𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐮𝐧, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐫𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫 (𝟐)

truth or dare

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

for a second, i felt my younger self groan. at who i was with, what i was doing, and what was going on.

everything had quickly went to crap, after that day at the boardwalk.

us teens came home to an empty house. belly had been told that she wasn't allowed to rejoin the volleyball team this upcoming year. the teen boys were now homeless...

and still, taylor found some way to act like her handmade, but also broken, apple bong was the worst event of the night.

and, how did they see fit to distract themselves? how did they spent a night out on a rich golf course and resort? by a classic game of truth or dare.

i sighed, picking out the third piece of the apple that steven spit out all over us, after a dare to eat it.

"i'm not playing this." conrad groaned.

"cmon con, you scared?" steven teased, earning a round of laughs.

"cmon man," cam thought for a moment, "where do you see yourself in the next... ten years?"

i scoffed, "cam. seriously?"

he shrugged, "what?"

"ok cameron," taylor said, and i knew she, of all people, would be the one to play this game right, "what's your biggest regret."

"there we go!" i whooped, finally getting deep and interesting.

conrad gave me a look, a 'you're into this, too?' look. i shrugged, a 'might as well' shrug.

"umm," cams eyes went darker as he thought, "prolly not spending enough time with my sister before she died." no one knew what to say, so no one said anything, "it was ten years ago though," he shook his head at taylors gasp, "but yeah, she was 16." cam took a deep breath, and i grabbed his hand, knowing this story well, "i always looked up to her. still do."

"does it get any easier?" jer asked, not looking up from the shards of grass in his palms. and he didnt need to clarify what he was talking about - grief.

"yeah, yeah, i guess so." cam nodded, "i mean, it's always there. the pain. but, at some point it started feeling more like a scar than a scab."

everyone nodded, and apologized.

taylor just yawned.

"uh i'm sorry!" cameron fauxed an insulted manner, "where did we lose you there, taylor?"

"no, no, no, nowhere! i swear!" she stretched, "i swear, my tiktok is 70% therapists, i love mental health," i stole a glance at conrad and rolled my eyes, "i'm just really really tired."

cam slapped my knee, "what about you macedonia castillo." he raised his eyebrows, "biggest regret."

mine, actually, made me smile.

"not trying more." i took a deep breath, rocking back on my butt, "i don't know, i was always so scared of trying to fit in. i was just taught not to in school, so i assumed that'd be the same here. i was ready to spend the rest of my life, just not trying. not needing anyone." i frowned, but smiled as i caught cameron's eye, "cameron was the first one who stayed around in a very long time." i smiled at my bestie, who put a finger in the air.

"i'd like a rewrite, actually. my biggest regret was definitely forcing you on that ride the day we met and-" i laughed out loud and tackled him into the ground, trying to cover his mouth before the truth came out.

he was laughing too hard and talking too loud to stop, though, "and you threw up all over my shoes!!! now that's a regret!!!"

"whatever!" i slapped him, but helped him sit back up afterwards, shaking my head, "you stuck around!"

he nodded proudly, "i did."

"i just feel like," i spoke as everyone around me calmed down from the scene, "i dont know, if i tried more, harder, or even just at all," i smiled around at the group of friends around me, "i would've met y'all sooner. i could've been happy like this for... longer."

now it was conrad to grab my hand, and squeeze it. cameron was nodding too.

"wow," skye nodded, "you were right. we are alike."

we both laughed, and continued the game.

"share a blanket with me, love?" i smiled up at my boo an hour later, as everyone got ready to sleep. conrad sat down elegantly next to me on the checkered blanket.

"of course, m'lady." he pecked me on the cheek, and slung his arm around my waist as we both laid down.

i tried to close my eyes and pretend that our only problem was the growing amount of bug bits on our legs, and how taylor might get drug tested in a week.

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

i awoke to taylor whisper screaming, and found her flicking stevens arm off of her body, i smiled to myself, but had to quickly act like i was asleep as taylor panickedly looked around.

it wasn't until a woman's voice rang out that i truly awoke.

"what's going on out here?" it was cameron's mom.

"mom! hi, um," cameron stuttered, fumbling to get up off the hill, "i'm so sorry. they needed a place to stay, they lost their house."

"cam." his mother barked, eyes cold. i fumbled to get up in a similar way that he had.

"ms denise!" i rushed over, hugging cam from behind until she recognized me. i knew her well. i had spent some nights over at camerons, gotten teased many times for practically dating her son, and one summer even went out on their boat with them. cameron had to hold me with both arms the entire time, i was a nervous wreck.

"macee!" she smiled, "hey hun, how are you?" her voice was a lot gentler, now.

"doing ok." i walked to her slowly, giving her a hug. her hugs were always the best.

"i promise," i pulled away, and put both hands on her shoulders, keeping eye contact, "we'll clean this up!" she cracked a smile, "we've just had a really hard week..."

it took a second, but she nodded, and said sorry to the boys, and left.

"macees always had a way with her," cameron shook his head, "she was the strictest mother, but if anyone can ever get anything from that woman, it's her." conrad smiled sweetly over at me, and i gave cam another hug.

"what can i say, mothers love me."

especially when you love their sons, ive learned.