About You. (Matty Healy)

23- I Just Came for the Stuffing, Not to Argue About Nothing.

Homesick by Noah Kahan

"Time moves so damn slow, I swear I feel my organs failing."

Angela by The Lumineers

"The strangers in this town, they raise you up just to cut you down."

October 2016

Matty woke up to shades of white overtaking his room. The plainness of his walls and sheets had a clinical feel, but everything in the room was blessed with the rising sun shining through his windows and Jade's presence in between both of his arms. He didn't want to move, afraid of waking someone who appeared to be in such a state of tranquility. It seemed best to stay still, that was until Jade started to stir. From behind her head, Matty placed his lips on Jade's neck. He kissed her softly and smiled, "Happy Birthday, beautiful."

Growing out of her sleep, Jade stretched her neck further away from him and rubbed her face all while wincing at the sunlight. She groaned, "Who the fuck told you it was my birthday?"

Matty laughed at her obvious irritation and smirked, "Nell texted me multiple times this week to make sure that I wouldn't forget."

Jade rolled her eyes and blushed. She tried her best not to smile, incapable of sourcing her convoluted pride. Her hand found its way to the nearest pillow beside her and she pressed it against her face for a moment and screamed into it. "I knew I made a mistake letting her make my astrology chart."

Matty's amusement continued, "You're being a little over-dramatic, love."

Jade shot him a death glare, although its surface intentions were obviously false, like a terribly hidden treasure. There was a personal resistance against her own warmth, even though she held it in abundance, especially around Matty. He made all the positive, honey-like emotions flood from her, but it was in her nature to dam it with closed gates.

"It's cute though," he continued.

Jade let herself fall back into his arms, she pouted a bit. "I'm just not the biggest fan of birthdays."

When she said that, it felt like the temperature of the room had dropped, freezing the honey that flowed through her veins. Matty held her tighter, a way of making sure that she stayed warm. "Well," he said, "I got you something. And I thought that we could go out to eat someplace nice tonight."

Jade looked up at him, her eyes as wide as freshly bloomed flowers. "Matty, you didn't have to get me anything." Her voice was meek like morning dew.

Matty reached into his nightstand and retrieved a card from the drawer, some form of a modern-day trickster with moral intentions pulling a prop out of his pocket. He passed it to her with a similar determination as serving someone a lawsuit.

Jade knew he wasn't going to take no for an answer. She sighed in defeat. After opening the envelope, she pulled out a card that read, "We go together like peanut butter and jelly."

"This is so cheesy," Jade giggled, breaking open the floodgates and forcing a large and honest grin.

"I thought I'd embrace it. The rest of them were trying too hard, it felt a bit insincere."

Jade sighed again, but it was lighter and more playful this time, "The curse of being a writer, isn't it?"

Matty rolled his eyes, scoffing unseriously, "Just open the card, already."

Another act of defeat, Jade opened the card. Two thin and small sheets of paper fell out. "What are these?" She asked with confused suspicion.

Matty wouldn't budge. He gestured for her to read them.