One Year

Part 3

"You look beautiful in the picture," Matt said.

"I had a good photographer," I mused, nudging him slightly with my hip.

"No," Matt turned to look at me directly in the eye. His stare was intense and hungry, and I knew exactly how this was going to end up if he kept the stare going long enough. "You are so damned beautiful, Anah. Truly, you're just so... I am a very lucky man."

Settling the paining aside, Matt leaned in and kissed me in a way that left no room for doubt about how much he really did love me. Kisses like this were my favorite because they connected us on another level that was hard to describe. It was like he and I were no longer two separate beings, but one. In sync. Without words, he and I knew exactly what the other was thinking, what the other wanted, what the other needed. It was, for me, the purest form of our love and I never wanted it to end.

Ever.

"Hey, Anah," I heard my father's voice call my name just before the door to the studio opened, killing the mood instantly. Dad stalled at the door and gaped at us. "Awkward."

"You don't say?" Matt grumbled, dropping his head against my shoulder.

My father and Matt got along really well, to the point that my boyfriend could answer back to my dad like that. Dad rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"We figured you might be out here," Mom said as she came to stand at my father's side.

"It's the whole nut house," Matt mumbled against my skin. He rolled away and lay on his back before reaching up a hand and waving towards the door. "Audrey. David."

"Hello, Matthew," Mom chimed at my boyfriend. "We brought you some early Christmas gifts."

I'm not entirely sure who threw them at us, but a small wrapped box landed between Matt and I. I stared at it, narrowing my eyes at the size and shape.

"You didn't buy us condoms again, did you?" I asked, remembering the joke gift Matt received from my parents last year. Mom and Dad laughed before they shut the door on us. "I hate my parents."

Matt picked up the box and unwrapped it, revealing exactly what I'd expected. "Good timing, though," Matt said, opening the box and peering inside. "I left my wallet in your room."

We both laughed at the audacity of my parents. Ever since Christmas Eve last year when I brought Matt home to meet my family- officially- my parents have fallen in love with him. Dad even says that, if Matt and I ever break up, he's taking Matt's side over mine. Loyalty. Mom, too, adored Matt. Some days I'd hear her say, 'If only I were a few years younger.' Honestly, she swoons over everything he does.

Eden, having known Matt for years through Jake, accepted him instantly, but Noah was slightly harder to win over. Eventually, my brother came around and now he and Matt are like two peas in a pod. Honestly, their bromance is sickening. Noah, Jake and Matt are like the Three Musketeers. Or, they were. Right now, I'm not so sure what they are.

"Is Jake okay?" I ask, turning to gauge Matt's reaction. I know my question is a mood killer, but now that his name had popped into my mind, I had to know. "I get that he doesn't really want to see me, but he's my friend and I care about him."

Matt shrugged. "He's as well as he can be, I suppose," he answered vaguely, looking away from me. I reach my hand up to Matt's chin and force him to look at me. With a long sigh, Matt runs his hand through his hair. "He's broken, Anah. He's usually happy-go-lucky and nothing can bring him down, but your sister really did a number on him. I haven't seen him like this since him and Kat... It's just really sad to see him so down, that's all."