Tryst Six Venom by Penelope Douglas

before everything is gone.
Clay hesitates. “The administration doesn’t allow that. We have to stay in
St. Carmen.”
Night Tide is a senior tradition. A scavenger hunt around town. All night.
There’s usually unsanctioned drinking and a secret scavenger hunt that is also
not allowed by the administration.
I give her a loaded look. “We won’t tell.”
Callum listens close as Clay ponders, her friends letting her make the call.
“All of us,” she says.
I nod.
“All night.”
I nod again.
“And we can go anywhere.”
“You can try,” I say.
I won’t lose again.
“Deal,” she says.
They rise from their seats, Callum dropping some money on the table as
they filter past us, toward the door.
But Clay stops at my side, speaking low and close again. “And you owe
me a new dress,” she says.
She leaves, and I smile to myself. Yeah, good luck with that.
“What are you doing?” Dallas yanks me around. “Macon won’t agree to
that.”
I ignore him and leave the restaurant, passing Army, Iron, and Aracely
without a word. I make the short trek down the road to my house, walking
past the open workshop. Macon works on a motorcycle while a few of the
local boys watch him with beers in their hands.
Safe in my room, I lock the door, plug my phone into the charger, and fall
to my bed, keeping the room dark.
I stare above me, the streetlight outside glowing across the ceiling as
some Kansas song vibrates through the walls from the garage. My white
Christmas lights decorate my wrought-iron headboard and border the window
frame, reminding me of spotlights in the dark of a stage.
I’m an actress, inside and out. For years, I played my part well, as if
everything was according to script and I knew what was coming. No
surprises.
But tonight, the snake inside uncoiled, and it felt good. My venom wasn’t