The Truth in a Dare

Chapter 13

"Ha! Like I would let you win my favorite game!" I exclaim at Alec across the table as he grins and lays down three cards.

"I think you should after what I saw in the alcove," he whispers, grabbing the attention of my two grandparents and a few aunts and uncles who were also sitting at the table playing B.S. I gasp and then swivel my head over to Alec, a scowl pulling my eyebrows in towards my eyes.

"Don't threaten me, Alec. You'll wish you were never--" I begin to hiss back, avoiding looking at Evan next to me while doing so. But I'm interrupted by my phone buzzing loudly in my pocket, "You're lucky that someone out there needs my attention at the moment." I use two fingers to gesture from my eyes to his, making sure that he knows I'm watching him.

"Mhm, I'm so scared," he sasses back as I pull out my phone to see a smiling Kayden on the screen. I instantly blush and bolt out of my chair, heading for the back porch that was empty.

"I'll be back in a minute or two," I excuse myself as I open the door and slide it shut behind me, picking up the phone while doing so.

"What's up?" I ask into the phone as I hear a chuckling Kayden on the other end. His laughter instantaneously sends my heart fluttering and I can't help but smile.

"Can I not just call my best friend cause I'm bored and wishing I was there to bicker with Alec?" Kayden replies sweetly, earning more smiling from me.

"Oh, fine. How's your weekend been?" I ask him, trying to gain a serious tone as I walk down the steps and begin strolling across the backyard, imagining Kayden was strolling along next to me.

"Boring. Same old same old. And whatever mundane way you could describe it," Kayden answers dully.

"Well, I have one more day and night here and then I'll be back to liven up your days once again," I chirp happily, already overjoyed to get back home to see him. 

"Totally. Listen, sorry, but I gotta run. Tell Alec to give Evan a few extra teases for me. And I'll call you later, kay?" Kayden says abruptly, shortly before he hangs up and I'm left with a dead conversation and a million thoughts mulling over my brain. 

"I hate you, Kayden Oliver! I hate the way you always seem to find the perfect time to disappoint me. And how you find the perfect time to make me float on freaking air! And I hate the way your smile lights up my world! I hate that your laugh gives me butterflies!" I scream at the sky, dropping my phone on the grass and flopping backward to lay next to it.

"And I hate that I love you," I whisper softly, my heart cracking straight down the middle. Like a ripped paper, a discarded sheet that had lived out its use and was no longer wanted. I push my hand over my heart as if it would help to prevent the pieces from scattering in the breeze, but I could practically see them already floating through the breeze; their shining, jagged red pieces fluttering and flapping.

I sit by myself in silence for a moment, listening to all the sounds of life and love around me. The little cousins playing tag on the other side of the house, some other relatives splashing around in the pool, and the distant sound of the birds vowing their love to each other. The robin's that flew through the sky, around and around each other like two planets that revolved around each other. Never to be separated, and constantly there for each other. Or to eventually collide with each other in a fiery mess. 

"Amara? Are you okay?" Evan's voice suddenly pulls me from my moment of silent wallowing and I do my best to put myself together, sitting up and hiding my phone under my leg. I run my fingers through my hair and do my best to smile as Evan sits down next to me with his knees up against his chest. 

"Yeah, of course," I reply a little too quickly, avoiding looking at my fake boyfriend. But I could feel him looking at me. 

"You don't seem like it. You were winning B.S and then you never came back from that phone call," Evan says softly, scooting a little closer to me and nudging me with his shoulder.