¤Chapter Thirty-six¤

»»PRESENT DAY««

"Uh... earth to Madi" Brittney waves, snapping me out of my retrospective daze. I glare at her crystal blue eyes as I try to focus in on reality.

"Huh?" I ignore everyone watching me.

"Truth. Or. Dare?" Her voice comes out sharp and crisp.

I stare blankly at my feet. She knows I don't like this stupid game. A gust of wind blows fiercely, swinging my ponytail to the side as a pampered hand reaches out to gently squeeze mine. I don't have to look to know it's Amy. She also knows of the anxiety I get from playing this game, the others do too. They know of the pain I struggle to endure after hearing those two words together out loud.

Because of him.

"She's not going to play, Brittney," Amy responds in the same direct tone. "She just wants to watch"

"Bullshit" She snaps coldly. 

I look up immediately. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me Madison." She snickers. "What will it be Ms. I-think-I'm-better-than-everyone —Truth or dare?"

I ground my teeth, trying to block out the darkness that threatens to take over again. It has been weeks since I last had a flashback and I'll be damned if I allow myself to suffer because of her. Right now, grabbing Brittney and throwing her into the cold ocean is more preferable than letting her get the best of me. It also sounds more fun. 

"Madi, like I said earlier, you don't have to play" Owen shakes his head, glancing worriedly at my friends. I try to hold back a smile when I notice his hair is the only one not disheveled in this savage wind.

Yup, he definitely uses some type of gel.

"Bore-ing" Brittney yawned, undoubtedly trying to get under my skin even more. 

"Dare" I say suddenly, glaring at her. I'll show her boring.

Aside from her shameless taunting, I need to prove to myself that bad things don't always happen when people play Truth or dare —when I play Truth or Dare. If I can't do that then everything that has happened up to the point is practically meaningless. How can I move forward if I'm always looking back?  

Brittney smirks triumphantly and the fact that I just walked into a trap finally dawned on me. It's too late to back out now but still,

I should've known better.

"I was hoping you'd let pride win that internal battle of yours and it looks like it did" She laughs, throwing her head back. "You've gone soft Madi and that will be your downfall"

I take a deep breath, trying to remain calm. No matter what trick she pulls, I can handle it. Owen grabs my free hand in his and interlock our fingers. His expression is unreadable but I can sense a trace of anger from the strength of his grip.

"This is just a game. Let's not make things personal, okay?" He regards Brittney expectantly.

 "How naïve can you be?" She sneered, finally acknowledging his presence. "Wake up and smell the piss Owen —it has always been personal." A few people recoil from the vivid imagery and I lean in front of Owen to get her eyes focused on me again. I'm the enemy, not him.

"Let's just get it over with" I match her intense stare with mine, making sure she knows I won't back down.

She typed a quick text on her phone then slipped it in her purse before plainly saying, "I dare you to call your ex-boyfriend."

The twelve people sitting around the fire gasped so animatedly that the others who were partying closer to the shore stopped the music and glanced over at us with piqued interest. A couple of them wandered over to get a closer look while the rest hit play and resumed dancing —or whatever you call jumping and screaming song lyrics.

"I don't have his number." The comfort from Amy's hand on my left and Owen's on my right is the only thing keeping me sane right now. Eventually I let them both go to pull out my phone. "I'm assuming you have it?"

If nothing else is clear, the fact that Brittney is now working with Todd is crystal. Has she been an instigating spy this whole time? Did she tell Todd about me? About Owen? What about the text she received from Jace, was it really him? A million questions race through my mind. I stare at her resentful eyes that were once fleetingly kind towards me. 

If jealousy caused her to hurt me in the past, what is it this time? Anger? Rage? She admitted that Owen was nothing but a pawn so she can't possibly think I stole him away. I know her rant about him being boring is sincere because she barely looks at him even now. But if that's not the case, why the animosity? Do I really deserve all that? I condense my thoughts and let them reflect in my eyes, revealing my feelings. 

