The Art of Revenge

20 - The Truth Hurts

            He was silent for a while until he finally spoke again. “Do you regret becoming close with me?”

            I pulled back to look into his pale eyes. “No! If anything, that’s the only good thing that has come out of this,” I smiled at him. “You’re one of my best friends, Jace. Well, actually… you’re probably my only one now that Lauren’s pissed off.”

            “There are other things that has come out of this. You’re on the dance team, you made Sean regret cheating on you, and you’re more confident. Plus, look on the bright side… maybe she’ll forgive you. If I were her then I wouldn’t want to give up my best friend.”

            I smiled and he wiped the tears off my face. With a huge sigh, I put my face into his chest while he stroked my hair. “Should we quit this thing now that our secret has gotten out? I’m pretty sure that they won’t tell anyone but they’ll still be mad every time we’re together…”

            “No!” He said a little too quickly but then regained himself. “I mean… You have that Romeo and Juliet scene with Sean coming up where you kiss him. If we broke up now then they’d think that the kiss made you rethink ever breaking up.”    

            I considered it then nodded into his chest. “You’re right… I still feel bad though! I basically broke up your bromance with Dillon.”

            He pulled me back by my shoulders and made me look him in the face, which had a confused expression on it. “Bromance?” He laughed. “I’m straight, you know that right?”

            With a straight face and big eyes, I said the next sentence. “True love conquers all, Jace. Don’t be afraid to come out of the closet because I won’t judge!”

            He just shook his head and I smiled at him. “Peyton, Peyton, Peyton… You’re a very interesting girl.”

            I eyed him curiously and put some hair behind my ear. “I’m just going to take that as a compliment.”

            After a few minutes with his arms wrapped around me while in silence, he broke through it. “Peyton?”

            “Hmm?”

            “I… Uh…” He drew a deep breath. “Never mind.”            

            I giggled into his chest, “Whatever, Jace.”

            I looked outside where fall had taken over and leaves now rested on the ground. In only a week it would be Dillon’s birthday and he’d have his annual party that he throws every year in honor of it. Would it still be going on this year with what he just found out?

            I felt like we sat like that for hours when Dillon walked into the house. The anger has faded from his face and is now betrayal. “Jace,” He said in an even voice. “Can I have some privacy as I talk to Peyton? Luke is here to take you home.”

            Jace gave me a sad look before hobbling over to his crutches and leaving me alone with my brother. I raised myself from the ground and took a seat on the couch. He paced back and forth without a word for minutes and I found myself becoming antsy in the silence. Normal Dillon would be talking and talking. This Dillon is the mad, deceived one that the secret has brought upon him.  

            “Everything was fake, wasn’t it?” He asked in a pained voice. “From the beginning of the school year to now, everything was fake. The kissing, the homecoming proposal, and the ‘dates’ you’d go on… None of it was true.”