Scream, to Be Heard

Chapter 9
“BAILEY! YOU LOOK SO CUTE!” Emily shrieked as the blonde rolled her eyes. Frankly, she wasn’t thrilled with any of the dresses that her best friend had chosen for her. Too frilly, too blah, too tight, too awkward. Keep in mind that Bailey was not the slimmest, so it was hard for her to find a dress that fit to a T. But her friend was relentless and would not rest until she had chosen the perfect dress for Alex Gaskarth’s prom date.
“This one makes me look like a chicken.” Bailey muttered flatly. The bright yellow bouffant on her ass wasn’t exactly to her liking. She clucked in emphasis. Em rolled her eyes.
“Fine, try on the one you picked out.” She followed orders and shut the dressing room door behind her, not getting out of the hideous yellow frock soon enough. Sighing, Bailey stared at her dress of choice that happily hung on the hook. It was something unlike anything she’d usually pick out – a light blush colored high-low styled dress. But there was something about that dress that caught her eye.
From the second she slipped it on, she knew it was the right one. It fit her perfectly, and faked that hourglass shape she so longed for. The hemline showed off her shapely, muscular legs from years of dance classes (which she still took. She did everything from pointe to tap, but she doubted she’d ever tell Alex about that).
“Well, what are you waiting for? Let me see!” Bailey smiled brightly as she stepped out of the dressing room. Her best friend’s jaw hit the floor.
“Oh. My god.” She blurted out, amazed, “That’s the one.” The other girl grinned as she turned around in front of the mirror, admiring herself. As much as she could without being arrogant, anyways.
“See? You should trust my fashion sense more often.” She joked.
“Says the one who wears band shirts on a daily basis.”
“Hey, I like what I like, alright?” Bailey laughed lightheartedly. Sure her wardrobe consisted mostly of battered old concert shirts, but music was her life, and she had a right to wear what she pleased.
“So how much is the dress?” Shit. She had forgotten how expensive prom dresses could be. The girl bit her tongue as she checked the tag.
“It’s…it’s only $75?” It was on sale? During prom season? How? Well, she wasn’t complaining.
“Seriously? Score!” Em cheered as she went to go put all the other dresses on the reject rack. Bailey’s mother had given her a $250 budget, and now she had some extra money to invest in heels and jewelry. Then, hopefully, she’d be at least 3 inches taller so she could be at eye and…well…lip level with Alex. Just the thought of it made her smile uncontrollably. Emily rushed back from the rack and they continued with their shopping. Bailey purchased black studded heels, some bracelets ,and a ring. Purses weren’t really her style, so she went without the clutch and saved the money for a potential concert ticket. Fall Out Boy was coming to town in a few months, and she was NOT missing that. It was her life goal to see Pete Wentz in person at least once.
“So, don’t you have like, plans?” Emily asked on the car ride home from the mall. She had almost forgotten! Her and Alex were supposed to get together today and talk about stuff. Nothing in particular. Just, stuff. And she had to convince him to get a blush pink tie but she’d save that for later.
“Agh, Fuck. I almost forgot. Thanks for the ride, babe.” Bailey said while getting out of the car, bags in hand.
“Forgot one, blondie.” But…she had no more hands. She resorted to carrying it in her mouth like the class act she was.
“Therrnnkkssshh.” The girl muttered a thanks with bag handles in her mouth. Emily laughed and pulled away, leaving Bailey to walk into the house looking like a sad butler. She trudged up the stairs, trying not to trip on the dust bag her dress had come in. Drool was dribbling down her chin due to the bag in her mouth, but Bailey didn’t care. She violently opened the door to her room, expecting to throw all her latest purchases on her bed. But there was no room. Because Alex was sitting there.
“Errlerks…” Well, she tried to say Alex. He just burst into a fit of laughter.
“Hey there, sexy.” She rolled her eyes at the sarcastic comment and dropped all of her bags, and then wiped the spit off her chin. Bleh. Gross.
“I swore I locked my doors,” she grinned, unpacking all of her new items.
“Guess not,” he responded, jumping off the bed and crawling towards her like a child. The boy crossed his legs and sat looking up at her. Like some lost puppy dog. One look into those beautiful brown eyes, and Bailey knew she was done for. So she averted her gaze and put her shoes and dress in her closet.
“What’s all that?” He asked, curious. She laughed.
“Stuff.”
“What kind of stuff?” The boy tugged on her jeans.
“Stuff for a certain thing.” Bailey didn’t really feel like caving in all too early. But his cuter-than-humanly-possible facial expression was making that very, very difficult.
“What thing?”
“I suppose you’ll find out soon enough.” Alex was disappointed. He stuck out his bottom lip in a pout.
“Tell meeeee. Pweaasee?” She laughed, ruffled his hair (which she knew he hated) and sat down across from him, their knees touching.
“Nah.”
“Bails, don’t make me tickle you. I promised revenge.” Her eyes widened with horror. He snorted.
“Fine.” She gave in finally with a sigh.
“So…what’s it for?”
“for Prom.” The words only made her smile, causing Alex to smile.
“I still gotta get a fucking tux for that…when is it…two weeks?”
“Yes, sir.” She giggled. Alex took the shoes she just bought out of her closet. Bailey didn’t stop him.
“God damn, you’re gonna be taller than me in these things!” They both laughed.
“I couldn’t be taller than you if I wore stilts, you fucking giraffe.”
“Did you just call me a giraffe?”
“I believe I did.” Alex pretended to be insulted, but then attacked her. No tickling this time, he wasn’t that mean.
