Truth Or Dare

“What do you want, Sebastian?” My voice comes out cracked. “I’m not entertaining you today.”

I stand on the broken sidewalk outside Rowan’s apartment building, a place I have frequented for years, and for the first time, it feels cold

He laughs quietly.

“You think I want entertainment from a girl like you?" He mocks, voice low. "A girl who’s busy begging for scraps of affection from a man already planning his honeymoon?”

My jaw tightens. Before I can formulate a comeback, he speaks again.

“Tell me this, Novalyn. You’re in love with Rowan, yes or no?”

I bite back a groan and click my tongue. “I… I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”

I turn, thinking maybe if I put some distance between us, I can stop my chest from hammering like a drum. My feet barely hit the ground before I hear him matching my steps. With those long legs of his, he’s always two steps behind even when I want him gone.

“It’s pathetic,” he says casually. “Devoting yourself to one man all your life, completely wasted on someone who doesn’t even see you.”

Is… is he mocking me? Or does he really think that? My stomach drops. My shoulders stiffen. I spin on him, chest heaving.

“You know nothing about my feelings!” My voice cracks. “And I am not pathetic.”

His brows lift slightly, like he’s finally confirmed a long held suspicion.

“I knew it,” he says, almost amused. “You’re actually in love with Rowan.”

I lose my breath, taking a step back.

“Stay away from me, Sebastian.”

“Why?” he asks, raising a brow. “So you can keep hurting yourself over a man who doesn’t want you?”

His words strike a chord.

“What makes you the expert?" I grit my teeth. "Have you ever even been in love?"

He laughs coldly.

“I don’t waste my time on delusions,” he replies. “Women are for my bed and that’s where I leave them.”

I suck in a deep breath.

“Okay,” I force out, keeping my response short on purpose. “Now let me the hell be.”

I turn and begin to walk away for the second time but his next words pause me cold.

“You want to stop hurting yourself over a man who doesn't want you? Then stop being that girl.”

I spin around eyes blazing, fueled by a genuine hatred for this callous man.

“And what would you suggest, Sebastian?” I sneer, throwing his cynical advice back in his face. “Do you have a magic antidote for years of misplaced love?”

He crosses his arms slowly, making me wait for the words that follow.

“I have a distraction,” he says. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a card. He holds it toward me. I hesitate, then take it.

The card is minimalist and expensive.

ECLIPSE LOUNGE.

“One of my guys opened it recently,” he says. “What better way to forget a man who doesn’t want you than a night of fun?"

I huff a sound of disbelief. He wants me to go clubbing? Me? The girl who reads poetry and watches old black-and-white movies? “I’m not a club person. So thanks, but no thanks.”

I start to turn away again, thinking this is finally over. But his hand shoots out, stopping me. He places the card in my palm firmly.

“7 p.m. tonight,” he says quietly. “I expect to see you.”

Then he walks away disappearing back into Rowan’s apartment. And I stand there, frozen in the middle of the street, hand clenching the card.

I take a shaky breath and leave for the orphanage to see Paul. After that, I go straight to my apartment, ignoring the promise I made to go back to see Rowan. I can’t. I don’t want to watch him and Jane, all lovey-dovey.

Instead, I find myself standing in front of my wardrobe, staring blankly at the clothes I haven't worn in years. I am thinking about Sebastian’s utterly ridiculous, yet strangely appealing, offer. Me. A club. Never in my life would I have imagined this. Rowan has always despised clubs, calling them trashy and loud and full of drunk idiots. To earn his approval, I avoided them as well. I’ve sacrificed so much of my own curiosity and independence just to fit into the safe little world he lived in.

But tonight… tonight is different. Tonight, I decide to do this for me.

I’ve heard that clubbing, partying, losing yourself in music and lights, can make people forget. Forget heartbreak. Forget everything that hurts. So… why not try it? What is there left to lose?

At exactly seven, I arrive at the address. I’m wearing a short red dress that clings to every curve of my body. I take a moment, just standing there, letting the cool night air brush over me. I notice a few men across the street glance my way, and, for the first time in a long time, it feels good. Not because I crave their attention or because I need to impress anyone. But Just because… I like it.

And no, I’m not a slut. Not at all. But after years of living for someone else’s validation, it’s intoxicating to feel seen by others, even for a moment.

A car screeches nearby, making me flinch, snapping my attention away from the club’s entrance. Who could that be driving so recklessly?

Then he steps out. Sebastian Oberon.

He is wearing a black shirt, the first three buttons undone, his dark hair perfectly tousled. My chest tugs painfully. It’s almost like seeing Rowan… only that this is a darker and more dangerous version.

