Will You Be There for Me?

Today we were in Salt Lake City for the last week before we headed off to Orlando. We already had an unofficial itinerary for the Sunshine State planned long before we even got to Chicago.

Although there wasn’t anything planned for Salt Lake City, we did plan on going to the mall and the movies to chill, plus most people by this time need more clothes, because most of what we own have several holes from the million times we had fallen.

Zane, Chris and Jake had left to go back to California late last night and I missed them like you couldn’t believe. The bus was so empty and clean without them around, and it made it heard for me to get to sleep, which is why Shaun offered to bunk in my bus to keep me company.

Shaun and I had grown closer than ever before after we got over our stupid fight and knowing we each had each other’s back is what kept us glued to the hip. We were constantly around each other; it was improbable that you wouldn’t find us together, and if we weren’t in the same room, everyone automatically assumed something was up, when in reality Shaun had left the room to go get a soda.

“Mall first?” Scotty asked.

“Sure.” I shrugged, pulling my fake leather jacket over my Ramones shirt.

“What store do we head off to first?”

“Girls pick.” Mason smiled.

I rolled my eyes and sighed as we headed off my bus to start walking to the mall, “I don’t care. I only need a few things from Hot Topic and West 49, and I’m set for a good three or four months.”

“What could you possibly need from West 49 that you can’t get for free?” Shaun asked.

“Jeans, and does it bother you that I don’t mind supporting my sponsors financially from time to time? Or would you rather we head off to some shit store like American Eagle, or Hollister?”

“I wasn’t complaining, just wondering.”

“Alright then.” I smiled, putting in a headphone and let the musical bliss that is Dance Gavin Dance spill into my ears.

Our five-minute walk to the mall was silent for the most part, and none of use really minded. It wasn’t awkward, it was just silent, but maybe it wasn’t awkward for me because I was listening to music, but I’m sure the guys would’ve said something if it were awkward.

“Whatcha listening to?” Shaun sang, grabbing my headphone I wasn’t using.

His face instantly dropped to a look of disgust before giving me back my headphone. “I don’t like ‘em.” He muttered.

“I didn’t expect you to like Bring Me The Horizon.” I laughed, “They’re too hardcore for you.” I smiled.

“Hardcore my ass.” He mumbled as he held the mall door open for me.

“Thank you kind sir.” I smiled.

“No problem.”

“So Hot Topic first?” Scotty asked.

“Yup, I need some fun shirts.”

“You’re not going to, like, try them on and ask us how you look are you?” Mason groaned.

“No, I know what size I am, I’m just going to choose random shirts, pay for them, then jet.”

“Good. Have I told you guys how weird it is to walk into a mall and have people recognize you?” Mason asked randomly.

I looked around to see he was right. Everyone had literally stopped what he or she was doing to watch us. It was strange, and I still wasn’t used to all of this, even more unaccustomed to it when a group of guys stopped us for a picture and autographs.

“Hurry up and choose some clothes so we can jet, these people kinda creep me out.” Scotty stated.

“Dude, chill, go hit on a girl or something and leave me be.” I replied jokingly as I made my way to the band tee’s.

“I’m serious Ali-“

“Dude! Be gone!” I interrupted, putting my hand in his face as I scanned the shirts.

“Fine, I will!” He replied, walking away before he found an innocent little girl scanning the Blessthefall shirts.

“I feel so sorry for that girl.” Mason sighed as Scotty hit on the poor girl, consistently putting his arm in front of the shirt she wanted to look at before she shoved him out of the way.

“She’ll be fine.” I laughed as I grabbed a random Bring Me The Horizon, Dance Gavin Dance, Pierce The Veil, Straight Reads The Line, and I Killed The Prom Queen shirt I hadn’t already owned.

“Ok, I’m set.” I stated, double-checking to see if every shirt was in my size.

“That was quick.” Shaun chuckled.

“I’m not too complicated when it comes to clothes shopping. I get what I came for in my size than jet.” I shrugged as we made our way back to the front of the store where the cashiers were.

“Grab Scotty, would ya?” Shaun asked Mason as we made our way to the cash.

Mason simply nodded and I put the shirts I had chosen on the conveyer belt and watched as the cashier scanned my items.

“That’ll be $113 please.” The girl asked in a bored tone just in time to hear Mason and Scotty crash and slide across the floor.

