Truth Game by Anna Staniszewski

better, in fact. For some reason, I can’t help staring at his lips and trying to figure out if they look kissable. Would they be dry or wet or soft or sticky?
    â€œRachel?” he asks.
    But why am I thinking about all of this? I’m not exactly going to kiss him right this second. Or am I? The Truth Game dared me to do it. Maybe the game was right.
    Weird energy starts buzzing through my whole body like someone plugged me into an electrical outlet. Normally I’d sit around and wait for something to happen, hoping the right moment will come along. But maybe it’s finally time to stop thinking about kissing the guy and actually do it .
    So I do. I grab Evan’s shirt and pull him toward me.
    â€œWha—?” he starts to say, but then my lips are mashed up against his and he can’t say anything.
    As our lips meet, I expect to feel butterflies and to hear angels and to see fireworks. Instead, all I feel is sweat, my sweat dribbling down my temple. And all I hear is Evan’s breathing, quick and panicked-sounding, almost like he’s drowning. And all I see—wait. Why are my eyes open? My eyes shouldn’t be open! And his are open too. They’re so wide and so close to my face that it’s actually kind of scary.
    I stagger back, pulling my lips away. Evan blinks at me, looking like he was the one smacked in the head with a dodgeball.
    â€œAre-are you okay?” I stammer, wiping the sweat from my upper lip. I can’t help noticing how very wet Evan’s lips look too. Oh my goldfish. Did my sweat drip on him while we were kissing?
    â€œLee! Riley!” Mrs. Da Silva yells across the gym. “No canoodling in my class!”
    A few of the kids nearby snicker as they head to the locker rooms. Holy baked rhubarb. Did that just happen? Did I actually kiss Evan Riley during gym class?
    â€œWhere did that come from?” Evan says finally.
    â€œI-I’m sorry,” I stammer because I don’t know what else to say.
    â€œDon’t be sorry,” he says. “I was just surprised.” He reaches out and takes my hand in his. “Really, I didn’t mind at all.”
    â€œLee! Riley! To the locker rooms or to the principal’s office, you decide.”
    We have no choice but to let go of each other’s hands and rush away, but Evan flashes me a little smile over his shoulder. I did it. I can’t believe I did it! I kissed Evan Riley! Suddenly, it feels like I’ve earned all the bonus points in the world.

Chapter 13
    During the first hour of my shift at the bakery that afternoon, I keep hearing Chef Ryan grunting and cursing in the back as he works on a wedding cake. Briana barely even blinks as she stares at her phone, while I try to ignore the sounds as I pack up cupcakes and help customers.
    The phone rings, and Briana stares at it like she’s never seen a phone before.
    I sigh and grab it even though talking on the phone is so not my forte. “Ryan’s Bakery.”
    â€œRachel? It’s Angela. Is Chef Ryan nearby?”
    â€œNo, he’s in the back room—”
    Crash!
    â€œOh good. It was you I wanted to talk to. He showed me a sketch of the cake he’s thinking about for my birthday party, and it’s kind of boring. I mean it’s pretty and stuff, but it doesn’t really scream little kid party, you know?”
    â€œDid you try telling him that?”
    â€œHe said it would look better in person, but I’m starting to get worried. Any chance you could talk to him for me?”
    I gulp. “I can try. He’s not the easiest person to talk to.”
    â€œI would super appreciate it! Everything else for my party is going to be so perfect. The cake has to be too, you know?”
    I do know, so I promise her I’ll take care of it, and then I hang up the phone. Another loud crash rings out in the kitchen, and I hear Chef Ryan let out a lionlike roar of frustration. I steel myself and