Truth or Dare[WattyAwards2011--Slowly Editing]

Truth or Dare: Chapter 38

I sat there, my unwavering gaze staring blankly at the white wall, as I took in his question.  The silence that feel overcame me to the point I was straining to hear even the tiniest noise.  A dog barking.  A slight whistling in the air.  The laughter of a child.

The faint breathing on the other side of the phone.

“No,”  I finally managed to choke out, “I’m busy.”  Then I stabbed my finger down on the end call button, not wanting to talk to him anymore.  Who did he think he was, apologizing after the damage was done?  In all truth, I felt completely and utterly tired.  My mind flashed momentarily back to Disneyland.  Though it felt like years ago, it was hard to believe that it was only two days ago.

Momentarily, I went back slightly to that day.  The sudden shift in atmosphere.  Then us walking away from the group with a solemn air between us.  Then the realization.  And everything just went downhill from there. 

Life sucks, I thought decisively.

I turned back towards my bed and flopped onto it into a crumpled heap.  For a long time, although I didn’t know how long, I just lied there and stared at the blank ceiling, thinking wryly on how just a couple months ago, I had wished that my life was more interesting than that.  Now, I wished that I could just go back to normal.  Normal being no drama, no problems, and just me and my friends having a good time everyday. 

Letting out a sigh, I realized just how much I missed those times.  Sure, Ethan was great-- well, great when he was around and before the whole ‘betrayal’ thing-- but he sure brought a whole bunch of trouble into my life.

Suddenly, the doorbell gave a loud ring, startling out of my daze.  Curious, I got up from my cramped position on the bed and walked over to the window, craning my neck to see who had come so early in the morning.  Letting out a slight gasp of horror, I realized that Chez was making her way into my house, my mind already fitting together the puzzle.  Knowing that she was there nearly completely confirmed the fact that Ethan had came as well.  He sure is stubborn, I thought grudgingly, feeling a slight swell of admiration which I ferociously fought down.  Already the flooding of voices from downstairs reached my ears, hesitantly, and I straightened up as soon as I heard the familiar voice I had gotten so use to and wanted so badly to forget.

“Hello, Mrs. Verita,”  Ethan greeted in what sounded like a happy tone but most obviously wasn’t.

“Good morning, Mrs. Verita!”  Chez chirped more cheerfully.

“Why good morning,”  I heard my mom say with slight shock.  “Are you here to see Kylie?”

I scrunched my eyes in frustration, hoping that this would be one of the few times my mom would actually turn my friends away because I was ‘busy studying’.  Please, I mumbled to myself over and over again, resisting the urge to hide in the corner of my closet and disappear from this world, don’t let them in.  

“Yes.”  I heard the dreaded reply coming from Ethan.

Don’t send them upstairs,  I silently begged my mom.

“Kylie!”  she shouted upstairs, practically stopping my heart for a few seconds. 

“Uh, yes?”  I replied back tiredly.

“Your friends are here,”  she called back cheerfully.

“Really?”  I said a bit more sarcastic than planned.  Letting out a quiet moan, I got up and slumped slowly downstairs.  She shot me an inquiring look at my attitude, and I faked a large, obnoxious yawn, “Sorry, I‘m just super tired,”  I hastily made up, adding in another yawn for emphasis.

“Do you need to sleep more?”  she looked at me worriedly, completely forgetting that we had ‘company. 

More like unwanted company.

“No.”  I shook my head.  “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”  I faked a smile at this point, hoping that it had, in actuality, looked genuine. 

“Well,”  she started after a while, “your friends are here, is that okay?”

“Yes,”  I replied listlessly, avoiding their gazes.  Instead, I met my mom’s concerned look and tried, but to no avail, to send her mental thoughts of ‘bad Ethan’ and ‘me no want to see Ethan’. 

Unfortunately, those things never work.

Deciding to ignore my tone, she responded happily to break the awkward silence that had settled between us, “Why don’t you all go upstairs to Kylie’s room?”  I bit my tongue to prevent myself from saying anything stupid, constantly reminding myself that I was the one who had choose the bad decision to go out with Ethan in the first place.  Instead, I led them up to my room, which mind you-- my brother is said to have a neater room than me-- without a single sound and bitterly shut the door behind me, kicking a pile of clothes to the closet and slamming the door close.

The awkwardness that ensued was horrible to say the least.

The three of us stood there, unsure who was to start talking, and eyed each other warily.  Finally, Ethan cautiously cleared his throat, drawing my attention to him.  My jaw tightened as I took him in, but I slightly relaxed as I noticed that he looked horrible.  Not horrible as in ‘just got up’ but horrible as in tired and worn out.  

“I’m sorry,”  he mumbled quietly.  Chez, meanwhile, had went over to my bed, and pretended to be completely disinterested in what was happening.  Thanks for ditching me, I thought wryly, turning to face Ethan completely and trying to find that little bit of me that could even accept that apology.

“It’s not your fault,”  I got out despite what I really wanted to say.

“You’re a horrible liar,”   he said dryly.  I gave a distinct shrug, wanting more than anything for them to just leave.  “Kylie, I’m sorry.  Seriously, I was an idiot.  Look, you mean a lot to me, really you do.  And I was a complete retard to do what Ever had told me to do.  I really was,”  he babbled, letting out a frustrated sigh, “I’m sorry.”

I stared stunned at him, unsure how to respond.  My mind raced with different replies-- I can pretend his apologies didn’t mean anything or  I can take it as a kind gesture.  

“Kylie,”  he said quietly, “the thing is, I still like you a lot.  Do you think…”  he drifted off uncertainly.  I raised an eyebrow in question, feeling my heart rapidly pick up its pace.  No, I thought helplessly, please don’t ask that.

Cause once he did, I felt for sure I wouldn’t be able to find the tiniest courage to say no.

And truthfully, I just wanted all this to be over and done with.

“Do you think we can try again?”  he finally blurted out.

My heart stopped beating for a mere second at his seven worded 

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Yea, I know, I know.  Sudden twist, plot changes, cliff hanger, blah blah blah xD  All the more reason to comment, yes? LOL anyways, personally I want to thank each and every one of you guys for reading.  Seriously, you all make my day.  :D  I LOVE YOU ALL [non-creepy way].  

Anyways, out of my love fest?-- leave a comment below and tell me what you think!! Vote?  Please?  Aha and spread the word!! I PROMISE I WILL UPLOAD FASTER(or I will try).  And yes, this IS drawing to a close-- I'm thinking... 10 more chapters?  Uhm, that's drawing to a close right?  Hope you all enjoyed this!!

By the way, sorry for all the dramatizing and everything-- It'll lighten up.  After all this IS suppose to be humorous... not-- depressing ^-^  And sorry for the short chapter :/  I'll try and make the next one super long.  Promise :D

~Laura(XxIcyxX)