Her body stiffens and a look of guilt and regret washes over her surprised features before she shrugs it off. With a distant voice she recites the number that has been memorized for this exact moment then says, "Call him. Phone on speaker."

Owen's body tensed up beside me and I look over at him, perplexed. Sadly I don't have the time nor energy to try and analyze his uncomfortable reaction. Instead I just dial the number. A part of me hopes the call goes straight to voicemail so I can kick sand in Brittney's face and walk away smiling but he answers on the first ring.

"My Little Butterfly has called at last." The deep breathy voice I once adored greets me. It has the familiar air of confidence he's known to radiate. The type that commands attention from everyone; the type that makes your spine straighten even if he can't see.

"Hello Todd" I respond with unmistakable annoyance. The cold, dark feeling I once had continues to swirl within me as if it knows something I don't. 

When we met at Jace's place my wish of hurting him a little came true but afterwards I realized, I'm not mad anymore. I still hate him but my main goal now is to work on improving myself; not getting revenge. Not wasting my life fighting someone when I could use that energy to focus on my own happiness. Now that I know what joy feels like, nothing else matters. 

"You were a bit naughty the last time we spoke so I plan on punishing you for it" The cold malice hidden in his voice is only discernible to me and a few others. Everyone else looks bewitched as if he's some kind of prince. 

Ignoring his words, I address Brittney. "I called him. Dare completed."

She smirks. "Trust me you need to hear what he has to say. This is more than just a stupid game and you know it—" Her hand rests beneath her chin as she leans forward tauntingly. "Still, it's not my shitty life so feel free to hang up whenever you want."

"What do you want?" I regard Todd again. 

"Well, I caught your—" He pauses for a moment. "Hmm what do I call him? Certainly not boyfriend because I've been told that one clings to you like a leech." His fury at the word 'boyfriend' makes me glance over at Owen protectively. His body is rigid next to mine as he stares at the dancing flames with an unreadable expression.

"Who?" I ask distractedly. 

It seems Owen is a little upset but I'm not sure if it's because I'm openly chatting with my ex or the fact that tonight was mostly supposed to be about us. Maybe both. I don't want to neglect him but if I don't at least see where this conversation is headed I might be blindsided by Todd later.

"Why Jace of course," Abrupt shuffling erupts in the background. Loud grunts echo from the speaker then a thud. Finally Todd speaks again, breathless. "I have him."

My eyes widen and I stand up, clutching my phone in disbelief. "What do you mean you 'have him' he's—"

"I mean, Madison, your friend was trying to skip town after I sent him here to get you" He sounds lethal and deranged. Nothing like the person I once knew. Then again, I'm not sure if I really knew him at all. "Can you believe it?"

This is his true form. Who he really is; evil. Jace looked worried even to me when I saw him last and now I know why. I know he desperately wanted to get away from Todd and all his drama. Deep down I was hoping he got the hell out of this town too which is why I got confused when he texted Brittney. My brows furrow in thought. Could it be that the person who texted Brittney was Todd? If that's the case then...

"What did you do to him, asshole?" I ball my fists. "He never texted Brittney did he? It was you all along."

"Madi," Owen tug my jacket hesitantly. I look down at him sharply, not wanting to be sidetracked. "I—"

"Not now, okay?" I cut off his words and divert my focus back to Todd's infuriating voice.

"All that so called 'training' and you just figured out it was me?" He tsked on the line. "Guess you're not so tough after all"

"Don't avoid my question," My expression hardened. "What did you do to him?" 

Sure he lied to me at first but eventually Jace wanted out of this twisted world Todd dragged him into. He told me as much and I believe him. I thought he was strange from our very first meeting and it turned out that my suspicions were correct. 

In the beginning, his intentions were questionable but after he realized whatever monster Todd painted me out to be wasn't real, he decided working for a deviant is not something he wants to do anymore. I may have cut ties with him but that doesn't mean I can leave things the way they are now. 

