DARE!

He said, “Truth or dare?”

I said, “Dare.”

He said, “Why?”

I said, “Cause the truth is something I’d rather hide.”

The kitchen’s packed, the music’s loud

Someone’s singing way too proud

The bottle spins across the floor

And everybody’s begging for more

I’m pulling at my tights beneath the chair

Like somehow that’ll get me out of here

The room is hot, the lights are bright

And I’m rehearsing “I’m alright”

A girl I barely know asks where I’ve been

I smile and say, “Busy,” and she buys it again

It’s funny how nobody seems to notice

How much hiding goes into this

So tell me to dance on the table

Tell me to scream out a song

Tell me to do something reckless

Just don’t ask what’s going on

Cause I’m just a girl and girls are always “fine”

At least that’s what we’re told most of the time

Smile for the photo

Laugh at the joke

Swallow every feeling before somebody knows

So give me a dare

Give me a hundred, give me two

Anything’s easier than telling the truth

Cause some secrets only survive

When they stay out of sight

The bottle lands and somebody cheers

Somebody kisses somebody here

Everybody’s living in the moment

While I’m trapped inside my head

The boy beside me says, “You seem quiet tonight.”

I shrug and tell him, “I’m just tired.”

He nods like that’s enough to understand

And I let him

Cause maybe everybody’s got their thing

The thoughts they never say

The little storms they carry around

And pray don’t show up on their face

I’m pulling at my tights again

Watching strangers become friends

Wondering if anybody else

Feels lonely in a crowded room like this

So tell me to jump in the deep end

Tell me to run through the rain

Tell me to do something stupid

I’d rather that than explain

Cause I’m just a girl and girls are always “fine”

At least that’s what we’re told most of the time

Smile for the photo

Laugh at the joke

Swallow every feeling before somebody knows

So give me a dare

Give me a hundred, give me two

Anything’s easier than telling the truth

Cause some secrets only survive

When they stay out of sight

Maybe the truth isn’t tragic

Maybe it isn’t profound

Maybe it’s just being exhausted

From carrying it around

Maybe I’m tired of pretending

Every question’s black and white

Maybe I don’t have the words for it

Even if I tried

The bottle spins one final time

Everybody’s laughing

Everybody’s fine

Or maybe we’re all lying

Cause I’m just a girl and girls are always “fine”

That’s what we learn somewhere down the line

Be easy to love

Be easy to hold

Never let anybody see you’re coming undone

So give me a dare

Tell me to stay, tell me to run

Tell me to stare straight into the sun

Anything’s easier than telling you why

He said, “Truth or dare?”

I said, “Dare.”

He said, “Why?”

I looked around the room

At the smiles, the drinks, the neon lights

And said,

“Cause the truth is something I’d rather hide.”