Playing The Dare

chapter fifteen

I kissed Sage...

Sage kissed me, and I was quietly freaking out over it. We had our first kiss and it was everything I wanted and thought it would be. And I loved every second of it, that was very much clear when I went to sleep last night. The scene playing out in my mind on repeat.

Taunting me of what I had.

I wasn't lying when I said she was the third girl that I've kissed. Though it may as well have been my first kiss because non of the others felt like that. God, everything about it has me up at night. From her smell, to how soft her hair was when I gripped the back of her head.

To the quiet but needy noises she was making. It was slowly killing me, she will be the death of me, that I know. Even now as Ben and I sit watching whatever movie he's picked for the night, she's all I can think about. I could easily text her but I didn't want to come across as needy. Though everything in me was telling me to just text her.

God knows what exactly, I just wanted to speak to her again, and it's only been a day since I was in her room last night. She's been on my mind all day, even when I was in class and trying my damn hardest to focus on the lecture.

As if on que, my phone lit up and I practically launched across to reach it on the coffee table. Though my smile quickly faded at the sight of my mothers new text message. This women just cannot leave me alone for the sake of it. Despite all the unanswered texts, for once she can feel a small ounce of pain that I felt when she got up and left one day and never returned for years.

MOM: Just wondering if you're coming home any time soon? I checked your schedule and saw you had a week off before Halloween? Maybe you could come home then, I know your dad misses you.

I groaned at her message, Halloween wasn't for another two months, Jesus even October itself wasn't for another month. My dad misses me... Could she be any more manipulative? I love my dad, he's amazing, and he's always been there for me. He wouldn't want me going out of my way to head back home.

As he said, "you'll enjoy every minute of it, so go out and make friends, I know you can."

"Are you going to finally text her back?" I heard Ben say aloud, when I went to glance at him, his eyes were still on the TV. He just knew it was my mother because no one else gets that reaction out of me. "Nope," I say before placing my phone back on the glass table in-front of us. Thankfully, she didn't send a follow up text like she normally did.

Ben sighed before surprising me. The movie paused and he turned his entire body to face me. Crossing his legs, he sat on the couch to look at me fully. "She's your mom," he stated as if I wasn't aware. "Yes, my mom that left me," I replied, Ben didn't think too much, he lightly punched my upper arm to grab my full attention.

"And what was that for?" The sarcasm leaving my lips. He was used to it and simply just rolled his eyes at my snarky question. I knew was it was for, "she's trying." She was, but I couldn't just ignore what had happened. She got up and left... And the best part of it, she never acknowledged it. She won my dad back and expected I would follow in suit.

She never explained where she went, hell she didn't even explain why she left. My mother just waltzed her way back into my life and expected me to welcome her back in with open arms, practically what my father did. It wasn't his fault he was madly in love with her and couldn't ignore it but damn him, he never even put up a fight.

At first I thought he would, especially the first night she returned.

***

Nine Years Ago

The door bell rang, despite it being ten at night. I made eye contact with my father who stood in the kitchen, he was cleaning up the pots when the bell rang. I didn't move off of the couch, I knew I wasn't supposed to anyways.

Leaving his task, I watched as dad walked across the room. He didn't look at the camera for the door to see who was on the other side. He just simply opened the door and my whole world changed. I recognised her instantly, it was kind of hard not too. She looked like me, had similar features.

I could now see where I got my dark hair and eyes from.

She also looked the same as all the pictures that were still in the house.

They didn't speak, she didn't even look my way. Her eyes were stuck on my father, "I know it's late," she began but dad didn't let her finish her words. He simply sighed before slamming the door in her face. I watched as he locked it before turning the outside light off.

We didn't speak about what happened after that, not even the following night when she showed up, and kept showing up. Apologizing to my father and explaining how she was wrong for what she did. It only took her a couple months before she weaselled her way back into dads life and heart, though I swore she wouldn't for me.

***

"Not hard enough," I said, my mind focusing back on the presence. Ben's eyes soften at me, I saw the pity on his face. The way he felt bad for me, though I didn't need it. I didn't feel sorry for myself, far from it.

So what my mom left me?

That didn't define who I was or who I would become. I liked who I was now, and I liked my life, but more importantly, I liked what was coming. I wouldn't allow myself to live in the past, allowing her to take up my thoughts.

Instead, my mind happily took me back to last night, and once again my eyes found my phone. I didn't over think it when I grabbed my phone and began typing out a message for Sage.

THEO: Do you want to do something Friday night?

"Didn't they tell us not to rush into things?"

Wonderland, (Taylor's Version)

Theo, my baby— Sage will make you happy, I promise you. Buy for now, please do tell me your thoughts on the chapter, a slightly shorter one today but a small glimpse into Theo. Which we all love anyways...

I do hope you've enjoyed this chapter, I know I have writing it, I loved every moment, if I do say so myself. Their scenes will just get better, I promise. Now please do vote and comment on the chapter— it really helps me out, and it lets me know you enjoyed it.

"We found wonderland, you and I got lost in it."

***

Love you always,

abi.