Dare

by Sara Alva

YA Short Story

Mark has a reputation around school of never backing down from a dare. Good thing at least one of his friends has some common sense. Sean is always there to look out for Mark in case things go wrong. Unlike their other friends, Sean doesn’t ever ask Mark to take a dare. Until the day he does…

5,000 words.

Originally published on GayAuthors.org as part of their Summer 2011 Anthology, Walk on the Wild Side.

Genres: Young Adult, M M Romance, Contemporary, Romance, LGBT, Short Stories, Friends To Lovers

ebook

First published June 1, 2011

About the author

Sara Alva is the author of best-selling New Adult novel Social Skills and Rainbow Award Winner Silent. Always a daydreamer, Sara finally decided to sculpt the thoughts banging around in her head into stories of self-discovery, heartache, personal growth, friendship and love. Read them as an escape, or as a window into understanding your own world.

When she isn’t writing, Sara is pursuing her other passions in teaching, music, and dancing.

Reviews

[clear skies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only 5,000 words and the author manages to pack a punch with her characters. Mark who does any dare his friends tell him too; it also subtly shows the kid need to be the centre of attention and liked. Sean the sort of best friend that looks after Mark by being his muscle and his conscious. Then we have Derrick, Phil and new-boy Billy the idiotic kids that have little remorse and show what pack mentality can lead to.

Overall, I thought the short was well-written with the characters and the message. Trying to be your own person within a group is hard for kids. Too busy trying to play it up, to look good and be accepted. However, you will always have that one friend you'll end up giving them up for - because as we grow up we realise that numbers don't equal friendship. That we truly realise who our real friends are in the end. This is what I got from this little short - and the author did it without preaching ;)

[Arch Bala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yay! A free read and I loved it. I was expecting more at the end but I guess, that “dare” pretty much says it all. It was a fun read and I thought it was sweet how Sean keeps on looking out for Mark’s welfare. I just wished Billy got smacked a little bit with the other two cowards.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

[Camy · Rating 3 out of 5]

:-D

I liked this!

[Rodrigo · Rating 1 out of 5]

#4 (Worst Book - 2018)

[Baby · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an unexpected ending!