Four Childhood Friends Played a Dare Game With Me. They Lied To Me—All For Her Chapter 06
Damon took them straight to the NASA office.
The staff member asked one question.
“Your relationship to Elara?”
He answered without thinking, “Boyfriend.”
She pulled up the file.
“Elara’s emergency contact list doesn’t include you.”
Damon froze.
“She’s just mad at me. Please-where did she go?”
“Sorry. I can’t disclose that.”
Roman slammed the desk. “We grew up together!”
The staffer looked up.
“Then you should know she checked in today.”
Silence.
They didn’t know.
They’d searched my room last night and never once read that agreement.
Caleb forced himself calm, “We’re not asking for the location.”
“Can you pass something to her?”
“No.”
“When can we contact her?”
“After the five-year confinement. Depending on the project.”
Damon stood there for a long time.
“When she left-did she ask about us?”
The staffer frowned.
“Elara is an adult. She’s pursuing her research. Does she need your permission?”
One sentence. Shut all four of them up.
They left the NASA office. Damon drove straight to the interstate.
On the road, something glinted.
The four-leaf clover necklace. Cracked.
Roman picked it up.
Two characters engraved on the back. Elara.
Damon reached for it. “Give it.”
Roman clenched his fist. “Why?”
“She gave it to me.”
Nina, standing beside them, said quietly, “Elara said yesterday it was for me.”
Three heads turned.
Nina’s face paled. “I just didn’t think she’d actually throw it away.”
Caleb spoke. “Why did you want her necklace?”
“It’s pretty.”
“Her name’s engraved on it.”
“I can grind it off.”
The air went cold.
Julian stared at her. “The video. Same thing? Cut Elara out, put you in?”
Nina’s eyes reddened. “You said you’d give me a childhood.”
Roman opened his mouth to defend her.
Nothing came out.
Because she wasn’t lying,
They’d handed her my medal, my camera, my videos.
They’d told me, again and again.
Just a few things.
Just a game.
Just five years in California.
Damon pulled out his phone. Opened the group chat I’d left.
The last messages were still there.
Roman telling the “California Internet Friend” to crawl back.
Julian saying I’d settle down in two days.
Caleb liking the name change.
And his own reply. Fits.
Damon stared at the word. Then smashed the phone.
Screen shattered.
Nina stepped back, startled. “Damon-”
“Don’t call me that.”
She froze.
Damon took the clover necklace.
The crack ran straight through my name.
He rubbed it with his thumb. Again and again.
It wouldn’t come off.
That night, the celebration didn’t continue.
The cake had five little figures on top.
None of them were me.
Roman sat on the couch. Said suddenly,
“She came to the gym before she left.”
“She said she was afraid she wouldn’t get another chance.”
“Why didn’t I understand?”
Caleb looked down at the drafts.
“You understood.”
“We just didn’t want to listen.”
