"Shut up, man." Douglas punched Jaxson in the arm. "Don't say shit about my mom."

Jaxson just laughed at him. "You asked." Drew and I laughed too. Douglas was a dumbass to think Jaxson wasn't going to answer like that when asked who he'd like to do if he could have anyone. "Your mama is so fine." He teased. Douglas glared at him for a second then turned to Drew.

"You gonna wimp out like J here or are you gonna take a dare?"

Drew huffed. "Try me."

Douglas looked at him with an evil expression. "I'll be right back. Be afraid. Be very afraid." He cackled as he sprinted out of the room. He returned a moment later with a can of cat food and a can opener. He laughed a few times as he cranked the device.

"You serious?" Drew asked.

"Oh, yeah!"

"Ha ha!" Jaxson pointed at him. "Here pussy pussy pussy."

"No problem. I got this." Drew took the can from Douglas and took a bite of cat food. He made it about three bites in before he ran for the bathroom, his cheeks filling.

"Wuss!" Douglas called out.

"Pussy!" Jaxson yelled. We could hear Drew retching in the bathroom, next to Douglas' room. I laughed along with them. Drew looked pretty green when he was eating that crap. Smelled like regurgitated hotdogs. I was glad we didn't have a cat.

When Drew came in a minute later his face was all wet from splashing water on it. He rubbed his wet hands on Douglas' shirt sleeves.

"Thanks man." Douglas said sarcastically.

"Alright, your turn." Drew sat back down next to us on the floor. "What is it?"

"Truth."

"Knew it!" I called out. What a dumbass. "Can't take your own medicine, huh?"

"Like you're gonna do a dare." He said back to me.

"Whatever."

"Alright," Drew said. "How far have you gone with Miss Bitchiness?"

Douglas got a smirk on his face. "All the way."

"Yeah right." Jaxson said. "Like a fifteen year-old like you has done it? I don't think so." Jaxson was always rubbing it in that he was a year older. Nobody ever pointed out he was older cause he'd flunked sixth grade. He'd have beat the shit out of us if we had.

"You couldn't even fit into a condom," I said, laughing with them.

"Didn't use one." Douglas bragged.

I stopped laughing . "That was stupid."

"Yeah, gonna get you the crabbies off that whore." Drew said, shoving him.

"Shut up," I said but the guys ignored me.

"You ready for this?" Jaxson asked me when he'd finished ribbing Douglas.

"Bring it on."

Jaxson sat for a minute then turned and looked at the clock. We still had another half hour before anybody else would be home. "Brought your bike?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, let's head to the quarry 'cause I have an idea."

"Yeah!" Drew hollered. We left Douglas' house and pedaled to the quarry. It wasn't very far from the subdivision where Drew, Douglas and Jaxson lived; where I used to live. We dropped our bikes next to the fence then climbed over. Even at five o'clock nobody was around. I knew what Jaxson was going to say before he said it.

"Time to see if you're a man," he pushed me toward the ledge. "Jump in."

I laughed nervously. "You for real?"

"Naw, I just thought we'd take a ride for the heck of it."

"Do it Brady." Douglas ordered.

"Come on Brady," Drew edged me on, shoving me closer to the ledge. "What's the worst that could happen?"

What's the worst that could happen? I hated that phrase. What's the worst that could happen? Like ever? Your sister could find out she's pregnant and instead of killing the baby, she kills herself. Your parents could get a divorce. Your dad could marry the next bimbo who walked in front of him. Then he could have a couple of kids with the new step mom who tells you to call her Jerri but really just wishes you didn't exist. And then because your dad left your mom and she never had much of a real job you've got to work part time to help her pay rent on the apartment you moved into. Finally, because you mom's so broke and your dad doesn't give a shit you realize you're going to have to go to community college and live at home. I had already experienced the worst that could happen.

I looked over the edge into the quarry. There was water below but I had no way of knowing how deep it was.

"Now or never Brady," the guys sneered at me. I knew what the worst was. This wasn't it. With a quick smile to the guys I leapt as far away from the quarry wall as I could.

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J. Kubusch writes from Chapel Hill, NC.