Dylan's passes connect with me perfectly and I score touchdown after touchdown. By the time the first half is done, we are more than sure that we have already won.

So by the time the game is over half the stadium is already at Dylan's house, celebrating.

The party is in full swing when I arrive. Dylan is at the front with Wayne, a guy from the team, a bottle of beer dangling beside each of them. Dylan sees me walking over to them and breaks into a drunken grin.

"Cheers for the man of the game. Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Jenkins," he roars.

He receives no applause from the background, apart from Wayne's tipsy whoop.

"Stop it, man," I say, punching him in the arm.

"Woah woah, he's  super feisty," Dylan begins, with a mischievous look in his eyes, "Now that he's gone on a date with Kara Merrick."

I hide a smile creeping on my lips, my heart pounding stronger at the thought of accomplishment. But the thought of something weighing me down isn't playing well with my mind. I want this thing to be over with.

The dare. Pulling stupid grins in front of a girl. It's making me feel like crap. I want the dare to be over and bask in the glory of winning it as soon as possible.

"Yeah, that's right. I went on a date with Kara Merrick," I say, my chin high, "Now I can break up with her, right?"

Dylan looks at me a full minute, his smile falling. He lets out a genuine sigh, pushing an arm around my shoulder.

"You see, for the dare to work you have to have a relationship," Dylan says, his eyes connecting with mine.

"I went on a date."

The look in his eyes tells me that he thinks I don't get it.

Maybe I don't. I don't care. But that's beside the point. Winning the dare is what is important.

"Jenkins, this is not about winning a dare," Dylan says.

The heck with it. This is all about winning the dare. If it is not about the dare, I would not even bat an eyelash in the direction of Kara Merrick.

"This is about you learning how manipulative girls can be. How they make you their servants and enjoy watching you follow them around. And most importantly, this is about you learning to appreciate the freedom it gives to live untethered."

"But I know that. I know what it is like to be free," I say.

I've been single and free my whole life. What's more to know about it?

Dylan raises a finger, "You know what it is like. But you don't appreciate it enough. To truly appreciate what you have, you have to first lose it," he takes a dramatic swig of beer.

Wayne nods along to whatever crap that Dylan says. I'm not sure if the alcohol is messing with their brains but that sure sounds like crap to me.

"That's the dare, Jenkins," Dylan tells me.

Whatever it is, I don't care as long as it is something I can win.

"Alright fine," I say, plucking the bottle of beer off his fingers and taking a swig myself, "What do you suggest I do?"

"Just let it brew men, keep her close until she thinks that she has you under her power. Wait for her to exert her power over you. Then, you break free," Dylan says, giving a loud thump on my back.

"Whatever, man," I hand him his beer, "Where's Noah?"

"He went off to get himself another beer, you should grab one too," Wayne tells me.

I nod, fist-bumping them as I make my way inside the house. It is a cramped party with two disco lights spinning around in the center and people are already dancing to the music. I make my way to the kitchen and run into Noah before I reach the door.

"Jenkins!" he pulls me into a hug, "the man!"

Pulling away, his eyes fall to his arms holding only one bottle of beer. He gives me an apologetic smile.

"It's fine man, I can get one," I say, giving him a friendly thump on the back.

"Yeah you should," he gives me a knowing smile, "your catch is waiting in there."

He eyes the kitchen door, his smile breaking into a wide grin.

"My what?"

"Kara Merrick," he wiggles his eyebrows, "she's in the kitchen."

Oh, that.

"Good luck, Champ!"

Before I can say something, he disappears behind me, making his way to Dylan and Wayne.

I step into the kitchen, immediately spotting Kara, talking to another girl beside her. She's not with Hailey. Obviously, Hailey wouldn't show up at Dylan's.

Both of them don't notice me, as I pull the door to the refrigerator open and grab a bottle of beer.

I screw the cap open with an opener lying on the counter beside me. A couple of gulps later, I feel fit enough to throw a fake facade of admiration for Kara.

Leisurely, I walk over to her, my grin back on my face.

Her friend notices me first, nudging Kara. She turns around a bit red in the face.

It's hard to tell with the dim lighting, but I think that Kara Merrick is blushing at the sight of me.

My confidence rises sky high. I've got this.

"Hey," I grin.

"Hey," she smiles back.

I lean against the counter beside her, taking another swig out of the beer. Her friend eyes me with a smile she is trying to hide. "See you, later," she raises her hand in a wave and rushes out of the kitchen, leaving us alone.

Kara is silent for a minute, her eyes wandering everywhere but to me.

"So," I begin, to break the silence that has fallen around us, despite the loud music going on just a room over, "how's everything?"

"Good," she says, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. My eyes follow her fingers as they settle on playing with her hair.

Silence again.

"Um...," she begins this time, "you played well today."

She finally looks up to meet my eyes. A small smile plays on her lips.

"Thanks," I say, returning her smile.

"You were really good out there. I mean, that last touchdown was really awesome."

"So you watched me," I raise an eyebrow, a smirk making its way to my lips.

Of course, she watched me, I was brilliant out there!

Kara averts her eyes, unable to deny or affirm the statement. "I'm a cheerleader, Brian. I am there to watch the game, and you know...cheer."

Of course.

"Well, fair enough," I say, taking a sip off my beer.

A beat of silence falls between us. I continue sipping my beer and Kara plays with her hair.

"So...," Kara begins looking desperate to break the silence, "how are things for you?"

Not the best question. But I decide to go with it.

"Awesome," I grin at her, "Like always."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

I laugh at her wide-eyed look. "What's the matter with that?" I ask her, my brows furrowing.

"Nothing, it's just that...," she hesitates for a second, "are you this happy all the time?"

Her question throws me off-guard for a second. Of course, I should appear like some creep, grinning at her all the time. I regain my composure.

"It's a party, Merrick," I tell her, evading the question, "You're supposed to be happy at a party."

How am I supposed to tell her that it's all a facade I put up just to win a stupid dare? Before she can clarify that is not what she was asking for, I throw my hands in the air.

"Of course, it's a party. What are we doing in the kitchen," I ignore her shocked expression, as I place the now empty bottle on the counter and take her hand in mine, "We should dance!"

She looks at me like I am crazy. But I don't let her get a word in before I pull her out of the kitchen towards the mass of people dancing at the center of a make-shift dance floor.

The music increases in intensity as we make our way towards the middle of the crowd. Once in the middle, I turn towards Kara. Her face is pinched with nervousness and she keeps looking around us.

The music pulsates in my veins and I take her arms dancing to the rhythm. She shakes her head, letting me sway her arms to the beat of the music. She laughs to herself.

"I don't dance!" she says.

The array of lights flashing across her face makes it hard to detect her expression. But the tone of her voice suggests that she's doing her best to hide a smile.

Girls like to dance, don't they? At least, that's what Dylan says.

"Come on, have some fun," I insist, shouting over the sound of the music.

She laughs again, shaking her head at me, but starts following my lead after all. She smiles up at me, her eyes bright.

It is hard to tell with all the colors spiraling on her face, but I think her eyes are brown. They twinkle in the lights as she struggles to keep up with my awkward dance moves.

I look up over her shoulder, to catch Noah's wide grin. He raises a bottle of beer at me, his fist raised in a thumbs up. I give him a victorious look which he encourages with a smirk.

I'm feeling the victory already.

Kara flips her hair over her shoulder as she dances beside me, her eyes watching me through her thick lashes. She has a wide smile plastered over her lips.

Well, well, well, Kara Merrick could actually begin to like me.

That's one step closer to the goal.