Page 91 of I Dare You
Now, I must decide what to do next.
I need to beat Jupiter at her own game.A thought suddenly hits and paves the way for what needs to be done.
Jupiter wants me to kill because in her sick, twisted mind, she believes I’ll see we are one and the same.But I now see we’re nothing alike.
This is the advantage I need.
And when my phone chimes with a text, it only confirms what needs to be done.
You might have quit, but I haven’t.I know who they are.What will you give up to have your happily ever after?
Deep down, I think I always knew Jupiter would be the death of me.I knew she would be the one to help me find those assholes and take back what they stole.In her mind, she thinks she’s doing me a kindness by delivering my bullies on a silver platter.
But this is for her.
Jupiter is a scared, lonely little girl, and she needs me.
I’ve never seen that before.But now, I do.
If this is what she wants and it gets her out of my life, I’m fucking in.
My monsters are killed, and she goes to prison.
And me?I’m finally free of her and myself.
So, the plan is I do what she wants.I go back to Hollow Banks and end it, framing Jupiter for the murder.I don’t know how yet, but all great plans take time.
What I do know is that Kit is safer without me in his life.I’ve disappeared once before.I can do it again.Although it’ll be a little harder this time.
Maybe when this is all over, I can come back and tell him the truth.
For now, however, this feels right.
I make a turn and head back toward the garage.Gas is low, so I pull into a gas station.Before filling up, I send a text back to Jupiter.
There’s no such thing for people like us.
It’s ambiguous, but she’ll read between the lines.
If I go to Hollow Banks, she’ll follow.She’s been keeping an eye on me, which puts Kit in danger.He’s collateral.I can’t risk his life like that.
That’s what I tell myself as I fill up the tank anyway.
I pay at the pump and decide to grab some groceries, seeing as I abandoned them earlier.I go to a different store and grab a few things to make us dinner.I don’t want to see it as the last supper, but it’s hard not to.After tonight, I won’t see Kit for a while.
Maybe ever.
This plan isn’t foolproof, but it’s the only one that makes sense.
I pay for the groceries, and as I’m putting everything into the truck, someone grabs me by the waist, startling the life out of me.
I spin, but soon sigh in relief.
It’s Kit.
He raises his hands in surrender, reading my surprise.“I called your name out like ten times.Didn’t you hear me?”
No, and that’s because it’s not my name.
