Scream, to Be Heard

Chapter 7
It had been a week since the incident. Alex masked his internal sadness, and his friends couldn’t have been happier. It was a warm Friday night in early May. And that meant it was party night.
Rian, Jack and Zack had insisted that Alex come with them to Maria DeLorenzo’s house party. Yes, the same Maria that had worked with Rian on his project. Her parents were away for the week, so there would be plenty of alcohol. Alex wasn’t really feeling it, but he went despite his urges to stay home and eat potato chips.
“This party is CRAAAZY!” Jack yelled, sipping beer from his red cup and dancing like a moron. He was famous for his…different dance moves, his most famous being the sprinkler-chicken. Yes, it’s just as bad as it sounds.
“Hey, Alex,” The boy heard a seductive voice from behind him. He turned around, only to see Maria in a low-cut red dress.
“Oh, Hey Maria.” Alex had already downed a couple drinks, and while he wasn’t drunk, he sure wasn’t sober.
“You’re looking good tonight, Lex,” she whispered in his ear as she traced her finger over his collarbone, sending shivers down his spine. Her black stilettos added about 6 inches of height, so her lips were right at his jawline. Maria planted kisses down his neck, causing Alex to get preeeetttyyy tight in his pants.
“Could say the same for you.” He smiled dopily. Her hands ran down his chest and toyed with his belt, only arousing him more.
“Why don’t we….head upstairs,” she suggested, hot breath on his neck. Alex couldn’t disagree. He was turned on. Maria’s cherry red lips turned into as smile as she brought him upstairs and laid him down on the bed. They started making out sloppily, and it wasn’t long until both of their clothes were on the floor. She pulled away and left lipstick marks all the way down his torso until she reached his hips, and pulled down his boxers without a second of hesitation. And, well, you can assume what happened next. A minute or so passed, and Alex was getting to his high point.
“Oh…fuck….Bailey…” Wait, WHAT? Maria pulled her mouth away.
“Bailey? Who in the fuck is Bailey?” Alex’s eyes widened. Oh, shit.
“Uh…Bailey? I don’t know a Bailey…” He denied. This was bad. This was fucking bad.
“No, she’s that awkward bitch from our English class, isn’t she? You’re thinking about her when you’re here with me? What the fuck, Alex? She isn’t even pretty. She’s fat and she’s awkward.” Alex sat up.
“Excuse me? She is not fat and she is most definitely not ugly!” The alcohol was getting to him now, because he would never, not EVER admit to that. Not when he was getting laid, not to his friends, and hell he had barely admitted it to himself. What the hell was he saying?
“What, you think she’s like cute or something? Fuck Alex, your standards have gone wayyyy down since the last time I nailed you. The fucking ugly bitch…”
“She’s not fucking ugly! She’s…she’s…” Maria glared at him.
“Spit it out, Gaskarth.” She spat.
“…Beautiful.”
“UGH!” Maria screamed as she threw him his clothes, retreating back downstairs to find another victim. Alex slipped on his boxers and jeans, and then just sat on her bed for a second.
“…Did I just fucking say that?” he asked himself as he pulled on his t-shirt. The boy ran his fingers through his brown hair, thinking. He had never really thought about Bailey in that way. I mean, he had certainly felt it. The butterflies, the blushing. But he wasn’t aware of any of that. Alex wasn’t the type to pay attention to feelings. Just…boobs. Yeah. Alex focused on boobs.
Just thinking about her, though, caused Alex’s heart to race. The way her blonde hair covered her right eye when it fell in her face, and how she would just keep it like that, not a care in the world. Or how she could talk to him about music for hours on end, and eventually they would argue about their favorite Jimmy Eat World song and end up having a pillow fight over it. He loved the way she would just make weird faces when she’d screw up on a guitar chord (after he’d finally convinced her that it was okay to play in front of him.) Or when she’d sing along to a song and saw that he was trying to listen, she stopped singing and got all embarrassed. It was things like this that Alex found absolutely adorable, but he hadn’t even thought twice about.
He had made up his mind. Still a little bit tipsy, he ran out of the house. The brown haired boy ignored his friends that complained he stay, and jogged down the street. The jog broke into a sprint. And he sprinted until he got to Maple street. And the to the end of Maple street. He climbed up the support of her little deck, and then hopped the railing. Luckily, her door was slightly opened to let in the warm spring air. Alex snuck in and found her curled up in her bed, asleep. She looked so cute, just cuddling with her comforter, curled up in a little ball. Without thinking, Alex sat down next to her and gently stroked her hair.
