Chapter nine

Toriah and Ian find themselves in the middle of a game, two truths and a dare.

"Toriah…I dare you to kiss Evan. In front of Ian." As you can guess, Natalie is at it again with a villain's smile.

"What?" Toriah couldn't believe it. The entire crowd cheered which made Toriah hate Natalie even more. "How could you?" Toriah's eyes are now sparkling with tears and anger.

"A dare is a dare, Toriah." Natalie smiles at Toriah has she places her hands crossed.

Toriah throws her eyes at Ian and then Evan. She starts to wonder as to why Natalie is doing this to her own cousin.

"I won't do it." Toriah finally comes to a decision.

"Well then…"

"Just do it." Ian finally blurts as Natalie is about to come up with what seems to be a solution.

"Ian…" Toriah can't believe her ears right now.

"Don't think about it, just do it fast."

Ian looked away and Toriah really just wanted to please him so she really did it. By the time Toriah gets back to reality, she sees Ian leaving so she runs after him.

"Ian…hey, Ian!" Toriah grabs Ian's hand. Ian instantly turns around and his facial expressions say it all that he has lost it. His eyes are red and his veins are visible than ever.

"What the hell, you just left like that." Toriah was also losing it. She felt abandoned when Ian walked away.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Toriah." Ian grabbed Toriah in a questioning manner.

"I…" Toriah started to stammer and instantly tears started to roll down her cheeks.

"Why did you do it?" Ian questions Toriah full of rage and he shakes her.

Rage feels Toriah as she starts to feel disgusted with Ian's question. She raises out her hand and smacks Ian's face and fast realize it.

"I…I'm really sorry…" Toriah places her hand on Ian's cheek in regret.

"I thought you understood me. But I was wrong fucking with you." Ian removes Toriah's hand and starts to walk away.

"Ian…!" Toriah screamed on top of her voice but Ian didn't even turn to look at her. Viola shows ups. She smiles upon seeing Toriah.

"Toriah…" Before Viola can place her hand on Toriah, Toriah runs off crying making Viola's smile fade away.

Toriah feels guilty for what happened but believes Ian owes her and apology. On the contrary, he doesn't feel so. The sky is beautiful and Salma takes Toriah out to help her deal with the heartbreak. Just as her day starts getting better, her eyes are met with Viola's pushing her back to a sad zone. She wanted to ignore her but Viola insists they have a chat.

"How are you?" Viola with a smile as always asks Toriah over a cup of coffee.

"Alright." Toriah hesitantly replies as she sips on some coffee. She is trying so hard not to look in Viola's eyes as she's battling tears. "What do you want to talk about?" Toriah finally places her cup on the table.

"Ian."

"It was his fault." Toriah suddenly gets goosebumps and she pulls on her sweater while looking away.

"I know."

"I don't want to hear anything about him."

"Okay. I just want to tell you something about him."

"There you go again." Toriah could no longer hold her tears back. She took a handkerchief and wiped off some tear drops from her eyes.

"Ian has bipolar."

Toriah stops whatever she is doing and turns to Viola, shocked.

"He didn't tell me that."

"That's because he was scared." Viola places her hand on Toriah's hand which is on the table. "He is under a therapy. He has just started new drugs. They might be taking over him a little. Sometimes he doesn't even realize what he is doing. I just wanted you to know this and I don't blame you for anything."

Toriah removes her hand from Viola's hand and stands up. "Thanks for notifying me." Toriah walks away without even looking at Viola.

Ian had really hurt Toriah. For now, she didn't want anything to do with Ian and felt that everything he said to her were lies. Even though Ian tried to reach Toriah out, she didn't respond. She really wanted to forget him or at least come up with a proper apology. Khaleel heard of Toriah' heartbreak and decided to step in.

"I didn't really want to come here, you forced me to."

"I know, you'll be okay. So…I heard there's trouble in paradise?" Khaleel took Toriah out to a party.

"I didn't want to talk about this." Toriah rolls her eyes and takes a deep breathe.

"I know." Khaleel is strangely understanding. For a moment, Toriah feels guilty.

"Alright, since you want to know…" Khaleel smiles at Toriah. Toriah narrates the entire story to Khaleel. "So that's it. Worse still, he didn't even tell me that he has bipolar."

"Am guessing you guys aren't speaking?"

"Sort of. After all that happened, I mean I have no idea of what to say to him. He's just pissing me off." Khaleel places his hand on Toriah, assuring her not to worry.

This party is lit. Sorts of thing are happening. Toriah leaves to go get her phone in Khaleel's car.

"So, what about Toriah?" Toriah hears a guy who seems to be smoking mention the name. She is about to ignore it.

"She was just timepass. But now that Mady's back, I don't need her anymore."

Just as Toriah is about to leave, she hears a familiar voice that leaves her shaking. There are all sorts of comment from the same circle until a girly voice jumps in. "You guys should stop talking about her."

"Yeah. Besides, I only dated her because my mom liked her." Now Toriah is sure whom the voice belongs to. She has even connected dots where they are talking of being liked by someone's mother. She can't take it anymore so she drops out of the car.

"Great…" Toriah full of tears vividly looks at each one of them and starts to walk away.

"Toriah…" Ian gets up to go after Toriah but instead, Mady holds his hand. "Let her go."

Toriah stops and looks back at Ian still sinking in tears.

"You know what, it's over."

"Was it even there?" The rest of the squad laughed at Toriah.

"You heard him, there was nothing." Mady wraps his hands around Ian while Toriah stands in shutters.