Trying To Keep Cry

"Hey Cry!  What're you up to?"  I shout as I jog over to my brunette fluffy-haired friend who I just happened to notice sitting in the park as I walked home from school.

"Oh, hi friend!  What're you doing out of class so early?  Hopefully not skipping, right?"  His face turns up towards mine, his mask resting over his eyes, and ending at the bottom of his nose.

"Oh, no way!  You know I'm too much of a goody-two-shoes for that… I actually had finals today, and man, it sucked," I sigh, thinking of how I have to do the same tomorrow.  "Oh, but the good thing is we get out early, so I was about to go grab some lunch at Jimmy's, if you'd like to join me…?"  

He chuckles at how my eagerness of getting out of school early quickly turned into hesitance to ask him out for lunch - even if it is just as friends.  "I'd love to Jen, let's go."  He stands up, pretty much towering over me, the little fourteen year old, and takes my hand in his.  On our way to our favorite pizza place, so many people stare at us saying a whole variety of different things, including: "Aw, what a cute couple!"  "That guy is pretty odd; look at his mask!"  "Isn't he a tad too old for her?"  "Nah, I bet that he's just one of those freakishly tall guys!"  

It isn't what you'd think though; we aren't dating, although honestly sometimes I wish we were… Not that I'd ever tell him that!  No, he's just my good friend, practically like an older brother.  (Not that he could ever replace Matty! )  He's way too old for me anyways… He's twenty-three and like I said before, I'm only fourteen.  That doesn't stop me from blushing as he laughs at the comments and shouts, "Yes, this is my adorable mini girlfriend, and I am indeed a giant!"  He looks down at me with a lopsided grin, and I can imagine him winking at me playfully.  I squeeze his hand and giggle, "Stop feeding their rumors… There are people I know around here; this is going to be all over school tomorrow!"  

"Not that you care, right?"

"Y-yeah, I don't really care…"  Before anything else is said, we walk in the doors of the pizzeria.  Jimmy himself sees us walk in, and asks, "You want the usual?"  We both nod eagerly and grab a soda before going to the register to pay.  I dig around in my grey and white messenger bag before I realize my idiocy.

"Oh butter-nuggets!" I mutter.  "I forgot my wallet at home; I'm such an idiot."  Cry happens to hear me though, and pats my shoulder, saying, "It happens to the best of us, Jen; I'll cover you today."

I look up at him, and exclaim, "Really?  Wow, thanks Cry!  I'll pay you back tomorrow, I swear!"  As he hands the money to the man, his smirk returns as he says, "Oh, so you're planning on seeing me again tomorrow, eh?"  I grow flustered, and stutter, "N-no, I mean… Only if you don't m-mind!"  He flicks my cheek, giving me a quick, "Of course I don't mind," before leading me to a table.  

Soon enough, our pizzas are in front of us, an order of garlic knots between them, and we're chowing down.  I'm halfway done with my Sicilian slice, when I suddenly put it down and on impulse, ask, "Hey Cry, when do you take that mask off?"  

"Never," he immediately answers without missing a beat.  I just stare at him, surprised, when he says, "Nah, I'm just playing… I take it off when I'm with family, really close friends, or when I'm alone."  He smiles at me, but I suddenly feel like crying, no pun intended.  You see, we've known each other for three years, and even though that's not a significant amount of time, I feel like he knows me better than anyone… I thought that would mean something, but… He's never shown me his face, and he just said his closest friends.  I know that it's selfish and stupid of me, but I want to be one of them!  I look down at my hands that rest uselessly in my lap, and will myself not to cry, but a few tears slip out.  

He notices almost immediately and his smile drops, a worried frown settling in its place.  "J-Jenny… what's wrong?  Is it something I s… Oh shoot, I said my closest friends, didn't I?  Oh God, I feel like such a jerk… Jen…"  He pauses, waiting for me to look at him, but when I don't, I find his fingers swiping the tears from under my eyes, and his hand tilting my chin up, and he continues saying, "Jen, you aren't just a close friend… You're my best friend!  I just… I'm just worried that you… you won't like what you find…  I really care what you think of me, but I don't want you to hate me for this!  Ack, what I'm trying to say is, if you want… I'll show you…"  My pale blue eyes widen, and he nods, biting his lip.  My arms reach out over the table, and I untie the bow that holds the poker face in place, before slowly lowering the mask… But my vision begins to fade, and as I slip into darkness, I feel myself trying to grasp the image, hold onto it and keep it in my heart, trying to keep Cry…

I wake up, my heart pounding, as One Direction softly serenades me in the background.  I groan, swinging my legs out of bed, stand up, wobble, fall on my face, then proceed to crawl across the room, slamming my fist down on the snooze button, before curling up on the floor for five more minutes of bliss.