Will You Be There for Me?

It was the last day of the Chicago stop for the Dew Tour and I was currently in second place. I had been in first, but the girl that went just before me knocked me down to second, and I was in my competitive state, where no matter what, I had to come first and was driven to come in first. And that’s exactly what happened.

I was standing by the vert ramp with Shaun and my friends standing next to me waiting to see my final position. The wait was antagonizing and I felt Shaun squeeze my shoulder lightly, and I could sense he was just as anxious as I was to find out what place I’d land in.

I held my board up in the air in excitement when they announced I had bumped back up to first. Shaun wrapped his arms around my torso in a hug and spun me around in a circle to congratulate me before setting me back down so I could hug Zane, Chris and Jake.

“I knew you could do it dude!” Zane exclaimed giving me another hug.

“Kudos, man.” Jake smiled patting me on the back.

“I know, I know, I’m amazing.” I laughed, flattering myself.

“And cue the cockiness… now.” Chris joked, rolling his eyes.

“I’m amazing, it’s allowed.” I smiled.

“Whatever, come find us when you’re not cocky.” Zane joked as they all left.

“Wow, they really left you.” Shaun laughed.

“They generally do after I win, I jokingly get cocky and it pisses them off, so they avoid me for a good hour once I get over the excitement.” I explained.

“Well, I’d love to hear about your amazing victory.” He smiled, shoving his hands in the front pockets of his jeans.

“I’m so sure.” I replied, crossing my arms over my chest.

“I would, tomorrow, when we’re in Boston. We’re going to go out for some ice cream and you can tell me all about it.”

“Like a date?” I asked skeptically.

“Exactly like a date, why is that a problem?” He asked with a slight smirk, and although this would turn most people off, it only intrigued me.

There was just something about Shaun, that when he got all self confident like that I just couldn’t turn away. It wasn’t like a sexual drive or anything, more of a curiosity kind. I wanted to get to know him more than I already did; it’s just something I couldn’t describe fully and clearly enough.

“Nah, it’s just, I’ve only known you a month, y’know?”

“Then all the better reason to go on a date with me. We’re not buddy-buddy enough that it’ll be awkward, but we’re not barley friends that it’ll be awkward, y’know? Plus, you promised me a date, remember?” Shaun smirked.

“Fine, I’ll go out with you for ice cream tomorrow.” I sighed, giving in knowing I wouldn’t win this fight.

Shaun was definitely more competitive than I and would do anything to get his way, and doesn’t take no for an answer, so resisting a date would be futile.

“Good, now let’s go find your friends, I miss them.” Shaun joked as he headed off to my tour bus.

“You’re really something else, you know that Shaun?” I sighed, following him.

“I know, but I have to leave a lasting impression on you, bud.” He replied, flashing off his 1000-watt smile.

“You left an impression, like, the day after I met you.” I stated, rolling my eyes as we reached my bus.

“Are you now all uncocky?” Zane said right away as soon as Shaun and I opened the door to the tour bus.

“Yes, it’s all good.” I laughed, setting my skateboard on the couch.

“That was quick.” Jake replied, lifting an eyebrow.

I only shrugged my shoulders before sitting on the couch, Shaun sitting next to me only a mere few seconds after me.

“Alison, I have a dare for you.” Chris said randomly as he finished off his can of Redbull.

“Oh ya?”

“Ya.” Chris smiled mischievously.

“Ok then, lay it down for me.”

“So, it’s only, around noon right?” He asked, and I nodded slowly, “Ok, well, I dare you for the rest of the day, to actually dress, AND ACT, like a chick.” He smiled.

“Ooh, I like it! You should try it! It’ll be fun! I like this idea!” Zane said excitedly.

Again, I’ve always been a tomboy, to a certain extent. I never wore skirts, dresses, and I hardly ever wore make up, because it was pointless. It was going to end up running down my face from all my skateboarding and such, that making an effort to wear make up seemed stupid.

“First, what’s in it for me? And second, I won’t act like a chick, ‘cause that’s not how I am.”

“Fine, you can’t skate or do overly dude like things that you always do.” Chris replied, rolling his eyes.

