Maggie
Rise and shine, biotch!
Maggie
I won yesterday’s bet, so now you have to do three dares of my choosing.
Maggie
Meet me in the campus lounge in ten minutes for your first one.
Penny
Ugh, not today, Mags.
Penny
I have a math test in an hour.
Maggie
Rules are rules: the winner gets to call it in whenever she wants.
Maggie
Just WAIT until you hear what I’ve come up with this time 😈
Penny
If you make me moon the janitor again, I’m going to murder you 🔪 😡
Maggie
Girl please, that was child’s play.
Maggie
This is MUCH better than that.
I groan loudly as I read her words.
Our little game has been going on since freshman year…
And we’re both too competitive for our own good.
That’s why ten minutes later, I’m in the campus lounge ready for my first dare.
I grab Maggie’s arm, speaking to her urgently.
Penny
Just make this fast.
She grins evilly and shoves something cold in my hand.
Maggie
Chocolate, your favorite.
Maggie
Figured you’d want to drink it after.
She points across the lounge.
Maggie
See the baseball team over there?
Maggie
Sitting around the big circle table?
She takes a second to wave to their catcher, Steve.
Penny
Uh…yeah, they’re kinda hard to miss.
Maggie
Well, in a second, you will be too!
Maggie
I want you to take that milkshake…
Maggie
Stand on top of their table…
Maggie
And sing the milkshake song.
I’m silent as her words sink into my brain.
Then my face explodes with heat.
Penny
Ethan is over there!
Maggie
And you’re finally going to get his attention!
Maggie
You have to do it for at least ten seconds!
Maggie
And I’ll be really disappointed if you don’t do it…
Maggie
You haven’t backed down from a dare in years.
I’d hate to lose my streak over a measly ten seconds.
I glare into my best friend’s eyes.
Maggie laughs and air-kisses me over the frozen treat.
I can’t help but smile back.
Maggie
See? You could never hate me.
She shoves me in the direction of the team…
And I know I have to just get this over with.
My pulse is already racing…
This is going to be humiliating.
I try to give myself a pep talk:
Penny
At best, they laugh at me.
Penny
At worst, they stare at me like I’m insane.
As I approach their table, I can’t help but think that I AM crazy.
Strong, handsome athletes, all hot as sin, sit before me.
A few turn to face me with puzzled expressions.
No doubt they’re wondering what I’m doing just standing here.
Well, they’re about to find out…
Quickly, I climb onto the table.
I can sense their confusion.
Holding my beverage high in the air, I sing:
Penny
MYYYY MILKSHAKE BRINGS ALL THE BOYS TO THE YARD!
Penny
AND THEY’RE LIKE, IT’S BETTER THAN YOURS!
I attempt a sexy hip roll.
A few chairs scrape back, but I keep going:
I hear hoots and hollers.
I wave the milkshake around, getting ready for my finale…
But it slips out of my hand.
I’m met with a pair of shocked blue eyes.
The rest of his face is covered in milkshake.
The quiet and broody boy that I’ve been pining after for two years.
He licks his chocolate-covered lips and gets up from the table.
I jump down and follow after him.
Penny
No, it’s really not.
I hurry to keep up with his long strides.
Penny
That happened because I lost a bet, and uh…
Penny
My dare was to do that dance back there.
Penny
I kinda got into it and lost hold of the milkshake.
Penny
Well, obviously you already know that.
He finally spins to face me.
Ethan
What are you doing in here?
I look around and realize I’ve followed him into the men’s locker room.
Penny
Oops, I didn’t even notice.
Penny
But since I’m here…
I grab a handful of paper towels.
Penny
Let me at least help you.
He raises a brow and watches me attempt to mop his uniform.
Penny
I hope I didn’t ruin it.
I’ve been wanting Ethan to notice me for so long.
I bend down to get the milkshake off his pants…
And I end up wiping over his crotch.
Ethan
That was your third “oops” of the day.
