A Killer Among Us

Chapter 4

Reyna
We all sat in a circle next to each other.
"Alright, I'll start." Piper said. "Hm, Annabeth. Truth or dare."
"Dare." She answered confidently.
"Alright then. I dare you to... let me give you a makeover." She smiled, Annabeth's eyes widening.
"What?" She demanded.
"Oh come on, it's just makeup." Piper rolled her eyes. Annabeth glared.
"Fine. But first, it's my turn. Will, truth or dare?" She asked.
"Um, truth." He replied, taking a sip from his water bottle.
"Alright. Have you ever..." She trailed off, then her face brightened with an evil smile. "Had sex?" Will choked on the water, coughing and spluttering, his face going red.
"What?! No!" He answered. I felt the corners of my lips pull up into a smile.
Poor Will.
Laughter echoed through the large room, Will looking like an embarrassed tomato.
"Alright. Now you can give me a makeover." Annabeth said, turning back to the Cherokee girl.
"Oh, yay!" She squealed.
"My turn. Calypso, truth or dare?" Will asked. Calypso pondered it for a moment.
"Dare."
"Alright. I dare you to..." Will's eyes flickered around the room, seeming to rest on someone in particular. "Kiss Leo."
"What?!" She spluttered, her face flushing.
"On the mouth, contact." Will continued. Now both Leo and Calypso were blushing.
They're perfect for each other. Why can't they just see it?
"Come on, it's a dare!" Will said.
"Yeah, come on Calypso!" Thalia urged, smiling widely. A few more encouraging statements followed.
"Okay! I'll do it!" She caved in to the pressure, grabbing Leo by the collar and yanking him towards her. Their lips pressed for a few seconds before she pushed him away again, blushing like crazy. Leo looked shocked and surprised, like he couldn't believe what had happened. He blinked his surprise away, shaking his head.
"Jeez Sunshine, next time warn me." He joked.
"Next time?" Calypso questioned. Leo froze, his cheeks turning red. An awkward silence filled the air.
"It's my turn." Calypso finally spoke again. "Bianca, truth or dare?"
"Truth."
"Okay, easy one. Who's your crush?" She asked.
"Luke Castellan. Percy, truth or dare?" She answered easily, turning to the dark haired boy.
"Dare." He said imediately.
"Alright. I dare you..." She thought for a moment. "To jump into the swimming pool." Everyone's eyes turned to him, seeing how he was going to react. To my surprise, he just shrugged.
"Can I jump in with my clothes on?" He asked.
"Fine." He stood up, slipping off his hoodie. I climbed to my feet, everyone else doing the same.
"Let's go." Everyone followed Percy down the hallways, to the swimming pool. The lamp swung in his hand, illuminating the area. I stood next to Thalia. She was taking a swig from a flask in her hand.
"What is that?" I asked. She didn't even look my way.
"Medicine." She said simply. I raised an eyebrow but didn't comment further. I heard Percy and Annabeth talking to each other softly. I strained my ears to hear what they said.
"-why do you have a bruise on your arm?" Annabeth asked him. Now that she said it, I did see a large bruise on his left arm.
"Oh. That." He seemed to roll his eyes. "You know how I told you I fell? Well I landed on my arm and my head hit the ground." He explained. Annabeth still looked suspicious. I jumped as a loud crack boomed in the sky. The swimming pool was lit up with a few lights on the sides of the pool. Percy slipped off his shoes and socks and promptly dove in. He surfaced, shaking the water from his face then swam back to the side of the pool. He pulled himself out, his clothes soaking wet.
"Hey, I found a towel." Leo handed Percy a school towel.
"Thanks." He muttered, trying to dry himself. "Okay, while we wait until I get dried, Thalia, truth or dare?"
"Dare." She answered.
"I dare you to slap Jason." He grinned evilly and Thalia let out a snort of laughter.
"Okay. Jase, hold still." She told her brother. Jason glared at both of them.