“Alex! Get off of me!”
“I’m not a giraffe!” he laughed loudly, and soon they were fake wrestling on the floor.
“What’s wrong with being a giraffe-ALEX GET YOUR ELBOW OUT OF MY BOOB.”
“Because giraffes are giraffes! And no, sorry I don’t believe I can because GIRAFFES DON’T HAVE FUCKING ELBOWS, SILLY GOOSE.”
“I think giraffes are cute!” She finally yelled, and Alex stopped. Their faces were merely inches apart, and he had her hands pinned up above her head. Oh. And he was sitting on her lap.
“You think I’m cute, eh?” The boy grinned stupidly. He just wanted to hear her say the words.
“What are you, from Canada?” he laughed.
“Stop changing the subject, Bails.” Their eyes were locked into one another’s.
“Yes, Alex. I think you’re cute.” His lips were only centimeters away from hers, and the tension was building. He shut his eye, about to lean in, when there was a knock on the door. Alex ninja rolled off of her and retreated to the other side of the room. Her mom entered.
“Hey you two…why are you all the way over there, Alex?” Ellen laughed.
“Oh, uh, no reason. Just examining the lovely….bookshelf.” Bailey slapped her forehead with her palm. ‘Examining the bookshelf? Is that the best you could come up with, Gaskarth?’ Her mother didn’t think anything of it and kept talking.
“Anyways, I’m gonna be out for a few hours, and I ordered a pizza for you guys. Or should I say...prom dates?” She chuckled darkly (yes, that actually does happen) and exited the room. The two teenagers stared at each other.
“That was…interesting…” Alex laughed, crawling back over to the girl.
“You get used to it…examining the bookshelf? C’mon, Lex.”
“I was under pressure!” She rolled her eyes and got up off the hardwood floor, headed for downstairs.
“Hey, where ya goin?” He shouted after her, looking down the stairs.
“Come on, let’s watch a movie.” Alex couldn’t disagree. Thankfully, he didn’t have band practice today, so it could just be the two of them until he had to leave that night. He jogged down the carpeted steps and flopped onto the couch.
“What did you plan on having us watch?” The boy asked, totally sprawled out. She looked back from the movie cupboard with a laugh.
“I was gonna be a total dork and say Peter Pan, but you know, you being a man and all probably wouldn’t agree to that.”
“Actually…” Alex was about to admit something he’d never, not EVER admit to Jack, Rian and Zack.
“It’s probably one of my favorite movies.” Bailey’s mouth opened in shock.
“AWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.” But then she immediately covered her mouth with her hands, shocked herself at how loud that was.
“…just don’t tell the guys.” He said, trying to be serious. The blonde popped in the movie and ran over to him, landing on his legs.
“OW. Okay. That hurt.”
“Sorry, I’m a hippo.” Alex managed to sit up on the couch and pulled her face towards his. Bailey was surprised.
“No, you’re not.” His brown orbs were serious.
“Yes, I am.” She groaned awkwardly, voice cracking. “See, I made a hippo noise and everything.” The boy bit his lip, trying not to laugh at the way her eyes crossed as her voice squeaked.
“No, you’re not. You’re beautiful, alright? Make all the awkward sounds you want, you’re not a hippo.” She looked down to her lap and pushed a piece of hair back behind her ear.
“..you really think so?” Her eyes darted back up to meet his.
“I know so.” He smiled, and then pulled her into his chest. God, how she loved having her ear pressed up against his chest ,hearing his heartbeat, as creepy as it sounds. The smell of his Axe was faint, like it was buried deep within the cotton of his New Found Glory t-shirt, and Bailey wouldn’t have it any other way. About fifteen minutes into the movie, Alex asked a question the girl had really hoped she’d never have to answer in front of a guy. Especially him.
“Hey, Bails? Not to be awkward but…who was your last boyfriend?” She swallowed hard as she stared at the screen. Peter didn’t have to worry about this. She was jealous.
“Hah…funny story about that…” …awkward silence….
“what, it’s not like you’ve never gone out with anyone, right?” ……..the silence got even more awkward……
“Bailey, have you ever had a boyfriend?” She tore herself away from his chest.
“I’M SUCH A LOOOOOSER.” And with that, she flopped onto the empty space on the couch. Alex was shocked, but rubbed her back and tried to convince her otherwise.
“No, no you’re not! I’m sorry…that was stupid of me…” he laughed. She rolled back over and looked at him.
“Ugh.”
“It’s not like you’ve never kissed anybody though.” …she flipped back over and groaned into the couch.
“You’re kidding me, right?” The girl shook her head.
“…how?” She lifted her head slightly.
“How what?”
“I don’t get it.”
“What’s there to get? Up until the other week, everybody hated me.” He sighed. She had a point.
“Babe, c’mon.” She sat up and cocked an eyebrow at him, grinning.
“Babe?” He pulled her back into his chest.
“Yeah. Babe.” The two of them stayed like that for a while, cuddling as Tinkerbell got all sassy, and then the pizza came. Alex decided to be nice and get it for her.
“God damn.” He whispered, looking down at the extra-large pizza her mother had ordered for them.
“Well, we better get to work on that.” She smiled, taking a piece. The boy followed suit. Soon, half the pizza was gone and they could barely move.
“So…fucking…full…” she groaned, dangling off the white leather couch. Alex moaned from the floor.
“I can’t….move…” He rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. “But I regret nothing.”
Bailey laughed, rolled onto the floor next to him, and they watched Return to Neverland as they cuddled up against the couch.