"Will you be my girlfriend?"

The words fell from my mouth awkwardly. I sort of laughed when I said it. I couldn't even remember the last time I had asked anyone out. There I stood, holding my heart out for the cradle or the blow. I had finally done everything right. No lies, no saftey nets to fall back on, no pushing things along and seeing how they went. I was there, alone, completely vulnerable, everything I had on the line. I stood ready to be judged by her. My faults, my achievments, my wins, my losses, all there for her to know, and embrace or turn away. I had known to change I would have to face my greatest fear.

And face my fear I would, as I watched it come to life in her eyes.

For as many times as I broke her heart, she stood to break mine.

And after the lies of men were gone, all that was left was an empty little boy, falling off his stool as drops of water began to fall from the sky.