Penny
And trust me when I say I am mortified.
Penny
I’ve been wanting to meet you for so long—
I stop myself from word vomiting just in time.
Penny
I mean, I admire you.
Penny
Your work on the field I mean.
Penny
The way you run around in that uniform…
Penny
I mean, your pitching is hot.
Penny
I mean, your body is hot too.
So much for stopping the word vomit.
His eyes are wide with shock as he looks down at me.
Penny
Well, I’m going to go scream into a pillow now.
Penny
But I insist on getting this dry-cleaned.
Penny
Take off your clothes.
I’m met with silence again…
And when I realize what I just said…
I put my head in my hands and groan.
Ethan
You don’t have to do that.
Penny
No, please. I insist.
Penny
Let me do this for you.
I look up into his blue eyes.
He contemplates for a moment, then nods his head.
Ethan
Okay, let me just change real quick.
I curse Maggie to the moon and back.
This was the stupidest dare ever!
And now it totally ruined my chance with Ethan.
Not that I ever even had one to begin with.
He’s cool and calm and perfect, and I’m a word-vomiting mess.
He eventually comes back dressed in a plain tee and basketball shorts…
His uniform balled up in his hands.
Ethan
I have a game tomorrow at nine.
I check my phone for the time.
With my math test, I’ll be cutting it close…
But I think I’ll have enough time.
Penny
I’ll have this back to you by tonight, don’t worry.
Ethan
At the baseball house.
I nod, then back away slowly…
His uniform cradled against my chest.
But it looks like he wants to.
Just as he goes to open his mouth, I interrupt him.
I need to get out of here before I say anything else to embarrass myself.
Penny
Okay, well goodbye for now, Ethan Frost.
I open the locker room door and run for my life.
I’m going to get this uniform cleaned and back to him in time for his game tomorrow…
If it’s the last thing I ever do.
Maggie and I arrive at the dry cleaners a minute too late.
The woman inside is just flipping the closed sign…
I run up and put a hand on the glass.
The woman gives me an annoyed look…
Penny
I have to get this uniform cleaned!
Penny
It’s a life or death situation!
Maggie chuckles behind me, but I ignore her.
The woman points to the sign again.
Ethan probably already thinks I’m a total loser…
And if I don’t get his uniform to him on time, he’ll definitely hate me.
The woman turns to walk away…
Penny
With a nice tip if you have it in an hour.
She looks at her watch, sighs…
Then turns around and flips the lock.
The woman rolls her eyes…
Snatches the dirty uniform from my hands…
Then closes the door in my face.
I let out a sigh of relief…
And sit on the curb next to Maggie.
Penny
Today was a disaster.
Maggie
One of my best dares yet.
Penny
I totally embarrassed myself!
Penny
You know I’ve had a crush on Ethan FOREVER!
Maggie continues as if she didn’t hear me.
Maggie
You should have seen his face when you were dancing!
Maggie
He couldn’t take his eyes off you.
Penny
Even if that’s true…
Penny
I ruined it with my word vomit.
Penny
I don’t know how I’m going to face him again.
Maggie
The baseball team is throwing a party tonight.
Maggie tries hard to convince me…
I’m going to drop the uniform off to him and get the heck out of there.
Maggie ditched me to go get ready for the party later tonight, so…
I’m sitting alone on the curb when the door to the dry cleaners opens and the woman steps out…
Ethan’s uniform cleaned and pressed in her hand.
I pay her what I said I would, then head straight to my car.
I’m walking up the steps to the baseball house…
And Steve opens it almost right away.
His face lights up with a grin when he sees me.
Steve
It’s Milkshake Girl!
He turns to yell over his shoulder:
Steve
Hey guys! Milkshake Girl is here!
Hoots and hollers ring out…
But I can feel my face turning bright red.
Steve
Let me go grab him.
Penny
No, no! That’s okay.
Penny
I can just leave this in his room.
