The Dare

"Truth or dare?" The words slip out of Aaron's mouth, hard and rough. He doesn't know what he's doing to me. He doesn't remember what happened last time we played this awful game-how could he?

"Morana!" He screams my name and I awake from my memories.

"What?"

"Truth or dare!" I wince at the sharpness in his voice, the words coming out of his mouth.

It's no secret that I don't want to play this game.

"Truth." My voice is nearly a whisper and my heart jumps to my throat. I can see the demented smirk twisting on Aaron's face.

"What happened the last time we played this little game?"

I was dreading this. My body shakes and a cold spider crawls down my back.

It had been one of Aaron's bad days. At least that's what the lady at the front desk of the asylum had said when I'd arrived. I'd shrugged her warning off, knowing Aaron would never hurt me. He never had when I'd visited him before, so why start?

"Morana!" Aaron's voice yanks me out of my memories. I don't realize I've been digging my fingernails into my palm until I feel a trickle of blood run down my skin.

"What?" My voice is barely audible. Aaron rolls his green eyes.

"I know something happened the last time you visited. I may be mentally ill, but I'm not stupid. I can hear the nurses whispering 'bout me and you. So tell me, what the hell happened?" His voice is sharp and forceful. Tears unwillingly roll down my cheeks and I swipe them away frantically. Aaron had been my best friend since I was nine-we were pretty much family. It's painful when you see family go through something like this.

"You...The last time..." My voice trips on my words as I try to find a way to say this. How can I though? How can I tell him the pain he put me through, without putting him through any pain? Aaron hadn't been himself that day, but I know he'd blame himself for what happened.

I suck in a breath before gingerly pulling up the side of my shirt. It's enough to reveal the large scar that stretches across my belly. Vivid black and blue bruises infect the skin around it and I wince, not from the pain but the memory.

"We...we were playing Truth or Dare...and it was my turn to be asked. You...you dared me to kiss you. I wouldn't do it. So...so you took the flower vase on your nightstand..." I pause, letting the tears drip down my face. Aaron is staring at me, like a little boy intrigued by a bedtime story.

I remember that look. The look of bewilderment when I'd told him I wouldn't kiss him.

In the next few minutes, it's as if I've traveled back in time. I hear the vase smash against the floors, hear my bloodshot screams. I can feel the vase shard dig into my skin-cold, numb at first, then burning, stinging my flesh. I see nurses rush in the room, hear the door slam. Icy hands touch my stomach and someone yells for bandages in the distance. Through glazed eyes, I watch in horror as a needle is forced into Aaron's neck.

That's the last thing I see before my vision is snatched away from me.

"Morana." Aaron's voice is a whisper that sounds like a shout. I'm pulled back to the present and find myself curled in a ball in the chair beside Aaron's bed. Tears race down my rosy cheeks and croaky sobs choke out of me. The memory is like a nail that's been pulled out of my heart-the nail may be gone, but there's still a hole.

I had been so scared that day when he'd asked me to kiss him. Not of him of course, and surely not of the kiss. Now looking back, I'd really been scared of what would happen after that kiss. Would our friendship be over? If we ever broke up, would we still be friends? If I'd said yes, would he laugh in my face and say the Dare was fake? Would he-

A warm hand touches my chin and I have to stifle down a scream. The hand lifts my face, bringing my eyes to meet a set of watery green ones.

"Did I...Did I actually...do that?" Aaron's voice is soft, but like a broken music box that needs to be fixed. I rub my eyes, wiping the tears away.

"Yeah...you did." My voice sounds like it belongs to a young child. Aaron's body trembles and for minute I'm sure he's going to have another episode.

"I...I don't remember. Why don't I remember this happening?" Tears are streaming down his face. Pity washes over me and I place a hand on his shoulder. He flinches at my touch.

"You were making so much havoc that they had to sedate you. Once they'd seen my stomach and the wound...well, they decided it'd be better if you didn't remember." Aaron's face turns a ghostly pale at my words.

"I can't believe they did that...I can't believe I did that!" His voice cracks and he points a trembling finger at my stomach. He purses his lips. "God, you must hate me." A fat tear rolls down his cheek. I flick it away.

"Me? Hate you? Not possible. And anyways, I knew that wasn't you. I know you'd never do anything like that to me." I put on a smile just for him as I say the words.

"But I did. I hurt you when you did nothing to deserve it. I mean, what if the nurses hadn't came in? I could've killed you!" Aaron's lip quivers. I wince at the word killed. "I couldn't live with myself if I'd killed you! I mean, what kind of friend would I be if I did that!" He buries his face in his palms, but I can still hear the muffled sounds of his cries.

"But...but you didn't. I'm still alive, Aaron. I'm right here, beside you. And no matter what you do, I'll still be right beside you at the end of the day." My voice cracks a little, but I hold myself together for the most part. Aaron's head slowly lifts and I notice that his eyes are red and puffy.

He looks like a mess. I probably do too, so who am I to judge?

He wipes his nose with the back of his palm. I swallow down a cringe.

"So...so you... forgive me?" His voice is little and quiet. I bite down a smile.

"Aaron?"

"Yeah?"

"Truth or Dare?" I try to push down my excitement as I speak. Aaron's eyes widened and I try to imagine what's running through his mind right now.

"Dare." He finally says, his voice a little hesitant. I smile.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah...yeah, I'm sure." Aaron replies, this time sitting up straighter. I can feel my face turn bright red. I grin ear to ear.

"Kiss me."