The next morning, Ashley sat on my bed with a slice of cake and a present. "Happy slightly late birthday!" she shouted and handed me the lit piece of cake. I blew out the candle, forgetting to make a wish.
"Okay, now open this." She handed me the present. Its heavy and decently big. I ripped open the front of the paper then peeled the rest away. A dictionary laid in my hands. "Thank you." I said gripping onto the book. I've honesty needed a dictionary for awhile now but I was a little disappointed. "That's not all." Ashley bit her lip. I felt something at the back of the wrapping paper. I pulled it out and there lay small photo album. I opened it up and the first picture is of me and Ashley, then my family photo. "So when you get old and married you can look back at everything you've done and all of the friends you've made. Just, don't forget me thats why im in the front." I smiled at Ashley. "Thank you." I said with much more enthusiasm and pulled her into a hug.
I set the dictionary on the table next to me and got dressed. It's Sunday today so I don't have to go to any classes which I am slightly happy about. I quickly did my makeup and went outside with Ashley. We walked around downtown and into a local caffe for a quick drink of coffee. We drank our coffee and Ashley asked what I wished for. "It better have been a boyfriend." She sipped her coffee. I rolled my eyes, but she was completely serious.
"I don't need a boyfriend!" I squeaked then set my coffee down. Ahsley rolled her eyes. "Have you even ever been on a date?" she asked. "Yes, I'm just not in the dating mood." I crossed my arms. After my abusive ex boyfriend incident, I'm still not in the mood for dating. "That thing with Dylan? That happened almost a year ago! I know it must've been hard for you and I don't know how awful it was, but you deserve happiness. You are beautiful and amazing and deserve a man who will love you and care for you." Ashley grabbed my hand and squeezed onto it. I gave her a weak, toothless smile. I guess shes right though, I do need some happiness.
"You know what, I'm taking you out man hunting tonight." Ashely let go of my hand. "Ashley you don't-"
"No! Im taking you to that little bar that you snuck off to last night and you are going to meet the man of your dreams and fall in love and have cute little babies that you will name after me because I helped you." Ashely finished off her coffee and yanked me up.
"Come on," she said, "I'm going to make this happen."
Ashley took me to a high end clothing store that I love, but hardly ever go to because the prices are so ridiculously high. I looked around the dress section and saw it. The dress. The dress that I was born to wear. A short, tight, pale pink dress with a white satin sash wrapped around it. It was me, and I need it. I grabbed my size and tried it on, a perfect fit. My long blonde hair cascaded down my shoulders to complete the outfit and with my star necklace it looks even better.
I walked out and showed Ashley who smiled and nodded. "Shoes. Do you have any sexy heels?" Ashley asked. I shook my head and Ashley ran off and returned with high, white pumps. I slipped them on and I looked amazing. I took my outfit off, (sadly) then we walked to the cashier. I began to pull out my wallet when Ashley stopped me and said, "A birthday gift from me." I smiled, thanked her generously and we left.
When we got back on campus, it was only a little bit after 3:00, and Ashley and I planned on going out at 9:00 so we had plenty of time to kill. "How are you and Cameron?" I asked Ashley. Cameron is Ashley's boyfriend. Ashley blushed and replied. "It's going great. He hasn't gotten me pregnant so far so I take that as a good sign." I giggled.
A couple hours later, I called my brother as I am getting ready to go out. I put him on speaker. "Hello Finn." I brushed out my hair. "Hey there little sis, hows college?" he asked. "Great I guess. How's Willow?" I asked, Willow is Finns fiancé. "She's amazing. So's the baby." I almost forgot about their little baby boy coming on the way. "Have you decided on a name yet?" I asked applying my makeup. "We are thinking about Leo or James." Finn breathed out. Finn is terrified at the idea of being a father, he's not even married yet, (though he should be he's 26.) I trust in Finn. He's going to be a great dad. "Get your clothes on its time to go." Ashley hissed at me. I scrambled to touch up my mascara and said to my brother. "Sorry Finn but I have to go. I'll call you later." I hung up, got dressed and ran out with Ashley.
We walked across the campus as quietly as possible, but with our loud heels it wasn't as quiet as we hoped to be. But we made it out alive and to the bar at exactly 9:05. We stood in the doorway and Ashley spotted a well dressed man sitting at a table for 2 alone. She nudged me toward him but my eyes wandered to the back to find Matthew sitting there. I smiled a little and walked toward him.
"Evie." Ashley hissed but I ignored her. I slid into the booth opposite Matthew and he's holding another drink in his hand. "I didn't expect you to come back to a dark place like this little girl." He smirked. I wanted to prove to him that I am not little if its the last thing I do. I snatched the beer away from him and took a swig. Matthew smirked and took it back, immediately taking a sip after me. The alcohol stung my throat as it sank down, but it felt warm and soothing as it hit my stomach.
"My name is Evie by the way. I never got to tell you." I leaned back into the ripped leather. Matthew ran his long finger around the top of the beer bottle and looked up at me. "You don't look like an Evie." He replied. I rolled my eyes and tapped my left hand fingers on the table. Matthew stared at my hand and gently grabbed my wrist and lifted it up to his face, he noticed the secret tattoo on the bottom of my pointer finger, the outline of a heart.
"What does it mean?" he asked examining my finger. "What do you mean?" I asked back. Matthew set my hand down and replied, "All tattoos have stories little Evie. What is your tattoos story?" I don't feel comfortable telling my story to an almost complete stranger, the heart is more than just a heart it really does have meaning but I'm not ready to share it's propose.
"Do you have any tattoos?" I asked, trying to change the subject. Matthew smirked. "Hey now, we just met." He said. I blushed and had to change the subject once more. "Are you always at a bar? You can't drown your sorrows in beer you know." Matthew looked around at the dusty old bar as if it was an old friend. It must be if he spends all of his free time here. "I'm not always at a bar." He took out a cigaret and let it hang loosely on his lips before lighting it. I hate to admit it but I am attracted to him, even if we just met yesterday there is something about Matthew that is so mysterious that I couldn't resist coming back here. I want to know why he's trying to kill himself and why he stays at a bar every second of every day. I want to find out his past and why he does the things he does.
Matthew lit the cigaret and Ashley came up to us. "We have to go Evie." Ashley said to me. I looked at Matthew then at Ashley. "What- why?" I stuttered. Ashley slid down next to me. "And who are you?" She asked Matthew. Matthew took his cigaret out of his mouth and replied. "I'm Matthew Healy. Pleasure to meet you." He has a last name now. I might be able to do some research. "How does Evie now who you are?" she leaned closer to him. Matthew let out a long train of smoke and said. "We met yesterday night, here." Matthew put out his cigaret and glanced over at me, giving me a half smirk.
"Okay... okay. I get it. I'll leave you two alone. Don't get pregnant. Have fun." Ashley backed away, leaving me blushing like an idiot. Once Ashley left completely Matthew chuckled. "Mother?" he asked nodding toward Ashley. I smiled and shook my head.
"Roommate." Matthew leaned back. "So little girl, why are you here exactly?" I let out a long exaggerated breath. "My roommate whom you just met wants me to get a boyfriend." Matthew nodded, not seeming very interested. He looked at the clock and jumped up. "I have to go, see you around."
"Wait! Will I be able to see you again?" I shouted. Matthew turned around and handed me a slip of paper. "Of course little girl." He smirked then walked away.
-
As soon as I got home, I opened up the piece of paper and saw his phone number scribbled on it. I plugged the number into my phone and stared at it. I clicked my phone off, smiled, and went to bed.
