.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE

CHAPTER SIX

vi. very first bike rides

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APRIL AMBROSE NEVER THOUGHT SHE WAS THE MOST INTERESTING TO LOOK AT. But, she was confident enough to know that she wasn't hideous. Perhaps, she was just a bit plain. A bit boring even. With her eyes of blue which were so dull they could be mistaken for grey and the frizzy mop of curls on her head. Sure, she wasn't hideous but she sure wasn't eye-catching either. Nonetheless, she appreciated herself for what she had. Working limbs, a pretty smile. Two of her favourite things.

That certainly didn't stop the longing she had for her older sisters long hair of deep brown and bright eyes. It was like with Holly, she got all her features saturated and with April, she got them all faded. Which was odd, all things considered. Holly was always so pessimistic, if her personality was a colour, it'd simply be grey. April, on the other hand, was already so happy. She'd be coloured yellow in no time.

Perhaps, this is why she found herself dressed in pale pinks and blues and yellows, all to brighten up the faded tone of herself. She didn't mind though, she thought these colours were pretty. She thought they made her look pretty too, made her look less plain.

And, so, she found herself pacing her bedroom, a comb in her hand as she brushed through her bangs. Dressed in a loose pair of light washed jeans and a white and blue floral cami. She had taken Stan's and Eddie's advice seriously, steering clear from her usual dresses and towards the barely ever worn jeans that sat in the back of her closet as well as dousing herself in the bug spray, (not that she wouldn't of if Eddie hadn't told her. April was terrified of bugs. The thought of their buzzing alone made her blood run cold). She finishes with her hair, walking towards her mirror and checking her reflection. She wanted to look good today. After all, this would be the first time she ever hung out with anyone who could become her friends.

Smiling at her reflection, she notices her lips about to crack from dryness. Shaking her head and reaching towards her vanity drawer, shuffling through it until her hand touches her strawberry Lip Smacker, uncapping it and slathering it across her lips and smacking them together until she's satisfied. Tossing the lip balm into her jean pocket along with the friendship bracelets she had made two days before. Huffing out a breath, she turns towards her bedrooms door and exits.

It was 11:55 and Bill had said he'd be by around 12:00. She skipped down the steps of the staircase and into the living room, seeing her parents sat in the couch, watching some boring television show. April recalls Holly telling them at supper the night before that she'd be out with that boy, Alexander Egan. The boy who'd her eyes would follow with a twinkle.

"Mom! Dad," April says, walking in front of the television and towards the window, peering out of it to keep her eye out for Bill. "I'm going out soon," She goes on, her parents eyes on her.

Cain breathes out, a smile on his face. "That so, Apples? What are those boys names again?" He asks, feeling somewhat protective over his baby-girl. He liked the idea of her making friends, he was just worried that those boys would find a way to hurt her.

Sighing with a shake of her head, Josephine nudges her husband with a laugh. "Don't be such a worry-wart, Cain," She rolls her eyes, smiling at her daughter who just seemed to be radiating excitement off of her. It was just so apparent.

"I've already told you, Dad. Do you want their last names too?" April teases, looking away from the window and fussing with her frizzy hair, laughing at her dads scrunched up nose as he nods. "Stanley Uris, Eddie Kaspbrak, Richie Tozier, and Bill Denbrough," She recites, chuckling as he pretends to evaluate their names by huffing out a breath, rolling his eyes, or nodding with satisfaction. He stops at Bill.

He furrows his eyebrows. "Bill Denbrough? As in Georgie Denbrough?" He asks, recalling the name from the newspaper he had read early in October. The tragic incident, outlining the disappearance of a young boy.

April sucks in a breath, nodding. Her mom already knew about this, Josephine looking at her nails and feeling her stomach sink at the events. Cain sighs, running a hand through his hair. "I'd tell you to send him my condolences but, I don't want to reopen wounds," He says, before noticing the flash of a silver bike pulling up into the front of their house. A boy who was far too small for the bike with brown hair and a green shirt sat on it.

