16. Two Truths and A Lie
1971 Words
The next morning, I walk around a lot and think about Everett. If anyone deserves to have s*x with me, it's him. He's done more than most people do for someone. Hell, I'm on vacation with him. He brought me to the islands. That's worth everything. And he's always kind. He's never pushy. He let's me be me. I know I can be difficult.
"What are you doing?" Nyx pops my overthinking bubble.
"Trying to get some sun." I pry my ass out of the chair. "Is it dinner already?"
"30 minutes. I'm early."
"I should probably put more clothes on. Come on. You can see my bathroom."
"Most people say room."
"You ain't seen the bathroom though."
"Fair enough."
Everett's in the shower when we get there. So, I show Nyx the room and find some shorts. I have my turquoise bikini on today. I like it just as much as the yellow one. I straighten my necklace as Everett comes out in a towel.
"Sorry. Didn't know Nyx was here."
"I was going to show him the bathroom. Didn't figure you wanted us to tour the shower while you were in it. So, we waited."
"Thank you for that, baby." He gives me a kiss and goes to the closet.
I drag Nyx into the bathroom. "You're right. This is the best room. I need this tub at my house."
"But watch this." I turn the TV on.
He is speechless.
Everett comes in and cracks up laughing. "Every damn time. I found her in the tub eating chips once."
I poke him. "You did too."
"Yea, you talked me into it." He puts his arm around me. "Come on, Nyx. You're not eating dinner in the tub either."
"Damn it. At least it's big. It won't be crowded when we're all in there later."
Everett and I crack up laughing. He shakes his head. "We'll get you your own room for the night."
"That's probably a better idea."
After dinner, we take a helicopter to Dante's.
There are a lot of people here. A lot a lot. People are everywhere and they're drinking. "This is too much for me."
Nyx shakes his head. "It's alright. We'll blend in and steal the alcohol."
"You guys can visit and steal alcohol. I can go back and wait for you. This is too much for me."
"I'll take you back, babygirl. You're fine."
Nyx pulls me. "You have to go down that slide first."
"That is a huge slide." I make sure Everett sees it.
"Go down the slide. I'll figure out where the alcohol is."
"Ok." I toss my shorts on a chair and run with Nyx.
We go down so many slides. This place is so fun.
Everett found us and went down some with us too. Then he found some guys he liked talking to.
Cassie puts her arm around me. "I have been looking everywhere for you. You disappeared as soon as your helicopter landed."
"The slides are fun."
"Take a break from that. There are a few new guys from BlackRock here you should meet." She walks me to a shaded area. "I'll go find the other one now." Then she leaves me.
I wring my hair out. Dante, Hugo, and Armen watch me. "Are you having fun?"
"Yes. These are the best slides. They are so tall and fun. I haven't stopped since we got here. Cassie told me to meet someone. But she left. And it's only you three here. Can I back to the slides now?"
"Not yet. They'll be back." Dante points at a chair.
"I'm all wet."
"It's fine. The fabric is made for it."
I plop down and smile at them. "Do you have anything to drink?"
"You couldn't find it?" Dante stands up.
"It wasn't halfway down the slide, so no."
They laugh, and he hands me a bottle of water. I drink it in three drinks. "Thank you."
"You weren't joking."
I lean over in the chair. "I love the slides."
"I'm glad you like them."
Armen sits up. "Let's play a game to get to know you better. I find you intriguing."
I point at the slides. "What game, though?"
"Two truths and a lie."
"I don't know how to play."
"It's a college game. We used it to get to know people."
"Ok. I can play a college game." I cross my legs and focus.
They crack up laughing. Dante shakes his head. "I love your serious face."
Armen rolls his eyes. "It's a drinking game, but we're not going to give you shots. We'll give you $100 every time you can trick us."
I can't even speak. I nod slowly.
"Good. We're going to ask you three questions. You tell the truth about two of them. You lie for one of them. We have to pick the lie. If we guess the lie, we keep the money and take a shot. If we guess it wrong, you get the $100."
"Two truths and one lie. I got it."
"We'll start out easy." Hugo smiles. "Why do you always wear that necklace?"
Two truths and one lie goes through my head. "It's the only necklace I own."
Hugo smirks. "This is going to be easy. What kind of car do you drive?"
My eyebrow pops up. I never paid attention to cars. "The blue kind."
They laugh so hard. "I guess we'll have to accept that as the answer. Do you have any pets?"
"No." I already lied about the car. I think I understand this.
"What do we think?"
Hugo sits back. "Final answer. She lied about the necklace. Her car is probably blue. I believe she doesn't have a pet."
"That's it?"
"Yes. Did we get the lie right?"
"NOPE." I pick up the $100. "Mine, right?"
"Yes. But what did you lie about?" Dante leans towards me.
"I don't drive a car. I don't even have a license. This is my only jewelry and I don't have pets."
"Why don't you have a license?"
