Dare Me Relationships

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In the novel Dare Me by Megan Abbott, Abbott portrays the ugly nature of female friendships. In the backstabbing and competitive world of high-school cheerleading, Addy Hanlon has been the sidekick of Beth Cassidy, queen bee of Sutton Gove cheerleading squad ever since they met. Beth is a master at manipulation, who keeps everyone in their place, until the arrival of a new cheerleading coach, Colette French. As Coach takes Addy into her own, Beth begins getting intimated, something that rarely happens.
Addy and Beth’s relationship is quite unique, but not so much in a good way. Beth calls the shots while Addy does as she’s told. Addy seems to enjoy being known as Beth’s sidekick. She brags that she is Beth’s ”fidus achates,” as if being a …show more content…

Not until the death of Will, Addy starts to wonder if she can be just as ruthless. But now that Coach has gained Addy’s loyalty, Beth finds herself backed into a corner. Beth is no longer ‘Top Girl”, captain or even Addy’s priority. Beth invests her body, mind and soul in bringing down Coach for getting in between Addy and her.
Towards the end of the novel, it’s revealed Beth and Addy had shared a kiss at cheer camp. All along Beth was in love with Addy, she knew for a fact that Addy didn’t love her back. Loving Beth would have taken away her control, just like it took away Beth’s control. “Love is a kind of killing, Addy." Beth says. But neither would admit that there was something greater than a friendship. Finally, when Beth falls off the pyramid, she accepts that Addy can’t love her, because she has to be on top. Beth did not care if Addy hooked up with some guy like she previously tired too, because in Beth’s mind atleast it was not Coach, a girl. Beth wanted to be the only girl in Addy’s life because Coach was someone Beth viewed as a threat to her position. Addy’s changing under the Coach’s rule scared her. Coach had the power to kick Beth to the side which she did.
“It was you and me, Addy.” Beth said reminding her finally of them and acknowledging that it was never going to be them, it was always going to be

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