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"I can't believe you don't like the mall."
Alison didn't need to turn around to know it was her that Frank was speaking of as the small group of deviants made their way from the slushie stand to the arcade. She had been whining all week about their plans to go but realised now after they had spent a few hours moseying around, it hadn't been so bad. Her past memories of the mall had been shoe shopping for church shoes with her mum, and getting lost in the supermarket as a child.
But she'd had fun. Frank and his friend Matt had taught her how to shoplift from Walmart, and Gerard and Mikey had shown her some of the comic books they liked.
"It's just a lot of strangers all at once."
"Yeah, fuck people," Gerard said. She couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic but imagined he probably rolled his eyes at her as he did when he felt she was being needlessly dramatic. She turned on her heel to face the boys as she continued to walk backwards, hoping to catch him out, but his eyes were focused on something in the distance. She did, however, turn just in time to watch Frank attempt to dump the rest of his slushee over Mikey's head, completely miss, and the chaos that followed.
Frank bolted as Mikey threatened retaliation.
Alison almost lost her balance as Gerard latched onto her arm amid the chaos and dragged her over to the photobooth he must have spotted just before.
"It's picture time!"
"Oh, Gerard, I don't want a picture," she began to whine, knowing full well that Gerard could talk her into just about anything with his honey voice.
"It's your first proper outing at the mall. You must commemorate the occasion!"
"I bet it's gross inside."
"Don't worry, I'll be beside you. You can sit on my lap if you want."
"Like that's any better," she spat, and Gerard grinned, knowing he'd won. Alison merely rolled her eyes as she stomped the rest of the way to the booth.
"After you," Gerard insisted as he pulled the black curtain aside for her. She took a quick look inside before stepping in and shuffling over. Gerard followed close behind her and closed the curtain behind him.
She watched as he put in the coins and wasn't at all amused as he glanced at her face before laughing.
"Wow, you really weren't kidding were you? Okay, let's take a grumpy one first." Gerard faced back to the front and pressed the button, frowning into the camera the same as her. She jumped at the flash.
She wasn't as terribly unhappy as she appeared. Only, she wished he would have picked a nicer place to choose to be so close to her. She felt the hairs raise on her bare arms as she realised his thigh was resting against hers.
"Now a happy one. You can do happy. I've seen you happy before. Once." Alison felt the blood rush to her cheeks as Gerard reached his arm behind her back. She had nowhere to move as he turned to face her again, checking the frown had disappeared. She could see new colours in his eyes at this distance. A softness filled them as he spoke.
"I love your smile." She knew he could see her blushing, but he didn't bring it up.
"Smiiiile..." Gerard sang as he pressed the button once again, and Alison couldn't help but oblige him as she realised how much fun he was having.
There was silence as Gerard thought up their next pose. Alison waited in anticipation.
"I know. Let's sip our slushees." Alison pulled her drink up to her face, the straw resting on her lips as she waited for him to press the button once again.
"Okay, go!" She took a large sip, glad the photo had taken before the brain freeze hit her.
"Ah, fuck," she said, grimacing. Gerard had done the exact same, his eyes squeezed shut, nose crinkled. They took a moment to recover. Alison used it to study his face some more - the small dimples that formed when he smiled, the length of his lashes as he blinked; all the little things that were hard to notice from afar but impossible to miss now.
"Okay, last one. Stick out your tongue. I bet it's red."
"Yours is definitely blue." She could smell the blueberry syrup as he spoke.
"One. Two. Three!" Like a couple of brats they poked their stained tongues out at the camera and laughed.
Alison was ready to leave the booth but Gerard hadn't moved just yet. His arm was still around her. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach as he turned to face her once more.
"What colour do red and blue make?" he murmured, his nose bumping hers just gently.
"W-what?" But before she could speak another word, she felt Gerard's lips press gently to her own. Her eyes fluttered closed and the mall fell silent. It was just the two of them there in that moment as Alison opened her mouth and let purple happen.
It was a moment too soon when Gerard pulled away from her, taking his arm back and throwing her a sheepish smile.
"I do wonder if Mikey made Frank green."
Alison tried not to let it show how bad her legs were shaking as she climbed out the booth with the help of Gerard's outstretched hand. He grabbed their photos, admiring them for a moment before ripping the ribbon in half.
"I'm keeping your smile."