“Dude!” Shaun exclaimed causing me to stifle some laughter as the girl rolled her eyes.

I quickly took the money out of my wallet and handed her the exact change before she handed me my clothes.

“Why couldn’t you have taken, like, five more minutes?” Scotty whined, “I would’ve had her number!” He exclaimed in disappointment.

“Because I had my shirts and wanted to jet, I need pants that don’t have fucking holes all over them.”

“Ya, no one wants easy access jeans.” Mason teased as we made our way into West 49 where a huge poster of me modeling some Element clothing was hanging in the girls’ section.

“Well look at little miss famous.” Scotty laughed, ruffling my hair.

“Shut up dude.” I mumbled, feeling slightly odd that all of the people in the store recognized me instantly.

I made my way to the jeans as Shaun, Scotty and Mason went their separate ways. I grabbed a few black skinny jeans in my size, a new sweater, a black beanie, a new hat and belt, and some new Vans before going up to the register.

“You get all this shit for free, because they’re all your sponsors, but you pay for a fortune for everything anyway. I don’t understand.” Mason asked, as they ringed in my purchases.

“Because I’d feel weird just going up to them and being like ‘give me free shit, yo’. Plus, I make quite a bit of money that goes towards nothing, I don’t own a house, I’m fucking 17, so I don’t mind spending a good 300 bucks on clothes.” I replied handing the guy at the counter the exact change before leaving the store with my new clothes.

“Movies now!” Scotty exclaimed, fist pumping.

“You’re so strange, you know that?” I laughed as we made our way into the practically deserted theater.

“Maybe so, but at least I don’t have some concession dude eyeing me up and down.” Scott laughed.

“I wouldn’t be too sure about that one. Although, I can’t tell if it’s a boy or girl that’s undressing you with their eyes.” I laughed, as some girl that was clearly from Greek decent was eyeing him up and down.

And she wasn’t one of those gorgeous Greeks either, she was one of those overly hairy, need’s to shave their moustache, kind.”

Scott made a gagging noise and I couldn’t help but laugh, “Ya, at least that dude is a babe.” I laughed, instantly wanting to take back what I said when Shaun gritted his teeth loud enough for only me to hear because he was standing next to me.

“Sorry.” I whispered softly to him, “If it makes you feel better, you’re more attractive.” I smiled, causing him to loosen up and stop staring daggers at the poor boy.

“I’ll get the tickets, you and Scotty and can go get food.” Mason commanded as he drug Shaun with him to the queue.

“What’ll you guys have?” The boy asked.

It was the same boy that Scotty had pointed out. He had medium length black hair and a fringe that fell over his left eye. He had snakebites and his septum pierced and hints of tattoos were showing from underneath his long sleeved uniform. He was gorgeous, and your typical emo/skater boy, and he would usually be the type of guy I’d go for, but he wasn’t doing it for me. It was probably because I already, sorta but not really, had Shaun, and it was all I needed. I didn’t need some typical teenage boy in my life complicating what I already had with Shaun; I didn’t need the drama.

Scotty ordered what we wanted, the whole time the boy stared at me, smiling at me and looking at me when he was talking to Scotty.

We quickly paid for our food and drinks before meeting up with the guys in the correct theater.

I sat down in between Shaun and Mason, and Scotty sat on the other side of Mason, “Dude, that dude was hitting on you hardcore.” Scotty laughed.

“I know; it was so awkward.” I laughed grabbing a handful of popcorn.

“He wouldn’t stop staring at you.” Scotty chuckled, his comment causing Shaun to hold onto my hand protectively.

Even though we weren’t dating, Shaun acted like it and I thought it was cute. I liked how jealous he got when some guy was hitting on me and it wasn’t him.

“Again, it was awkward. I wanted to punch him in the face; it got annoying. He’s attractive and all, but he seems boring.” I replied resting my elbow on the armrest as my thumb lightly stroked Shaun’s hand to calm him down. “Chill dude, you’ve got no competition.” I whispered to Shaun, laughing lightly.

He took a deep breath before letting go of my hand and racking his hands through his hair, “I know, but I don’t know why I get as jealous as I do. I guess it’s a guy thing, y’know? My bad.” He chuckled.

“S’all, good. I’d probably feel the same way to be completely honest.” I smiled, reassuring him before the lights went down and the movie commenced.