fangs / matt champion

part twenty

I had been back in Miami for a few weeks. Saturation II had dropped, and I was recording and writing my heart out with Rafa. Today was my birthday, and we had a lot planned. I was pretty bummed that I couldn't spend the day with Matt, but he was just a phone call away. I woke up to the cutest text from Matt, and it made me smile widely. He had also posted a picture of us from my last visit. It was one that Ashlan had taken of the two of us. I was on his back, laughing loudly as he ran down the street. The picture came out really cute and his caption made me smile, "23 never looked so good, huh". I quickly shot back a comment, "hey i love you". My phone was full of cute messages from everyone, and it honestly brought tears to my eyes. These guys were my family, and I loved them so much.

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matt: hey i know i'm not with you but i love you so fucking much. i'll call you as soon as i wake up. happy birthday baby.

ian: hey dumbfuck i hope you have a good day even though it'll be without us. real talk i love you bitch.

ameer: i don't even remember your last bday because we were so fucked up but i hope this one is equally as fun

merlyn: hey ily i hope you have a great day cat

rob: que la paces bien, feliz cumple amiga!!!!

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I had no word from my parents, which I couldn't figure out if it was a good or bad thing. I just decided to go on with my day and ignore that. I was finishing up a song in the morning, doing a spa trip, and then having a fun night out with Rafa and some of his friends. I spent an hour or so writing before I changed and took an Uber over to the spa. I got my hair and nails done, got a massage, and hung out in a hot tub while sipping champagne. I was honestly so relaxed I forgot about everything going on and just focused on myself for a few hours. Once I was finished at the spa, I checked my phone to see a few missed calls from Matt. I smiled widely, calling him back immediately. He answered pretty quickly, smiling goofily at the camera. "Hey!" I giggled, exiting the spa. "Hey baby, happy birthday." he said happily. "Thank you." I smiled.

I called an Uber and hopped in, talking to Matt quietly through the quick car ride. I thanked the driver before walking back into Rafa's house. He wasn't home, so the place was mine for a while. "So what are your plans for tonight?" he asked. "I think we're going clubbing." I shrugged, making him raise an eyebrow. "You hate clubbing." he smirked. "Yeah, but they're gonna play salsa music so it's slightly better." I explained. "Do me a favor." he mumbled. I hummed in response. "Have you worn the hoodie we got together yet?" asked Matt. "No, it's hot here." I laughed, making him chuckle. "Check the pocket." he smiled, making my cheeks heat up in excitement. "What'd you do?" I asked, pulling out the hoodie from the drawer. In the pocket I found a small jewelry box. I opened it to reveal a silver necklace with Matt's name on it. I smiled widely, pulling it out of the box and placing it on my neck.

Matt shifted in his bed, pulling a chain from under his shirt. I blushed immensely when I saw his necklace had my name on it. "Babe, you're so fucking cheesy. I love you." I mumbled, instantly wishing he was here with me. "Love you too." he smiled. I had to start getting ready for the club, but Matt wanted to stay on the Facetime call while I glammed up. I positioned the phone upright as I began working on my makeup. I went through the motions. starting with the eye look and finishing my base. I pulled out a few different dresses, having trouble deciding on a look. Matt made me try each one, cheering me on as I posed in the mirror. "My girl is hot as fuck." he smirked, making me giggle. We settled on a red dress and I left it on the bed as I started doing my hair. I was leaving it down and curling ends. "MATT! MATT!" yelled Ian, storming into the room. He jumped on top of Matt's bed, attacking him with his arms. "Should I be worried?" I joked.

"Oh my god, Cat! Happy birthday sexy lady." smiled Ian widely. "Thanks, Ian." I laughed. "Matt!" he yelled, shaking his shoulders. "We're playing Camp Flog Gnaw." Ian screamed. "What?" said Matt and I in unison. "I just got the call." said Ian, eyes wide. "Holy fuck guys, congratulations!" I squealed excitedly. "Dude, that's fucking insane." said Matt, eyes wide. Ian stood from the bed and nodded. "I can't believe it either. This is gonna be fucking great for us." explained Ian, saying his goodbyes before leaving the room. "Wow, babe. That's wild." I smiled, putting down the curling iron. Matt nodded, still processing everything Ian had told him. He loved Tyler and I knew this was gonna be a huge deal for him. I changed into my outfit just as Rafa knocked on the door. "Come in!" I said, making a funny face at Matt and making him chuckle. "Are you good to leave soon, Cata?" he asked, standing at the doorway. "Five minutes." I smiled, to which he nodded.

I sprayed on some perfume before looking at my reflection in the mirror. "You look great, don't forget about your mans tonight." Matt joked, making me giggle. "Don't worry, you're the only one for me." I winked. "I'll call you tomorrow." he said, shifting his head on the pillow. "Okay, love you." I smiled, waving. "Love you more baby. Happy birthday." he smiled back, waving before ending the call. I sighed, gathering my things into a small clutch and heading downstairs. I took a selfie, Matt's necklace evident on my neck, and posted it on Instagram with the caption "i'm beat". Matt quickly commented "mami que sexy" making me laugh loudly, and Ian commented "am i straight", causing me to laugh even louder. Rafa emerged from the kitchen, facing the mirror and fixing his hair. "Vamos (Let's go)." said Rafa, turning to me. We hopped in his car and drove over to the club, meeting a small group of his friends. As soon as we walked in, the music was incredible. Rafa and I immediately began dancing, his arms guiding my quick movements. I moved my feet to the beat, swaying my hips as he turned me.

I had missed this. My last girlfriend and I would go salsa dancing all the time back home in Texas, and it was one of my favorite things to do. When your partner knows what they're doing, it's the best experience. Your bodies move to every single beat, the movements are fast and fluid, and you stop to take a breath only in between transitions of songs. We stopped to grab some drinks, and as the night progressed, we got increasingly intoxicated. Rafa's friends took a picture of us, and I grabbed the phone to send myself the picture. That's when I saw what I thought I would never see. Rafa was texting my dad about me, about what I was up to, who I was seeing, what I was working on. I felt my stomach drop as I instantly got nauseous. He lied to me, all those things about changing were bullshit, and I finally had solid proof. I told Rafa I was gonna Uber home early and left him behind with his friend. As soon as I hopped in the car, the tears started streaming down my face. I cried quietly in the back of the car while ordering a plane ticket back to LA.

I quickly packed everything I had brought with me, changed into something more comfortable, and left Rafa a note on his kitchen counter saying exactly how I felt. I thought I could trust him, but he betrayed me. I was scrapping the album we had worked on. Something that personal to me wouldn't be ruined by him or my dad. I left him a good amount of money for allowing me to stay with him so long, gathered my things, and went to the airport. I called Matt, sniffling as I walked to the correct gate. My carry-on was heavy on my shoulders, and the airport was pretty empty at this hour. "Hello?" said Matt, answering the phone call. "Hey." I sniffled, hiding my face as a group walked by. I hated crying in public. "What's wrong, babe?" he asked. I could hear the worry in his voice. "I'm coming home. I'm about to get on the plane. Can you come get me? I land at 7AM." I mumbled, stopping outside of the gate. "Yeah, I'll be there." he sighed. We said our goodbyes before I hung up and walked onto the plane. What a fucking mess.