so far it's alright

Seventeen

Matty's bed was my new favorite place to be hungover. The blankets were so soft, and the chilly air from the window was such a stark contrast to the heat radiating from our sweat drenched bodies. We were tangled in his sheets a mess of limbs and hair. I could tell he'd gotten up recently because there was music coming from his record player in the corner. He was staring straight at the ceiling with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Despite my dry mouth I managed to groan out a warning to him about the dangers of smoking in bed.
"I'm not asleep though so very little possibility of starting a fire. There's a glass of water on the floor for you, I needed one when I woke up I assumed you would too."
Beyond thankful for Matty's thoughtfulness I reached for the cup, gulping down half its contents. Rolling onto my stomach I sat up on my elbow enough to give Matty a quick kiss.
"What's your plan for today before the show?"
"Not sure, it's noon now I'm hoping to spend my day with you until the last possible minute," Matty replied running a hand through my messy hair.
"Why don't we go out and get some food, maybe I can take you to a surprise place this time?"
Matty smiled over at me agreeing to the plan. I glanced around the room debating if I should try to go home and get clothes. The weather today looked decent enough so I slipped my shorts back on, and headed to the small dresser to steal a sweater from Matty.
"Oh now that you agreed to be my girlfriend you think we can share everything?" He heckled from the bed.
"Pretty sure you started that the other day when you stole my rancid shirt."
We both got ready for our day in comfortable silence. I borrowed an oversized grey sweater tucking it into my shorts from last night. Matty stuck with his usual black jeans black T-shirt and leather coat. For once I was thankful I'd remembered to put a to go bag of makeup remover in my small purse last night. After Matty brushed his teeth and vacated the bathroom I went in to do the same, using the portable toothbrush I often brought on nights out when I didn't know where I'd end up. This time instead if packing it back in my purse I left it on the counter and fixed my hair into one messy bun on top of my head. Looking back at the toothbrush one last time before I stepped back into the hall, I thought about what a strange turn my life had taken. Less than a month ago I was in a relationship where I wasn't happy, thinking about how I could finally be happy alone. Now I was leaving a toothbrush in a new boyfriends apartment, I hadn't meant to fall for someone else so quickly.
"So where do you plan on going? I need to know since I'll be driving," he smiled wickedly at me.
"Come on Matty just let me drive it's a surprise!"
Reluctantly he held the keys out to me, grabbing my wrist as I took them to pull me in for a kiss. We lingered in the hallway for longer than intended just holding one another. Some how I think we both knew that things were different now, not a bad different just not the casual no feelings bullshit we'd been trying to keep.
"Morning loves."
Matty and I break away startled by the company we suddenly have. George was leaning against the kitchen entrance in just pajama pants with a content smile on his face.
"Goodbye Georgie!" I shouted to him dragging Matty out the door.

We'd been in the car almost an hour and I could feel Matty getting impatient.
"Are we almost there seriously when you said 'let's go eat' I assumed you meant this year."
"Shush we're close I used to love this place I haven't been here in forever."
Only a few minutes later we pulled into a small diner. When I was 12 and under my parents would bring us here on Sundays, and when my sister was sick this was where they took us to tell everyone. Shaking out of my thoughts as I pulled into a spot I handed Matty's keys back to him placing a kiss on his cheek. We picked a spot by a window and both ordered breakfast with tea for him and coffee for me.
"What're you thinking love? Seems like you're not really here right now."
My breakfast was half gone now as was Matty's and I realized I'd barely said two words since we'd arrived.
"I'm sorry, just thinking about when I was a kid."
"Still not going to tell me about it?"
He didn't seem annoyed that I hadn't shared that part of my past with him, just a little sad. Someday I would, but right now we knew enough about each other for me.
"You ever going to tell me about the last girl you dated?" I countered. At this point all I knew about her was that she was into heavy drugs and I reminded Matty of her.
Sighing he admitted that he was scared to talk about her. Like talking about their life together would bring back old habits. We tried to lighten the mood after knowing we only had a couple hours left to hang out before he had to head to the show.
"Can you roller skate?"
"You're joking right," Matty asked me seeming very skeptical of my own ability to skate.
"Dead serious, I just looked it up the place is still open." I was smiling now pushing our conversation in the diner to the back of my mind.
"Fine. I'm driving this time though."
Squealing I plugged the address into my phone and we headed to the roller rink.

As I flew around the rink I laughed loudly watching Matty roll for a few feet arms out to the sides for balance. He scowled at me rolling backwards in front of him.
"Just give me your hands I'll help I promise."
"If I reach for you I'm going to fall and bring you down with me."
Laughter bubbles out of me again. It was fairly empty in the rink for a Sunday afternoon. There were a few families and one small birthday party happening, but aside from parents Matty and I were the oldest people on the floor.
"Babe trust me I won't let you fall."
Finally Matty reaches for my hands almost falling before I got my arm around his waist.
"You've already made me fall once why would now be any different," Matty gave me a cheeky grin.
"You're lucky I like you because for that comment I should let you fall."
For the next almost forty-five minutes I switched between skating circles while Matty leaned on the railing, and helping him learn to skate a little. By the time Matty could drag me off the the arcade side of the building I was laughing and sweating, our uncomfortable breakfast no longer nagging my mind.
"I'm not making bets Matty, I'm going to win anyway what's the point."
"The point is that I'm going to win, and when I win," he pulled the collar his sweater I was wearing to make me lean towards him, "we're going back to the car to find a nice secluded area to say goodbye before I drop you off and head to the show."
Rolling my eyes to hide how flustered Matty made me I agreed to his terms. My winner condition was that we would go all the way home before 'saying goodbye'. We both laughed at my use of his innuendo. Of course I still won, but since Matty had the car keys we drove to a small abandoned lot. Our goodbye was more hurried than either of us wanted it to be, but neither of us wanted to get caught so we made the best of the small space in Matty's backseat.
Pulling up to the front of my house Matty jumped out running to my side of the car before I could get out to open my door.
"What a gentleman."
"I try. Are you sure you can't come to the show tonight love? I'll miss seeing your face out there," Matty whined as he walked me to the door.
"I'll make the next one I've got work early tomorrow and I need to get some sleep tonight."
He tried to argue that I could get some sleep in his flat and that way I'd be waiting in his bed when he got home. As nice as that sounded I shot him down again, we'd already spent the entire weekend together I figured we both needed some space. When we finally kissed goodbye it was the long lingering sort of kiss that leaves you wishing there was more to it, I touched my fingers to my lips as he walked back to the car waving to me one last time before leaving.