"Is the game starting over?"
"Yep." Dante tosses $100 on the table. "Why don't you have a license?"
"I didn't take drivers ed."
"Why?"
"Nobody signed me up for it?" I shrug my shoulders.
"No. You can't ask why questions. He's cheating. You can keep his $100." Hugo smiles and tosses a different hundred down.
Cassie plops into a chair. "I love this game. Nyx ran away from me. They're probably asking you boring questions. I'll ask now. How many boys have you kissed?"
"One."
She smirks. "Have you kissed Everett?"
"Yes."
"Have you had s*x with him?"
"Yes." I have to lie. This is weird.
Cassie nods. "What's the lie, boys?"
"One. She's kissed more than one boy. She's nearly 18." Armen takes a drink.
"Yea. I agree. That's the answer." Hugo reaches for his $100.
"NOPE. Mine." I get it before he can.
"That wasn't the lie?"
"Nope. The only boy I've ever kissed is Everett, and we've never..." I shake my head. I don't even want to say it. That's really private to be asking.
"So, you've never had s*x?" Cassie refills her glass.
I point at the table where the money goes. She cracks up laughing. "She knows how to play now, boys."
"Dante drops another $100."
Cassie smiles. "Have you ever had s*x?"
"Not by choice."
Cassie gasps and the boys lean back.
Everett runs over and kisses my head. "What are you doing, woman? I couldn't find you. I was starting to panic."
"Sorry. They showed me a college game. It's two truths and one lie. I made $300. Sit and watch. It's fun."
Dante sits up. "Actually, we'll show Everett how it works. You can go play on the slides again." The tone of his voice is different.
"Ok. Have fun."
"Let me take that before you lose it, baby. I won't forget it's yours."
I hand him my money and run to the slides.
I find Nyx in three seconds. "I put some wine in our helicopter for later."
"Nice. I do like that stuff."
"AAHHH." He takes off running.
Cassie runs by chasing him.
Then I watch Everett walk in the house with the three boys. I wonder what they're doing. I don't wonder long though. That slide is calling my name.
After a bunch more trips down the slides, Cassie hands me a glass of wine. That's nice. I'm thirsty. "Where did Nyx go this time?"
"No idea."
She holds up a glass of wine.
Nyx spawns two seconds later. "You figured out how to summon me."
She nods. "It's a universal summoner for teenagers. You two can meet these guys now."
"Fine." He rolls his eyes and we follow her.
Armen, Hugo, and Dante are sitting in the chairs again. "Oh, what the hell? I finally got both of them and the assholes are gone."
Hugo nods. "And the kids found alcohol."
"That's how she found us. I'm dying of thirst." Nyx finishes the glass in one gulp.
Dante hands us each water. We down them. Then Hugo gives us another one. They go down slower.
Everett comes out of nowhere and hugs me. He kisses my head and cuddles me.
I turn and look at him. "Are you drunk?"
"No. I thought I lost you again. This place is big. It scares me."
"Oh." I give him a hug. "I'm just here or on the slides. I haven't even looked at anything else."
"There are like 80 slides, babygirl."
I giggle and hug him.
"One more round of the game." Cassie falls into a seat. "Have a seat, Aurora."
I down the wine. "I feel like I'm about to take a test."
She laughs. "What's your phone number? I want to add you to my contacts."
"I don't have a phone."
Nyx scratches his head. "How do you not have a phone?"
I shrug my shoulders. "Everett has a phone. Text him. He can tell me if someone wants to talk to me."
"I can fix that right now." Dante runs off.
"Ok game." Cassie sits up. "I have no idea. The last one kind of blew my mind. I'm afraid of this game now."
Dante runs back to us with a box. Then he hands it to me. "I just need to." He scans it. "There you go. You have a phone."
"What?" I hold up the box and it's a phone. "You?" I shake my head and tears fill my eyes. "I can't take this, but I really really want to." I push it back at him as tears fall.
"It's..."
"It's too much. No." I put it on the table and walk away.
Nyx yells, "GET BACK OVER HERE. Go grab her, Everett."
Everett hugs me. "You're ok."
I shake my head. "I want to leave now."
He picks me up and I wrap around him. I bury my eyes in his neck and try to hide.
"She needs her safe spot. I have to get her out of here."
"She doesn't need a safe spot. You need to put her down." Nyx pulls me down. "You're fine. Breathe." I take a deep breath.
"Nyx, don't push her. You'll make her panic." Cassie hands me a bottle of water. "Take a drink."
"You're fine. This is your safe spot here." Nyx rubs my arms. "You're in your safe spot."
I shake my head. "Too many people."
"Who is allowed in your safe spot?"
"Everett."
"He's here too. He's fine. You're fine. Everything is fine and safe."
I glance at Everett and he kisses my head.
There is a loud crashing sound from the pool area. I run like hell in the other direction. I don't stop to think. I don't care where I'm going.
- Writer
