Happier

Chapter 21

           

The weekend was filled with old #Walice videos of their duets and show choir competitions. Cole had stayed for two days, wanting to know everything about Lacey's mom and dad. He wants to know everything about her life. He needed the distraction for his nerves. His nerves for the promposal. He knows exactly what to do and told Archie, Violet and Melanie as well. For once in his life, he's excited for Monday.

When Lacey finds Cole at his locker that morning, he seems to be a little on edge. He jumps when she greets him, making Lacey giggle a little.
"Can we eat together during lunch today?" the girl questions with a loving smile. Cole seems hesitant, stuttering and stumbling over his words until he finally answers.
"Yeah, sure. But I need to talk to mister Smith first," Lacey gives him a puzzled look.
"About what?"
"A project I'm working on, revolving my book," she can tell he's lying, but lets it slip. There'll be a reason he's lying to her right now. Cole never lies. He always tells her whatever is going on in his mind. There's a first for everything, she supposes.
"Yeah, okay," she sighs, but tries to keep a smile, "I'll see you in English then," she pecks him on the cheek and walks away from him and towards her first class. Cole stares at her as she walks away. He can't believe he just lied to her. But he needs to. It has to be a surprise.

During lunch break that one Monday, Lacey was sat all by herself in the courtyard. Cole and Archie needed to ask mister Smith something, Melanie and Violet were in the restrooms. She chews on her lunch, trying to preoccupy herself and not feel too lonely. Her mind drifts off to Cole and last weekend. Even he cried at the performance of 'Paradise by the dashboard light'. Her mother look gorgeous in her red poufy dress and her short hair curled. It was their last ever competition. Nationals, the biggest competition they've ever participated in. And they won. For the first time in the four years they were in show choir, they won the national championship. Suddenly, the show choir gotten a lot more popular. Or that's what her dad told her.
"Hello, Roosevelt High!" it now sounds through the speakers on the courtyard, making Lacey jump a little, snapping out of her thoughts. She looks up to the big stairs in front of her, noticing a band set up. Noticing her friends. Archie stands at the microphone, guitar in hand. Violet and Melanie just stand behind microphones, smiles upon their faces. "I'm Archie. Archie Andrews, and I'm here to help a friend out," he stops for a second when Cole joins them, a microphone in his hand, "Cole over here, wants to ask his girlfriend something. Lacey, listen up, girl," and the band starts playing. She immediately recognizes the song as 'Stereo Hearts'. A smile creeps up to her face when Archie starts singing the song that was on the radio when her and Cole drove to the beach that one day.
"My heart's a stereo,
It beats for you, so listen close
In my heart, in every no-o-ote,"
Her eyes meet Cole's and he gives her a nervous, endearing smile.
"Make me your radio,
And turn me up when you feel low
This melody was meant for you
Just sing along to my stereo,"
The boy she's come to love, takes a deep breath, and starts rapping. Flashbacks from that day flash through her mind. How he rapped along to the song, so flawlessly. It's even more flawless in this moment. Right now, where they are. On the courtyard. Everyone listening along and giving Lacey and Cole with his band looks. Tender looks, some jealous.
"If I was just another dusty record on a shelf,
Would you blow me off and play me like everybody else
If I asked you to scratch my back,
could you manage that?
Like yeah, check it, Coley, I can handle that,"
Tears well up in Lacey's eyes. She's completely blown off her feet. Never in a million years did she think he'd ever sing in front of the school. For her. She'd never think someone would ever do that.
Violet sings the pre-chorus, her voice enchanting, like a nightingale. At the chorus, the girls and Archie take over, but Lacey's eyes never leave Cole. He walks down a few steps, coming closer towards his girlfriend.
"Let's go!
If I was an old-school fifty pound boombox"
Then Archie adds: "Remember them?" 
"Would you hold me on your shoulder wherever you walk
Would you turn my volume up in front of the cops"
Melanie adlibbing: "turn it up" makes Lacey giggle a little.
"And crank it higher everytime they told you to stop
And all I ask is that you don't get mad at me
When you have to purchase mad D batteries
Appreciate every mixtape your friends make
You never know we come and go like on the interstate"
The girls and Archie take over again whilst Cole walks down the steps completely and walking towards Lacey at the table. He grabs her hand and pulls her up. They're standing only a few inches away from each other. Everyone looking at them. Lacey expected Archie and the girls to go on, but during the bridge, Cole sings. He sings. Lacey had no idea he could sing. He's a good rapper, yes, but a singer? She's never seen him for a singer. But he's singing. Right in front of her. Looking straight in her eyes, drilling into her soul. 
"I only pray you never leave me behind,
because good music can be so hard to find
I take your hand and hold it closer to mine
thought love was dead, but now you're changing my mind,"
Now, Archie and the girls continue the song with the chorus, a lot of the bystanders also singing along. Cole takes Lacey with him up the steps again. All eyes are on them, now even more than before. He keeps a hold of her hand, not wanting to let go and they just stand and stare until Archie and the girls stop singing and the band stops playing altogether. The ginger boy takes his microphone from the stand and walks closer to the couple.
"Do you, Lacey Goldberg, want to go to the prom with Cole Steward?" he asks formally as if it's a wedding they're attending. Lacey giggles a little, her eyes going from Archie to her boyfriend.
"I do," she answers equally as formal as Archie. Everyone around them cheers for them, actually excited for the two.
"You may now kiss your prom-date," Archie adds, grinning from ear to ear. Lacey laughs again and so does Cole before leaning in and kissing his now prom-date on the lips in front of all the other students. In front of everyone. Something she didn't even dare to do a couple of weeks ago. Now, she doesn't care as much anymore.
"That was the best promposal ever," Lacey tells Cole softly after they break away, "Thank you," Cole smiles at her tenderly. He's so in love with this girl and she has no idea.
"You deserved this," he tells her and presses his lips to her forehead.
"You guys are the cutest," Melanie states as the others have joined the couple. Cole wraps his arms around his girlfriend, giving her a side-way hug.
"How about we go to Lucy's to celebrate we all have dates for prom this year?" Archie suggests with a smirk, patting Cole on the back.
"What do you mean by that, Andrews?" the boy asks, a sarcastic tone in his voice.
"Nothing, C. Nothing at all," all five of them laugh a little and head over to the table Lacey was sitting on earlier. They chat along during lunch, about prom and prom dresses, and when they're going to buy them. The boys just sit there, listening, but not really engaging. The girls are quite cute when they talk about the importance of the perfect dress.
"I think you'll look great in red," Melanie tells Lacey with a smile. The blondie remembers how great her mother looked on the tapes of their national competition. The red dress was perfect for her skin tone. The dress was perfect.
"Her mother did," Cole blurts out. Everyone looks at him, a quizzical look on their faces. "We watched more of the tapes and her mother was wearing this gorgeous red dress at nationals and she looked stunning. I bet Lacey looks even more stunning in it," he tries to save himself.
"Nice safe, bro," Archie chuckles, patting him on the back. The others just laugh a little, not really wanting them to fight over something as stupid as him calling her mother hot. It's going to be a long day before they can go to Lucy's and have burgers and shakes. Lacey can't wait for it.

