Live Through This/ Liam Gallagher

CHAPTER FORTY TWO

It was a cool night in Los Angeles, the year 1999, the month was October. So it was breezy, but not to where anyone was willingly wearing a cardigan or sweater because of the weather. However, tonight was special for another reason.

It was date night.

Double date night, with Courtney and her beau, Edward Norton. It was funny to me, both of us had started seeing movie stars and were both either loved or hated by hoards of people, for dating a rockstar.

None of this mattered. Liam and I were just friends now, trying very hard at it, seeing as he had his second child last month. A little boy by the name of Lennon. Now, I had supposedly moved on as well.

To Matt Damon, probably one of the sweetest men I had ever met in my entire life, which is why I felt guilty every time he looked towards the phone when Liam called.

Either way, we had met after one of the Late night shows, I'd performed, just doing it to promote the new album, and he was there for his new film.

The Talented Mr. Ripley.

Which had been announced, but wouldn't be out till December, as a few scenes had to be reshot and edited. He was excited, knowing that so many people were looking forwards to watching the film in theaters.

Moving on, he surprised me, actually being a fan of my music and previous accomplishments with WaitTime and had asked for my number. And after a few casual dates, I'd agreed to be his girlfriend.

Don't get me wrong, I liked him, I really did but it wasn't the same attachment to Liam and I was scared about what that meant. I didn't want to let him down, knowing that Matt was dedicating his fucking time to me, and had been for weeks now.

Hell, he was taking me to Italy for the reshoots in the film. I was going to Italy with my boyfriend, to watch him film a movie. That was a bit of a foreign concept to me.

Still.

I had been sprawled out on a float in my pool, sipping on a martini, for hours now, not wanting to focus on anything related to work, and plus, I was trying to distance myself from Liam indefinitely. If I wanted it to work out with Matt.

Speaking of which, I heard the back door to my house open, carefully gliding open as I heard careful footsteps.

He did this every single time, he'd be quiet as he put his stuff on one of the chairs furthest away from the pool and then run in, creating a large splash, that would for one, ruin my drink completely.

Like always, I wasn't prepared for the splash, and groaned, seeing the salt water in my drink  and dump the whole thing out into the pool. "You should stop doing that." I remark, setting my glass on the poolside and slipping off the float, swimming over in his direction.

"Hm...How about no?" He teases, leaning over, kissing my lips gently before saying "Besides, I think you drink too much anyways. Save it for Italy." He winks, resting his hands on my shoulders gently.

I push a strand of hair behind my ear, blushing gently, and standing there for a few moments before asking my usual set of questions. "How was the press conference today? Better interviewers?"

I knew how much it irked him when the questions weren't about his films or his projects.

And I understood why.

Especially as his lips curled back, revealing a slight confused smirk as he began to speak "I wish. Although, I did get a new one, something about you and Liam Gallagher. Suggested I should be worried." He scoffs. "Everyone knows you and him are just friends except for the media apparently."

I hoped Liam didn't call together. Looking at Matt, I knew it upset him. He had every right to be upset as well.

So I change the subject, just now noticing that he hadn't even bothered getting into a bathing suit. He'd jumped in with his clothes on. "Your clothes! They're soaked." I say softly, running a finger down his chest.

"Saw you were out here, didn't want to wait any longer." He shrugs, kissing my cheek and patting my head after.

"Aren't you a sweet thing?"

"And you're a pretty girl." He says, the regular smile I liked to see, written across his face, almost like an open book.

"Thank you Pretty Boy." I tease, using my nickname for Damon and now Matt. "We should probably get ready. We do have to meet them."

He groans "Are you sure we can't skip it? I'm sure Courtney's great and all, but she seems like an awful amount of trouble."

Rolling my eyes I say "She's settled her shit out. Trust me. Besides, I think it's nice she's found someone else. You know how traumatic it's been."

"You're right..Like always." He says shrugging, knowing better than to prod into the subject.

"I know. But thank you." I say, making my way out of the pool, his hands resting on my hips gently as I go to pick up my towel, drying myself off, even though I knew I'd be getting wet again in the shower to get the salt out of my hair.

"Can't wait to see you on those Italian beaches." Matt says, winking before stripping off his wet tee shirt, tossing it onto the deck that was nearby. "Care if it all goes off?" He winks.

Oh my god.

He could be the absolute fucking Devil when he wanted to.

"My neighbors-" I start to say.

"Aren't home. I checked." Before I can say anything else, he's completely stripped in my backyard, before turning around to face me, gently taking the towel from my hands.

"Pretty boy, you're going to be the death of me." I remark slowly, eyes trailing down, as he finishes tying it on himself.

He chuckles. "Come along, you silly bird. We've got plans."

He'd called me bird.

My mind flashes back to the certain Mancunian boy who had always called me Birdie. Who had broken my heart, reshaped it and lifted me up. Birdie.

Matt seems to notice he's done something, or that I'd been effected. We were good at that, reading one another.

"Avery, is something wrong? I just figured that's what people called you, since Liam and well, the media and your friend Lisa." He begins to say, I halt him, a soft smile on my face.

"Matt. You're completely fine. It just, took me off course, I hadn't expected anyone to call me that ever again." I say, shrugging.

He looks at me suspiciously, watching as I go inside, eager to go take a shower, clean up and go to this stupid double date, that neither of us, had ever really wanted to attend in the first place.