truth or dare

It was Aimi's 16th birthday, Mei was sleeping over as her present, since she could not afford a material one.  Aimi loved it more than any other gift, just to spend time with her best friend.  "Let's play truth or dare."  Aimi suggested.  Mei was on the ground, sitting cross legged, facing the bed; Aimi was laying on her bed, looking at the ceiling.
Mei laughed quietly, "Every time I play that with my sisters, it just turns into 'truth or truth'."
"Well?"  Aimi looked down at her, "That is fine with me."  She looked back up at the ceiling, "Let's just tell each other things we never said before."  Mei's face fell.  Mei looked down at her hands as she played with her fingers.  "I'll go first.  Um…"  She looked up and tapped her feet on the foot board of her bed.  "You were my first real friend."
Mei smiled slightly, "Me too…"  She said quietly.
Aimi laughed, "That does not count… you have to do one too."  Mei felt that familiar heart stopping cold in the pit of her stomach, the one she got before she got overly emotional.  Aimi noticed her hesitation, "Well?"
"…My father raped me."  Mei said quietly.  Aimi froze.  She looked down at her slowly and Mei showed no signs of joking.
Aimi sat up, "…You're not joking…"  Mei continued to look down and shook her head.  "W-when?  Did you call the police?!  Why are you still living there?!"
Mei looked up quickly, "No!"  She said, shocked.  "No, no.  Wrong father Aimi."
Aimi's face became a little more relieved, but still in much shock, "…Oh."  Her body relaxed a bit.
Mei looked down again, "…It started when I was nine, when my mother ran away.  Abortions took away my ability to have kids."
"…That's why you love kids so much."  It seemed to just click in Aimi's mind.  Why Mei loved kids, why Mei cried the day they met when Nori was talking about love, why she flinched when her foster father raised a hand to her, even in the most non-violent way.  "But…"  She tried to clear her mind.  "You said you were in the foster home since you were twelve."  Mei nodded once.  "That long?"  Aimi asked, pained.
"Only three nights of peace."  She smiled darkly.  "Those were the best nights of my life."
"Are you better now though?"
"…U-uh.  K-kinda."
"Kinda?"  Mei played with the beaded bracelet then slowly slid it off.
"Um…"  Mei could not think of words right away as she revealed her scars.  "U-um… it's been a while…"  Aimi's eyes were locked on Mei's skin.  "Y-you have to understand-"  Aimi held up her hand, stopping Mei's words.  There was an ear ringing silence for a few minutes as Aimi continued to stare at Mei's mutilated skin.  "Please say something."  Mei begged.
"I'm thinking…"  Aimi mumbled, her eyes distant.  Many more minutes later, her eyes came back to this world and she looked back up at Mei.  "Ok."
"Ok what?"
"Just ok.  It's the past.  Does not matter."
Mei smiled, teary eyed, "Really?"
"Don't you dare cry."  Aimi smiled when she saw Mei's lip quivering.  Mei covered her mouth and laughed, but could not help the tears from coming over.  Mei held out her left hand and Aimi took it with no hesitation, even though that was the hand of the wrist she cut.  "You are going to make me all teary."  Aimi laughed, shaky.  She whipped her dry eyes, trying to keep them that way.
"Sorry."  Mei said, her voice breaking.
"Do you have any more life changing secrets?!  Might as well tell me now!"
"I don't know."  Mei laughed, wiping away her tears that were quickly replaced.  "I can't think about anything but how happy I am that you are such an amazing friend.  I love you Aimi, you are the most amazing friend I could possibly have."
"I love you too hun.  Nothing you ever say will change that.  Never hold anything back again, ok?"  Mei held her hand tighter and nodded.