𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐬 || Jameson Hawthorne

that was unexpected

4 years ago —

༄ "𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐒 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘 𝐀 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄." Emily said, walking to the middle of the treehouse.

"That's never good." Jameson said.

I let out a small laugh, but Emily's horror eyes suppressed anything else. "Jameson Hawthorne, are you afraid of a little game?"

This got Jameson going. "Me? Never," he leaned back against the wall. "What game?"

Emily smirked. "Truth or dare!"

Grayson groaned, resting his head in between his legs. Emily noticed and snapped her fingers, gaining both boys attention. She always did that.

"Okay," Emily looked at me. "Lizzie, truth or dare?"

"Death."

Jameson choked on nothing next to me.

Emily looked between Jameson and I for a few seconds, as if she was considering something. That look was never a good one for Emily Laughlin, because it only ever meant one thing. Trouble.

"If you insist on being so stubborn, then i'll do it." She didn't have to specify anything, because we knew what she was talking about.

Now she had Graysons attention. He was staring at her like she hung the stars and the moon. I wanted to tell him it wasn't worth it, to stop, and that Emily tended to have that effect on everyone.

Jamesons face went beat red. "You won't."

Emily's lips contorted into an Emily-like grin, one that would make all heads turn. I needed to practice that more often. "Sure I won't."

And then, just like that, Emily Laughlin trudged over to Jameson Hawthorne, grabbed his face and kissed him like there was no tomorrow.

The sinking feeling in my stomach multiplied. Emily had just gotten the chance to kiss Jameson— and then pulled away like it was nothing.

"Now," Emily looked at Grayson, who had already been staring at the two of them the whole time. "Your turn?"

"Emily," I said, my tone firmer than I had intended. She ignored me.

And then she kissed Grayson Davenport Hawthorne, right in the eye line of Jameson Winchester Hawthorne.

Pulling away, she looked between the boys like she hadn't just ripped both of their hearts out. "Now, Lizzie, it's your turn to kiss one of them."

What the— "are you serious?"

"What?" She said. "You scared?" The way she spoke made me feel lesser than human. "This is why nobody pays attention to you, Liz. You have to actually do things in life."

Emily's right. She's always right. "I know. I'm sorry."

"You should be," Emily reinforced. "I'm living with a malfunctioning heart and doing more than you are."

"Lizzy has a problem too." Jameson said.

"Her heart isn't as bad as mine. She doesn't have to worry about dying." The words struck me to my core, shredding my insides out.

Just do it, Liz. "Okay.." There was no way in hell I was kissing Grayson, not after the way he had looked at Emily. Standing up, I looked at Jameson who was still sitting, his legs in front of him.

Emily is right. This is who you need to be.

And then I took his face in my hands and kissed him. It didn't last very long, but the sickly sweet taste of his lips had penetrated onto mine.