Truth.
“Alright, give it to me,” she says and Alli twists her lips while walking back to her seat.
I can see the gears turning in her head. But she finally faces Rhea and spits out a question.
“There were rumors our senior year about you sleeping with a certain gym teacher. So, Rhea. Did you sleep with Mr. Vaughn?”
Everyone starts to gasp and speculate, looking over at Rhea for an answer. She shrugs her shoulders before answering.
“I’ll do you one better,” she starts and everyone listens intently. “I’mstillsleeping with him.”
I shake my head as Alli snaps her fingers. “I knew it!” she shouts while others are either grossed out by what they just learned or impressed and get up to give her a high five.
“Isn’t he like fifty now?” Sage leans over and whispers to me, but I just shrug my shoulders instead of answering him.
“Okay, okay. Settle down. Who’s next?”
We do this for a few rounds. A mix of truths and dares going around as we work our way up the number queue. So far I’ve witnessed a lap dance, someone mooning us and someone kissing their crush. Others have admitted they’re still a virgin or that they’ve had a crush on someone’s mom. Just now, a girl named Priscilla was asked to demonstrate her favorite sex position with the hottest person in the circle and she chose Jensen. I didn’t even care to watch nor look away really. It didn’t bother me, even though I could tell that people were looking at me, trying to gauge my reaction. But my mind is somewhere else.Someoneelse.
Priscilla and Jensen eventually get back to their seats and everyone quiets down.
“Who’s next?”
Everyone starts to char and looks around, eager for the next challenge. I tune it out, trying to push Trace out of my head. I know he’s still looking at me. No matter where I look or even if I close my eyes, he’s watching. And I hate it. I crave it. The feeling is a fucking eclipse of light and dark, want and need, love and hate.
“Does no one have thirteen?” Natasha stands and looks around, and that’s when I realize . . . that’s me.
My heart pounds.
I stand from my seat without a word, and everyone goes silent when they realize it’s my turn. I walk to the fire and throw my number in, watching it disintegrate before walking back to my seat.
I look around, knowing exactly who I want to challenge. And as long as they land on truth, I’ll get to ask them what I want to know. It’s a dangerous venture, especially in front of everyone else, but it’s a risk I’ll have to take. But I realize after scanning the circle of people, Broden is nowhere to be found.
“Any day now,” someone says, anxiety crumbling within me when I realize I have to hurry up and change my plan.
“Broden,” I say anyway, hoping that maybe he’s just out of sight on the other side of the pit, or maybe I can’t see him.
But everyone looks around as voices rise in a tumult of gossip break out. He’s not here.
I look over, noticing Trace as he bores his eyes into me. Almost as if he’s trying to figure me out, like I just said something that causes him to shoot a warning my way. But I ignore him, not knowing what the fuck it’s for.
I realize I’m just standing here as everyone waits for me to make a move. I turn to look at Alli and she silently nods her head toward Banks. I’m not sure it’s a great idea but I don’t have many options right now. I don’t know a lot of the people here and even if I did, I wouldn’t care much to interact with any of them, so I take therisk.
“Banks,” I say. Everyone’s head turns toward the quiet man sitting next to Alli, who is smirking with her head dipped to her chest.
He doesn’t say a word as he catches the coin and flips it.
Tails. That’s a dare.
“Umm…” I start, trying to come up with something that isn’t too crazy but also isn’t vanilla enough to where people would call me boring again. But also something that possibly benefits Alli.
“Pick the girl you find most attractive and leave a hickey on her neck,” I say, feeling really fucking juvenile for the request but I know these idiots will eat that shit up.
Alli looks up at me with wide eyes but I can see the lust in them. Banks doesn’t even say anything, he just watches me as I sit back down. We wait for a few beats. Girls start to whisper, probably hoping he’ll choose one of them, as the boys sit in silence. Again, he’s the quiet brooding type so no one knows what he’s going to do.
But what I don’t expect is for him to choose anyone but Alli, which is exactly what he does. He walks right up to some random chick, motions her to stand and then wastes no time kissing her neck. Her head falls back as she reaches for him. He’s not taking it easy either, sucking on her skin hard. Everyone zones in on the action but I can’t even watch. I look at Alli who is now eyeing the ground. I can feel the disappointment radiating from her.Idid this. What the fuck is he doing? I know her and Banks are not anything serious, but it does take a lot for Alli to give any one her time, let alone one single boy.
Once Banks is done, he leans back and holds the girl by the neck for all to witness the very deep purple bruise painting her brown skin. After everyone seems satisfied, he lets her go and walks right back to his seat, sitting next to Alli who is now shifting in discomfort. The girl with the hickey on her neck is smiling from ear to fucking ear, having enjoyed the product of my stupid dare far too much.
