The Bird and the Worm

“This is the third Ramones tee you’ve had me try on, Heather,” she whined. “When will the madness end?”

I sighed. “Haven’t you liked anything here?” I asked, and she shook her head. “Why not?” She bit her lip. “What? You can’t tell me?”

“Not with Brian right there, no, I can’t.” She blushed a little, and she pulled the shirt off, adjusted the one that she had on underneath it so that it looked like it had before we walked in. I sighed, nodding towards Brian, and he kissed my temple before he got up, walking to a bench that was just outside the store. My heart panged a little, and I felt bad, but then I glanced back at McKenna, and her face was red. “Can you promise not to tell him?” I nodded slowly. “It’s nothing bad, I swear, I’m just…not sure he would approve.”

I nodded, and she took my hand, leading me to the dressing room, closing the curtain.

“So you wanna know why I don’t like any of this stuff?” I nodded. “There’s this guy. Y’know, at school, and he’s like…ridiculously attractive, but he’s all grungy and stuff, like Brian. He listens to Avenged and Disturbed and Manson and things like that, but he also kind of understands my whole Miley Cyrus thing, which is….weird.” I raised an eyebrow. “Yeah. I know. Grungy rocker dude talking to me. Weird, but whatever.”

“Well what’s so wrong with him?”

“I’m just not sure how Brian would take it if I told him I was crushing on the school badass that has probably been with every senior girl at school at least once.”

I blinked a couple of times. “Is he someone you would want to do…that…with?” She shook her head vigorously. “Then why can’t you try on the shirts here?”

She blushed. More than I ever had. I offered my hand, but she shook her head, so I rested it back on my lap. “No, he’s just…extremely good looking, he’ll talk to anyone, and he has a better sense of humor than anyone else I know. I just don’t…y’know…I just don’t wanna change too fast, or he’ll think I’m changing just to impress him, and Brian can’t know that I’m letting you guys do this because I’m hoping that maybe this guy’ll be more into me.”

I ran my hand over my hair. Jesus. Now I knew why I didn’t miss high school. “Well. The advice I can give you, McKenna, is to listen to some of the music he listens to, just to have something to bring up with him. And if two tickets to a couple of concerts featuring his favorite bands just happen to magically appear,” she smiled up at me a little, her face still hidden by a deep shade of red, “then you’ll be able to sing along with enough of the songs to that he’ll know you know what you’re talking about.” She nodded. “And having a few band tees wouldn’t hurt. They don’t have to be baggy, I mean, they sell baby dolls, and that’s what I was wearing when I met Brian…” I tried very hard to make sure I didn’t reveal too much about that night, “and maybe this guy will ask a few questions about your change.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah. I do.”

“So do you think we can get a few things here and then go back and get that outfit you found for me?”

I nodded. “We should be able to do that, yeah. And I won’t say a word to your brother.” She smiled in thanks. “Let’s shop, okay?” She nodded, and then I helped her up. “Alright. New lease on this adventure. You find a good shirt, and I’m going to fetch Brian.”

When I walked out to him, he greeted me with a smile and tugged me close to his side as we walked back in. “Is McKenna okay?” he asked, touching his smooth lips to my hair.

“Yeah. She just had to have a little bit of girl talk.”

“Anything I need to be worried about?” I looked up at him, shaking my head. “You sure?” I nodded. “Okay. Thanks, love. For taking care of her. Probably meant a lot to her.”

“Excuse me…are you Synyster Gates?”

He turned his head, and he was greeted by a girl that looked like she was about my age. “Yeah, that’s me. Why?” Already, his arm was slipping from my waist. He knew she was about to ask for his autograph, so he was preparing himself. I tried to think of where I’d put my pen just in case this girl didn’t have one.

“I’m so sorry, it’s just…well, I’m a huge fan, I’ve been to zillions of your concerts, have all the CDs…I’m a major fan.” I was kind of glad that she didn’t say ‘I’m your biggest fan’, because then I would have had to occupy the only hand that was of use for signing things in order to make her understand that he wasn’t available. Not to say that I was feeling territorial. I knew Brian knew better than to run off with fan girls, but considering how our relationship had started, it always made me a little nervous.

“Well of course,” he said. “What would you like me to sign?”

“Um…I don’t have anything Avenged with me except for the DVD I haven’t bought yet.”

“Well I can wait if you want to buy it, and then I’ll sign wherever you want.” Her eyes widened, and he gave her a truly genuine smile, touching his hand to my back, almost as if he knew what I was thinking. She hurried to the checkout counter, and the clerk glanced back at Brian a couple of times as she checked the girl out. When the girl returned, he held out his hand for the DVD, and she handed him the Sharpie she’d gotten from the clerk. “What’s your name, miss?” he asked as he popped the case open, deciding on signing the disc.

“Um...Geena,” she replied, and he smiled a little to himself as he signed the disc for her. “Oh my gosh, thank you so much, really, you’re amazing.”

“Want a hug?”

She blinked, rocking back on her heels in surprise. I slipped from his grip, winking back at him and walking over to McKenna, who seemed to be making an effort in finding a shirt, and she laughed a little.

Over the top of the shelves, I could see Brian giving the fan a genuine hug and then flashing a smile as he pulled back. My heart hammered in my chest. God. I couldn’t believe how cool and collected he was- I really had tied myself to the perfect man.

He had a short conversation with the girl, and then she said something about telling her friends, so he patted her arm and smiled, making his way over to McKenna and I.

“Hey mister superstar,” I teased as he rested his arm around my waist. “I think you just made her day.” He chuckled, and I felt his lips touch my hair in response. “McKenna’s almost done, I think. She had second thoughts on walking away from that outfit, and she only has to listen to one song in order to satisfy me.” McKenna rolled her eyes at me, and I settled against Brian.

This felt way more real than the last seven months had. Before, it had just been me, Brian, and the occasional inclusion of his band, but now, we were involving his family and my family, and my friend was dating his friend, and he was making such an effort to bring normality back into my lifestyle. I owed him so many kisses for this, but I couldn’t imagine how long it would take for me to cash in on my debt.