The fact is Todd wants me. He wants to control, use, and brandish me like some trophy. He wants to take me back to whatever hole he crawled out of and say, look at the girl I created. I have no doubt he relishes in the fact that my transformation was partially due to him. 

The difference between us is he has no idea how much pain I went through to get where I am now and I do. He doesn't mind crushing the people I care about to achieve his unethical goals and I can't let that happen. Not to Jace, not to Owen, not my friends —no one.

A gentle hand grabs my hips and pulls me back against a warm body. Owen's familiar scent overwhelms me and I sigh into in embrace, relaxing slightly. I slowly turn to face him. The group decided a while back that this conversation was less fun than the party by the shore so they dispersed, choosing illegal booze and music over my mid-life crisis. Honestly, I don't think they realize how serious this situation is and that might actually be a good thing. 

Only Brittney remained seated on one of the logs, staring daggers at me while my friends found a way to half party and half focus on what's happening at the same time. They're standing somewhere between the fire and the large crowd, stealing concerned glances at me whenever one song ends and another begins. It would be comical if I wasn't trying to contain my growing anger. 

"Baby I need to focus," I whisper although I didn't need to. With the severe wind and loud music, the only person that might slightly hear me is Todd because he's still on the line. "Please."

Owen's perceptive eyes appears less lively than it was when I first got here but he managed to give me a small smile. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm going to take a walk but I'll be back soon"

I rest my forehead against his sturdy chest and take a moment to appreciate the steady beating of his heart. After a while, I pull back to look around apprehensively. I never really got to inspect the noise that startled me earlier even though it could just be my imagination. The once revitalizing atmosphere the ocean created has gotten stuffy and gloomy. A full moon is hidden beneath thick clouds that covers the entire beach in a type of darkness only seen in horror films. I feel uneasy. 

"Can we walk together later?" I place a hand on his cheek so my words seem less inconsiderate. "I have enough things to worry about right now"

His eyes flash with an emotion I don't recognize as the swaying flames crackle uncontrollably next to us. The look disappears before I can try reading into it. He moves my hand to his lips and plants a tender kiss on my knuckles before letting it drop to my side. His voice is almost melancholy when he says, "I'm going alone. You'll get some privacy and I'll get... to sort some things out"

I raise a brow. What does he have to sort out? There's so many questions I want to ask him but perhaps a few minutes away from me is best. I don't know exactly what he's thinking but I'm sure he finally realizes just how complicated my life is. The fact that our worlds are completely different has finally sunk in. Does he regret asking me out? I wonder, feeling a slight pang in my chest. Ignoring it I nod and say, "Okay, I'll wait here."

He brushes a thumb across my bottom lip before pulling me into a closed mouth kiss. Compared to our other kisses, this one's soft and mild. Like cotton candy, it disappeared almost immediately. "I won't be gone long, baby" 

I watch his retreating back as he disappears down the crowded shore towards the parking lot. I'm briefly reminded of when he walked away after our first conversation at the beginning of the school year. I was shocked then because of how he was able dominate our discussion without realizing it. Now, I'm fascinated by his ability to fill my heart with sweet affection even when I'm in the midst of panicking.

I inhaled some salty air to clear my mind before returning to the ongoing phone call. "Where was I?"

"Oh, are you done talking to your baby? Do you have a little time for me now? What about Jace, do you even give a fuck, Madison?!" Todd's rage continued to build with each question until it sounded like he'd explode. His violent outburst catches me off-guard and I'm momentarily stunned.

I begin speaking once I believe he's calmed down a bit. "I don't appreciate—"

"Sorry," He interrupts impatiently. "I'm in the middle of something so I can't talk anymore. I'll see you when you get here, baby" The last word was said with scorn and disgust before the line went dead. He'll see me when I get there? I look down at my phone in confusion. Why was he in such a rush all of a sudden?

"And so it begins" Brittney stands up, looking satisfied.

I narrow my eyes at her. "What do you mean? Where's Jace? Why does Todd think he'll get to see me later?"