“Why do you have to be so pissed at me,” he whispered. “What time is it, anyways?” The boy looked over to the clock on the night stand. 11:30. Oh, well no wonder she was asleep. But on a Friday night? She stretched, and then rested her head down on Alex’s lap (thinking it was a pillow).
“Aww…” he cooed. Alex sat there for a while like that, not wanting to wake her up. But before long, he was exhausted, and fell asleep. Dreams of him and her swirled around in his mind-them being able to be together without everyone judging them. Holding hands, playing guitars in guitar center with no intention of buying them, dancing in a crowd of 25,000 people as they watched Fall Out Boy at Warped Tour, kissing in the backseat of his car as Blink played on the radio…everything could be so…perfect. But it couldn’t be. Because she hated him.
Alex woke up to the sound of birds chirping. Blinking the tiredness out of his eyes, he realized that he was cuddling with Bailey. He was confused. “…what? When did I?” He finally remembered why he was there. But he couldn’t be in there now, oh fuck no he couldn’t. She’d flip shit on him if she woke up to his arms around her, after everything they’d gone through two weeks prior. He decided to leave a note, and then he left.
Bailey woke up an hour or so later, confused as to why she smelt like Axe. She unbraided her hair and looked at her dresser.
“A note? Where did this come from?” she picked up the piece of paper and read it.
Bailey,
I really need to talk to you. Meet me on Thames street in front of the theater after our show tonight.
-Alex
The nerve he had to come into her room…when did he come into her room? The note had said tonight, but she had assumed he was here last night. She was beyond confused, but didn’t let it break her train of thought.
And after ignoring her for two weeks, not even batting an eye in her direction? Well, Bailey wasn’t even sure she’d show up. He deserved it. But she wasn’t that mean. So she called up Emily to ask for advice.
“Em? Is that you?”
“Of course it is, silly. What’s up?” Bailey bit her lip and twirled the phone chord in her fingers.
“Alex…”
“Say no more. I’ll be right over.” 5 minutes passed, and Emily was there. Bailey explained everything that happened.
“Well, if it were any other circumstance, I’d say he was a bitch. But, I don’t know what it is Bailey. I feel like he really wants to change things.”
“You really think so?”
“I know so. Now, let’s get you sexied-up for that concert.”
“…sexied-up? Why?” the blonde laughed. Emily was already on the way to her closet.
“I just have a feeling, that’s all.” Bailey didn’t question. Emily was almost always right. After a few outfit changes, they finally agreed on one.
“Bails, you look HOT!” The blonde looked at herself in the mirror. She was never one to like the way she looked, but she really did like the way this outfit made her look. The black tank top wasn’t too fitted, but it showed off her chest nicely (but not too whore-ish), the shorts with the studs added some edge, the jewelry made her look a little nicer and the converse and the beanie were just…her.
“Wow, Em. You’ve done it again.” She remarked, staring at herself in the mirror. Emily laughed, and they went into the bathroom to do their hair and makeup. Bailey called up Chloe.
“My house. Now. Look hot. We’re going to a concert.”
“We are? What concert?” She seemed excited.
“…All Time Low.”
“Oh! Sweet!” She really wasn’t lying about liking Jack, was she? This only called the blonde to chuckle, and within half an hour, all three of them were ready to go out. Even if Alex was going to be a total dickhead, Bailey loved music, and nothing could ruin the thrill of standing up in a crowd of thousands of people, dancing and crowd surfing and moshing. That was her turf.
“MOM, I’M GOING OUT.” Bailey yelled from the front door. Her mom was silent for a second, and then yelled back.
“WHERE YOU GOING?” The younger woman sighed.
“TO ALEX’S CONCERT.”
“Oh, okay. Have fun, be safe. I’ve always liked him.” The teenager rolled her eyes and laughed, leading her friends down the street. After about fifteen minutes, there they were. Thames street. Bailey gripped the note that was in her pocket. The one Alex had wrote.
“So, what happened between you guys anyways?” Chloe asked as they paid for their tickets and got inside.