Steve smiles as if he knows something I don’t.
Steve
I think he’d want to know you’re here…
Steve is definitely mistaken.
There’s no way Ethan wants to see the “Milkshake Girl” who nearly ruined his uniform…
Then basically confessed her undying love for him.
Penny
I’d rather just leave it.
Steve jerks his head to the hallway.
Steve
His room is the first door on the left.
I hustle over to the hallway…
Thankful I may be able to get out of here without facing Ethan.
I open the door to his room and step inside…
Unable to stop myself from breathing deep.
Ugh, it smells so good in here — like him.
I place the uniform on his bed…
Then decide it wouldn’t hurt to take a quick peek around.
I’ve been dreaming about being in his room forever…
And I can’t pass up the chance now.
His things are incredibly tidy.
The total opposite to my disaster area of a room.
His clothes are color-coded…
And there’s a shelf of trophies by the door organized by size.
Sheesh, I’m lucky if I can find a matching pair of socks in the morning.
I run a finger over his dust-free dresser.
Penny
We are so wrong for each other.
I gasp and spin on my heels.
Penny
I wasn’t snooping or anything.
And I let out a defeated sigh.
Penny
People tell me I talk too much.
He walks in, looking a bit exasperated.
Penny
Your uniform is all set.
Penny
Please don’t thank me.
Penny
This was all my fault.
Ethan is looking anywhere but at me.
Penny
I’ll just be going now.
I start backing toward the door.
Penny
Until next time Ethan Fro—
And send a line of his trophies crashing to the floor.
The sound makes us both jump.
I stumble backward into his laundry hamper…
Knocking it over and spilling all his dirty clothes on the floor.
Penny
Oh my god! I’m so sorry!
Penny
I’ll clean this up!
I quickly pick up the first thing I see and—
Ethan
Oh um, you don’t have to touch those!
I look and see that I’m holding a pair of his underwear.
Instead of putting the underwear back into his hamper like a normal person…
I panic and throw them at his head.
They hit him square in the face.
For a few seconds, I’m unable to say anything.
I don’t know whose face is more red…
Ethan
Don’t worry about it.
Ethan bends down and starts picking up his clothes and the trophies.
Penny
I’m a natural klutz.
Penny
I hope nothing’s broken.
Penny
I can pay for it if it is.
I notice his cheeks are still flushed.
And ugh, his eyes are such a perfect blue.
Ethan
I don’t think I can get another one of these.
He holds up a trophy from high school, and I groan.
The top half is chipped and cracked.
Penny
Ethan, I don’t know what to say.
Leave it to me to damage priceless possessions!
Penny
And your room was so nice and organized, too.
Penny
If you saw my room, you’d have a heart attack.
I lean in to pick up another trophy…
He goes for it at the same time…
Ethan groans and touches his forehead.
Praying for a hole I can sink into and never come out of.
Feeling like the world’s biggest schmuck…
I stand and head for the door.
I give Ethan — who is still holding his forehead—
One final, apologetic look…
Then run out of his room and into the hall.
Wanting to avoid everyone in the living room…
But a familiar laugh grabs my attention.
I stop short, and peer behind me…
Maggie is in the living room whispering with Steve.
Maggie
Party is starting soon!
Maggie
Let me grab you a drink!
I roll my eyes and walk over to her.
I grab her arm and pull her into the hallway.
Penny
I told you I’m not staying!
Penny
You have no idea what just hap—
And I see Ethan step into the hallway.
Penny
Maggie, I have to go.
Penny
Enjoy the party but—
Maggie
Oh no sweetie, you’re not going anywhere.
Maggie
Because I’ve got two dares left.
Penny
You wouldn’t do that to me.
Maggie
Penny, I dare you to stay.
I groan, then smack her shoulder lightly.
Penny
Some best friend you are!
Penny
But I’m hiding in a corner.
Maggie
You’re first up for Seven Minutes in Heaven.