It took a while, but the day was finally over. The last bell rings, causing a shot of excitement to go through her body. Finally, Lucy's! The friends meet in a booth at Lucy's, Lacey and Cole being the last ones to arrive.
"Why so late, love birds?" Violet teases when the two sit down. Archie wiggles his eyebrows at the two, but Lacey just gives them an eyeroll.
"Who's up for burgers?" Cole tries to change the subject. The others cheer softly and Lucy arrives to take their orders. The friends start getting tangled up into a conversation about the new Netflix series "13 reasons why". All of them have watched it, except for Archie. They try to convince him to watch it, telling him what's important about it all. Why it's important to watch something as tragic as a suicide. It's crazy, but the series really does change everyone's perspective. Some things do sometimes. Books, series, or movies. All of them can change someone's perspective of life. Be kind to people, always. You never know what's going on in someone's life and you never know how your words can affect someone. Be kind. Always.

Lacey and Cole arrive at the Goldbergs around 7pm. He'd stay for a while, but go home around 10. His parents wanted him home for once.
"Ah, you're home," her dad's voice makes her jump. He walks into the kitchen where the couple is standing, both with confused looks on their faces. He's home. Again. How?
"So are you?" Lacey replies, but it comes out as a question.
"Yeah, I decided I'd done enough for the day," he replies nonchalantly and sits down on one of the stools at the breakfast isle. "How was school today?" he questions, tapping the marble counter top. Lacey and Cole sit down opposite of him, completely out of it. They don't understand why he's home again. First Friday, then now today? Something's up.
"Great, Cole asked me to prom," Lacey's cheeks start glowing up, a scarlet red appearing on them.
"Really? That's great! How'd he do it?"  her dad is actually interested in what's happening. He's never interested in her life. He even kicked her boyfriend out of the house only a couple weeks ago, for crying out loud. Things are weird.
"He sang a song to me with the help of Archie, V and Mel," William nods excitedly.
"That's really cool, Cole!" he pats the boy on the shoulder, "Glad I could be of help," Cole chuckles softly, kind of nervous about talking to him, not sure why.
"Now all I need is a prom dress," the girl sighs. Her old man just nods.
"Mel said she'd look good in red," Cole adds with a smile and at that, her dad's head snaps up.
"I think I got something for you," he hops off the stool, "For both of you," he motions for them to follow him and leads them upstairs. All the way to the attic. He opens one of the door and they enter the history of show choir. All the outfits Alice and William have ever worn during their career. He walks through the room and stops at a glass closet. He opens it and gets out the red dress Alice wore at Nationals. Lacey's mouth drops open in disbelieve. He can't be serious.
"Dad..." she whispers, unable to speak properly.
"I want you to wear this at your prom, Lacey Margaret. Your mom was your age when she wore this, so it should be perfect for you," he hands his daughter the dress carefully. She freezes, not moving a muscle. This can't be happening. He can't be serious.
"Try it on," Cole demands sweetly. She looks at her boyfriend, then at her dad. The latter nods. She then takes the dress and goes to try it on behind the curtain at the end of the room. Very carefully, she slips into the dress. Like dad said, it fits perfectly. She steps from behind the curtain, gasps coming from both Cole and William.
"You look just like your mother," William comments, wiping away a tear.
"Stunning, just stunning," Cole whispers, not taking his eyes from her. She looks so gorgeous. He's breathless. How is he going to take her to prom? Everyone will look at her, he won't be able to breathe. He won't survive that prom.
"I think you have your prom dress, sweetie," her dad states with a proud smile on his face. All she now needs is a pair of heels, the perfect makeup and hair, and it'll be the perfect prom ever. Even better than junior prom or all the other dances she ever went to with Archie. This time will be better. 

P"w