Say Anything

“Ow, you’re hurting me.” I muttered as Avery grabbed my arm and practically yanked me through the mall.

“Sorry, I’m just so excited!” She said enthusiastically while pulling me into a clothing store, “Blue would look really good on you. It’d bring out your eyes.” She said while holding up a tiny blue shirt in front of me. I frowned and scrunched my nose a bit.

“That shirt looks like it should be worn by a baby.” I replied and she just laughed and grabbed what seemed like an insane amount of clothes.

“C’mon, try these on.”

“But-"

“No butts!” She replied while raising her finger at me. “Now go.”

“I really don’t like you right now.” I mumbled and grabbed the pile of clothes she had in her hands.

“I know.” She replied and smiled as I sighed and walked into the dressing room.

-x-

After trying on way too many clothes and purchasing things that I knew would probably remain in my closet forever, Avery began to lead me through the mall once again.

“Alright, now that we got clothes covered…” Avery said while pulling me to a hair salon.

“Avery, I thought we were just getting a few shirts and a pair of pants, not the whole mall.” I said looking down at the huge amount of bags in my hands. “And, my hair is fine!”

“Yeah, that’s exactly what it is, it’s fine.” She replied. “Fine isn’t good enough.”

“Remind me to never try to stop you when you’re on a mission.” I muttered irritably. I personally don’t think I need a makeover, which she clearly was trying to give me. I’m fine the way I am. I’m fine being that one girl with dull blonde hair and blue eyes with baggy clothes. It’s just who I am.

I was quickly sat down in a seat once we arrived at the salon and a weird and very… eccentric man was playing with my hair.

“We need to make you blonder!” He said happily and began getting his things together.

“I-I um, but-"

“No butts!” Avery said and sat down by me. “Trust me, you’re going to look hot.”

I sighed and looked at my dirty blonde hair. I would just look weird with lighter blonde hair. Before I could protest, the men went wild and practically put a million hair products in my hair at once. I just covered my eyes and groaned. I didn't want to see myself transformed, even though I couldn't help but be curious of what I would look like.

About an hour later the man stepped back and tilted his head slightly while looking at me, as if judging his own work.

“Baylin.” Avery said while stepping by the man. She then started doing the same thing he did. She titled her head to the side, squinted her eyes and basically stared at me. All of which were making me feel extremely uncomfortable.

“Okay, do I really look that ugly?” I asked. Avery just shot me a toothy grin and spun me around so I could see myself in the mirror. I widened my eyes and looked at my hair. It was blonder, and it was cut shorter with side bangs. It didn't look bad. It actually looked... good.

“She is speechless! Baylin you look gorgeous.” Avery said while laughing. She then turned towards the man, gave him money and kissed him on his cheek randomly. “Thank you thank you thank you!” She said. He just grinned, nodded and walked away.

-x-

“I feel so uncomfortable.” I muttered while we walked through the mall aimlessly. She made me wear one of the outfits she had boughten for me, which was a tight white shirt, a blue scarf, tight black skinny jeans and (much to her protest) my regular sneakers. I just loved those things, and I had to keep something of the original me somewhere in there.

“Don’t be.” She replied while walking by me. She suddenly stopped walking and I looked at her questioningly.

“What?” I asked.

“Mr. Bad Boy is here.” She said. I turned my attention off of her to see Alex, Derek, Heather and Justine sitting down in front of a fountain.

“Um, can we just leave?” I asked and shifted my feet.

“Why? Let’s go talk to him!” She said anxiously. I had never gotten around to telling her about Derek, so to her, he was just some hot guy that asked to talk to me one day. She had no idea that we used to be best friends.

Before I could even protest any more, she was already dragging me to them, obviously not really caring that they probably didn’t know who she was at all. That’s the thing I’ve realized about Avery. When she has her heart set on something, there’s no turning back and if you get in her way... well then you’re screwed.

“Hey!” Avery said perkily to the group, but mainly to Derek. Alex and Derek both nodded their heads strangely, and slowly began to eye her up and down. “I’m Avery. I go to your school.” She said. “This is Baylin.” She added while pointing to me. I just looked down at my feet, and finally looked up to meet the widened eyes of Derek.

“Baylin?!” He asked, finally noticing that I was standing right next to her. Not like I expected him to though, besides the fact that Avery is somewhat way too perky and has a very different style than everyone else, she is very tall, and pretty much gorgeous. “Your... hair.” He stated.

“Yeah, my hair.” I replied quietly and tugged at the ends of it a little.

"And your clothes." He remarked.

"Yeah, my clothes." I replied and smiled a little at his surprised expression.

“Baylinnnn.” Alex said while standing up and putting his arm around me. "You look good!" I heard Heather and Justine scoff.

“Stop hitting on her, Alex.” Heather replied and walked over to lean on him, obviously trying to ‘mark her territory’. I could care less though, all I see when I look at Alex is scum. “I’m Heather.” She remarked and stuck her hand out at me. I just shook it lightly and once done, stuffed my hand into my pocket awkwardly.

“Are you not going to introduce yourself to her?” Justine asked while running her fingers through her long, almost black it seemed, hair. I just looked at her and immediately felt really uncomfortable. There were just some people, girls more likely, that can just make you feel so inferior to them just by saying two words to you. That’s how I felt with Heather and Justine.

“Um, Justine you guys have known her since like elementary school.” Derek said, obviously noticing my immense uneasiness.

“We have?” Heather said dumbly.

“Yeah, we’re in the same AP Chem class.” I mumbled and she scrunched her eyebrows in confusion.

“Oh.” She replied. Um, how did she get into an AP class again? “I'm sure I would have recognized you.”

“It’s probably because of the fact that she’s a babe as of now.” Avery said bluntly. I looked at her sharply which just made her laugh. “Well we should be off. It was nice meeting you guys.” She said, once again only looking at Derek. He just grinned at her slightly and rubbed the back of his head nervously, obviously a little taken back by her discreet yet not so discreet forwardness.

“Isn’t he dreamy?” Avery gushed as we walked back to her car. My arms were killing me due to the fact that I was carrying like twenty pounds of clothing.

“Who, Alex?” I said distractedly while adjusting one of the shopping bags on my arm.

“No, Derek silly!” She said while unlocking her car. I threw the shopping bags in and sat down in the passengers seat.

“Dreamy wouldn’t be quite the word I’d use to describe him.” I said while sighing and leaning my head back on the headrest. Seriously, shopping wore me out.

“You’re crazy!” She remarked while pulling out of the parking space. “He is a stud, and I’m definitely going to talk to him some more.” She added while smiling. I just looked over at her, scrunched my eyebrows and then looked out of the window.

“Trust me he’s not all that great.” I replied while watching the trees pass me by.

“It seems like you’re trying to have me not be into him.” Avery responded suspiciously, “Jealous?” She asked.

“Ew no.” I muttered. “I just don’t like him as a person, that’s all.”

Avery didn’t say anything after that, so I was basically left with my thoughts. I was not jealous that Avery had the hots for Derek. I wasn’t. But still, when she mentioned that she wanted to talk to him more, I got this weird feeling in my stomach. I’m thinking it’s just one of those gut feelings that are supposed to tell me that I don’t want her hanging around him because I know he’s a horrible person.

I know it.

Plus, I have MM. And right now, MM is all I need.