Then, a familiar figure appeared in the
distance. My smile faltered. A young guy I’d
never met, clearly friendly with Ethan and
Carl, jumped up and waved excitedly. “Hey,
Chloe! Ethan’s over here!”
A collective gasp rippled through the group.
Carl kicked the guy’s foot and muttered
about him being clueless.
L
“I need the restroom,” I said, standing up. I
didn’t want a scene. I wanted to maintain
some dignity. Ethan glanced at me, then at
Chloe, and didn’t follow.
When I returned, everyone was sitting on the
beach, full from the barbecue. Chloe and
Ethan were nestled close together. I quietly
found a spot away from them.
“Alright, everyone’s here!” Carl announced.
“Let’s play Truth or Dare!”
L
Ethan won the first round, Chloe lost. She
chose truth. Ethan went easy on her, asking
about something happy that happened
recently.
Chloe batted her eyelashes at Ethan. “I met
this amazing guy, and within a day, I had a
house and a car! He even taught me how to
drive one–handed!” She finished with a
triumphant smirk in my direction.
Most people there knew how she’d gotten the house and car, but they’d always pretended
L
not to notice. Chloe flaunting it was another
story. The air grew thick with awkwardness.
Even Carl looked uncomfortable. Seeing I
wasn’t reacting, he tried to keep the game
going. “Okay, round two! Looks like it’s
Olivia’s turn!”
This time, Chloe got to choose my dare.
“Truth,” I said flatly.
Chloe sauntered over with a beer. “Let’s make
this interesting, Olivia. How about a dare?”
Alarm bells rang. “I choose truth.”
“It’s easy! Ethan says you’re a great
swimmer. Swim a lap for us!” She looked
pointedly at my stomach.
