"Oh, the pleasure is all mine." She grins. "We're starting a game of Truth or Dare in the living room by popular demand, and by popular, I mean my demand, and you're joining us."
Before I can respond, she's grabbed my arm, dragging me through the crowd, Allie trailing awkwardly behind us. We end up in a circle on the floor, and just as I'm wondering where Madison is, she appears with Carter, looking like she'd rather be anywhere else.
Her eyes widen when she spots me before narrowing dangerously at Lyla. "What’s this?"
"Truth or Dare," Lyla says innocently. "You know, that game where people ask questions, and you have to tell the truth or do a dare?"
"I know what Truth or Dare is," Madison hisses, but Carter's already pulling her down beside him.
"Come on, Maddy. It'll be fun," he says, handing her a fresh drink.
She takes it with a sigh, deliberately avoiding my gaze as she settles into the circle directly across from me.
We start off with the usual silly dares and mundane truths. Drinks flow freely as the game progresses, and the raunchiness increases proportionately with our intoxication. Lyla seems determined to create chaos, asking increasingly personal questions and assigning outrageous dares.
"Carter," she says with a mischievous gleam in her eye. "Truth or dare?"
"Truth," he says confidently.
"Have you ever tried to hook up with a professor or TA?"
The group erupts in laughter and gasps, but Carter doesn't miss a beat.
"Jessica Miller, hands down," he says, a cocky smirk taking over his features. “Freshman year, Intro to Psych. She was so hot. She was into me too, I’m sure of it.”
I notice Madison roll her eyes, but there's no hint of jealousy or offense in her expression, only further confirmation that whatever's going on between them isn't serious.
A few more rounds pass, and then, it's Madison's turn. She locks eyes with me across the circle.
"Truth or Dare, Jaxon," she says, her voice barely audible over the music.
"Truth.” Her eyes narrow on me as she weighs her options. I can tell she's a few drinks in, simply by the way she's slouching more and more into her seat.
"Do you still sleep with the nightlight on, or did you finally grow out of it?"
My brows dart up, my hand going to the back of my neck instinctively, a nervous tick I’ve never quite outgrown. The group falls silent, all eyes darting between Madison and me. Of all the questions she could've asked, she goes there?
"I, uh..." I stammer, caught off guard. "No, I don't use it anymore."
Madison's lips quirk up in a satisfied smirk. All right. Two can play at this game.
Once it's my turn, I don't hesitate. "Madison, truth or dare?"
She bites her lip, considering. "Truth," she says finally, her voice barely above a whisper.
I lean forward, my elbows on my knees. "What's the most embarrassing thing you've done while drunk?"
Eyes narrowing, she takes a long sip from her drink, buying herself time. Everyone in the group looks her way, waiting for her answer.
"I stole a traffic cone," she begins with a sigh, "and then proceeded to leave said traffic cone beside me in bed all night. Mind you, I had snuck out to go to the party to begin with. Spent the next 2 weeks grounded."
The group erupts in laughter, but I can't take my eyes off Madison. She either doesn't remember or isn't acknowledging her phone call to me last spring. There's a vulnerability in her expression that reminds me of the girl I knew all those years ago. For a moment, I forget about Carter's claim, about the voicemail, about everything except the way her eyes shine in the dim light.
The game continues, but Madison and I keep finding ways to target each other with our questions. It's like we're having our own private conversation in the middle of this crowded room, speaking in a language only we understand.
"Jaxon, what's your biggest fear?" she asks during one round.
I roll my eyes, knowing she already knows the answer. "Thunderstorms," I admit, ignoring the confused looks from the others. Madison nods slightly, a ghost of a smile on her lips.
