Truth or Dare

We were like a flame, suddenly ignited in love. Tangled fingers and dancing tongues. It made my very core shake with excitement. Playing hide and seek at the park on Saturdays then laying on a blanket until the stars came out. We used to lay in bed naked all day on Sundays, totally enveloped in one another. We were burning bright. So beautiful.

And like a flame, we suddenly burned out. But only until the gas would hit a spark, and then baby we would combust. Explode. And I would stand there in a storm holding a metal pole waiting to be struck by lightning. It's not all his fault, really.

Pete Wentz. He's a fucking god, and well, I'm just me. When we first started fighting he would threaten that I'd be 'Just another line in a song.' Like all the songs about his other ex girlfriends. Then he would skip the threats all together and just hit me. But he was allowed to, right? After all, he is a star in a band, and like I said before, I'm just me.

I looked at myself in the mirror after my shower. A ninety-eight pound girl who should really gain some more weight. I touched the new new purple bruise and small cut that adorned my left cheekbone. When was I going to learn? He's right, and I'm wrong, and I just need to learn my lesson.

I hear a knock on the bathroom door. My stomach goes in knots, I really hope I haven't done something wrong.

"Juliet, Please open the door." Pete sounds so calm.

I open the door slowly, allowing him to enter my steamy escape. I couldn't stand the look in his eyes. Like he was in so much pain. He outreached his hand to me, and I accidentally flinched away.

"You're.. You're scared of me." Pete sobbed.

He slowly put his hand up to my face, where he put his mark last night. He gently rubbed his thumb over the wound.

"I'm so sorry Jules. Never again. I will never hurt you ever again." He was crying and pulling me into a hug.

Maybe things were different this time. He seemed to be genuinely disgusted with himself. I wrapped my arms tight around his torso, thinking about the first time I met him.

He and his band had just gotten off stage at a small club I was waitressing at. I had to admit I loved their sound. The words were everything I had felt at some time. I felt a strong arm snake around my waist, I instantly said "Fuck off" assuming it was a drunk guy hanging off of me.

"Whoa there pretty lady, you sure have a fowl mouth." He smiled at me.

I nearly dropped all of the glasses I was balancing. It was the hot bass player I had been checking out all night. Something about the tattoos and eyeliner turned me on.

"I'm Pete Wentz." He extended his hand for me to shake it. "I couldn't help but notice you while I was on stage."

"Forget it bud. I'm not a groupie out to please you and your cock." I started to walk away from him, but I stopped when I heard him burst out laughing.

"That's not what I want. Please let me take you out for dinner or something to prove to you I'm not that guy?"

I'm not sure what came over me, but I replied "Juliet Simms. 587-2389."

And look at where we are now, four years later.

I let go of Pete to look up at him and smile. It was my turn to run my thumb over his cheek, to wipe his tears away. I then placed a small kiss on his lips. He still did give me butterflies.

"I really will change Juliet. I promise you." Pete whispered into my ear.

Oh my God, how I wanted to believe him.