Truth or Dare

2

The next morning, Mom is making a cup of coffee, and I'm having my bowl of cereal while scrolling through my phone.

"What the hell?!" I exclaim, my voice laced with disbelief as I stare at our town's daily news update online. The headline glares at me from the screen of my phone. The words "The Mayor's New Chauffeur" are splashed across the top of the article, accompanied by a picture on the driver's seat of the mayor's SUV.

Paparazzis.

"What's the matter, honey?" Mom asks, looking puzzled.

"This is some kind of joke." I drop my phone, covering my face.

My mom picks up the phone and reads the headline out loud. "The Mayor's New Chauffeur."

I nod, unable to bring myself to meet her gaze. "Yeah, apparently I'm the latest gossip in town," I mutter bitterly, my frustration simmering beneath the surface.

Mom's eyes grow big as she scrolls down the article. "Oh these..." she pauses, refraining from using a cuss word. "They're messing with the wrong family. So what if your father used to be a pizza delivery guy and that I'm working in retail?"

"Oh God. I'm going to have the worst school day ever."

Unfair doesn't even begin to cover it. The mere thought of being scrutinized and mocked by students at Grootview High, all because of some intrusive paparazzi photos and a sensationalized headline, makes my blood boil.

"You worked very hard to get a scholarship at Grootview High, I don't understand how they could just assume that the Mayor's influence got you where you are today," Mom continues, her tone tinged with indignation. "If they only knew the Mayor the way I..." Mom stops her sentence and clears her throat. Then she continues, "Prying on a child just to make juicy headlines is crazy. I'm going to give this journalist a call."

"Mom, don't. It's not worth it."

She then reaches across the table to squeeze my hand reassuringly after she sets my phone down on the table. "Honey, don't let their gossip get to you. You know why you're there and how you got there. And that's all that matters."

Taking a deep breath, I nod, steeling myself for the day ahead. It's going to be a long one, that's for sure.

My mom then disappears into her room, and I can hear her shouting at Dad. I can't help but feel that this is all my fault. If I hadn't driven that SUV, and dad could have just been honest to the Mayor about being drunk, my parents' lives wouldn't have been exposed to the public like this.

That headline is not the only thing that's trending. On Tiktok, Max's fighting clip at the party he was at last night is also trending.

The video captures a chaotic scene at the party. In the center of the frame stands Max's friend, Riley, his fists clenched and his expression contorted with rage as he confronts Max. The tension is palpable as the two exchange heated words, their voices drowned out by the noise of the crowd.

Suddenly, the situation escalates, and fists start flying. Riley throws a punch fist, which angers Max, his movements fueled by adrenaline. The other partygoers gather around, some cheering on the fight while others attempt to intervene and break it up.

As soon as I wake up from my chair and wash my bowl up, my parents step into the kitchen. "Have a great day ahead, honey." Dad chirps as I head for the door. He rocks up in front of me and gives me a kiss on my forehead. "I love you and don't bother about that silly headline."

One bicycle ride later, I arrive at school.
As I park my bicycle in the car park, I catch Max staring at me while sitting in his black Jeep. I lock my bicycle and pick my head up to see he's broken contact.