I was wrong.
But like always I could never admit when I was wrong. I'd embarrassed him all because I wanted him to need me. Jasper's looked at at at me and made me feel a lot of things. But this time, his eyes held nothing but disappointment. I had done one duet and got scared when he danced alone.
Stupid I know.
But I was a stupid girl.
A selfish one too.
I'd never forgotten the look on Jasper's face. How he went from glowing beams of joy all around him, from having a gray cloud over his head. He was angry, but he didn't curse or lash out. He simply handed me his gun and walked off the field.
" And youuuuur out!" Lucas roared.
The shots from the tree had stopped and the field that once held 10 people was now vacant.
" Tisk tisk tisk."
You've got to be kidding me.
I turn around to face Gurney who took confident strides as he approached. His hair was placed in a sloppy bun broadcasting his single earring that dangled from his ear his ripped jeans were covered in grass stains and his red flannel was open exposing bare his chest.
Gurney never hung around high schoolers he surrounded himself with dropouts and played gigs with his band at local bars. He ate weed brownies and smoked vapes. He played the guitar and had girls on the east side wooing over him. Preppy kids weren't his thing. He liked to venture out in a world most of us didn't know. Shopped at thrift stores and wore flannels. Had this whole rocker look going that most girls at my school would reject because he isn't the type your Mom would want you to bring home then again that's what drew a lot of them to him.
Gurney hung around a bunch of older people, yet that didn't make him mature. All and all he was a kid just like the rest of us, but at the same time he wasn't like most of us.
Gurney was rugged and honest. Didn't care for what other people thought of him.
Gurney didn't care for the high school experience.
The dances. The games. The parties. The drama.
But he was a kid. As much as he'd like to deny it.
Kids just wanted to be with other kids.
" Should have left your ass at home to play Guitar Hero." I insulted stepping back. Gurney didn't bother replying as he saw the heel of my boot get stuck in the grate that perimeters Lucas hot tub.
" Fuck." I cursed under my breath tugging at my boot. It wouldn't budge. Gurney held a look of amusement as he took easy strides. He couldn't hold a straight face.
" I warned you about those stripped boots." He said while laughing.
" I'll stick one up to to your ass if you keep laughing Gurney." I threatened, but it was all an act. Playing toa ugh girl when I was humiliated. Not just at the fact that my heel was stuck in a great, but because of what I had done to Jasper.
Karma really is a bitch.
" Sorry to burst your Bubble Babe."
Gurney grabbed the string to my pink balloon and with one squeeze.
Pop.
" YOURRRR OUT." The crowd announced as if they were Tony the Tiger.
Gurney expanded his arms out for a hug.
" Still friends?" He asked.
I flipped him the middle finger.
" Don't be mad cause I won Kins. Jealously isn't very becoming."
I scoffed. " You haven't won unless you have the ticket jackass."
" She's right. No ticket no victory." Lucas started
" Pop the balloon ." I encouraged causing a chant amongst the crowd.
" Pop that balloon."
" Pop that balloon."
Gurney shrugged grabbing the string of his balloon he grabbed a dart off the ground and popped it.
His smile vanished and replaced with a look of disbelief and confusion. " What? No, it has to be here." He dropped to the ground picking of the strides of the balloon in search of the golden ticket.
I smirked.
" Stripper boots come in handy." I teased pulling out the golden ticket.
* * * * *
Gurney was pissed, due to popping his own balloon when it didn't house the Golden Ticket he was put in
Purgatory and Rog had taken his spot in the Winners Hall. Which so happen to be Jasper, Bee and also me for having the Golden Ticket.
Zane, Nani, Jake, Chase, and Gurney were all in Purgatory meaning the challenge would be harder for them.
The first task was the Speed Staking. Which wasn't exactly easy because you had to empty the cup by drinking the alcohol inside of it. Meaning everybody was fucking drunk by the end of it. For those in Purgatory, they had to do it blindfolded once that was done you went on to part 2 where you had been given a paper with morse code on it. Each puzzle piece had a letter written in Morse code with invisible ink that could only be seen with a flashlight.
