Growing Up Chemical

Flat Irons and Black Dye

We walked into the bathroom and I plugged the straightener in. "We let it heat up now." He nodded and his expression was very serious. He acted as if plugging it in was very cruicial information. "Mikey always does this, but I never do." I knew that kid did not have hair that nice naturally!

"Okay, it's done....are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." I grabbed the flat iron from the counter and sat back down on the floor. I sectioned his hair, and started to straighten. Gerard had amazing hair. It was fluffy, but not frizzy. It flattened well, but wasn't burning. It was smooth, but not greasy. It was the hair I always wished I had.

I stopped to take a look at my work. I had one side of his head done. I used one of my hands to cover the side that wasn't flat. Then I did the opposite. "Gerard, it looks awesome!" I smiled and a crazy thought hit me. "I am making you a deal alright?" He nodded slowly. "I will finish your hair if we can go to the drug store and get black dye for me. If not, I will cut your hair in your sleep and instead of flattening, I will curl it!" His eyes got wide and I started to go into a laughing fit. "Okay, deal." I sat up and got serious. "No joke?! You are being totaly honest?"

"Well I sort of like my hair ON MY HEAD. And to be truthful, I don't trust you with scissors near my neck or head." We both started laughing. I hugged him tight. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Then I finished his hair.

I started to straighten my hair, when Gerard went to grab something. He refused to tell me what it was. "Okay, I am coming in. You can't look at me at all until I say so okay?"

"If it must be like that Master Way." I laughed at my joke and he walked in. I just kept straightening.

"Can I please look now?!" I had been done with my hair and makeup for about a half hour and I was still waiting for the okay to look. "Almost, just give me a second." I patiently waited and then he gave the okay. I looked at the paper in front if him and couldn't believe my eyes.

Sitting there was me. Well, not technicly, but it was me. He had drawn me doing my hair. I was laughing and had a piece of hair in the midst of being flattend. It looked like me, only prettier. He brought out the good in my looks that weren't really there.

"Gerard that's fantastic! How on earth did you learn to draw like that?"

"Youtube, Deviant Art, Drago Art, and lots and lots and LOTS of practice." I smiled and picked up the drawing. It was beautiful. I absolutley loved this picture. He could be a proffesional!

Well, so much for not going anywhere. It was starting to feel more like fall everyday. I grabbed my grey boots, purple skinnies, and the grey Paramore sweater. I put a purple bow in my hair, and went to wait for Gerard.

He walked down in his grey converse, black skinny jeans, and a grey All Time Low hoodie. It was cute how we almost matched. "Mikes, we'll be right back okay? Just going to the drug store to get some hair dye." He nodded and we walked out the door.

He grabbed my hand and I just held on tight. "Okay, it's my turn for a question right?" I thought about it and laughed. It had worked like that. We went back and forth. "Yupperdoodles. Ask away."

"Why aren't you mad at me? You should be."

"Maybe because......" I stopped leaving him in anticipation. How do you tell somebody you are happy they kissed you? I sighed and answered.

"I'm not mad at all. I'm actually really happy. I have kind of liked you since I saw you." I looked down and saw our hands swinging. I couldn't help but smile. "You really like me?" I looked into his hope filled eyes. "You swear this isn't some huge joke? Or am I going to wake up soon?"

"No, it's real. And I swear I'm dead serious."

"Well you should know something. I think you are the most amazing girl in the whole universe. You are absolutely gorgeous, you like good music, and there's like a bubble around you. If you're in it you can't help but smile. I really, really, extremely like you."

I smiled at the sky. Then I looked back at Gerard and we started laughing like idiots. We came up to the drug store and walked straight to the hair dye. There is was. The jet black color I'd been wanting for what seemed like forever. I got two for when the first one started to fade. We walked up to the counter and I got out my money. I grabbed it and ran out the door, Gerard fallowing close behind.

Once we got back to the house, I started dyeing. Gerard watched me the whole time with awe. "Okee-dokee. I'm going to wash it, and I'll be out in a few." He smiled and walked out. I jumped in the cold shower, making sure the dye worked right. Then I made it so hot it almost burned. It made my head clear and made me realize life was looking up.

I got out and dryed my hair the best i could with my towel. I wanted to surprise myself so I didn't look in the mirror. I got the blow dryer from under the sink and dried it out. It was to difficult to straighten without the mirror, so I was forced to look. When I did, I saw myself becoming Chloe. I was no longer what everyone else wanted from me or wanted me to be. I was me.

I straightend my hair to make it perfectly straight, and hairsprayed my bangs in place. Then I re-did my makeup. I opened the door and heard the television in the living room. I walked out and saw Mikey watching Star Wars. Then I heard music from upstairs and figured Gerard was up there.

I hurried up the stairs taking two at a time. "Geraaaarrrrrd!" I said in a sing song voice. I tried to stop but slid right past his room and fell. "Stupid hard wood floors!" I laughed and got up. Gerard was patiently waiting on his bed. I walked in and watched his expression.

((Gerard's Point Of View))

Chloe was running and slid right past my room. She was so crazy sometimes. I figured she was keeping it a surprise so I didn't go out there. I was happy after that I didn't. When she walked into my room, something changed in me.

She stood there with her eyes shining, smiling from ear to ear. She was breathing heavily from running, but she was still.....amazing.

Her hair was the most gorgeous black ever. Her bangs just covered her right eye. Her hair came just past her shoulders, fraying slightly. She'd always been beautiful to me, inside and out. But standing there in my doorway, my heart began to race. Everything that wasn't her dissappeard. I had never felt it before.

Was this what love felt like? If it was, I liked it.