prom dresses and revelations

The cool spring air nipped at Wendy’s nose as she meandered toward her friend’s house. Familiar cracks and dents in the sidewalk beneath her aching feet created swirling patterns on the ground and interrupted the cool grey sidewalk. A few flowers sprung up between them, of course, and her eyes traced the delicate but resilient petals. Some of the first flowers of spring she’d seen. 

The brilliant yellows and oranges of the blossoming plants were noticeable even under the dark sky, and they reminded Wendy of her destination. Bebe. 

She’d considered turning back, running back to the gymnasium and screaming at the top of her lungs, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t do that to Kyle. No matter how angry she felt about the dirtbag that polluted their minds, no matter how badly she wanted to beat Stan up and make him apologise, she couldn’t ruin this for him. 

Relieved, though she was, at her escape from the gymnasium, she wondered what she would say to her friend. In the moment she’d decided to retreat to her best friend’s house from her seat at the dance, she’d neglected to remember their heated argument prior to the event. 

Bebe had likely expected Wendy to hang back, to not give in to her obligation to see Stan. So, when Wendy offhandedly mentioned going dress shopping, Bebe was surprised. Surprised would be an understatement… She was livid. Wendy shivered, lamenting the fight and wincing at the cruel words they’d thrown at each other. 

“Goddamned idiot” were Bebe’s words, slicing Wendy clean in half. She did not turn into a brainless chick around Stan. She did not. 

Wendy glanced down, considering her situation. The tulle that hung delicately from her dress moved hypnotically in the light breeze, and she sighed. 

“Okay Bebe. Maybe I’m just a little bit dumb. Maybe you were right.” Wendy spoke into the emptiness that surrounded her. She stopped walking and listened to the quiet sound of cars passing for a moment. Sighing again, she regretted her actual response to Bebe’s jab.

Wendy had called her a “jealous bitch,” and accused her of attempting to sabotage her relationship with Stan. When questioned on the relationship itself, Wendy huffed and left without a word. 

Oh my god… Wendy hung her head in her hands. Looking up, she considered this time just running back to her house. It wasn’t a long trek, after all. Her eyes shifted behind her, and she took a step back. 

After a few moments of contemplation, Wendy grimaced. Even though she really wanted to curl up in her thick duvet, Bebe at least deserved an apology. Probably. Wendy wasn’t really good with arguments. Clearly.

Fine. Let’s get this over with. She grabbed the sides of her dress and lifted them, picking up her pace. 

After the alien sound of clicking heels on cement ceased, and the street returned to calm silence, Wendy craned her neck up to peer at Bebe’s bedroom window. 

The ceiling flashed with dancing lights, as Bebe was undoubtedly rewatching one of her favourite movies. The occasional interjection of bright lights was mesmerising, and Wendy stood in front of the house for a considerable amount of minutes before returning to her mission. 

Pulling out her phone and ignoring the keychain hanging off to the side that matched with Bebe’s, she sent a short text. 

• hey. i’m outside. pls open ur window so we can talk. :(  ♡

Wendy glanced up again. The lights on Bebe’s walls continued to shift and change. She looked down. Unread. 

Tightening her grip on the phone, Wendy exhaled. Bebe almost always responded immediately, and considering that she wasn’t particularly busy tonight, there was no reason for her to be away from the phone. 

Something told Wendy that Bebe was ignoring her. Wendy groaned, looking away from her phone. Something on the ground, not too far away, caught her eye, however. Is it too… cliché? Wendy gave herself no time to hesitate, though, before she was advancing on her target. 

Picking up a few pebbles from the ground, (ones that didn't look too rough or damaging, of course) she returned to the front of the house. Shaking her arms out and stepping back, Wendy aimed for the centre of the window pane. 

She threw a small, round stone and watched as it flew up into the air and came crashing down onto Bebe’s roof. “Oh fuck- shit- wait-” Wendy ducked as the thing made a loud thud as it hit the shingles high above bebe’s window. 

Waiting for a few seconds in case Bebe’s parents decided to come outside and see what psychopath was lurking in front of their house trying for the attention of their daughter, Wendy stood in the shadows of a nearby street lamp. After no sign of disturbance from inside, she resumed her post. 

This time, aiming more squarely and throwing less forcefully. Wendy jumped and pumped her fist when the second rock lightly tapped against her friend’s window. 

Still no response, she continued to toss stones at the glass. 

Finally after what seemed like hours of walking back and forth between finding rocks and throwing them, occasionally ducking out of the way of a passing car, Bebe’s window cracked open. 

As the tall blonde entered Wendy’s line of vision, they both peered at each other silently. Wendy shifted weight between legs uncomfortably, and looked around. 

“So-”

“I-”

They interrupted each other and paused, silence filling the seemingly infinite space between them again. 

“So,” Bebe started, furrowing her brow, “what happened to your boyfriend? Thought you two would, like, be making out on some couch by now.” 

