
It’s only a kiss, I told myself. But, once in the car, I had to sit on my hands to keep them still.
Those two items are still on the list, I think, but tonight when Quentin passes around clipboards fixed with the paper checklists, I can’t see them in the dark.
“You have to meet back here at midnight. If you’re late...” Nikki trails off. A devilish smile spreads across her face and she crashes the two bottles in her hands together. “Disqualified!”
No one had ever been DQ’d as far as I know but we’d heard rumors about one car back in the early 2000s that didn’t make the deadline. All of them, even the seniors, lost their Player status and their access to the Files. They were disinvited from every social gathering for the rest of the year.Legend has it their college acceptances were revoked, too.
“Then you’ll present your checklists and your souvenirs to the judges: Jill, Quentin, Henry, and yours truly. You all paid a ten-dollar entry tonight, and whichever car wins gets to keep the whole pot!” People hoot and holler all around us. “A little something extra,” Nikki says with a smile.
Henry appears by my side, takes my hand, and throws it into the air. “Make us proud!” he says. I tilt my head up and sneak a peek at the Little Dipper. Then the stars that form two twins. Gemini. I imagine the tiny stick figures dancing around with one another and my stomach settles.
Nikki rolls her eyes and stomps a boot on the car. “All right, Players! You have five minutes to find your teams.” She pulls a whistle out from her pocket and puts it to her lips. “Ready! Set! Go!”
“Jill! Henry! C’mere!” Quentin yells from across the gravel. He holds one last clipboard, and I finally get a look at the list.
YOUR MISSION, SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT,IS TO COMPLETE AS MANY TASKS AS POSSIBLE BEFORE TIME RUNS OUT.IF THE ACTIVITY TAKES PLACE OUTSIDE OF THE JUDGES’SIGHT,YOU MUST DOCUMENT THE ACT ON YOUR PHONE.JUDGES WILL TALLY POINTS AT MIDNIGHT.
?Bring us a license plate with the numbers “69” next to each other
?Jump in the ocean with all your clothes on