Her lips curve into an ominous smile, reminding me of a witch. "You really are dumb, you know that? Did all that endorphin mess up your brain? Thanks to you Owen is gonna—"

I march over and clamp my fingers around her pale neck. It feels weak and frail beneath my firm grip. Her hands struggle to pull mine away but I'm too close to my breaking point for someone like her to outmatch me in strength. "Don't fuck with me." My voice trembles with hostility as I speak through gritted teeth. "No more games, no riddles —tell me what you know, now."

Her face finally reflects the unrefined fear it should've had all this time. "I-I can't say much but letting him go was your biggest mistake." Her dulling eyes begins to fill with tears as I squeeze tighter. Another minute and she'll pass out. Clammy hands franticly tap mine. "He'll kill me... please" 

I release her and she falls to her knees, coughing and trying to hurl at the same time. It's a sad sight but I don't have time to think about that. First, I need to find Owen and get him the hell out of here then I have to figure out a way to save Jace. 

People don't usually lie when they think their life is on the line so maybe Brittney really will be killed if she reveals everything. After talking to Todd again, I am absolutely certain he's crazy and crazy people tend to avoid making empty threats. I don't owe her anything but I'll let her hold on to her pathetic life. 

"Madi!" Angie runs up to me breathless with flushed cheeks. Her long dress has wrinkles that wasn't there before. "Derek went to pee by the trees and texted me to meet him to uh, talk. While we... talked we heard yelling coming from the parking lot but when we went to check it out..." She stops talking and rest her hands on her knees, wheezing.

"What happened when you got there?" I grab her arm so she looks at me. My grip is too tight but I can't let go, not until she finishes her sentence.

Her dejected eyes are stained with tears when they meet mine. "Someone was shoving Owen's limp body in a car" She sobs. "If I was strong like you I could have saved him but I ran. I was scared he'd take me too. I'm so sorry Madi... there was so much blood..."

I close my eyes as the world starts to crumble around me. Angie falls to the ground in despair, grabbing her head like there is something in there that she wants to pull out. I kneel down and touch her shoulder. The guilt of not being able to help is no doubt plaguing her thoughts. 

She's hurting because of me. Because of my baggage. Somehow all my biggest fears have come out to haunt me on this catastrophic night. The moon that was hidden behind murky clouds mockingly shines down on us now, illuminating everyone in a ghostly glow.

"It's not your fault," My words are calm and calculated. "Try to think back, who took him? Anything can help"

"I-I don't know," A shiver runs through her body as she recalls what happened. "He was wearing a black hoodie and it was too dark to see his face"

Amy and Sam came over when they saw Angie sprinting towards me like she was possessed. They exchange worried glances before Sam whispers, "Do you think Todd did it?"

"I hope not." I stand up, my voice lacking any trace of emotion.

I've surpassed the stage of anger and transcended to a place that's more desolate. A fresh gust of wind passes through and everyone shivers except me. My body feels hotter than the flame burning by my feet. I can't feel the cold. I can't feel anything. 

"Will they hurt him?" Amy speaks next. She takes my position next to Angie and rubs her back to comfort her. 

"I don't know." I look out into the distance. The group of party goers are still dancing; still clueless about anything that's happening. Half of them are too drunk to stand and the other half are busy documenting the moment on their phones. 

Playful screams erupt from the shore where a guy is splashing the icy sea water on his girlfriend. She glares at him but starts to laugh when the music changes to a summer anthem and he begins twerking. I frown as another pang twists something deep within my chest.

"W-What are you going do?" Angie asks nervously. I take in her frizzy hair and wide eyes. She's still terrified.

"What Todd said I would," I stare blankly into the blazing fire. Brittney watches us petrified, still clutching her throat. "I'm going to find him. I'm going to go to him. And then—" I stop myself and take a shaky breath.

"Madi?" Amy calls hesitantly when I don't continue. "What will you do once you find him?" I meet her worried gaze. She gasps, recognizing the darkness that has taken over every aspect of my being.

"I'm going to kill him."

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A/N: *hides behind book* So... how's everyone feeling?