"What?!" He growled.
"Come on, it's a dare. She has to slap you." Percy said.
"Well I'm not go-" He was interupted by Thalia's sharp strike. He cried out, stumbling away. A red hand mark had appeared on his cheek.
"Well that was fun. Rachel, truth or dare?"
"Truth."
"Alright. Who is your secret crush?"
"What! I don't have one, I'm dating Octavian." She protested. Thalia shrugged.
"So? Who's your crush?" Rachel's face flushed, muttering something inaudible.
"What was that?" Thalia asked sweetly. Rachel glared at her.
"Percy is my crush." She growled. Silence hung over the group like a blanket, before,
"Wait, WHAT?!" Octavian screamed, going red. Percy's mouth flopped open and closed like a fish on dry land. Rachel seemed to try and disappear into the ground and Annabeth was glaring at Rachel so hard that I thought at any moment, she would burst into flames.
"Whatever. Let's just move on." Rachel said, scowling deeply. "Nico, truth or dare?"
"Truth." He muttered.
"Alright." She smirked. "What is your darkest secret?" Nico glared at the ground.
"Next question." He growled.
"Oh, come on. What, are you scared? Afraid we'll find out you're on drugs?" Bianca sneered. The room seemed to darken.
"I'm not on drugs." He hissed angrily.
"What's wrong? Your drugs not working anymore?" Rachel asked, laughing.
"I'M NOT ON DRUGS!" He shouted, then went silent again, his rage seeming to dim away. "I'm not on drugs." He repeated quietly.
"Oh yeah? Then what is your problem, you goth freak? What is your big secret?" She asked. With a glare, he pushed up his sleeves, showing his forearms. Marring his pale skin were many thin, even paler scars, crisscrossing and overlapping each other. Some looked relatively new, as they were still healing, and others looked old, faded slightly.
"I cut myself." He snarled, an angry glow shining in his eyes. "That is my big secret." The silence was overbearing as we all tried to comprehend what Nico had said.
"Nico..." Bianca whispered. "I-I didn't know..." Nico sent her a glare, pulling down his long sleeves again.
"Maybe we should go back to the library now." Percy muttered, looking uncomfortable and still kinda wet.
"Yeah, let's go." Jason said, walking out of the gym. Everyone followed, walking silently back. We sat in a circle once again, when Nico spoke.
"Octavian. Truth or dare?" He asked, his eyes downcast.
"Truth." Octavian smiled arrogantly.
"What the hell is the deal with your obsession with stuffed animals?" Nico asked. Octavian went red, his face showing embarrassment and shock.
"I-I don't have an obsession with stuffed animals!" He lied obviously.
"Yes you do. Now tell us." Nico rolled his eyes.
"I-I like ripping them apart and looking at their entrails." He murmured under his breath. I felt a laugh escape my lips. Soon everyone else was laughing too.
What a weirdo.
Octavian glared at us all, resembling an angry lobster.
"Shut up! Reyna, truth or dare?" He turned to me.
"Uh..." I trailed off, everyone's eyes turning to me.
Truth or dare?
"Dare."
"Okay. I dare you to swap shirts with the person to your right." I looked over to my right, seeing Annabeth rolling her eyes as Piper was putting lipstick on her.
"Everyone, turn around." She said. Everyone did as she ordered, and we slipped off our shirts, trading them. I pulled on her grey, only slightly too small shirt. It was long sleeved, the picture of an owl on it. Annabeth straightened my purple and gold, Roman SPQR shirt, which wasn't actually that big on her.
"Alright."
Who hasn't gone yet?
"Jason. Truth or dare?" I asked, avoiding eye contact with him.
"Truth." He answered. I raised my eyes to look at him. He and Piper sat next to each other, smiling like nothing was wrong.
It had taken him three days after he broke my heart to start hooking up with this... this bitch. I can still remember the night...

