truth or dare - game on series #1

Stella

The car ride back to my dorm was a blur. My mind was racing, trying to process everything that had just happened. I could still feel the warmth of Cameron's hand in mine, the way his fingers gently threaded through mine as we walked back toward the dorm. My heart was pounding, and I could barely keep it together. How was this even real?

I kept reminding myself that I had no right to feel this way. Cameron was the captain of the basketball team, the most popular guy on campus. He was rich, confident, and seemed to have everything a person could want. Everyone, including me, knew that he usually didn't do relationships. He was the guy who had fun, slept around, and never seemed to settle down. So why was he here with me? Why was he acting like this?

And then there was the way I felt about him—this pull, this attraction, this thing I couldn't name. I wasn't supposed to let myself get attached to him. I couldn't let myself fall for someone like him. Not with everything I had to hide.

But when he smiled at me, when he kissed me, when he made me feel like I was more than just some shy, quiet girl, it all felt too good to be true.

We reached the front of my dorm, and I felt the moment slipping away. Cameron didn't want to let go either. He lingered by my side, both of us reluctant to say goodbye. His hand stayed in mine as we stood there, facing each other, neither of us wanting to break the spell.

"I guess this is it," he said softly, his voice a little more uncertain than usual.

I smiled, trying to hold onto the moment. "Yeah," I said quietly. "I guess so."

We stood there for a few more seconds, and then he leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek. It was quick, but it was enough to make my heart flutter in my chest.

"Goodnight, Stella," he whispered. "I had an amazing time tonight."

I felt my cheeks flush as I smiled up at him. "Me too. Thanks for everything."

He hesitated for a moment, like he was going to say something more, but then he gave me one last look and turned to leave. My heart was still racing as I watched him walk away. My mind was spinning. What was happening? How had I ended up with someone like him?

I didn't even know how to process all the emotions swirling inside me as I walked into the dorm. The moment I stepped through the door, I was met with Bree's eager smile. She was sitting on the couch, practically bouncing with excitement.

"So, how was it? How was the date?!" Bree practically shouted as I closed the door behind me.

I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face. It was impossible to hide. "It was amazing, Bree," I said, my voice filled with awe. "It was perfect."

Bree's eyes widened as she jumped up from the couch, her excitement palpable. "I knew it! I knew it! So, tell me everything! What did you guys do? Where did he take you?"

I couldn't help but laugh at her enthusiasm. I started to tell her everything—about the stars, about the quiet conversation, about how he listened to every word I said like it was the most important thing in the world. I told her about the kiss, about how I felt when he was around, and about the way he made me feel like I was the only person in the world who mattered.

Bree's jaw dropped as she listened, her eyes wide in disbelief. "Oh my god, Stells. This is like a freaking fairytale! You kissed Cameron, the Cameron! The hottest guy on campus! The guy who never settles down, who—"

"I know, I know," I interrupted, my smile fading a little. "I can't believe it either. I don't even know how this is happening. I'm just... I'm so confused."

Bree sat down next to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Stella, you're freaking out for no reason. You've got something real here. Trust me, he's into you. And he's not just playing around. You know how everyone talks about him, right? But I can see it. He's different with you."

I wanted to believe her, I really did. But my mind kept going back to that nagging voice that reminded me of what I couldn't share with Cameron. He couldn't ever know the whole truth about me. It wasn't just about me being the shy, quiet girl—there was so much more I was hiding.

"I don't know, Bree," I said softly. "I just can't help but feel like I don't belong with him, you know? He's... well, he's Cameron. He's everything that I'm not."

Bree tilted her head, studying me with a look of concern. "You're perfect just the way you are, Stella. And if he doesn't see that, then he doesn't deserve you."

I want to believe that. I really do. But deep down, I can't shake the fear that one day, Cameron would see past my quiet exterior and realize that I'm not someone he could have by his side forever.

We spent the next hour talking, laughing, and rehashing every detail of the night. Bree was insistent that I had nothing to worry about. She was practically bouncing off the walls, so excited for me, and it was hard not to let her energy rub off on me.

As I lay down in bed later that night, I couldn't stop thinking about Cameron. My heart was still racing, my mind spinning with all the emotions I couldn't seem to process. I had no idea where this was going, but one thing was certain—I couldn't deny the way he made me feel.

And for the first time in a long while, I allowed myself to imagine a future where maybe—just maybe—I could have everything I wanted.