" What the fuck!" Gurney cursed struggling to love the puzzle. The only 2 people who really seem to have it down was Bee and Jasper who was in the league. I sat in the balcony along with Lucas who was watching with enthusiasm.
" Maybe I did underestimate." I voiced to myself watching as Jasper took the lead. Chase had swiftly stolen a single puzzle piece preventing Bee from getting second place. Even if she knew was the puzzle was spelling out, without the puzzle complete she could not move on...
" I know you took it jackass!" She cursed.
Chase chuckled.
" Don't tell me your mad Dollface?" He taunted
" Me being mad should be a concern for you Dickface." She threatened. Gurney stopped what he was doing to step in,
" Hey, dude give her, her shit back-"
With one swift motion Bee had pushed Chase's puzzle to the ground his pieces flying everywhere.
" YOU BITCH!" Chase hollered.
But before he could do the same thing to her, she took the last piece of the puzzle from his and placed it on to hers. She sprinted across the field to the bell. Jasper was in the lead and reached it before her after then came Gruney. 3 people where eliminated Rog, Jake, and Nani. Who could care less?
I watched as Jasper and Bee where talking fluently in sign language. He laughed at something she had said. I ignored that jealous feeling in my gut.
He's just making friends.
That's what I wanted, right?
The next challenge a classic scavenger hunt. Lucas had placed out 6 balloons out each a different color. I grabbed the pink balloon, of course, and popped it with the heel of my boot. A crumpled white paper was all that was left." You have the most awards for failing at life." Was written on top of it. I picked it and unwrapped it.
" Rose are red, pink is for you. I dare you Kinsley find 2 lies and 1 truth?"
He knew I'd pick pink.
My eyes scanned around the mob of people everyone looked at the there paper in confusion others disbursed running towards the house thinking they had already solved the riddle.
" 2 lies and 1 truth?"
The phrase repeated in my head over and over again. Until it finally clicked.
" 2 lies and on truth!" It was a classic game we would always play. We had a knack for playing truth or dare, but always with a twist. Like the one at the bomb fire. Instead, 2 lies and the truth was mainly about the truth, here we would have to figure out the truth amongst the lies. Last summer we had played the game during one of Lucas's small pool party that only consisted of the 5 of us
" I have a fear of bees," Lucas confessed taking a swing of his beer.
We all snorted at his word not taking his seriously.
"They're terrifying." He said with a smirk. They all watched intensely not sure if it was a lie or not. I laid back in my pool chair only listening partially to the game. I didn't want to be there. I stared amazingly at the glistening pool, while my friends played party games.
"The Notebook is my favorite movie. " He took a swing of his beer, his eyes glancing my way for my reaction as the other laughed. But I didn't speak. I didn't care. I sighed wanting to be away far away hiding, crying... alone. I never got the chance. I just... I just acted like nothing ever happened. Or at least tried to. But they knew... they knew something was wrong
" And I have the biggest crush on Kinsley Pines."
I hadn't believed him when he said it, but thinking about it now. With his words replaying in my head.
I could hear the honesty in his voice. I could feel his eyes wandering back to me waiting.. just waiting on a reaction. But it never came.
While he was serious, the others laughed. He and I had seemed to "hate" each other so, the idea of him liking me seemed unbelievable and ridiculous.
" You're making this too easy," Bee said
" Yeah my bet is on the bees"
" I'm taking a piss," I announced getting off the pool chair. I headed inside the house through the back door and into the den. I had wanted to be alone. I say their... 5 minutes... 10 staring at the wall of certificates and awards. Even a large trophy case. Him and his brother's name engraved in them. I walked closer to it. His eldest brother Cyrus's acceptance letter to Harvard was in a case hung on the wall. He had got a full football scholarship.
My eyes wondered over the pictures of Lucas in all his football pictures. How unhappy he looked, but his father an NFL football coach had the proudest smile on his face.
The back door closed and I didn't bother looking back.
I knew it was him.
"You have the most awards for failing at life," I started looking at his sad photos.
Holy Shit.
