Prom Night || April's Version

i.

Ray and April have been out of the city for quite a while. April working with some producers that she has been in contact with and Ray visiting her main character in mv of a cousin. Both have been in and out with each other, talking about how they miss the boys and everything in the city. Their crime a secret to all who know them. A bond that they can't recreate with anyone outside the small world they live in within the city. Barney and Esteban.. missed deeply in the depths of their beating hearts. Every no and then they would check twatter and see what everyone was up to. Receiving voicemails they would listen to over and over, trying not to forget what the others sounded like.

It was coming up a few weeks and Ray drove over to the studio April had been working at. The grey-eyed girl walked into the room with the red-haired girl to find her sitting in silence writing in a journal. Usually, Ray would see her vlogging, excited to show everyone what she was doing for the day with the brightest smile on her face. This day though- this day was different. The dullness in her eyes when she turned to look at the owner of the new presence she felt seeped into the feeling of the room. Dimly lit, practically dark. Ray's eyes had adjusted slowly as she approached April, giving her a hug. April often goes through these phases. Ray noticed them earlier on. They would appear when the hole is so deep, she feels like she is being swallowed whole. Her energy was quieted and her smile was faint. Limbs hugged against her chest to where she looked like a small child under the blanket that covered her.

"Hey, how're you feeling?" Ray asked as she crouched down in a squat looking up at the other girl.

"I'm ok.. I just miss it." Her words were faint; a hushed whisper like they were being heard. She straightened her posture, placing her feet on the floor, leaning on her hand that was propped on the dashboard as she peered down to Ray.

Nodding, Ray's eyes softened seeing the smeared hearts on her face, mascara remains on her under-eye. Scanning her appearance, Ray reached forwards and caressed her hair. "You cut your hair." The question came out like a statement, making April pull away from her hand.

"Yea, heh, I did. I wanted a change. Does it look ok?" She smiled sheepishly, running her hands through her now shoulder length hair, and tied them into low pigtails.

"You look amazing as always, gorl." She stood up and sat in the other chair next to April, flashing her a wide grin.

Some time passed, they sat with each other and talked about how they've been and what they've been up to. The room seemed to brighten over time as their laughter filled the room, as if activated by the sound of pure joy and content. Hours went by before they settled down finally, and the same feeling of emptiness lingered in. Ray sighed as she pulled out her phone and showed April the flyer Claire sent her. Claire has been keeping tabs with Ray as she has been away; one of the few people who she has let contact her.

"What if we went back for a night? ...for prom." Slid her phone over to the girl next to her with curious eyes and a slight head tilt.

"Ray. Why would we go to prom?" April cocked an eyebrow her way.

"Because it'll be fuuuunnn."

"I don't want to go to prom, Ray." Pushed the phone back to ray.

"Oh, come on! You should be ecstatic about this. Remember when you told me you've never been to prom. Now's your chance." Ray got up and grabbed the other by her shoulders, shaking her. "Also, we both miss everyone. We should go see them..."

April stared at her friend with a long look, dragging her hand over her face as she sighed. Picked up the flyer and read it's details, "It's tonight. Ray- we can't get there on time. We don't even have the proper attire!."

"Let me worry about dresses." Pulling the resisting woman to her feet, "We can go for one night. We don't even have to stay in the city."

"But Ray-"

"I know you miss him.." Cutting her off sooner than she'd like, observing the rebellious expression fall into a softer one as her eyes blinked a few times as if caught off guard. "And I know that you know you miss him.. So let's go see him." Brushing the fallen bang from her eyes and tucking it back into her hair. "If anything goes, wrong we'll just leave. I promise."

April stood quiet. Butterflies. Butterflies are all she could feel in her stomach, fluttering around as she thought of the man she has tried her hardest to not think of. Her head slowly moved up and down before she even realized it herself. "..I'll go. BUT only because I want to, not because of whoever you are talking about. I have all kinds of men interested in me." She crossed her arms with bag in hand, ushering ray out of the studio, locking it from behind.