Lies Written by the Stars

Truth or Dare?

Chapter 18: Truth or Dare

ELLE's POV

"What do you want?"

I asked him as soon as he let go of me. I looked at him and kept our distance. I know he told me that I should meet him after class, but I didn't want to.

And here he goes, can't he read signs?

"Well?" I asked impatiently.

"You don't look as calm when I saw you that night." Jean replied.

That night... the party?

"So it's true, huh? You brought me to the hospital. Well thank you, okay? If that's what you're waiting for. Can I go home now?" I crossed my arms.

I'm honestly scared to be alone here with him.

He has gotten more persuasive. He's been getting used to grabbing my arm since this morning and base on the outcome, I always get dragged.

Seriously, I shouldn't have went on this street.

He smirked at me. "I thought you're looking for answers?"

I gulped. Does he know more than that?

Seeing my surprise from his question, he continued talking. "I saw you that night. I saw you by the corridor as well, when Chris pulled you and left you there. And I may have heard things from the people you trust, talking inside the classroom... about something that you shouldn't know."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"I wonder if they feel like this... seeing you so clueless about everything." He c****d his head at a side. "It's kind of funny if you think about it."

"You're wasting my time, Jean." I said, trying to keep my confusion from showing.

What does he know?

Or... just like always, he's lying.

Right. I really should get going.

I started walking away. Not even bothering to say anything to him. He's definitely not worth it of any attention.

"I'm sorry for not doing anything when they started saying things about you at the party, Elle." Jean said.

I kept walking, and I can feel him following me.

"I didn't know what else to do, I didn't want their words to be redirected to me."

I stopped at that.

"So you're saying, you chose to be silent because you didn't want to have the hate?" I turned at him. "The hate that was supposed to be on you? Their words? The lies?" I raised my voice at him.

"You have no idea how it has affected me ever since. How I felt when people I trust hurt me. How doubtful I become whenever someone shows affection to me. Do you have any idea, Jean?" I turned at him.

He's smiling. I can't believe this.

He's a psychopath. I just told him. What the hell is this smile?

I feel like I should know this, that smile on the rooftop.

What? No.

Then I remember, Jean grabbing me by my hand. I looked at him again.

"Who are you?" I asked him.

"It's me, Elle. The one who saved you." He declared.

"Saved me?"

He shrugged. "I brought you at the hospital, right?" He took a step forward. "So you really got hurt by what happened, huh? You are really such a strong girl, I can tell you that. Call me a coward, but thank you for receiving all the pain that was meant for me and handling it well."

I'm frozen at my place. My feet not knowing how to move.

He's not even sorry for what he did. If anything, he was relieved.

"But you see Elle, history keeps on repeating itself no? When people betray you, they will do it over and over again. When they know they can lie to you, they will. Sometimes, when you don't even see it coming. They'll watch you get weak and hit you with the truth when you least expect it."

I'm tired of this. He's messing on my mind, and is he insinuating that the people I trust now are lying to me?

"For once, stop talking in clues and metaphors. Just say what you want to say already." I pushed him.

He didn't budge. Instead, he held the arm that was pushing him away and went to put some fallen strands of hair behind  my ear.

I flinched.

I slapped his arm away. "Don't touch me!" I said while stepping away.

He raised both of his hands and said, "Okay. Okay. Fine." Then he put it down and continued talking. "I have a proposal for you."

My forehead creased at that. Proposal?

"I'm going to give you two choices. The first one is me, telling you everything that I know. The truth. Or dare, I will tell Jake and friends everything I know, if you don't let me make it up to you. I just really want to protect you now, Elle." He told me sincerely, I have almost believed it.

Almost.

I laughed at him. 

I'm laughing out of frustration on how dumb his offer was. I held my stomach. This is so funny, I almost want to cry.

Then I composed myself.

"You mean to tell me, that you want to protect me by offering me two selfish choices? By threatening me? Do you think I'm still that vulnerable to be hurt by anyone? You've got to be kidding me. I've learned a lot because of you guys." I told him.

I walked towards him. "If you want to dare me and tell me that you will tell them what you know." I looked at him from his feet and looked at him again. "Then by any means, tell them."

I took another step forward. "If you want to tell me the truth, I'm sorry but no. A liar can't tell any truth you know? I'd rather know things and discover it myself, let it hit me when it comes. Watch me fall. You've done that many times right? I don't care, Jean. If that means not getting back anywhere near you, or anywhere near your lies, your friends betrayals. Then so be it."

I placed my hand behind his neck, and whispered to his ear. "I'd rather be hurt and be healed on my own than be tortured with you."

And with that, I kneed his crotch.

"What-!?"

Then I turned my back at him and started walking away again. This time, determined to put a permanent distance between us.

"Elle." He called out, still in pain.

I didn't care. I didn't look back.

Damn, that felt good. He deserves that.

"You sick in the head bitch."

That was the last thing I heard from him, as I turn on the corner and continued to walk to our house.