He notices me immediately, and I feel that familiar pull in my chest. He’s standing there like he owns the night and maybe even me. And I… I can’t stop staring.

He approaches me slowly, the club lights dancing across his face, making his features look even sharper now.

“You made it,” he says, voice low, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. There is a clear, arrogant satisfaction in his tone, the smugness of a man who always gets exactly what he wants.

“I… yeah,” I say, my voice catching in my throat. My heart races so fast it feels like it might leap from my chest. I can’t decide if I’m nervous, excited, or terrified. Probably all three.

He glances me up and down and I feel heat rise to my cheeks. “You look… sexy,” he says finally, almost to himself.

My cheeks burn even hotter. I look away, forcing myself to breathe. The fact that he bears a striking resemblance to the man I love only exacerbates the confusion. It is like Rowan himself is right here, noticing and desiring me.

He notices my reaction, of course. That dark smile on his lips curl wider.

“Let’s go inside,” he says smoothly, slipping his hand into mine.

We step forward together, fingers brushing, hands interlocked. It feels… strange, thrilling, even though I barely know him. People glance at us as we move through the entranc, and I grip his hand a little tighter.

The club hits me immediately I enter. Flashing light swirls over the crowd, and the bass thumps so hard it feels like it’s shaking my chest. Everything is overwhelming and yet, somehow, I want it all.

Sebastian guides me through the crowd, until we find a free table with two chairs. We sit, still holding hands, and it's impossible not to feel the spark between us.

Sebastian waves over a waiter and orders drinks. He orders two dark-looking drinks without consulting me, and a tall, sweating glass is placed in front of me seconds later. I pick it up without thinking and gulp down most of the contents in one desperate swallow. The sharp tang burns my throat, but it feels good.

“Easy there,” Sebastian says, voice low. "I don’t want you getting drunk. I didn’t bargain for carrying you back home, drunk out of your mind.”

I glare at him.

“What’s this for then?” I ask sharply. “I came here to forget in whatever way I can. Whether it’s by drinking or dancing or… whatever you have in mind.”

He raises one dark eyebrow, his gaze tracking my every move as I pick up the next drink. He doesn’t say anything, just watches, and I feel my cheeks heat up under his stare.

“Are you going to keep staring?” I ask, trying to sound calm. I sigh, dragging a hand down my face. “This is boring. I should never have come.”

A slow smirk spreads across his lips, and he leans back slightly, his eyes glinting with amusement.

“I know ways to bring fun,” he says, licking his lips. “Do you want my methods?”

I snap my gaze away.

“I don’t mean that,” I say, pouting slightly. “Can’t we just do something? Anything? Maybe dance… or even play a game?”

“A game?” His voice is full of amusement. “What kind of game would Novalyn the good girl like to play?”

I pause, thinking hard. The pounding bass and flashing lights make my head spin, but an idea suddenly hits me.

“Two truths and a dare,” I say finally, a small spark of excitement creeping into my chest. “Ever heard of it?”

He crosses his arms, still smirking, settling deeper into his seat. “Sure. Whatever makes you feel better,” he dismisses casually. “You can start.”

I lean back slightly in the chair, letting out a small breath. This should be fun. Something light, something that doesn’t require me thinking about Rowan or my raw, stinging heartbreak. Something that lets me… just be this new, reckless version of myself.

“First truth,” I say, swirling the drink in my hand. “Have you ever had a one-night thing?” I choose the question to be safe, but also to confirm the truth of his earlier, casual boast.

He chuckles darkly.

“You really can’t imagine the number of times I’ve done that,” he says casually, like it’s nothing.

My chest tightens. Of course. It’s Sebastian. The playboy. He's completely different from Rowan in every single way. My mind flickers for a second. I wonder what Rowan is doing now. Maybe he’s with Jane, having a crazy, wild night on his bed, finally celebrating his commitment. My heart clenches hard with a pang of jealousy.

Sebastian leans in slightly, his dark eyes locking onto mine.

“Truth or dare, Novalyn?"

I blink, caught off guard. My pulse spikes, heat creeping to my cheeks. I want to play it safe, but something inside me wants to push boundaries tonight. I tighten my jaw, straighten my shoulders, and meet his gaze.

“Dare,” I say boldly.

A wicked smile spreads across his face. He leans closer, so close I can feel the warmth of his breath on my skin. His lips twitch as he licks them slightly, eyes dark with mischief.

“Really now?” His voice is low, almost a growl. “I dare you to give me a very dirty lap dance. Right here. Right now.”