Page 1 of Truth or Dare

CHAPTER 1

Presley

As Reagan nudged me, I stumbled slightly, her excitement caught me off guard. We pushed through the cafeteria doors, the swell of noise crashing over us—laughter, trays clattering, snippets of conversation, all blurring into a chaotic hum.

“Did you see the new guy?” Her voice cut through the din, sly and teasing.

I followed her gaze to the far side of the room where Hudson Evert sat, his dark hair sweeping over his eyebrows like he hadn’t bothered to tame it. He leaned back in his chair, seemingly unaware of the attention he was drawing. But I knew him all too well—Hudson, from sixth grade, the boy with gangly arms and an awkward smile who used to steal kisses from me behind the playground slide.

Then, one day, he vanished.

I swallowed hard. “Yeah, so?”

Hudson lifted his head right then, and for a split second, his blue eyes met mine. A jolt ran through me, like the memory of those letters we used to send each other. One a week, back when he made me a promise I believed in. I used to tear open the envelopes, excited to see my name in his shaky handwriting.

Until, suddenly, the letters stopped. My last three were unanswered, and the fourth one—stampedreturn to sender—still sat in my underwear drawer, tucked beneath lace bras and panties, a painful relic of the past.

Reagan wrinkled her nose at me. “So? He’s fucking gorgeous.”

I didn’t need her to tell me that. Even from across the room, I could see Hudson had grown into someone else entirely. Gone was the awkward boy. Now, he wore a black leather jacket slung lazily off one shoulder; his jawline sharp beneath the stubble of a dark beard. His eyes, deep blue like sapphires, were too striking to ignore.

Before I could respond, an arm slid around my waist, making me jump. Evan’s breath brushed against my cheek as he planted a quick kiss there, his possessiveness as palpable as ever. My heart fluttered, but not for him.

Hudson’s gaze snapped back to me, his eyes locking on mine. The world seemed to still for a moment. His expression was unreadable, but the tension crackling between us was unmistakable.

He remembered.

Hudson shoved his chair back abruptly, the screech of metal legs against the floor pulling me out of my reverie. Without a word, he strode toward the cafeteria doors, leaving me breathless.

Evan’s voice broke through the haze. “Who’s the new guy?”

“Hudson Avert,” Reagan answered quickly.

I blinked, my mouth moving before I could stop myself. “Evert. His name’s HudsonEvert.”

Reagan and Evan both turned to stare at me, surprise flickering in their eyes.

“You know him?” Reagan’s voice was sharp with curiosity.

I forced a casual shrug, the lie forming easily. I wasn’t ready to reveal the crush I’d harbored for years, or the fact that Hudson had disappeared from my life without explanation. “I heard his name in the office this morning. I think he went to school with us a while back.”

Her eyes narrowed, suspicious. “When were you in the office?”

“This morning,” I said quickly. “I was late—had to get a pass.”

It was true enough. I’d been late because I couldn’t find a spot in the senior lot, and my cheer sweater was still damp from a last-minute dryer run. Typical Friday.

Reagan’s suspicion faded, but Evan pressed closer against my back, his hand tightening possessively around my waist. Lately, he’d been pushing for more—wanting something I wasn’t ready to give. We’d been dating for four months, but the pressure started weighing on me.

“You coming to my place after school?” he murmured in my ear, his breath hot against my skin.

I tensed. “I’ve got cheer practice,” I said, my voice steady.

“Then tonight,” he pressed, his lips grazing my ear. “My parents are out for dinner. We could have a pizza and movie night.”

I caughtReagan smirking out of the corner of my eye, clearly amused by the exchange.

“I can’t,” I replied, forcing a smile. “My parents are hosting dinner for a new coworker. Apparently, their son is my age.”

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