I Dare You

“I dare you…”
It turned into a double dare.
Then a triple dare.
Then a triple double dare.

It was second grade, and it was raining.
We stood in front of a toy store.
She was daring me to steal one of the toys on display,
Plentiful and colorful, more than one of each.
“No one would notice… it’s just one small toy…”

I listened to her. I shouldn’t have.
I knew it was wrong back then,
But I also knew she was right.
No one would notice one small toy gone.

“I dare you…”
She said it again.
This time, it was seventh grade.
This time, I had to go down the abandoned laundry shoot.
It was unused, no ledges, nothing to stop my fall.
She said, “You won’t die.”

I listened to her. I shouldn’t have.
I knew it was wrong, that I could get hurt…
But I knew she was right.
I wouldn’t die.

“I dare you…”
She says it to me now,
But this time is the last.
She holds out a cigarette.
“I dare you to smoke this…
And if you don’t, you can’t be one of us.”

This time, I walk away.
I walk away from her clique of popular girls.
I know that she’s right,
That I won’t be let into her clique if I don’t smoke.
But I realize, I don’t want to be a part of this anymore.
She’s taken things too far.
I am a freshman in high school,
And I have my own future.

(Note: Eh… I don't have a pseudonym… I can't seem to change my name on my profile…)