I sprinted inside the house past the crowd of people heading straight towards the den. His golden trophies shimmered in the case, but even that held little weight compared to the Harvard acceptance letter to it.
" Whatever happened to Cyrus? " I questioned to myself as walked closer to be letter examining it.
" He joined the military." Nani voices as she entered grabbing a gold Trojan Magnum condom from Lucas's complementary condom bowl.
" Really? Like what the Air Force. They offered him a scholarship too didn't they?"
" He rejected it." She shrugged
"So he's not in the Airforce."
" Certainly not in the Navy or Marines. The dude couldn't swim worth a damn. You remember that time when we where kids and Lucas pushed him in." She burster into laughter at the memory.
" He was drunk," I mumbled.
" Cyrus was always drunk." She scoffed. " Or high."
" So the Army." I decided " This acceptance letter was years ago. Where's his diploma? The Harts are very flashy people why wouldn't who would want a Harvard Degree hanging on their wall?"
"Maybe it's in here." I turned in face Nani who had open the cabinet under the trophies case. She slid outbox field with all of Cyrus's old trophies and certificates. It was as if they had boxed him away, removed he image from the house. I kneeled down and scanned through the box with her. Looking at each picture of Cyrus, the golden boy who came before Lucas. Medals after medals football being their life. With NFL star Dad, it was obvious Mr.Hart wanted them to follow in his foot steps. I just wasn't sure if that was Lucas wanted to d0.
My eyes widen as I grabbed a brochure that sat in the bottom of the box. People smiled and looked happy as the blue sky sat behind them making a perfect backdrop along with palm trees and people doing yoga.
" Oh a spa!" Nani said excitedly grabbing the brochure.
" No Nani." I sighed. " It's a rehab brochure.... Lucas's brothers in rehad."
Her eyes widen in disbelief.
" B-but his Dad said he was in the Military. Why would they lie." I shrugged grabbing the brochure back? "Why wouldn't they." I open the brochure and out slid another hint.
" Secrets stay protected."
At the time I wasn't sure why he told me. What was Lucas's point of telling me the one thing him and his family had been hiding. He's brothers being a drug addict. Family's all seem to have secrets even the wealthy. I guess I didn't know much about people as I thought I did. Just like they one nothing about me.
I found it odd how Lucas could incorporate such a big secret in dumb party game, but he wasqq
He wanted me to know his secret. I would know why eventually.
And I'd protect it.
Protected?
My eyes shot up to Nani who still twirled the Gold Condom wrapper in her hands.
Funny Lucas.
I snatched the Golden Condom out of Nani's hand and sprinted up the stairs still determined to win.
* * * * * * *
Bee had lost the challenge and failed to solve the riddle along with Jake. Luckily I used my ticket bringing her back in the game. The only ones left where Jasper, Chase, Gurney, Bee and myself.
"Jenga?" I followed my arms unimpressed looking
Lucas smirked " Giant Jenga." He corrected. My eyes followed the tower of Jenga pieces that was just a foot taller than me.
" Let's get this over with," Chase said confidently.
"This is truth or dare Jenga each block as either a truth or a dare on it. If you knock over the Jenga you are out. There is no longer Purgatory. If you fail to do the dare or say the truth you're out. One block is painted golden if you pick that block and complete the Golde Dare on it you are exempted from the semifinals are going straight to the finales. And if win you go to the Finale Finales against yours truly... Me." Lucas smirked. " Let the game began."
Gurney approached the large Jenga and examined it.
" Just pick one." Bee groaned impatiently.
" Sassy is sexy on you." He flirted with a wink, before carefully pulling out a Jenga piece.
" Truth, the most embarrassing thing I've ever done." He read out loud. " I vomited on stage. I had the stomach flu, but I was the lead guitarist so I couldn't just bail on the band. Everyone in the first row got covered with Pizza and Frosted Flakes."
"Gross." I voiced in disgust.
Gurney placed the block at the top of the tower. And on went the next.
Chase stepped up and carefully took a Jenga piece. He looked at the bottom of the block hoping it was gold, but instead it just had the word dare written on it in bold. A cocky smirk spread across his face.
