Someone Else's Fairytale (25 page)

“I... feel,” said Matthew, as we pulled into the parking lot of Val's complex, “that I want you all to myself and want him gone. Okay? That's how I feel, and I know it's stupid and childish and wrong and-”

“Fine, look. I'm not going to call Jason right now and tell him never to talk to me again.”

“I know.”

“But I can do this. Will this help?” My pulse edged up as I unbuckled my seatbelt and moved over to him. I wasn't normally forward like this, but just then, it felt right. I put my hand on Matthew's rough, unshaven cheek and touched my lips to his.

The sensation was strange, but not in a bad way. On one hand, this was Matthew, my best friend. The guy I talked about school with and saw every day, or near enough. On the other hand, this was a gorgeous guy with a sexy Texan drawl and down home manners that would drive any girl to distraction. I'd just never put all that together before.

Matthew's reaction was immediate. He grasped me around the waist and pulled me in for another kiss, a much longer one. I'd never, ever seen this side of him. I had no idea he wanted this, but right then, there was no mistaking his feelings.

A small lifetime elapsed during that kiss, where everything I'd ever known or thought about him shifted.
This
was the guy I'd been sitting next to in class? This was my annoying friend who chastised me for being sarcastic? When he broke off the kiss, he was breathing hard.

I stroked his hair. “How long have you wanted-”

“Forever, Chloe. Since I met you.”

“Then why didn't you ever say anything?”

“Because I was sure you'd say no.”

“Matthew...”

“You sure this is okay?”

I nodded. “Yes. This is more than okay.”

He gave me a fierce hug.

We spent the evening on the couch. I wasn't sure how far or how fast Matthew would want to go. It wasn't the kind of thing we'd ever discussed, but he was clearly okay with making out. We didn't say more than ten words to each other, just held each other and kissed. Strange thrills of excitement sparked in my stomach as he kissed my neck and pressed my body close to his.

I ran my fingers through his hair, feeling the kinks in the individual strands, and stroked his back, feeling the long, lean muscles. For the first time ever, while this close to a guy, I felt safe. I wasn't going to have to stop to ask what he planned next. I wasn't going to have to break things up and launch into the Talk. He wasn't going to try to undress me. I could relax and just be with him. It was the most liberating experience I'd ever had with anyone, and the only way I could describe it was intimate. I was able to lay my feelings bare and have them accepted for what they were, rather than as the opening bid in a back and forth to see how far he could push me.

The whole rest of the world receded into nothing and I could just focus on him.

Afterward, we lay there with our arms around each other. I had wondered what it would be like to kiss him, if it would be an awkward experience that I'd have to rationalize. Instead, it had opened the floodgates to feelings I'd never even known I had. I'd thought I'd been in love before. That was nothing compared to this. I was with someone who knew me better than anyone, and found me desirable. I didn't want to ever let him go.

“So,” he whispered in my ear, “guess things are different now?”

I chuckled.

“You're okay with this?”

“I wouldn't do this if I wasn't okay with it,” I told him.

“I had
no
idea.”

“What?” I said. “You were the one holding out. You should've said something sooner.”

That night, after Matthew left, I saw I had a text from Jason. “Everything okay?” he asked.

“Matthew and I are together now,” I replied.

The answer came half an hour later, as I was brushing my teeth. “Ok.” And that was it.

The next day, when I didn't see Matthew in class, I called him and got voicemail. “Hey,” I said. “It's me. Just, call me whenever, all right?”

Afternoon rolled on into evening, and he didn't call back. At first I panicked, but then I reasoned that he must've gotten really sick or something. He wasn't the kind of guy to bail on me. I tried calling again, got voicemail, and resolved to go visit him the following day. In the meantime, I ordered flowers for Doug and Steve. It seemed like a pathetic thank you, given all they'd done for me, but it was better than nothing. I wasn't sure what to do for Officer Baca, but decided I'd send him a thank you note in a graduation announcement once I got those in.

Matthew's truck wasn't in his apartment complex parking lot the next day. I wondered if there had been a family emergency that had called him home. I called Lori.

“Hmmm?” she answered her phone.

“Do you know where Matthew is?”

“Um, I haven't seen him since math class.”

“What? He was in class?”

“Uh-huh.”

“He wasn't in Media Studies.”

“Weird. Well, I dunno. I'm sure you'll see him tomorrow.” Her tone was light.

“Did he say anything to you about me?” I said.

“No... why?” she asked.

“We kind of hooked up.”

“Oh...”

“What?” I said. “Why do you sound like that?”

“I'm sure it's nothing.”

“What's nothing?”

“Give him space, Chloe. See if he comes around.”

“It wasn't like it was a bad thing.”

“Sure, right-”

“He said he wanted-”

“Deep breath. Breathe. Just calm down. I'm sure it'll be fine. You want to go to dinner tonight or something?”

I shook my head, even though she couldn't see that. She had to be wrong. She hadn't been there. She was making assumptions on incomplete information. “Nah, thanks. I'm busy tonight.”

“Okay. I'm sure it'll all be fine,” she repeated.

I said a quick good-bye and hung up.

A few days later, Officer Baca called my cell phone late in the evening, a gleeful tone in his voice. “So, Miss Chloe,” he said, “guess who's back in the Big House?”

“Chris?” I said.

“You gave me a picture of him driving. He doesn't have a license, so we went over to his house to confront him about it and he let us search his room without a warrant. He's not the brightest bulb. We even checked with Ms. Garcia first, but she told us she no longer represented him.”

“What did you find?”

“Drugs, and a firearm.”

“He had a gun?”

“Felon in possession. My partner took him in while I had a little talk with his father. Told him how much trouble Chris was already in, and I suggested he not bail him out of jail.” Officer Baca chuckled. “I dunno if he'll listen to me. I was probably over the line, but we got him, Miss Chloe.”

“So do I need to move house?”

“Well, keep in touch with Victim Services and see if he gets out of jail. If he's out, you better not be at your house.”

“Right.”

“This'll never be over, you know that, right?” said Officer Baca. “I wish I could call you up some time and tell you that he's put away for good and you never have to worry, but unless he kills someone or gets killed, these things just go on and on. For the rest of your life, maybe.”

“I know.”

“Don't ever get a listed phone number, and be real careful with your privacy.”

“Yeah, I understand. Thanks.”

“You take care of yourself.”

“Yeah, I will.
Thank
you. For everything.”

“Been an honor, Miss Chloe.”