“Well,” the blonde began, “He told me he couldn’t talk to me anymore and we got in a little fight and I haven’t heard from him in two weeks, and then finally, fucking finally, he decides to leave a note. Whenever he happened to stop by.”
“Why couldn’t he talk to you?”
“His friends. The school. I’m a drama kid, Chlo. Nobody wants to talk to me.”
“..we’re drama kids too, you know.” Em added.
“I know, and it’s fucked up. Why can’t people talk to us? We don’t bite.”
“Tell me about it.” Chloe sighed. The three of them walked into the venue, getting weird looks from disapproving classmates. “Well, that’s just too fucking bad.” The blonde thought to herself. Maria, the school whore, looked her up and down, disgusted.
“Oh, it’s you.”
“Yes, yes it is.”
“Get out of here, you fucking weirdo”
“Nah.” Maria rolled her eyes and walked off, heels clicking beneath her.
“Bitch.” Em scoffed.
“Took the words right out of my mouth.” Soon, the lights dimmed. The audience was screaming, and the three did the same. Four shadows ran across the stage as the spot lights danced all over the audience.
“Who came here to party like a fucking maniac?” Bailey smiled as she heard the voice. Alex. The crowd shouted in response.
“Good to hear. Well we’re All Time Low and this song’s called Jasey Rae.” The band played the opening tabs to the song and everybody was going insane.
Meanwhile, on stage, Alex looks everywhere in the audience for her. He had expected her to be near the back, but it still worried him. Was she here? Did she even care anymore? The boy was determined to do anything it took to get her back. And he meant it. He had plans, big ones.
“I’ve never told a lie, and that makes me a liar, I’ve never made a bet but I’ve gambled with desire, I’ve never lit a match with intents to start a fire, but recently the flames are getting out of control…” Jack could see Alex looked rather bothered, so he started humping him from behind whilst he was singing. The audience laughed, and Alex turned around.
“GODDAMIT.” He shouted, but then went back to the song. The older boy couldn’t help but smile. That was Jack for you.
They sang a couple more songs, and Bailey was hypnotized. His voice was so amazing, and his songs were beautifully written. She was kind of disappointed when the music stopped for a while. Alex had something to say.
“Well, as some of you may or may not know, I’ve become relatively close with…this girl.” Bailey’s heart stopped. Which girl? The audience groaned, because they knew exactly who he was talking about.
“And most of you, you weren’t very supportive of it. Because she’s different. Because she’s a drama kid. All of you hated her, fuck, you guys thought she wrote gay porn in her notebook, but you were all wrong. So unbelievably wrong. She’s amazing, and she’s helped me through so much. You have no right to judge her. She’s been through hell, not only because of her past, but also because you torment her each and every day.” Tears stung her eyes, and her best friends put their arms around her.
“She joined drama as an escape. I’m not really sure she wants me to tell you all of this, so I’ll say what I can. The notebook? It’s filled with her feelings and drawings and songs she’s written. She’s an extremely talented musician, did you know that? No, you didn’t. Because none of you bothered to get to know her. Because she was different. It wasn’t just her either. Every single drama kid, you despised. Because they were all different.” Alex took another deep breath. This was hard for him.
“I guess it’s also time I explain myself. After my brother committed suicide a few months ago, I started to cut.” He moved his bracelets down his arm to show his scars. The audience gasped.
“I thought it was all my fault. It got so bad that my mom found out and started taking me to therapy. I was depressed and embarrassed. And I didn’t tell anybody, because I didn’t think anybody would understand me. But then, one day, I told her. And she understood. Because she lost someone she loved to suicide too. And she had gone through therapy. And she taught me how to cope with my feelings and channel them in a more positive way, instead of taking a razor to my wrists. So this, this next song, goes out to her. I wrote it not only for my brother, but for her and her father. So here’s to you Bailey Cooper.” The audience was silent, and so was the rest of the band. Bailey was sobbing. Never in a million years did she expect Alex Gaskarth, king of the school, to be supportive of her, to stand up to her, and to write a song for her. And her father. That meant the world to her.
“Make it a sweet, sweet goodbye -
It could be for the last time and it's not right.
"Don't let yourself get in over your head," he said.
Alone and far from home I'll find you...

