Truth or Dare

My crusty eyes tried to open, my mouth was dried over with blood. I felt pain everywhere, every place he assaulted me. It looked like sun was rising, I must have been passed out all night. I tried, and tried to move but I couldn't. My legs felt fine, it was just everything waist up. I let out a small whimper of pain, attempting to reach the phone.

I heard shuffling down the hall, it sounded like he was awake and making his way towards me. Tears stung my eyes as I thought about the repeated blows he gave me last night. I didn't want to be in love with him any more.

"Juliet, baby? Why aren't you in bed? Where are you?" His footprints were coming from the kitchen, towards the living room, where I lay on the floor.

He looked down at me and the blood that was sprinkled on the carpet, I swear his eyes looked like they were going to explode out of his head. He knelt down beside me, cradling my head in his lap.

"What happened Jules? Who the fuck did this to you!?" He was confused and angry.

Did he not remember last night? "P-Pete," I could barely croak out, "y-you did t-this to me." I winced with every word.

I felt a warm salty tear hit my cheek, and could feel his chest shaking. He was crying. If I could cry right now, I would.

"I'm scared of you." I whispered.

Pete jumped up and ran into the kitchen. I could hear each hesitant footstep he took to come back to me. He was holding our sharpest knife. What was he doing? Was he going to kill me?

"I think everyone would be better off without me. I have failed the only person I have ever loved. To prove to you how sorry I am, I'm going to follow through and actually kill myself this time, okay?" He brought the knife up to his chest then gave me a half smile, "Third times a charm."

"Wait!" I yell out to Peter. "You can't kill yourself. You're not allowed to take the easy way out! You want to show me how sorry you are? Then be a man and own up to your actions!" I yell at him. "Don't be so god-damned selfish." I trailed off. "I fucking love you. And you to kill yourself would be the worst pain you could cause me!"

He was sobbing. I hear a clink as the knife hits the floor. I could feel his strong arms, the pair I thought used to be safe, snake around me. He picks me up off of the ground and places me on the couch. He studies me over carefully.

"I think I have to take you to the hospital." He grabs my hand.

The door bursts open and I hear two boys laughing to each other, they walk through the kitchen and see Pete, they can only see the back of my head.

"Hey, are we interrupting?" Brendon asked. They came and stood beside Pete.

I could see the ball of anger in Ryan's throat as soon as he saw a broken Juliet. I knew he wanted to kill Pete and then whisk me away.

"Whoa, what happened to you?" Brendon asked almost disgusted, I can't even imagine how bad I looked.

"Well-" Pete hesitated, "We were-"

I cut him off. I was being a coward, no one else needed to know the truth. "Oh you know, we got a little too excited to watch Saturday morning cartoons, so we raced down our stairs, and of course I tripped."

Brendon laughed. "You two are too cute. What kind of couple does that? I can totally see Pete being a hero and trying to catch you so you don't hurt yourself." He obviously had no clue.

"How about I take you to the hospital just to get you checked out?" Ryan asked, gingerly wrapping his arms around me. "You and Pete should stay and work on the songs. I'll take care of her." He almost sounded demanding.

He gently placed me in his car, he got around to the drivers side and started the car. He instantly got white knuckles from gripping the steering wheel too hard.

I already knew what he was going to say.