Truth or Dare? [REWRITTEN]

¤Chapter 20¤

¤Chapter Twenty¤

"So he's really back, huh?" Angie briefly shifted her attention from her laptop to me, trying to examine my condition no doubt.

I threw myself back on the pillows with a confirming a grown. When did this simple life I recreated for myself become so twisted again? The ride back to school in Jace's car was silent and awkward to say the least. The intensity of our struggle in the sand at the beach followed by his revelation that my worst enemy is his bestfriend changed the atmosphere between us from tolerable to hostile. At least on my end. 

Any friend of Todd is my enemy.

"But Jace..." Amy looked up dreamily from her textbook, her thick curls looked a bit deflated today. Maybe because of cheer practice or maybe her disappointment is able to travel through each individual strand. Knowing her, both are very likely. "I was kinda rooting for him"

I rose a brow. "I thought you were 'rooting' for Owen since you don't seem to mind sending him in my direction every chance you get"

"Well," She crossed her arms. "There's no reason you can't have both." 

I leaned up from my position, resting on my elbows for balance. We all gaped at her, bulging eyes and all. More precisely, Angie and Sam gaped while I stared with contempt. My mouth opened to speak but Sam beat me to it, "Good to know you think so highly of our dear Madi. Two guys at once? Jeez."

"Relax, I'm only joking," Amy pouted then muttered under her breath. "It would still be nice though"

"I feel like I should have known" I gripped my head in frustration, slightly squeezing the scalp beneath. There's no use entertaining Amy's lewd suggestion even for a second so I don't bother to. She needs a cleanse, clearly, and I'm no priestess. Also, she's wrong. It's not like I'm a contestant on some dating show, neither guy interest me in the way she hopes.

"He used to mention Jason all the time —occasionally referring to him as Jace." I continued. "We were never formally introduced but they practically lived together like roommates. Jace would leave as soon as I arrive and be back once I'm gone" My face scrunched up from frustration and deep thoughts. I was mostly talking to myself now. "I tried to forget all my memories with him and it seems those associated got overlooked as well, even someone as close as a brother..."

"Hey," Angie shifted to her knees from her position on my bedroom floor and placed her hands over mine. "Don't beat yourself up over it Madi, everyone copes differently. You forgot Jace, so what?"

"Yeah." Amy agreed, mindlessly twisting the cap on her highlighter. "Plus, you said he didn't really go by Jace back then so no one could have known." Everyone nodded in agreement and she added more animatedly, "I mean, that hunk went to our school and we didn't notice!"

I can't say I have the best memory but as long as the person doesn't experience some kind of drastic change, I should remember them. Their height or even voice might change but key features wouldn't. The look behind their eyes, choice of diction, personal characteristics, and physical capabilities, I should know all of it —I should remember all of it, even if we barely spoke.

I dismissed Todd from my mind but I still remember his presence. I remember how he took control of a room; he became the commander. I remember his obsidian gaze, cool composure, low yet modulated voice, sturdy hands —I remember it all. The memories reappear in flashbacks periodically, almost as if I'm daydreaming except those moments are neither fake nor pleasant.

 Sometimes it happens often, other times it seems to be nonexistent altogether. When I hear his name, it triggers something in me so I try to avoid saying it out loud. Everything rushes back to me at once and I lose control of myself. Recently, almost anything reminds me of him and as a result, my friends are forced to walk on eggshells around me in hopes that I'm not dragged back into the past. They don't complain but I don't want them involved if I can avoid it.