Behind The Mask

Seven

Gwen wakes up with Dallas's arms around her and her head on his chest. And it's hot.

Moving slowly, she slides out of his arms and inches off the bed. Once she's sure he won't wake up, Gwen dashes to the AC controls in the hallway, wiping sweat off of her face. It's 95 degrees? Muttering under her breath, she turns the temperature way down and tip-toes back into her room.

Dallas's eyes snap open when Gwen gets back on the bed and she smiles hesitantly. He doesn't return the smile. Instead, he looks worried; maybe even scared. And Gwen isn't sure how to respond to that.

Everything Dallas told her, and everything that happened, plays over and over again in her head. And all she can really feel, is confusion. How are you supposed to respond to something like... that?

After a few moments of silence, Gwen's alarm goes off and they both scramble off the bed, still dressed in yesterday's clothes. She pushes him out of the room so she can get dressed. Dallas'll just have to wear his clothes from the day before. Gwen throws on a T-shirt and pair of jeans. Her mind is buzzing while she fixes her hair and puts on her make-up. She slips into Dallas's jacket and walks out her bedroom door. Halfway down the hall, Gwen crashes into him and he catches her when she stumbles. For a split second, they look each other in the eyes, and they both stop breathing. She can't help thinking that this is just like a movie. He can't help thinking how beautiful her eyes are.

And then Gwen forces herself to look away.

The moment is lost.

The bus ride is silent for them both. Gwen stares out the window, and Dallas watches her out of the corner of his eye. He's definitely aware of her inner turmoil.

They don't even talk to each other in the halls, like they usually do. And Dallas grows even more anxious by the minute.

So does she.

In the middle of her first class, Gwen gets up and dashes out of the room. On some lucky, random chance... the teacher doesn't notice. He doesn't notice when Dallas runs out of the room either. The class starts whispering, and a sound like the buzzing of an insect fills the room. But neither of them care. All he can think about, is her. And all she can think about, is him.

He finds her outside, on the bench she sat in the first time they actually had a conversation. Gwen looks up at Dallas with tears dripping down her cheeks, and it feels like someone's stabbed him in the chest. He had hoped it wouldn't hurt her this much... but hoping can only get you so far.

He sits down, hands clenched together and anxious eyes watching hers. She doesn't say a word for what feels like years. All she does is look into his eyes. And then she clears her throat.

"I don't know what to say Dallas... I just..." she sighs, and it's like the weight of the world is on her shoulders. She bites her lip nervously and another pang goes through his heart. What if he doesn't get to see her and her cute little habits anymore? What would he do without her around?

"I really like you." she blurts out. And then she's talking so fast he can barely understand her. "I really like you, and I don't want to lose you, and I don't want to not be able to see you every day like I have and be around you and tease you and laugh with you. And I don't know where this is going, or maybe I do, but I think I know where I want this to go, and I think you might know it too. And I just really don't want to lose you. And..."

Gwen stops to breathe. And Dallas has forgotten how to breathe.

"It doesn't matter what you've done. It doesn't matter what you've been through. Because it's made you who you are today, and it brought you to me. Besides, you couldn't control what happened. You couldn't stop yourself, because you didn't realize just what you were doing.But you know better now, and she doesn't mean anything to you." Her eyes stare into his and, for some reason, he can't look away. "You can't change what happened that night Dallas. And that's okay."

Before he met Gwen, Dallas was never one to show emotion. At all. Not through touch, or words, or anything. But he's changed.

Dallas hugs her.

Gwen's surprised at first, and then she relaxes and hugs him back. Her heart races. She doesn't want to let go.

Dallas doesn't want to let go either. Because her touch, and the smell of her perfume, is the only thing keeping him holding on to reality.

He remembers that one night, and the brutal truth of what happened hits him all over again.

One drink. He'd told himself that he'd only have one drink. But once after a while, he didn't even realize he was still drinking. And by the time he did, it was too late. He didn't care anymore.

That week had been a really bad one. His mom had gotten fired from her steady job and was sinking into a depression. Dallas's grades were slipping. And that Friday, Max didn't understand what was going on, and he had asked so many questions that Dallas's mom had slapped him. So, Dallas had reacted the only way he knew how. He'd slapped her. And then run out of the house.

Dallas drove around until he found a party. And then he went inside.

He remembers the first drink, and how loud the music was, and not being able to count the number of people crammed into the room.

The rest doesn't have to be said. There was a girl. That's all he remembers. And the next morning, he woke up in his car, alone, with only half of his clothes. All he could remember were bright, bright green eyes.

The rumors flew, and the truth was discovered. And the girl he'd slept with when he was drunk... moved. And Dallas wasn't the same person anymore.

He can't take back what happened. But he's starting to think that Gwen is right. If it doesn't matter to her, then it shouldn't bother him. At least not as much as it does now. Maybe, with her help, he can let go.

Dallas breaks away from Gwen and is about to say what's on his mind, but she covers his mouth with his hand. "I know." is all she says. And he knows she understands.

They sit in peace for a few minutes; neither one of them wants to go back to school. Eventually, Gwen asks, "Can we go to your house? I wanna see Max again."

"He'd love that." Dallas answers.

And they wait for the bus. And somehow, the silence is comfortable.

When they get to his house, Gwen opens the door and grins when Max jumps into her arms. Dallas is amazed once again at how fast he's adjusted to her. And he's amazed at how loving and patient she is with him. It's all he could ever wish for...

They watch Scooby-Doo until Max falls asleep, and Gwen waits on the couch until Dallas is done tucking him in. When he gets back, he sits next to her and puts his arm around her shoulder without even thinking. Gwen surprises herself by not tensing up.

"Thanks."

She looks over at him. Why did he just thank her?

"For what?"

He smiles gently. "For not judging me. And being amazing with Max. And opening up to me. And... everything."

Gwen bites her lip and then smiles back at him. "I did it for you."

And then she looks down. "Can... can I tell you something?"

"Of course."

"...I really like you Dal. But I don't know what I'm supposed to do about it."

His heart has stopped. "I really like you too, beauty queen." Dallas thinks for a second or two before saying something else. "Maybe I can help you figure out what you should do..." he whispers.

Dallas takes her cheek in his hand and brings her closer to him. She closes her eyes, and their lips meet. Her fingers clutch at his shirt and his hand is warm on her jaw. This feeling is just unexplainable. She can't think straight. He doesn't want to think straight. Everything else just falls away...

And then Dallas breaks away, and looks behind him.

Max is right there, watching them.

Gwen and Dallas look at each other, cheeks flushed, and start laughing.

Of course.

- Alyssa <3