Dreamer

Lena McGuire

He believed me.

~~~

I slipped into my jean short shorts after tugging and pulling on some lacy tights. I shoved my feet into my knee-high combat boots with the chains criss crossing the front and zipped them up the side. I chose a black bra and Motionless In White tank that was ripped almost all the way down the sides.

I strapped my spiked leather choker around my throat and skipped into my bathroom. I brushed my teeth quickly and braided my hair thickly down the center of my back ending below my waist.

When I pranced downstairs my mother stopped me. "What in the world do you think you're wearing?" she exclamied.

"Um..., an outfit?" I answered. I was so going to get in trouble for that.

"Go back to your room and change right this instant." my father demanded, coming up behind my mother.

"Why can't I be who I wanna be? You always make me change when I try to dress how I want!"

"Because maybe we don't want you dressing like a slut, you can't go in jean panties to school! And I very much disapprove of you showing so much skin and barely covering up your undergarments!" my father exclaimed, glaring disgustingly at my clothes like he wanted to burn them.

"I can't believe you just called me a slut!" I shoved past them and leaped into Caroline's boyfriend's car where they waited for me by the curb. Caroline turned up the radio from the passenger seat, and it blasted the perfect song; Hair by Lady Gaga.

"Get back here right now young lady!" my parents yelled but I just flipped them off with both hands as the car sped away from the curb, burning rubber and screeching on the asphalt.

"I guess your parents didn't approve of your new outfit?" Caroline asked, her lips perfectly lathered with pale pnik sparkly gloss.

"Yeah, can I borrow some lipstick?"

"Of course," Caroline said, pulling out her scarlet red lipstick, which I smoothed over my top lip and dabbed a little on my bottom, then rubbed them together to spread the color.

"Perfect,"chided Caroline as she put the tube back into her purse. "Any rouge, love?"

"Uh, sure," I said as she puffed some darker skin tone onto my pale cheeks to give them color, and an almost sunken in look.

"You look absolutely bEU-timus!" she said. "Thanks." I replied.

~~~

Caroline and I strolled into school, backpacks hanging from one shoulder. Our gaits were lined up step-for-step, completely flawless. Not a single wobble or unsure step in our two inch heels. We held ourselves with perfect composure, perfectly aware of all the stares we were getting and choosing to ignore them.

A couple people snickered. Most people whispered, and a few just looked away quickly. I loved Caroline for staying with me and being my friend even though it was costing her. She must be so embarrassed right now. I always felt horrible when we walked through crowded places and everyone seemed to part for us. For Caroline because she was gorgeous and intimidating, me because, well, people are jerks and actually believe the stupid gossip that spreads all over the school.

We did our usual morning routine, dumping stuff we didn't need into our lockers and going to wait outside my math class.

I tense up, expecting Joey to be there, but thankfully he wasn't. My heart slowed to a normal rate and I leaned against the wall of the classroom. "You okay?" asked Caroline.

"Yeah, just... thinking," I sighed.

She looped her arm around my shoulders and leaned her head against mine. We stood like that for a while. "Is it about a certain boy...?" she asked. I could just hear the smile and eyebrow wiggle in her voice that must be playing out on her face.

"Maybe...," I smiled.

"It's Joey isn't it!" she whispered. It wasn't even a question. It was a statement. She knew me so well.

"Maybe...."

"He gives you the butterflies and stops your heart and you just want to kiss him!" she teased.

I pushed her away. "No.... And yes.

I sighed.

"I don't want to kiss him but I do like him."

"MEEP!" she shrieked. "So are you guys gonna go out and make perfect Loey babies?"

I just glared at her like she was the craziest person in the world. "First of all, Ew. Second, what the hell is Loey?"

"Lena and Joey! Duh!"

"No."

Thankfully the bell rang and I could finally leave Caroline to go to Math.

~~~

Once I had sat down in my seat next to Maia, Joey came in and sat at his desk, the whole time he was looking at me. He had huge circles under his eyes as if he hadn't slept at all. I blushed and quickly looked away when he was still looking at me as I turned around to look at him.

My leg was shaking, and my hands were twitching the whole period and I thought I was going to die. All I could think about was his lips on mine in the dream, the intensity of his eyes when he looked at me yesterday, and the fact that he believed me on the phone last night .

I was in love with Joey Simmons and I didn't just want him, I needed him.