The Day the Moon Disappeared (✔️)

Chapter Three: Truth or Dare

A/N:

Thing may seem a little.....crazy, confusing, or all over the place right now....

But it's all for a reason.

-B. 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️😬😬😬

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(Sophia's POV)

I don't know how long I sat there in the rain. All I do know is that it had to be longer than two hours.

"For f*cks sake, I've been looking everywhere for you." Gavin growled, suddenly appearing in front of me with an umbrella.

With rain running down my over me and my hair stuck to face, I looked up at him. "Why do bad things happen to good people?"

He sighed and took a seat beside me. "The world is f*cked up, Soph. No pun intended, but it usually rains on the hardest the people who deserve the most sunshine....or moon in your case." He half smiled.

"I....The pain I feel inside, it's...it's numbing. My brain can't wrap itself around what happened and it's been almost 14 years. I can't sleep due to night terrors. I have so much anxiety that I take Xanax. I never wear clothes that show very much skin. I walk around thinking that...that...they could be around every corner. How is that a way to live?"

"As broken as you feel, you're strong, Sophia. A lot of people would have given up by now. You haven't though. You're still holding on."

"I promised him that I'd live. I promised him that's not matter what else happened, I would live."

"Keep holding onto that promise. Never let it go. Let it help heal you. Everyone holds onto something. That's what keeps us on to"

"What do you hold on to?" I asked.

"I hold on to....hope."

"Hope for what?"

"Hope that one day, I will find my brother."

Gavin has a younger brother. His name is Caiden. Him and Gavin were separated when they were little after their parents died. They died in a car accident on the way back home from a weekend getaway. Gavin and Caiden's grandparents were unable to care for them and their parents were only children, so they went into the system. People tried to keep them together, but eventually they were separated.

"I hold on to the hope that he is still waiting for me and that he is looking for me like I'm looking for him." He smiled.

After sitting there and talking for a few more minutes, we got up and headed to the car.

"You still going to see Vivian and Hank?" I asked, playing with the hem of my shirt.

"I'll go see them tomorrow."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, while I was looking for you, Phoebe called me. Her and the others are gathering at her place. She wants us to come."

"Is there going to be swimming?" I asked.

They always went swimming when we had a get together at Phoebe's, even if it was the dead of winter because the pool is heated. Phoebe's parents live about a hour away from campus, which is why she rents an apartment with me.

"Probably, but no worries. They still think you can't swim."

"Okay."

I can't remember the last time I went swimming. I don't go swimming for a few reasons. The main reason being that my scars will visible. To keep our friends from pestering me, we've just told them that I can't swim and that I'm afraid of water. It's worked so far.

We arrived at Phoebe's and knocked on the door. Seconds later, a maid opened the door.

"Welcome. Ms. Phoebe is downstairs with the others."

"Thanks." Gavin said, as we walked inside.

We got downstairs where all of our friends had gathered and we were immediately spotted.

"Sophia! Gavin!! Hey!" Phoebe screamed.

She's always loud. Always. She doesn't know what an inside voice is.

"Hey." Gavin and I waved.

"No swimming today?" Gavin asked.

"No," Phoebe sighed. "My parents are having the pool drained so it can be cleaned."

Phoebe's parents are super rich. Her father is Richard Keene. He is the CEO of Keene Industries, a company his father built from the ground up.

"What are we doing then?"

"Games, movies, and snacks." Sean grinned.

The first game we played was Uno. Then we played Yahtzee. The finals game we played before watching a movie was Truth or Dare, my least favorite game.

"Truth or dare?" Phoebe asked Sean.

"Dare." Sean said confidently.

"I dare you to run one lap around the inside of the house...naked."

Sean scoffed. Sean was one of those really confident guys, so he had no problem with this dare. Most of us knew it was just an excuse for Phoebe to see him naked.

I adverted my gaze as he stripped down and then took off. Everyone else yelled and cheered for him as he ran around.

"Truth or dare?" Sean asked Piper, when he got back and got dressed.

"Truth."

"Do you have any kinks and, if so, what are they?"

Piper blushed. "I...I'm really into bondage."

Some of the guys whistles and hollered, while the other girls blushed.

"Truth or dare?" Piper then asked me.

"She's not playing." Gavin said, instantly coming to my defense.

"What? Why? She has to play. She never does." Phoebe whined.

"No,"

"Why are you always speaking for her? She has a voice of her own." Giselle said with an attitude.

"Truth or dare?" Piper asked again.

"Truth I guess." I said, afraid of what was coming next.

"Alright, let me think a second. What's a good question to ask you?"

One of the other girls leaned in and whispered something in Piper's ear.

"That's good." Piper exclaimed. "We don't know much about your personal life so answer this question. It's nothing to scandalous, don't worry."

But I was worried. I was very worried. I'm not a good liar, so there was no way I could lie. I would have to disclose the truth.

"Why don't you ever mention your parents or let us meet them?"

My heart stopped.

"Soph," Gavin said. "You don't have to answer."

"Yes, she does. What's the big deal?" Giselle snapped.

"It's okay." I assured Gavin before I gave my answer. "My parents....my parents are dead. They were murdered when I was little."