truth or dare - game on series #1

Cameron

I had no idea what the hell was going on.

Stella wasn't answering my texts. Or my calls. At first, I told myself she was just busy—maybe caught up with schoolwork or hanging out with Bree. But then an entire day passed. Then another. And still, nothing.

It didn't make any sense. The last time I saw her, we were good. More than good. We'd just had the best night together. And now she was... what? Ghosting me?

"Dude, you're overthinking this," Drew said, lounging on the couch, spinning a basketball in his hands. "Maybe she just needs space."

"Why the hell would she need space?" I snapped. "We were fine. I don't get it."

Liam, sitting on the other side of the couch, sighed. "Then go talk to her."

I frowned. "What?"

"You're sitting here going in circles when you could just go to her dorm and ask her what's up," he said. "Or, you know, track her down between classes. You know her schedule by now."

I hated how logical that was.

"Yeah, Cam," Drew smirked. "Unless you're scared."

I shot him a glare. "Screw you."

He just laughed. "Then go."

I ran a hand down my face, frustration twisting in my gut. I didn't want to be that guy—the one who pushed when someone clearly wanted space. But this wasn't like Stella. She wasn't the type to ignore me without a damn good reason.

And the not knowing? It was driving me insane.

"Fine," I muttered, standing up. "I'm going."

Liam clapped me on the back. "Good luck, man."

Drew grinned. "Hope she doesn't punch you in the face."

I rolled my eyes, but my chest felt tight as I grabbed my keys and headed out the door. Because the truth was, for the first time since we got together, I wasn't sure where I stood with Stella. And that scared the hell out of me.

It didn't take me long to get to her dorm. The whole way there, my heart pounded in my chest, my mind racing with possibilities. Was she mad at me? Had something happened? I needed to see her. I needed to know.

When I knocked on the door, Bree answered. And the look on her face told me everything I needed to know.

She didn't want me here.

"I need to see Stella," I said, trying to step inside, but Bree didn't move. She crossed her arms over her chest, blocking the doorway.

"She doesn't want to see you."

My stomach dropped. "What?"

Bree's eyes burned with anger. "You should leave, Cameron."

I took a step back, confusion swirling in my head. "I don't understand," I said, my voice quieter now. "What's going on? Did I do something?"

Bree just shook her head, her lips pressed into a tight line. "You know what you did."

Panic flared in my chest. "I don't," I said desperately. "Please, Bree. Just let me talk to her."

Bree hesitated for a long moment before turning her head. "Stella?"

For a few agonizing seconds, there was silence. Then, finally, I heard her voice. It was small, fragile.

"It's fine," she said. "I'll talk to him."

Bree turned back to me, her eyes still hard. "Don't make her regret it."

She stepped aside, and I finally saw Stella.

She looked... broken. Her eyes were red and puffy, like she had been crying for hours. Her arms were wrapped around herself, and she wouldn't even look at me.

The sight of her like that knocked the air out of my lungs.

"Stella," I breathed, stepping toward her. "What's going on? Why have you been ignoring me?"

She finally lifted her eyes to mine, and what I saw there made my heart shatter. Pain. Betrayal. Disgust.

"I know," she said quietly.

I blinked. "What?"

Her hands clenched into fists. "I know about the bet, Cameron."

My blood ran cold. My body locked up, and I swear my heart stopped beating for a second.

The bet.

Oh, God.

"No," I whispered. "Stella—"

"Don't." Her voice broke, and she shook her head, taking a step back like she couldn't stand to be near me. "Just don't."

I felt sick. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. "It's not what you think," I tried, my voice shaking. "Please, let me explain—"

"What's there to explain, Cameron?" she snapped, her eyes flashing with anger now. "You made a bet. A stupid, disgusting bet. You pretended to like me so you could win some stupid game with your friends."

"No." I ran a hand through my hair, my chest tightening. "It wasn't like that."

"Then what was it like?"

I swallowed hard, my mind racing for the right words. "Yeah, it started as a bet. But that's not what this is anymore. That's not what we are."

She let out a bitter laugh. "You expect me to believe that?"

"Yes!" I practically shouted. "God, Stella, you have to believe me. I never meant for any of this to happen. I never meant to fall for you."

Her face twisted, and my heart crumbled even more.

"You never meant to fall for me?" she repeated, her voice hollow. "So it was an accident?"

"That's not what I meant," I said quickly, but she shook her head, stepping back again.

"You played me," she whispered, her voice breaking. "You made me believe you cared."

"I do care," I choked out. "I love you."

She sucked in a sharp breath, and for a second, just a second, something flickered in her eyes. But then, just as fast, it was gone, replaced by something colder, something distant.

"You don't get to say that to me."

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. "Stella, please."

She wiped at her eyes, sniffling. "You know what's funny?" she said, letting out a broken laugh. "I was going to tell you something today. Something important. But I guess it doesn't even matter now."

I stepped forward. "Stella, please don't do this. Let me fix this."

She shook her head. "You can't."

Her voice was final. And that's when I knew.

I had lost her.

I stood there, watching as she turned away, wrapping her arms around herself like she was trying to hold herself together. And for the first time in my life, I felt completely, utterly helpless.

I wanted to fight for her. I wanted to fix this. But how could I, when she didn't even want to look at me?

Finally, she spoke again, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Please leave."

I wanted to argue. To beg. To tell her that she was the best thing that had ever happened to me. But I couldn't. Not when she was looking at me like I was the worst thing that had ever happened to her.

So, with a heavy heart and a hollow chest, I turned around and walked out the door.

And when it closed behind me, it felt like the end of everything.