~Flashback~

I stood in the gym, wearing my school issued gym uniform. A red ball sat in my hand. We just finished playing dodgeball, my team winning. I gazed across the room, my eyes drifting to my boyfriend, his dazzling sky blue eyes lighting up the room. My heart did a little dance every time I saw him. An involuntary smile spread across my face as I started towards him. My strides faltered as a saw a curly mane of red hair approach Jason. Rachel. They talked for a bit, before she laughed flirtatiously, flipping her hair. I felt my eyes narrow.
What is she playing at here?
Jason laughed as well, sending her a wink. I continued towards him.
"Hi." I said, standing next to him. He smiled, draping an arm across my shoulders.
"Hey." He said, then turned to Rachel again. "See you later." He said. She smiled.
"Yeah, later." She giggled, walking away.
"Later?" I questioned.
"Yeah, I'm gonna tutor her." He explained. I nodded in understanding.

What an idiot I was...

I closed my locker, holding the book in my hand. I shouldered my backpack, heading to the library. I hummed to myself without even realising. I walked through the open door, putting the book in the return box. I trailed along the rows and rows of books, searching for one I wanted to read. I paused, hearing the sound of familiar voices. I looked around the corner of a bookshelf, freezing at what I saw. At an empty desk, sitting in the chairs was Rachel and Jason, kissing.
I couldn't stifle my gasp of shock. My heart felt like it had been trampled, smashed apart and fed to the wolves. My eyes filled with tears, the sound of my beating heart deafening me.
Why?
Jason turned, hearing my gasp. His eyes widened in surprise.
"Reyna? I didn't' know you were there." He stammered.
"So that gives you the right to cheat on me?" My voice came out as a cracked whisper.
"No, Reyna, I-" He started, but I cut him off.
"Save it. There's nothing you could say to fix this." I hissed. Jason stood but I just took a step back.
"It's over between us. We're done." I growled, anger taking over the sadness. I whirled around, stalking away from them, tears running freely down my face.
I thought he loved me... Why?

~Flashback over~

"Alright, truth. Tell me this." I started, glaring at my ex boyfriend. "How long were you cheating on me with Rachel?" I demanded, tears gathering in my eyes. Jason looked slightly guilty.
Good.
"Reyna-"
"Just tell me." I almost let out a sob. Jason looked down, the others avoiding my eyes as well.
"Reyna-" He tried again.
"Just tell me how long!" I screamed, tears escaping my eyes.
"Almost a month." He muttered. I looked down, wiping my tears away.
A month. A month. He had been going behind my back... lying to me... cheating on me for almost a month.
I hate him. I hate her. I hate Piper. I hate them all! I will get them back someday.
"Um, Leo. Truth or Dare?" Jason asked, trying unsuccessfully to break the awkwardness.
"Dare." The Latino boy replied.
"Okay. I dare you to burn one of these books in the library." Jason said. Leo's eyes widened, as did Annabeth's.
"What?!" She demanded. "No way! And besides, Mr. Brunner will see it on the camera's."
"Actually, all electricity is out, so the camera's are out too." Will shrugged. Annabeth sent him a look that said,
"Not helping."
"Done." Piper announced, inspecting her work. Annabeth turned to us questioningly.
Woah, Annabeth looks so different.
The makeup was practically perfect, outlining her features amazingly.
"Well? What do you think?" Piper squealed.
"Wow." Was all Percy could say. Annabeth blushed.
"Anyway, back to the book thing." Jason said.
"I'm not going to do it." Leo said stubbornly, a hard look on his face.
"Why not? Here's a lighter." Jason threw a lighter at Leo's feet, who instantly stood up, backing away. Despair, fear and sadness visible in his eyes.
"No." He said.
"What? Why?" Jason demanded incredulously.
"It's none of your business." Leo snarled, his eyes flashing with anger.
"We've done all of our dares! You must do yours!" Jason argued.
"No! I'm not doing it and that's that!" Leo shouted. Everyone froze. No one had ever seen Leo look this angry before. Leo stormed away, leaving us all in shocked silence.
"Okay, I guess we're done with Truth or Dare." Percy muttered.