Page 104 of Fireworks

“Would you go back and stop what happened if you could?”

Shit. That was a loaded question. I enjoyed every minute of what we had done but the way it changed our lives, I wish I would have thought about that a bit more before we did anything. Was this his way of saying he would have gone back and done things differently? Instead of answering I did the next logical thing and kicked off my shoes.

“Truth or dare Nate?”

He shook his head, the look of disappointment written all over his face as he spoke.

“Truth.”

“Were you ever planning on telling Asher you fucked me?”

Standing up he pulled his shorts down to his ankles kicking them over where his shirt landed before sitting back down. I wanted to pull my hair out. The whole point of this game is to get answers, not take the cop out of stripping every time.

“Are you done with this game yet?”

My eyes narrowed as I shook my head no.

“Okay then, Truth or dare Katie?”

“Truth.”

“Why did you really suggest this game?”

Reaching down I crossed my arms over my torso pulling my camisole over my head to expose my bare chest. I could have chosen to take my socks off or even used a piece of jewelry as my next item, but I wanted to make him regret the fact that he left me feeling like I was nothing more than a secret he wanted to keep to himself. Someone he was ashamed of.

Refusing to let him get the satisfaction of winning this game my face stayed cold as I spoke.

“Truth or dare Nathan.”

I knew he was down to his boxers, so it was either answer me or he’d be the one left naked. His words came out slow with no level of certainty behind it.

“Dare.”

Closing my eyes before my lips parted the words even more damaging than the truths of this game would have ever been.

“I dare you to never talk to me or think about me again until you tell my brother.”

My chest and throat burned as I spoke. Inside I was begging for him to take his boxers off. To stand up and say there was no way he could go without thinking or talking to me. That I meant too much to him. I wanted him to tell me what we were wasn’t something he could give up. When he didn’t move, I did. Picking my shirt up off the ground I quickly pulled it back over my head. Slipping my feet into my shoes, I turned to the door fighting back tears teetering on the rims of my eyes. I heard no movement behind me as I walked out of his bedroom knowing that this was the end of us.

*****

Nate

I could hear Asher’s voice as I pulled my clothing back on. Hopefully, he was blind to the fact that his sister probably looked like shit after whatever the hell that game was. Why I even agreed to play in the first place I will never know. I must have been hit over the head with a heavy rock or something and lost complete control over my rational thinking.

Our relationship had been going so well until the last week or so. She had been pulling away from me and it seemed like everything I said started a fight. Every time we were together, she would bring up me talking to her brother again. I wanted to talk to him. The problem was I didn’t know how. What could I possibly say that wouldn’t result in him hating me or worse him being mad at her? I knew this was just another stupid fight and once Asher left, I could sit down with her and we could talk it out. She just needed some space to cool off and realize I wasn’t going anywhere no matter what. More than that, eventually I would tell her brother.

Strolling into the living room Asher lurched forward directly towards me. I hadn’t even noticed his hand was in a fist until it collided with my jaw causing me to stumble backward, blood dripping off my lip.

“What the fuck man? What the hell was that for?”

Raising my hand to my lip I tried to regain my balance.

“Did you fuck my sister?”

His words were dripping with hatred as his nostrils flared. Shit, did Katie seriously just tell him?

“You don’t understand Asher. It isn’t what you think.”