Young Love • Matty Healy

Chap •• Four ••

As tradition, for the first night, we all gather around the outside table. With the late summer sun just about to set off into the distance behind the sea, far, far away. Like my attention right now. Drifting off some place else. If only I could, I think in pity.

"This is delicious, D" max chimes, ramming down the Italian grub she'd rustled up for us all.

Denise smiles her gratitude at my brother, usually here is when I'd comment a snarky reply, telling him to climb out of her butt, but like I said.... I'm not here right now. Lights on. No ones home.

"You not hungry, sweetheart" D's attention is now on me as I continue to push my pasta around my plate with the folk.

I look up, barely catching what she said. "Sorry, i had a big breakfast"

"It's like 7.pm. You need to be eating more than that, pet" Tim comments and throws me a sympathetic glance at me when I look up, as though he knew more than anyone that I wasn't okay right now. He was the closest thing I have to a dad right now, it wasn't something new that he knew when I was struggling.

"What you guys doing later?" Matty suddenly calls out aloud.

"Matthew" Tim scolds, as a few of them were now having their own little conversations amongst themselves that he just interrupted being too loud.

Surprised he could take two seconds to notice others to be honest, he hasn't been off his phone since we all began eating.

"Matty, off your phone when we have company, please" his mum scolds. Having already said the same things three times previously.

"Yeah, two seconds" he says, and continues typing at fast speed, grinning down at his screen.

"No, Matthew, now! Listen to your mother" his dad snapped.

It's funny. Even in his 30's, I loved to see Tim put his son his place when and if needed. Nothing had changed there, his fame may have grown, but he was still small enough to get an ass whooping of papa Healy here.

That thought had me smiling, for the first time since arriving.

A foot suddenly boots me across from the table and a weird noise leaves my mouth from the shock of it, and find it was Matty who was trying to get my sole attention. But obviously he gains everyone's. Again.

"Party tonight. You coming?"

"I'm in!" Max yells from across the table, always eavesdropping.

"Ooh, me too!" Louis adds.

I shrug. Really not feeling it tonight. I was best just having an early night. "Not tonight" I dismiss it instantly.

"Can me and your mum hop along and join you cool kids?" My mum teases him. And not so surprisingly, Matty tells her the offers there.

"Please don't, mum" max mutters, causing Louis and Tim to burst into laughter at him being distraught at the idea of it.

I stand from the table, and grab at my plate to take back inside with me.

"Please come" Matty calls out, causing everyone's conversations to cut off again.

I stop, about to turn and possibly change my mind.

"What about Sarah?" Louis attempts to ask his brother quietly.

Finally, a name to the face.

I try and keep a straight face. I try and pretend I didn't just hear that. And swiftly turn to leave the group.

Back in my room, I instantly regret not locking the door.

"It's just a bonfire on the beach, Al" Matty says, immediately diving beside me on the bed.

Instantly I jump up. Needing some distance between us right now. "It could be a sesh at Prince's house, I ain't coming" I tell him, now refusing to look at him, knowing he's coming towards me.

His arms suddenly wrap around me from behind and he rests his head on my shoulder, looking at me, with that damn puppy dog look that usually gets him his own way. "Please?" He pushes.

I shake my head, taking note of my heart rate rapidly speeding up with his skin against mine and those chocolate eyes staring up at me with his breath fanning my face.

"You have friends going" I try diverting his attention away from me, god knows why it was on me now anyway after our last conversation, but hey....

"What? My brother and yours" he laughs.

"You have other friends"

"None like you" he says, pulling a sulking face.

"I won't ask you for anything again this whole trip. Just, please, Aleena. We always spend the first night doing something together" he smiles. That smile where his cheeks gather under his eyes, making him look a lot younger than he is and beyond adorable.

I sigh, already aware I was going to give him what he wanted. Already fully aware how painful this was going to be for me, knowing I'm going to have to play happy families with his girlfriend too.

"Ok" I tell him.

"Yeah?" He exclaims, now squeezing me tighter and repeatedly kissing me roughly on the cheek. Causing me to break out into a genuine smile.

"Help me with what to wear though" I demand before he can walk off and get sorted himself.

He turns back, "easy" he says, heading for my wardrobe where my clothes hang. The door already open, items on display. But he soon turns back to look at me, having not found what he was looking for.

"The dress I picked out for you last year, you didn't bring it with you?"

"Oh, no, I-" but before I can lie that I left it. He's already rummaged through my open case and pulled it out of the hidden compartment where I hid it after our talk earlier.

"Why haven't you hung it up?" He asks, giving me a saddened look.

Again my shoulders raise in a defeated shrug. "Must have forgotten I brought it" again, I lie. Keeping my gaze now on the floor.

"Ok, well. Definitely wear that. Get those pins out" he mutters, throwing me a wink before he heads off.
"Meet downstairs in 20, Sarah's waiting on us. I can't wait for you both to meet!" He says excitedly.