Not So Hopeless After All! (Sequel to Hopeless at Hopeless!)

Chapter Two: For You, and Your Denial

When I finally built up the motivation to leave the bed, Matty grabbed my arms and pulled me on top of him, kissing me soflty once before whispering "Where 'ya goin' Cady-baby?" I blushed and bit my lip, cringing internally at his pet name for me. "I'm going to make us coffee and waffles Matty-boy, and please stop with that pet name..." I pouted, whispering back to him. Matty rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically. "But...I wanna have a nickname for you, and I don't have much of an imagination." I smiled and kissed him once more before taking his hands from my arms and walked towards the bedroom door, when I got there, I turned to face him and smiled. "I'm sure you'll think of something."

I went into the kitchen, filling the coffee jug with water before turning the doo-dah on and yawning. It was 11am, so I decided to go downstairs and collect our mail while the coffee was getting made, so I slipped on my minnie mouse slippers and one of Matty's hoodies. "Hey, I'm going to get the mail, I'll be back soon!" I shouted to Matty from the door to my bedroom, guessing he'd either still be in bed otr using the bathroom. I heard a muffled aknowledgement and grabbed mine and his pigeonhole keys and went down the five flights of stairs to the entrance, happy at its emptiness.

I walked over to the pigeon holes on the walls, taking my key out of Matty's hoodie and placing it in the lock, turning it and opening it and I was surprised to see a pretty big package squashed in the small box, as well as other mail. My first though was that it was stuff from AP - CD's or something - or maybe a package from Arianne. When I carefully managed to ease it out, I looked at the handwriting and was shocked to see it wasn't from my best friend or my work. It was from Josh.

I recognized the handwriting from the package he'd sent me over six months ago, messy-buut-cute. I sighed, placing it on the side while I took out my other mail, which was usually just bills and spam mail mixed in with my work assignments (yeah, they still sent actual letters as well as emails). Also in todays mail was my long awaited letter from Arianne, a letter from my dad and some weird/posh looking envelope entitled to 'Miss Cadence O. Jones' typed in some weird font. I furrowed my brow before placing it with the other stuff while I opened Matt's pigeonhole, and found he had barely any mail, just bills and some other things. Placing all the mail ontop of my package from Josh, I made my way back up the stairs.

When I got back to my apartment, I could smell a hint of eggs and bacon. I smiled, realizing Matty was up, making us breakfast just to take back to bed when it was ready, and then we'd open our mail together like a married couple (although, we weren't even close to that yet!). I barely managed to turn my key in the door, akwardly balancing all of the post in one arm before the door opened and I nearly fell through it, luckily Matty must've heard me and he was at my side, catching me and as much post as possible before I fell to the ground.

"Woahh there Cady..." Matty chuckled as I managed to balance myself in his arms. I looked into his hazel eyes and I bit my lip, he was gorgeous, amazing, everything good in a guy. I could feel my cheeks heat up, and I was embarrassed that, even after dating for six months he still made me blush and giggle like a little girl, even though I was now 21. He took the mail out of my hands, putting it in the bedroom and hollered at me to check our breakfast and coffee. I went over to the kitchen area, taking two cups and glasses out of the cupboards and pouring us some OJ and coffee, humming along to one of We Are The In Crowd's new tunes that was stuck in my head. I went over to the cooker to check on the now perfectly done eggs and bacon, so I plated them up and added the beans and cooked tomato to the plate before setting it all on our breakfast tray.

"...we've been picking up the pieces leaving all the dust behind. Sick of all the pressure you're just wasting time...I don't wanna know what it feels like, to be a shadow of myself...hey Matty, you'd better be all snug in that bed because our lovely breakfast is all ready." I shouted, carrying the tray towards the bedroom. When I got there, Matty was in bed, sorting between our mail but his eyes were also very focused on my package from Josh. "Hey, stop eyeing up my post mister." I teased, catching his attention so he cleared the post out of the way so I could set the tray down. After that, I crept under the covers, snuggling into him as he brought the tray closer, handing me my OJ and coffee to put on my bedside while he did the same with his, each of us taking a sip from our OJ before setting it down. "So...I vote we do post first today." Matty said, not doing a good job of hiding his curiosity at my box. I laughed, rolling my eyes. "Yeah...not happening. We don't want our breakfast getting cold now, do we? I'm not opening the package 'til you've gone anyway, you probably won't like what's in it anymore than you like the sender." Matt's eyes snapped to me at the last part, which is when it clicked who'd sent it. "Cady, please don't open it. Just....give it back to him like, next week and tell him you don't want his stuff." Matty said in a serious, if a little harsh tone. I sighed, taking his hands in mine. "Awh Matty...there's nothing between Josh and me anymore, I don't feel anything for him and what he's sent me won't change that. I have a rough idea of what it is anyway, and it's not gunna change how I feel about you sweetie." I smiled, lifting my lips to his and kissing him softly. "Now, let's eat." I smiled.