Wendy took a deep breath and allowed the harsh accusation to wash over her. She really didn’t want to argue. “Listen, Bebe, I’m so fucking sorry, I didn’t mean anything I said and I obviously know you’re not jealous I just said that because I guess I- I just- fuck I don’t even know why I said it-” she took a deep breath, “I guess I was just trying to put blame on someone for how fucked I was feeling about us- about Stan. Like I just-”

“Wendy, are you okay?” Bebe interjected, previous hostility long forgotten. “You don’t have to, like, explain yourself to me, Wendy, I just- I was just being a bitch. It’s just that- sometimes I feel like you’re trapped in this, like, fucked up loop of loving him and being hurt by him and-” 

“Bebe I don’t… I don’t even think I love him. It’s just routine at this point. It’s just… it’s been this way for so long I just fall back into it anytime I feel too independent or that things are changing too much- it’s just a fucked regression thing or something, like I’m keeping him as a backup incase… fuck i don’t even know. I’m so sorry Bebe. I’ve just got this fucked thing and you were just trying to look out for me and-” 

Wendy stopped ranting and covered her face in her hands. She took deep breaths and became extremely aware of the silence that loomed over the street. 

Man… fucking word vomit. How fucking lame is this… she took more breaths as Bebe stood looking away from her. An indistinguishable expression painted her round, tanned face.

If Wendy squinted she could see her long curled eyelashes reflecting the warm glow of the lamps that lined the empty street. 

Bebe was like, really pretty. Maybe Wendy had been a little jealous. Maybe. 

For some reason, though, jealousy didn’t seem to resonate with how Wendy was feeling. How she’d always felt about Bebe. 

As Wendy looked up again to fill the growing silence, Bebe opened her mouth to speak. 

“Wendy, stop. You’re giving me too much credit. I… I just… I liked being able to comfort you at first, like it gave me a sense of purpose and necessity, or something. And then I kept giving you this high and mighty advice like I was some genius, like, I dunno… but then you kept… you know. Going back. In some weird way it felt like I was being dismissed. I just felt so happy getting closer to you and feeling like I, for once, had an actual best friend and even… like… maybe I felt like we were closer than that, y’know? Like we were-” 

Bebe stopped. Mouth snapping shut, she shot up, smashing her slightly messy curls against the window frame. Her hand jolted to rub at the bump as she whipped around. 

Wendy stood on her toes and stretched as far as she could to see what could have caused the sudden commotion. Unsuccessful in her efforts, Wendy stepped back.

She sprung up and jumped as high as she could, catching a quick but unmistakable glimpse of Bebe’s mother. 

Wendy crashed down onto the pavement. Oh my god… Oh my god… Oh my god… No fucking way, no fucking way no fucking- She crumpled down into a tight ball. Warmth flooded her cheeks as she grabbed her knees. 

“Wendy, sweetie is that you? What are you doing in front of our house so late? Damn near scared be to death thinking there was some killer terrorising my Bebe and- my, what a beautiful dress! Bebe what are you doing keeping your friend out here in the cold spring air? Some friend you are, huh Wendy?” The woman laughed, “sweetheart, I’m coming down to let you in. Sit tight.”

Wendy huffed.

Safe to say, she was mortified. She scrubbed her hands up and down her face in an attempt to control her obvious blush. Not even sparing a glance back up at the window, she stood up and shuffled towards the front door of the familiar house. 

As soon as she hopped the steps to the porch and arrived at the considerably sized door, it creaked open to reveal a short but sturdy woman. 

Forcing a polite smile, Wendy thanked Bebe’s mother for her hospitality. Awkwardly making her way up the nicely carpeted stairs and across the endless hallway that lead to Bebe’s room, Wendy’s usually collected mind was crowded with a poisonous mix of dread and curiosity. 

She approached the cutely decorated door and paused. What would she even say? Would Bebe even want her there? Would she be sent home? 

Hesitantly, Wendy grabbed the door knob. Her shaky hands moving on their own, ignoring the blaring alarms in her head to just leave now. 

As the door pushed open to reveal the dark room, and more importantly Wendy’s long-time bestfriend Bebe Stevens, searching arms wound tightly around Wendy’s torso. 

As Bebe hugged her, Wendy stood in shock. She felt her friend’s thick curls against her neck and the light press of Bebe’s forehead on her shoulder. Bebe’s hands clutched the back of Wendy’s dress stubbornly.

Wendy angled her head to admire the girl in front of her. Her beautiful hair fell perfectly even now, at a random hour in the middle of the night. The shining gemstones in her ears glimmered in the low lighting of a single lamp on Bebe’s nightstand. Soft but strong shoulders enveloped Wendy in a sense of comfort that could only be received from one of Bebe’s hugs. 

Snapping out of her trance, Wendy quickly wrapped her arms around Bebe’s shoulders. This hug was different. No words were spoken among the girls yet everything was understood. The unrelenting grip of Bebe’s hands around Wendy held more value than any promise. The softness of Wendy’s hand through Bebe’s hair spoke words no alphabet could produce. Even in the face of such a difficult argument, the pure and endless intimacy of the act communicated more despair and regret than any long-winded apology. 