Josephine stares out the window as well, a smile spreading across her face at the sight - the sullen mood brightening as she observes the boy who stood nervously outside the house. "I think your rides here," She gestures out the window, April brightening up and turning to face the window once again, peering out before rushing towards the front door, a squeal escaping her as she grabs at her pale yellow Converse.

She hurriedly pulls them on, hearing her parents laugh softly, looking back at her as she stumbles over her fingers while tying her shoelaces. Standing up, and jumping up. "Alright, bye!" She says, waving her hand at her parents at she opens the front door, the sun blinding her before she adjusts to it, meeting eyes with Bill.

"Wait!" Cain calls after her, leaning his head back to see April halfway out the door, stopping in her tracks as she looks back at him curiously. "Be home by curfew and have fun, Apple," He smiles at her, she simply responding with a joyful nod before she rushes out the house.

She shuts the door, a smile on her face as she looks to Bill who stood at the end of the pathway to her house, a smile on his face too. "Hey," She greets, hopping down the three steps of the porch and towards his bike.

He waves, one hand holding his bike up as April walks towards him. "H-Hey, April," He greets back, looking her up and down subtly, admiring the way her eyes shined in the sunlight and her brown curls framed her face.

"How are we gonna..." She begins, trailing off as she gestures towards the large bike which was far to large for Bill - who had four inches more to his height than April. His feet were just touching at the ground.

Bill pauses for a moment, looking down at his trusty bike, Silver. "Here," He presses the kickstand down with the bottom of his shoe. "I-I'll help you on f-f-first," He goes on, letting go of the bike and letting it stand upright as he reaches his hand out to her. She takes it.

Sucking in a breath, April looks up at him with shy eyes. "Are you sure this is a good idea? What if I fall?" She asks nervously as Bill pulls her towards the bike with a knowing smile, shaking his head.

"You w-won't. I'll make sure to avoid any bumps," He reassures her, leading her to the side of the bike. "Just t-toss your l-l-leg over and sit on this metal part," He gestures to the rear of his bike, his hand still in hers.

She looks away from the bike and to him, a worried look at her face. "Please don't let me fall," She mumbles quietly as she grips onto his hand together, ignoring the burning feeling in her cheeks. She hoped she wasn't burning red. If she was, oh golly! That'd be terribly embarrassing. She lifts her leg, throwing it over the bike and sitting herself down shakily.

The bike jerks to the side for a moment. Bill's left hand on the handlebar to stabilize it and his right on her waist. He sucks in a breath. "S-S-See, I won't let you f-fall," He smiles softly at her, only now realizing how close their faces were before pulling away from her, hand still on her waist and coughing lightly.

April wasn't sure but her heart began to beat as fast as it could when Bill had done that. It made her heart jump, too. She wondered then, if he had felt it as well. She brushed the thoughts away hurriedly. "Thanks," She nods, voice quiet as her hand pats the top of his on her waist softly.

He nods back, pulling away completely and rushing to the front of the bike, carefully leaning it to the side and kicking the kickstand up before mounting it and using his feet to hold them upright. "Y-Y-You're gonna have to..." He trails off, stumbling over his words recklessly.

She understands, taking her arms and snaking then around his waist tightly, leaning into him. Her cheek pressed against his shoulder. "Like this?" She asks, voice sounding as if it were covered in gold at the dreaminess of the scene. She never thought she'd find herself in a situation like this. With a boy, with a friend!

"Y-Y-Yes," Bill responds, his hands on his handlebars tightly. "Don't let go, a-a-alright?" He turns his neck slightly, feeling her hair tickle at it. He didn't seem to mind, though.

"Alright, Billy. I won't," She reassures him, using the nickname so naturally. She hadn't even really noticed at all. Smiling into his shoulder as she feels him press firm on the pedal and they begin to leave the front of her house.

Feeling the collective wind begin to push through his hair, Bill smiles, nodding in content. Appreciating the nickname, it seemed so right to hear her say it. It made his stomach do somersaults. "Alright, Sunshine," He echoes as he begins to speed up his pedalling, down the street and closer to the Barrens. Not knowing that the nickname he used made her stomach do the same.