*****

About a half hour later, we'd finished our breakfast and opened all our normal mail, all that was left were my letter from Arianne, my formal envelope thing (which Matty also had one of to open) and my package. Matty and I decided we'd open our envelopes together, just so we found out at the same time what it was. I slowly placed my fingernail in the seal, moving it along the envelope glue to open it as gently as possible while laughing and Matty ripping it open like a stereotypical guy. When we took out the contents, my eyes widened and emotions started battling it out inside me.

It read:

We would like to invite you to the Christening of Tyler Carter Hughes on Thursday, October 5th at St. Peter's church in Portland at 4:30pm, which will follow on from the other event that involves the joining of the Hughes and Jones families as Austin Louis Hughes weds Rebecca Pauline Jones at 2pm.

Anger boiled up inside me at the thought they'd even had the nerve to send one to me, let alone my boyfriend. Confusion also came over me, as I wondered how they got my address, but that was soon answered by logic. Finally, I felt sad for my sister. She'd never experience anything like me, the most she would probably do is become a housewife, looking after their kid. What also got me was the change she'd gone through, even since last time I'd seen her. 

Becca'd managed to get even larger than last time, and looked nothing like the beautiful sister I'd seen only ten months ago. Her cheeks bulged in the picture of 'the happy couple', her hair was dull and her features just looked small now, she wasn't my sister.

I sighed, screwing my invitation up into a ball and throwing it towards the trash can by my desk, actually managing to get it in for once. I felt Matty's arm go around my shoulder, pulling me into him while he put his down on the bed. "I know it's been hard for you Cady, but maybe you should atleast call them and tell them we aren't going. Be the better people and all." I sighed, knowing he was right, I just wasn't ready to admit it yet. "Yeah...I'll think about it." I muttered, moving onto my letter from Arianne, reading it out to Matty like I always did. Luckily, Arianne kept her letters short.

Heyyy Girlie!

Miss you loads sister :( apartment life isn't the same without you!

I was talking to Brian the other day, and we were wondering if you wanted to go on a couples holiday to Barbados after Christmas for New Years for a few weeks before the busy touring starts again (sigh!) hit me up on my cell babes, the internet in this apartment sucks!

Not muc to report here, just school stuff. Although I do now have a work placement at the local primary school, so yeah! Had a sort through my wardrobe the other day, realizing it was time I grew up a little (I know...what is happening with me?!) so I was thinking...when you pass through AZ if you and Tay wanted to take some of my clothes off my hands? I know there are a few bits you L-O-V-E in my wardrobe, and what are sisters for? ;)

Anyway babes, college work calls! (it's so weird saying that...and how calm my life is now compared to LA, sigh!) I miss you, and tell your lovely boyfriend and the guys I said hi and that they'd better hit me up when they're coming, otherwise I'll be kicking their asses!

Much Love,

Ari xxxxxxxxxxxx

My best friend everyone. I loved her to pieces, and she knew exactly what I needed, when I needed it, even though she didn't know it half the time!

I set the letter on the side, snuggling into Matty once more and he kissed the top of my head. "I love our mornings together." I said smiling happily, wrapping my arm across his torso.

"I couldn't agree more...by the way, I thought of a new pet name for you I think you'll like..." He teased, and I rolled my eyes before turning my head to face him. "And that pet name would be what Matty-boy?" I asked, curious. Matty gestured towards my slippers, that were set in a messy pile by the door. "I was thinking Minnie, 'cos you're the Minnie to my Mickey." He smiled, and my heart fluttered, my stomach began to make knots, and I could feel a blush creeping on my face again. "I think it's perfect, Mickey."