" Dare, Do pushups until it's your turn again. Piece of cake." Chase removed his polo shirt and exposed his muscular built and began flexing like Larry the Lobster. Chase was physically attractive, but his ego made him intolerable. He dropped to the ground and began his pushups at a fast pace.
Bee intentionally moved like a snail when it came to getting her Jenga piece knowing Chase would soon tire. With a mischievous smirk, she winked at him as he broke a sweat, his face turning red. He held a strong facade not wanting to collapse in front of a mob of people.
Bee grabbed her Jenga piece.
" Dare." She read with a glint in her eye. Her pink painted lips moving as popped the strawberry bubble gum in her mouth.
" Kiss the hottest person in the group."
I wasn't surprised. Bee was always a sexual spirit whenever she was drunk.
Gurney elbowed me with a confident grin.
" How does my breath smell?" He whispered heavily breathing his breath against my ear reeking of booze.
" I think you just burned my eyebrows off," I replied with an eye roll.
" You drew them on anyway way." I quietly gasp at his insult and send him the middle finger.
Gurney played tough guy, dripping with sarcasm and insults giving off this " I don't give a fuck vibe." It was his thing, but he'd always get weak in the knees for Bee. A girl who never showed any interest in him. Maybe that's why he liked her so much. I guess the chase was fun to him, but how long would he keep running? It seemed like he was only going in circles.
Bee took slow strides as she walked closer to Gurney.
He was in agony waiting to touch her lips. To kiss a girl he'd had a crush on for as long as I could remember. This was supposed to be one of those moments you see on Tv how the guy finally gets the girl. A dumb game of truth or dare ending in a drunken sparkling romance.
He was ready.
Damn it. I was ready for her to get this kiss over with.
But it didn't come.
Well, at least not to Gurney. To both of our surprise, she walked clear past him knowing how she had teased him by doing so. She stopped in front of Jasper and at that moment my heart dropped.
Those lips.
Her lips.
Her Tom Ford Lip Color in Manhattan Rose. Was against his lips. Lips I never got to touch. Lips I dreamed about so many times. She was kissing him.
And he was kissing her.
His plumped lips danced against hers confidently she wrapped her hands running through his thick brown hair and his large hands pulled her close to his waist. The crowd around cheered encouraged the madness in front of me and it only seemed like my world was crashing down.
It wasn't just a peck.
It wasn't just a kiss.
They were making the fuck out.
Jasper was being sexual deviance.
And he was being it with my best friend.
What has this world come to? A world where Jasper Ralston his practically having mouth sex! And no not oral sex. He was unrecognizable drunk, seductive, and wild. I wouldn't be complaining if he was all those things with me, but he wasn't... So I was hurt.
The kind of hurt that you feel everywhere, but then again the kind of hurt that made you feel numb. I couldn't move.
Shocked.
I was still watching it all unleash before me. How she pulled away and their eyes lingered, the big smile that was on his face, his swollen lips and messy hair. The sensuous grin she wore, and her pink lipstick staining his face. His fingering brushing back the long blonde hair that hung in her face.
And the cheering crowd that taunted me.
" Kinsley." She called. Jasper's eyes looked up at me as she called my name and emotions flashed in them I couldn't make out.
" Your turn." Bee reminded.
" Right." My throat was dry, my words came out corky. I walked towards the large Jenga and even though I wanted to remain composed. Look unbothered.
I couldn't.
I didn't want to play anymore. Every time we seem to play these stupid games I'd always end up defeated as if the last time didn't teach me a lesson. What was it with truth or dare? Why is it that games like that always end so badly for me?
Maybe I'm just sensitive.
I grabbed the piece that stuck out in the center knowing that if I pulled it I would be out of the game. The tower collapsed right onto an exhausted Chase ending his push-ups. And although if you ask him, he might act upset about the whole ordeal. I think he's secretly grateful for it.
" Ops." I replied drily with a shrug. " Looks like I'm out." I stepped over the pile of blocks and the crowd parted as I walked back inside the house.
I'm so sick of this party.