Never Knew

Chapter 17 - Game time

Jax's POV

I watch the flames engulf the thick blocks of wood, releasing the smell of burnt oak. I watch Evelyn's arms wrap around Ashton's neck as she exceeds this nervous keenness about her. I'm not completely convinced playing this game will reveal the hellish person who chose to make a page online full of gossip and fabricated lies but we can sure as hell try. 

I notice the hoodie Evelyn's wearing is way too oversized for her small figure and I curse myself at the desire that claws its way into my chest every time she's in my line of vision. I can feel Sophie staring at me while I pretend to look at the flames and not at Evelyn. I pull out a cigarette in need of the ability to do something with my hands. I stare at Sophie for a split-second, wondering what being with her would be like for a second but I feel numb at the thought. I hear Ashton's deep voice start explaining the rules of the game as I glance over the crowd trying to find a nervous tic, a nervous facial expression that will tell on the person that's guilty of using our personal lives for their amusement. I spot Nicky sitting next to Sarah as Sarah gives me a smirk and bites her bottom lip. Yeah, that's never happening again...

"I have a brother; I have a girlfriend and I almost went to boot camp when I was 20." Says Ashton. I turn my head so fast to look at him at the mention of his brother that I get whiplash. I wince at the pain in my neck, grasping at it. What the hell? Evelyn and almost everyone else is looking at him with a flabbergasted look on their faces. 

Ashton raises his eyebrows and I see Nicky clench her fists from my peripheral vision. I see what he's doing, he's provoking. But what if he's provoking the wrong person?

"What? Now everyone decides to have morals and principles. Now people decide to stay quiet. Pussies." Ashton mutters that last word under his breath as he takes a swig from his beer, but I heard it. He repositions Evelyn, moving her a little to the left to get her comfortable on his lap and the sight makes my stomach turn with envy, but I swallow the jealousy and keep it down. I balance my cigarette on my lips and run a hand through my hair, letting this game play out as it goes around the circle, observing, and reading our peers and their body language. Finally, it gets to Sarah, I'm sure she's one of the people we're all suspicious of.

"I'm an only child, I have had a boyfriend since a couple of months back and my best friends have fallen in love with the same person." She gives her best-wicked smirk after saying these words and it dawns on me that Sarah doesn't mind creating animosity. She doesn't mind creating it even when it's between the only people that still tolerate her as long as she meddles in other people's shit. 

I look at Evelyn, her ocean eyes glaring at Ashton with pain and glaring back at Sarah then Nicky then Allison. Ashton's clenching his jaw, clearly irritated by Sarah's lack of respect. I look over at Nicky and Allison, Allison is questioning Nicky in front of everyone. 

"So that's why it was so easy to convince you to post that picture or even take it in the first place!? You're a conniving bitch and I should've never trusted you." Allison spats Nicky as she gets up and walks away, her blonde waves flailing messily in the cold breeze. Nicky's cheeks are almost as red as her hair, and I see what Ashton meant now. These types of games are invented for people to tell on themselves, for people to bend. Nicky gets up and whispers something to Sarah angrily, something I'm too far away to comprehend, she walks away making her way to Allison. 

"Alright everyone, continue drinking and socializing. Games Over." I say, standing up. I hear some whines and murmurs, but everyone soon moves on to gossip about the incident that just took place. I know that this is going to cause a fight between Eve and Ash because well, Ashton made out with Nicky at that party. I'm sure Evelyn is confused as to why that would mean that she's in love with him unless he was lying about the lack of relationship he had with Allison and the fleeting moment with Nicky.