pretty when you cry | bowers gang

fourteen

i want you. / mitski

third person.

henry didn't want it too look like he was trying too hard, but he wanted vienna to think he looked nice. he put on some red t-shirt and jeans and looked at his dusty mirror. it was good enough. he picked up his dad's cologne and doused himself in it and put it back carefully, making sure butch wouldn't find out.

likewise, vienna was panicking slightly. yes, she did have a boyfriend once but he never took her on dates and it only lasted a month. she didn't really know what to wear at all. she chose the safer option to dress more casual; knowing henry, he wouldn't care that much either way.

she picked out a pale yellow tank top and a pair of small denim shorts from when gretta had given vienna some of her clothes, to help her 'be more fashionable'. to be honest, she did like them a lot.

a beep from outside signalled to her that it was time to go and she ran down the stairs, nearly tripping over her feet.

henry was lent back in the drivers seat with one hand on the wheel and one hand out the window, holding the top of the frame. she waved at him and quickly jogged over to the car with a big smile.

"how come you have amy?" vienna asked as she climbed into belch's beloved car.

"oh, he let me borrow it last night." henry shrugged. belch had not let him borrow it in fact. last night he had picked the lock of the huggin's garage and stole the keys and car. belch had no clue at all. henry didn't even have his license yet.

"you smell really good... not to be weird." she awkwardly chuckled out. why did she say that. stupid.

henry turned a shade of pink before coughing slightly. thank god she had noticed the effort he put in for her.

"thanks sweetheart." he looked at her and inspected her. he would never get over how beautiful she was. her outfit complimented her body so much and henry had trouble keeping his eyes on the road. however, he couldn't keep the nagging voice of his father out of his head.

women that show off their bodies are whores. just like your mother. you don't want to get involved with attention-seeking bitches like them.

he shook those thoughts off. his vienna was nothing like those sluts his dad talked about.

"you look nice." he looked away. really? out of all the words he could have used, he chose nice? henry was annoyed with himself. nice going.

vienna couldn't care less, she was just grateful that he complimented her, which eased her nerves about the date. even if 'nice' was the most boring word he could have used.

the boy pulled up into the diner's car park and got out of the car. he ran over to the passenger's side before vienna could make a move and opened the door for her.

"ladies first." he grinned and put out his hand, telling her to enter first. she blushed and walked into the diner.

they sat down at a booth near the windows and a waiter came up to them after a while.

"what would you like today, beautiful?" he said with a grin on his face, not even bothering to look at henry. his name badge read 'ethan'.

"uh, just the pancakes and the cherry milkshake, please." she looked back at henry who had a cold expression on his face. he cleared his throat to get the waiter's attention.

"of course... and what about you." his voice lost it's welcoming tone as he spoke to henry.

"i'll have the waffles with maple syrup." henry glared at the boy, 'ethan' then turned back to vienna and winked at her before leaving. who did this guy think he was?

"fuckin' prick..." henry muttered under his breath while keeping his eye on that waiter. vienna looked a bit lost.

"what did he do?"

"what did he do? he was fucking flirting with you right in front of me, thats what. the goddamn nerve of him." he scoffed.

"was he? i thought he was just being nice..." the blonde was a bit weirded out by the fact someone would have the balls to flirt with a girl clearly on a date.

"he was being nice alright. too nice." he paused and looked her in the eye.

"you need to learn when someone's flirting with you and stop being so nice, you're gonna end up hurt. not everyone's nice like you."

she didn't know what to say. that was a bit too serious for what she thought was a fun date. apparently the only word to describe her was 'nice' today.

"you understand right?" she nodded her head in response.

"and here's the pancakes and milkshake for the lovely lady!" the waiter exclaimed with a huge smile, placing her food down carefully.

"and here's the waffles."

"thanks alot." henry grumbled, trying to contain his annoyance with the boy.

"no problem, let me know if you need anything." ethan looked exactly at vienna when saying that and left.

henry shook his head, muttering something probably unpleasant about the boy, which made vienna giggle a bit.

-

the date went well in both of their eyes, even if the waiter was a bit creepy. they found out things about each other and grew closer. henry walked the blonde to her door after dropping her home.

"i had a really good time, henry."

"me too, does that mean you're my girlfriend now?" he questioned her, playing with a strand of her hair and looking down at her.

she bashfully nodded with a big smile and gave henry a kiss on the corner of his lips. he felt like his heart might have exploded.

"bye! see you soon." vienna grinned and entered the house, leaving a ecstatic henry behind. he walked back to the car when he heard a voice shout at him.

"you dickhead! you can't just steal my car!"