Truth or Dare? [REWRITTEN]

¤Chapter 28¤

¤Chapter Twenty-eight¤

Owen's palm felt soft against my slightly calloused skin. I'm not sure why we needed to hold hands while he lead me upstairs but I didn't mind it. The fact that I've allowed myself to admit that is progress at least. My mind briefly traveled back to my conversation with mom this morning.

How do you feel knowing you've come this far? Her gentle voice rang in my head.

My life is changing. It's been changing ever since the new school year began but it was only on this wretched day that I fully realized and accepted it. Things that used to completely infuriate me don't have a strong effect on me anymore and it seems a few of my smiles are more genuine than I thought. 

When Jace asked me to skip town with him, I didn't even consider it. Yes, I want to leave this place but not right now. The Madi I was in the beginning would have at least entertained the idea while trying to find out what Todd was up to. The old me would have considered it. I would have suggested it to my parents, asked my friends what they thought about me transferring somewhere else, and made a decision after that but now...

Who do you owe it to?

He's not apart of my lifestyle. He can't be. He's too nice —Todd will completely destroy him if he gets close me. Before I learned I was being watched, that thought had crossed my mind and I vowed to protect him —against his knowledge. Now that I'm absolutely sure, it's obvious that Todd knows about Owen. 

His spies might've told him about the gentle light in his eyes or how his perfectly styled hair rarely moves when the wind blows. They might have told him we've touched one too many times and way too intimately for things to just be friendly between us.

"We're here" He released my hand and turned a door nob leading into a mint green bedroom.

"Trying to seduce me?" I rose a brow, slowly spinning in a circle to take it all in.

His intoxicating scent fills my lungs like the aroma of sweets in a bakery. A large bed sat in the center of the room and the natural light seeping through the windows illuminated the rich colors on his striped comforter. Gold trophies decorated white shelves attached to the wall and a signed sports jersey hung in a frame over his bed. Competitive season is coming to an end so I almost forgot he was an athlete. 

The room is so colorful it makes mine look like Hades lair. Light greens, rich blues, and blinding whites seemed to be the overall theme. My eyes traveled to his walk in closet. The door was opened and a tall laundry basket stood in the middle almost completely empty. The wall was lined with different pairs of sneakers and the rods held a few familiar shirts like the plaid one he wore on the first day we spoke but there were others I have yet to see —some I wouldn't mind wearing myself.

His cheeks flushed. "Um, sorry I didn't plan on taking you in here but you said you wanted to talk and you didn't seem comfortable in the dining room"

"How perceptive of you," I plopped down in the office chair around his desk, making myself comfortable. "Just don't expect me to put out —I'm not in the mood today"

He gasped. "What? No I—"

I fanned his words off before he could finish talking. I like teasing him. A lot. "Relax, I wasn't being serious"

He sat on his bed across from where I was leisurely inspecting the office supplies on his desk. "You always make me... react strangely"

It's just your personality, I thought fondly but only said, "Let's get down to business shall we?"

"Yeah you said you had questions?" He leaned back so he was resting on his pillows.

"About your dad..." I began carefully. Since he doesn't seem to notice that something serious took place downstairs I have to word my questions the right way or else I'll only learn the trivial stuff he knows without understanding there's more than meets the eye.  "What does he do exactly?"