As Bebe took deep and shaking breaths, Wendy’s throat closed on words she knew she’d been hesitating to say for years. Her eyes stung with the thought of such a situation ever affecting them so greatly. Some stupid obsession with a relationship that had failed years before paired with her aversion to change had caused a seemingly infinite rift in their friendship. 

But, could it have ever been so terrible? Was their friendship truly damaged to the extent Wendy had dreaded? Because here, now, was everything. The cruelty of the earth around the two crumbled into nothingness as they shared an embrace meaningful beyond words. No boy could ever come between this. The silent assurance of undying love and commitment that this moment held was more truthful and apparent than any insecurities Wendy may have had about them. 

“I-” Bebe started, not releasing her hold. “I’m… I’m so sorry Wendy. I- you were right. I was- I am jealous. Like… super jealous. I never thought I’d be a jealous person, but here I am. Freaking out over some stupid… Wendy I’m-”

Wendy stepped back, warranting Bebe to lift her head and look back at her. Something in her chest stopped. Maybe it was her heart. Previous bliss forgotten, tears of betrayal clouded her vision. 

“What? But I thought you- you told me you didn’t like Stan? That you didn’t like boys? I- I mean I guess it’s fine if you do but why wouldn’t you tell me, I-”

Bebe’s eyes widened and she quickly shook her head. Interrupting Wendy, she waved her arms in disagreement. She backed up, taking hold of Wendy’s shoulder and dragging her further into the room. Reaching behind Wendy, she shut the door gently. 

“Wendy stop, stop, what are you talking about?”

“You said…” Wendy raised a hand to wipe the hot tears flooding her eyes, “you were jealous. So I… I shouldn’t be this upset I guess…”

“I don’t…” Bebe’s brow was furrowed.

“Don’t… what?”

“Like Stan. I’ve never liked him. That… wasn’t what I meant when I said I was jealous. I meant that… um…” She gave Wendy a look that was definitely meaningful. 

Pausing, Wendy looked down and considered this for a few moments. Her eyes widened and her head shot back up to resume looking at Bebe.

“You… you? You! And… me? Me?” Wendy sputtered, shock clouding her mind and apparently rendering  her incapable of coherent speech. 

Equally bewildered, seemingly at herself, Bebe nodded vigorously. Her hand covered her mouth, suggesting that her sudden confession was unexpected even from her. 

“Are- and you’re sure? You’re not fucking with me?”

Bebe nodded again, starting to turn away as her cheeks heated up. Scrambling for something to pull Bebe closer to her, Wendy’s arm shot out. She grabbed Bebe’s shoulder and yanked it towards her, using the momentum to fully wrap her arms around Bebe’s shoulders. Wendy squeezed as hard as she could. 

Tears still streaking her face, Wendy let out a small sob. “I just- fuck I’m- I, yeah. Me too. I just convinced myself it could never work because… because- fuck I don’t know. I was terrified. You’re this gorgeous, funny, talented girl and-”

“And you’re not? Jesus Wendy I’m, like, totally astonished by you.Like you have all these things going for you like you’re the fucking Valedictorian and all these Ivy leagues are asking for you and you’re still so nice and- fuck, you’re just… I can’t explain it.”

Wendy nodded silently and only squeezed Bebe harder.

“Wendy, you don’t understand how happy I am right now, look,” she raised her arm to show Wendy her trembling hands and laughed incredulously. 

Wendy nodded, smiling through parted lips. “Me too. Me too. I- can I… um…” She raised her hands to either side of Bebe’s face, and taking her brisk nodding as a green light, leaned forward to press her lips against Bebe’s. 

The kiss didn’t last long, and Wendy pulled back to plant more on Bebe’s face. A few on her subtly freckled cheeks, some on her dark forehead and the bridge of her nose, and a very delicate few on the corners of Bebe’s soft lips. 

Bebe squeezed Wendy’s middle and laughed blissfully at the ceiling, blushed cheeks not hidden from Wendy’s sight. 

As they stood there, giggling shyly and returning kisses to each other in the dim room,somehow everything seemed just a bit more vibrant. Once mountainous problems now seemed like small pebbles, (perhaps ones that could be thrown softly at glass windows), and the lingering dread of being a teenage girl seemed suddenly lighter. 

The flowers that broke through the cold concrete sidewalks stood taller, more beautifully and more confidently. 

The house itself seemed to settle, no longer burdened with the tension of keeping long-held secrets, no longer supporting the weight of a near-collapsing roof, threatening to break at the slightest pressure change. The foundation relaxed and gave way to satisfied creaks and groans. 

It was as if everything in the world had been waiting in anticipation for Wendy and Bebe to finally admit what they’d been concealing for much too long. 

But now it was revealed. Now they could live with the newfound knowledge that they liked each other, maybe even loved each other, more than anyone else could understand. 

As Wendy’s mind drifted blissfully, she contemplated the arrival of spring. Orange sunburst-like flowers and soft violet petals overtook her thoughts and visions of once dark winters transforming into bright and colourful sun-showers. 

Wendy smiled brightly at Bebe. How fitting.