truth or dare - game on series #1

Stella

I didn't stay for the second half. I couldn't.

Walking back to the dorm felt like escaping, but the moment I shut the door behind me, I didn't feel any better. If anything, I felt worse. The silence of my room only gave my thoughts more space to run wild.

I sat on my bed, pulled my knees to my chest, and exhaled. I had done my part. I had said what I needed to say. I had tried to help. That should be enough, right?

My phone buzzed beside me, and even though I wasn't in the mood for social media, I picked it up anyway. I tapped on Instagram out of habit, and the first thing I saw was a story from Liam. A video of all of them at the pizzeria, cheering, laughing, celebrating.

They won.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. I didn't even know much about basketball, but I knew what a loss would've meant for Cameron tonight. I knew how his dad would've reacted. And the idea of that made me feel sick.

But they won. He won.

And now... now I didn't know what to feel.

Relief, maybe. But that was twisted, wasn't it? I shouldn't care. He hurt me. Lied to me. I should want nothing to do with him. So why does the thought of his dad tearing him apart still get to me?

I closed Instagram, tossed my phone onto my pillow, and squeezed my eyes shut. I wished it could be that easy—to close everything off, to make the feelings stop. But love doesn't just disappear. It lingers, sits heavy in your chest, no matter how badly you want to let it go.

I wiped at my eyes, but the tears were already slipping down my cheeks.

This is so stupid.

I barely noticed the door opening until Bree's voice cut through my spiral.

"Stella?" she called, stepping inside. "You won't believe—" She stopped when she saw me. Her excitement faded in an instant. "What happened?"

I shook my head quickly, trying to make it seem like nothing. "I'm fine."

Bree wasn't buying it. She never did. She walked over and sat beside me on the bed. "Talk to me."

I exhaled shakily, forcing myself to say the words out loud. "They won," I murmured.

She nodded slowly. "And that's... a good thing?"

"It is. I just—" I hesitated. Then, because it was Bree, because I never lied to her, I admitted, "I don't know what I feel anymore."

She stayed quiet, waiting for me to go on.

"I hate that I still care," I whispered, my voice breaking. "I wish I didn't. I wish I could turn it off. But I can't. And it's so frustrating because I know he hurt me, but... I still—"

I sucked in a breath, squeezing my hands into fists.

Bree's voice was soft when she asked, "You still love him?"

The question knocked the air out of me.

I didn't answer. Because I didn't know how to.

Bree sighed and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "It's okay to be confused, Stell. It's okay to still care, even if you don't want to. What he did was awful, but that doesn't mean your feelings just go away overnight."

I leaned into her, grateful that I didn't have to explain myself to her.

"I don't know what to do," I admitted.

"You don't have to do anything right now," Bree said. "Just feel what you need to feel. And if you ever want to talk to him... that's your choice. No one else's."

I nodded against her shoulder, but I still felt lost.

Because deep down, I wasn't sure if I'd ever be able to forgive him.

And the hardest part?

I wasn't sure if I'd ever be able to stop loving him, either.