Robbers (The 1975//Matty Healy)

Friends

"You've already said thank you, it was no big deal Matty."

"I know, but just, thank you, Rose."

We were having a peaceful moment, neither of us were talking or moving. We were just looking at each other, smiling.

Our moment was spoiled when my overbearing "friend" called.

"Rose? Are you still with that guy, Marty or whatever?"

"It's Matty. And yeah I am with him, why do you ask?"

"I don't trust him." Jake said.

"Okay cool," Jake was really annoying me. Lately he's been acting more and more like I needed protecting when I don't.

"Rose, I'm serious. I have a bad feeling about him. I don't think you should be around him." I looked at Matty, he could hear the whole conversation. His face was a mix between upset and anger.

"Jake you met him once. And we're around him for less than five minutes. I've known him since high school." I say, keeping up the lie. "He's not dangerous. You really need to stop this." I'm sick and tired of his shit.

"What? Rose, you're not listening to me. He could be trouble. I just don't want you to get hurt."

"Seriously, Jake stop. He's my friend, more of a friend than you. I'm not going to get hurt, and if I did I wouldn't need you. I can take care of myself. You've really been pissing me off lately, acting like I'm weak when I'm not. I don't need your protecting." I hung up and threw my phone at my couch.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I haven't known you long, but you've been more kind to me than anybody ever has and I could never hurt you." Matty looked more upset now than before. I walked up to him and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him close. His arms found their way around me and held me tight.

"It's okay, I know you won't hurt me." I whispered. "You're too much of a big baby anyways." I added, laughing a bit.

"Hey! I'm not a baby! A softie, yes, but not a baby." He muffled into my hair. I hadn't realized that I was shaking until I was in Matty's embrace. After a few minutes, we released each other.

"Okay, tough guy. Off with the shirt." I ordered.

That caught him off guard, all he could respond with was a stuttered jumble of words.

"I need to change the dressings and bandages you loser." I chuckled.

"Oh. Yeah, I knew that!" he blushed. He pulled off his shirt and turned around for me. After several minutes and a few whines from Matty, I finished.

It was a little late, almost eight o'clock at night, but we ended up ordering pizza and talking for a while. When someone knocked on the door, Matty jumped up before me grabbing the money I left on the counter. "I got it!" He swung open the door, but it wasn't the pizza guy, it was Jake.

"Let me in, I need to talk to Rose." he demanded. Matty started moving his hands in odd gestures, thank god he remembered he was "mute."

"I can't understand you're damn hand language!" Jake shoved Matty into the door causing the doorknob to dig right into his wounds.

"Matty!" I rushed over to him. "Jake what the hell is your problem? Go away! I don't want to talk to you!"

"Rose, please just listen to me?" he begged.

"Leave!" I yelled. Matty was on the floor, I wrapped my arm around him and helped him up. I helped him onto the couch gently and turned back to Jake who was still in my doorway. "I said leave!" I pushed him out the door and slammed it.

Matty was breathing heavily. He looked like he was in pain.

"Matty, are you okay? Let me check your back." He turned slowly and lifted his shirt. He wasn't bleeding through, which was good, but it was obvious that he was in pain.

"I'm fine." He mumbled, attempting to get up.

"Stop," I pulled him back down. "Just rest." He leaned his head on my shoulder. He fell asleep pretty quickly. Not too long after, the pizza actually got here. I gently laid Matty down and paid for the food. I put it on my counter and Matty shuffled in.

"I smelled the pizza." He whispered tiredly.

"Okay." I laughed.

"I'm sorry." He said.

"You don't have anything to apologize for."

"I basically caused you and your friend to fight."

"That wasn't your fault. He's been getting more and more on my nerves lately. That would have happened wether you were here or not. I'm glad you were actually."

"What?" He asked surprised.

"Yeah, if you weren't here Jake would have forced his way in and he wouldn't have left until I listened to him and forgave him." I said sadly. I remembered the last time we fought, it was awful. "If you weren't here, I wouldn't have been able to yell at him like I did, so thank you."

"For a cop, he seems like a horrible person."

"He is a horrible person." I say disgusted.

"Why are you friends with him?"

"He was friends with my brother."

"Oh."

"Yeah but after my brother left, he changed. He acted like I was his, like he owned me."

"Where is your brother? you keep mentioning him."

"He moved away to run his company." I said.

"I see." He nodded. We say around an ate pizza for a while. Now it was past midnight. "It's late." Matty said. "You should go to bed."

"You too." I said. Matty got up from my table and walked over to the couch. I got up and ran in front of him, grabbing the pillow and blanket I had given him before.

"What are you doing?" he laughed tiredly.

"You're not sleeping on the couch!" I said. "You can sleep in my extra room!"

"Really?"

"Yes!"

"Thank you."

"Stop thanking me for things." I grabbed his arm and led him to the room. "Okay good night Matty, if you need anything I'm in the room next door." I turned to walk away, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me into a tight hug.

"Thank you. Good night Rose."