The game of "Truth or Dare" continued, a whirlwind of laughter and confessions filling the room. Anya, surprisingly, found herself enjoying the lighthearted atmosphere. She had almost forgotten about Liam's presence, lost in the playful banter and the unexpected surge of camaraderie.
Then, the dare landed on Liam. "If you had to choose," the voice boomed from across the table, "between your ex-girlfriend and your current partner, who would you choose?"
The room fell silent. Everyone, including Anya, was stunned. Liam's face paled. He looked around the room, his eyes searching for an escape, but everyone was watching him expectantly.
Anya felt a shiver crawl down her spine. The question hung heavy in the air, a cruel twist of fate. She had no idea Liam was seeing someone.
Liam hesitated, his gaze sweeping across the room before settling on Anya. A strange intensity flickered in his eyes, a raw emotion that made her heart skip a beat.
"I... I don't think that's a fair question," he stammered, his voice barely audible.
"Come on, Liam," someone urged. "Spill the beans!"
Liam looked around the room again, his eyes pleading for understanding. But the pressure was mounting.
"Okay, okay," he conceded, his voice trembling. "But you have to promise not to make a big deal out of it."
The room erupted in a chorus of assurances. Liam took a deep breath. "I... I would choose..." he paused, his eyes darting to Anya. "I would choose..."
Anya felt her breath catch in her throat. She watched him, her heart pounding like a drum.
"I would choose..." Liam's voice trailed off. "I have to go," he said abruptly, his eyes wide with panic. "I have to take this call."
He pulled out his phone, his eyes darting to Anya, then back to the screen. "It's important," he mumbled, his voice barely a whisper.
Anya watched as he answered the call. "Hey, babe," Sarah's voice, sweet and seductive, echoed through the room. "Just wanted to say hi. I'm at the restaurant where you guys are having your reunion. I see you."
The room fell silent. Everyone stared at Liam, their faces a mixture of shock and disbelief.
Liam, seemingly oblivious to the stunned silence, said, "I'll be right back." He stood up, his face pale, and walked towards the door.
"Wait," Anya said, her voice trembling. "Where are you going?"
Liam hesitated, his eyes meeting hers. "I... I'm going to get her," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "She's waiting outside."
Anya felt a cold dread creeping into her bones. She watched as Liam disappeared down the hallway, leaving a trail of stunned silence in his wake.
Sarah.
The name echoed in Anya's mind, a bitter taste in her mouth. So, that's why he had been so hesitant, so evasive. He was still with Sarah.
Anya felt a wave of nausea washing over her. The laughter and the playful banter from moments ago seemed to fade away, replaced by a deafening silence. The betrayal, the hurt, it all came flooding back, more intense than she had ever imagined.
She looked around the room, at the faces of her classmates, some of them whispering amongst themselves, others staring at her with a mixture of pity and curiosity. She felt a blush creeping up her neck, a burning shame that threatened to consume her.
Liam returned a few minutes later, his arm around a stunningly beautiful woman. Sarah.
Sarah smiled radiantly at the room, her eyes sparkling. "Hi everyone," she said, her voice sweet and confident. "Liam told me about this reunion, and I couldn't resist joining the fun."
Liam introduced Sarah as his girlfriend, his voice a mixture of bravado and nervousness.
Anya watched them, her heart pounding. Sarah, with her flawless complexion and her perfectly styled hair, looked every bit the picture of success. Anya, in comparison, felt suddenly drab, insignificant.
The rest of the evening was a blur. Anya felt numb, disconnected from the world around her. She forced a smile, made polite conversation, but her mind was elsewhere, replaying Liam's words, Sarah's confident smile, the shattering of her illusions.
As the night wore on, Anya knew that some wounds ran too deep to heal, some betrayals too painful to forgive. The reunion, once a nostalgic gathering of old friends, had become a painful reminder of the past, a past she had desperately tried to leave behind.
The betrayal, the public humiliation, it all felt like a betrayal of her own trust in herself. How could she have been so blind?