Chapter 16: Forced Circle

When Mom saw Alex coming in, she lit up right away. Then hurried over, arms open. “Alex! Oh, welcome,” she said, pulling him inside with a warm hug. She patted his back like he was her son. “It’s so good to see your face this evening. We were just sitting here talking about spending more time together as a family. Perfect timing.”

Mark’s face tightened beside me on the couch. His jaw went hard, eyes narrowing just a fraction. I didn’t turn around. I kept staring at the tea in my cup, fingers gripping it tighter. The last person I wanted to deal with right now was Alex. Not after everything.

Alex finished greeting Mom, thanking her softly for the welcome, his voice polite and smooth. Then he walked straight toward me. His footsteps sounded too loud in the room. “Hey Evie,” he said, stopping close.

Mark moved fast, stepping right between us like it was nothing. He blocked the path smoothly, flashing that easy smile of his. “Good to see you drop by, Alex.” He stuck his hand out firm.

Alex paused for a second. I saw his eyes flick past Mark toward me, but he took the handshake. Their hands met with a solid grip. Mark’s shoulder stayed in the way, like a wall I couldn’t get around. Tension crackled there, quick and sharp.

Mom was watching the whole thing with that happy look on her face, so I had to play along. Perfect girlfriend mode. I stood up, forced my legs to move, and stepped around Mark. I gave Alex a quick hug. His arms wrapped around me for that second. It felt wrong, heavy, like putting on old clothes that no longer fit. I pulled back fast, patting his shoulder once before dropping my hands. My smile stayed glued on, cheeks aching from the effort.

“What happened? What brings you over to our place this evening?” I asked, keeping my voice light and forcing that smile wider. I sat back down, crossing my legs like everything was normal.

Mom jumped right in, settling into her chair again. “Yes, Alex, tell us. It’s a nice surprise but we weren’t expecting company. Is everything alright with you?”

Alex rubbed the back of his neck, shifting his weight. He glanced around at all of us before answering. “I was seeing a friend who lives nearby. Caught up with him for a bit and decided to stop by on my way out. Didn’t mean to interrupt your evening or anything.”

“Oh silly, you didn't interrupt anything, you're always welcome to our home anytime.” My mom said with a smile on her face as she tapped him a little.

He was lying. I knew it in my gut. That look in his eyes, the way he kept finding my face. He came to apologize again, to pressure me into giving him another chance, to talk about us like we still had something worth saving, after putting me through that much tension at the engagement party. My stomach twisted. I wanted to call him out but I couldn’t. Not with Mom right there smiling.

Before I could say more, Mom clapped her hands together once, excited. “Well, since the whole family is here now, why don’t we do something fun? Play a game together. It’s been too long since we all sat down like this.”

Mark nodded quickly, leaning forward. “Yeah, that sounds good. What do you have in mind?”

They started throwing ideas around fast. Mom suggested playing cards, something simple like go fish or rummy. Mark shook his head and said charades would get everyone laughing. Alex mentioned the board games he spotted on the shelf in the corner, maybe monopoly or scrabble. Back and forth they went, voices overlapping, laughing at silly suggestions. Mom defended cards because it was easy for everyone. Mark pushed for something more active. Alex tried to keep peace, offering compromises. I stayed silent the whole time, sinking deeper into the couch. I didn’t want to be part of any game. My mind kept flashing back to Mom’s phone, that video I deleted, Mark’s hand on my arm earlier. I just wanted to leave, but I kept my mouth shut and let them argue it out.

After several minutes of back and forth, laughs and small disagreements, they landed on one. Truth or Dare. My heart dropped.

I froze in my seat. Of all the games, why that one? Secrets could come flying out. Questions that would dig too deep. I faked a big yawn, stretching my arms. “I’m starting to feel sleepy already. Maybe I’ll sit this one out and go to bed early.”

Mark grabbed my hand as I stood up to leave, gentle but holding me there. “Come on, Evie. Not yet. Stick around a little. Join us. It won’t be called a family game if we aren’t all here playing it together.”

Mom supported him right away, eyes bright. “He’s right, honey. Stay. It’ll be fun, just a few rounds to laugh and relax.”

Alex smiled at me too, leaning in. “Yeah, Evie. Don’t go now. Make it complete.”

I had no choice. I sat back down, my pulse picking up speed. Mark stood up then, walking to the kitchen. He came back carrying four glass cups and a bottle of wine from the fridge. He set the glasses on the table and poured carefully, the red liquid splashing softly into each one. He handed them around, one to Mom, one to Alex, one to me. “Here we go,” he said, raising his own glass. “To family time. Cheers.”

We all took sips. The wine hit sharp and warm down my throat. The game kicked off.

Mom went first, turning straight to me with that curious mom look. “Evie, truth or dare?”

I answered quick. “Truth.” Dares could get messy. Truth felt safer.

She leaned forward a bit, holding her glass. “When do you and Alex plan to have the wedding? You two have been together long enough now and at the party, you guys made it official.”

The question landed heavy and serious. I laughed out loud, short and quick like it was the funniest joke. “Mom, come on. We’re not rushing into anything like that yet.”

But when I looked at her face, she wasn’t laughing along. Her expression stayed straight, eyes waiting for a real answer. The room got quieter. Mark watched me close from his seat. Alex too, hopeful almost. My laugh died fast.

I shrugged, trying to brush it off. “I don’t know, maybe in a couple of months or so? We’ll figure it out when the time feels right. No need to plan everything right away.”

Mom nodded slowly, but I could see she wanted more details. She sipped her wine, thinking. The air felt thicker now.

Mark didn’t waste time. He turned to Alex with a sharp little smile. “Your turn, Alex. Truth or dare?”

Alex straightened up, trying to look confident, the man in control. “Dare.”

Mark’s eyes glinted. He paused just long enough for the room to go still. Then he said it, voice calm but clear. “I dare you to leave the house right now. Walk out and don’t come back for the night.”

To our surprise, the words hung there heavily. Mom’s eyes widened. Alex’s face changed. My heart raced faster. What was Mark doing? The tension snapped tight, ready to break.