“What do I ever do that’s overly dude like, that’s not skating?”

“You sit like a dude.” Chris shot back.

“You talk like one.” Zane added.

“You’ll belch and not say excuse me, or even make an effort to keep it in.” Jake replied.

“You say ‘your mom’ jokes.”

“You talk about boobs!”

“You always want to play videogames.”

“You like to pick a fight.”

“You al-“

“Ok, I get it.” I replied, cutting off Chris mid sentence.

“You talk about boobs?” Shaun asked, stifling some laughter.

“I did, twice.” I replied bluntly.

“You’ve talked about them more than twice.” Zane said flatly.

“Do you like, say ‘oh those boobs are nice’ or like what?” Shaun laughed.

“No, she talks about she can see why guys are so infatuated with them and such things.” Jake replied.

“Guys, shut up! What’s in it for me if I go all girly for the rest of the day?” I asked impatiently.

“We’ll buy you a new surfboard, because we know you crashed your old one.” Zane laughed.

“’Cause you guys crashed into me!” I contorted.

“Yes, which is why we’ll buy you a new one if you do this.”

“Fine, but I chose the clothes.”

“And makeup!” Chris smiled.

“Fine, whatever. But we have to shake on it.” I said standing up and extending my hand.

“The girlishness starts now, which means you can’t do that gross spit handshake!” Chris practically shouted.

“It makes it official, but fine.” I said, rolling my eyes as I shook his hand. “Now leave, all of you so I can change and such.”

“We’ll wait by the door for you.” Zane smiled as they all filed out of the bus.

I slowly made my way to my suitcase sitting on my bunk and started moving all of my ‘ungirly’ clothes out of the way until I surprisingly found a skirt and a black v-neck tee.

I quickly got dressed into my white and grey plaid skirt that I had outlined with safety pins to make it a little less slutty and a little more punk/rock, then I put on my black v-neck tee that went down a bit too low for my taste, so I covered it over with a black and white plaid scarf to match the skirt.

I pulled on some high top black Converse before putting on a coat of eyeliner around my eyes and some light mascara. I quickly brushed my hair and messed it up to give it a slight bed head/rocker look before putting on my black and white plaid Element hat and adding a chain to my skirt and putting on studded bracelets.

I double-checked myself in the mirror in the crowded bathroom, making sure everything fit nicely. Even though I knew they’d complain that this was too guyish even for being girly, I liked it. It suited me and I quickly added my silver studded belt over my shirt that sat nicely on my hips.

Even though I knew I looked nice, I was too nervous to actually walk outside. I was scared that I actually couldn’t pull this off, and of what people would say about me. I was getting self-conscious and I always did this when it came to the way that I dressed.

“Just act like you normally would if you were competing and trying out a new trick for the first time.” I whispered to myself before taking a deep breath and opening the door slowly.

‘Here goes nothing’.

“Aw man, even when she dresses like a girl, she’s still head to toe in black and as guyish as she can get in a skirt.” Chris sighed, disappointedly.

Chris was the only one that talked, everyone else looked at me with eyes wide open, gaping at me.

“Ok, now I feel uncomfortable.” I mumbled leaning my back against the bus.

“No, dude, you look hot.” Jake said seriously.

“Well take a nice good look, ‘cause I’m never dressing like this again. It’s not my style.”

“It suits you though, even if you do look guyish still.” Zane laughed.

“But it is disappointing, I was thinking girlier than this.” Jake added, agreeing with Chris.

“Ya ditto.” Zane said.

“Come on, let’s go get Mason, he’s got to see this.” Chris laughed, as they took off.

“Mason is here?” I asked Shaun.

“Ya, just visiting before he jets off to go train for the winter X Games.” Shaun replied, “I think you look nice, by the way.” Shaun smiled.

“You’re just saying that to be nice.”

“Maybe, but I’m not lying. You look gorgeous. It’s nice seeing you like this and not dressed like one of the dudes for a change. I like it.”

“Well, it’s not going to happen again.”

“Which is why I’m going to make this time worth it. Screw our date tomorrow, we’re gonna have it now.” Shaun smiled, and already started dragging me away before I could object to anything.