Dead - Like a candle you burned out;
Spill the wax over the spaces left in place of angry words.
Scream - To be heard, like you needed any more attention;
Throw the bottle, break the door, and disappear.

Sing me to sleep,
I'll see you in my dreams
Waiting to say, "I miss you. I'm so sorry."
Forever's never seemed so long;
As when you're not around it's like a piece of me is missing.
I could have learned so much from you,
But what's left now?
Don't you realize you showed this family a world of pain?
Can't you see there could have been a happy ending we let go?

Sing me to sleep, I'll see you in my dreams, waiting to say, ‘I miss you. I'm so sorry.’

(Sing me to sleep,
Sing me to sleep,
Sing me to sleep,
Sing me to sleep...)

Sing me to sleep,
I'll see you in my dreams
Waiting to say, ‘I miss you. I'm so sorry.’

Sing me to sleep (You've taken so much with you...)
I'll see you in my dreams, (But left the worst with me...),
Waiting to say, ‘I miss you. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.”
Alex pulled away from the microphone, tears filling his brown eyes. Bailey was crying as well, and the audience cheered supportively. But Alex wasn’t done. He cleared his throat, wiped his eyes, and took the mic from the stand.
“I’d like to do one more thing, because I feel like an asshole and I did something I really shouldn’t have. So, um, Bailey? Are you out there?” The follow spots roamed the crowd until they landed on her. The boy’s eyes brightened, and she was pushed up onto the stage by her now supportive and cheering classmates. Alex took her hand and looked deep into her eyes.
“I want you to know that from now on, I’m gonna put my feelings before my reputation. Okay?” She just nodded, unable to speak, tears still welling up. Both of them had uncontrollable butterflies in their stomachs.
“And I’m gonna prove it, alright?” The blonde nodded once more. Alex got closer, put his free hand on her waist and continued.
“Bailey, will you go to prom with me?” The whole crowd ‘aww’-ed and Bailey couldn’t do anything except smile and throw her arms around him. Alex grinned brightly and did the same. He loved the feeling of her nuzzling into the space between his neck and his shoulder, the way they fit together almost perfectly, the smell of her perfume. ‘I could get used to this,’ he grinned to himself.
Rian and Jack felt like douche bags, to tell you the truth. They couldn’t believe they’d been so misunderstanding. She hadn’t been distracting him; she’d been making him happier than he’d been in a really long time. They just hoped he’d forgive them.
“Meet me outside, okay?” Alex whispered in her ear, still embraced.
“Okay,” she smiled, and then jumped back off the stage and went back to her friends.
“THAT. WAS SO. AMAZING.” Emily squealed, shaking her back and forth. Chloe was jumping up and down.
“I know!” Bailey screamed in response, “He did, just possibly, save us drama kids from living in hell like we used to.”
“…so you sure you don’t like him?” the redhead whispered. All she could do is laugh.
“No, no I definitely like him. A lot.”