"I'm not talking about college" I say.
I stare up at him as he stares right back at me. I feel my heart racing as he tries to find the right words to describe how he's feeling. He grabs my head and pulls me in.
"Hello? I need to use the bathroom."
Matthew pulls away and we both look at the door at the same time. He looks back at me, his face full of shock. My heart speeds up faster than it ever has. I squeeze his hand quickly and let go before opening the door.
"What took you so long?" Hailey asks.
She was out of it.
"Hailey! Are you feeling okay?" I ask.
"Yeah, I'm fine I just-" She says before running to the toilet and throwing up.
I hold her hair back for her and pat her back lightly. I look at Matthew and give him a nod, saying he doesn't have to stay.
"I'll just wait outside." He says.
When Hailey's done, she sits by the toilet, mascara running.
"Too many drinks?" I ask.
"Too many." She replies.
"It's okay, I'm here with you."
"Thanks, Morgan."
We sit in silence for a good minute before another knock on the door.
"Is she good?" Matthew asks.
"Yeah." I reply.
He sits down with us and he goes by the sink.
"Why were you guys hiding out in the bathroom?" She asks.
"Just needed to get away from the party for a bit." He says immediately after, looking at me.
I look back at him and smile.
"I'm ready to go back to the party, you weirdos can hide out in here if you like." She says.
"Okay, we'll be waiting here if you need us." I say.
When she leaves, Matthew smirks at me.
"Whatttt?" I say.
"No, nothing. Just the fact that you weren't talking about colleges." He teases.
"Okay maybe you should get back to the party too." I say, laughing.
We leave the bathroom and we go to the living room. The place we were once watching a show together is now packed with people. We stick together and I recognize a few people from my school.
"Morgan Irvine." I hear someone say from behind me.
I turn around and see my partner from a biology project this year. Jackson Presley.
"Oh, hi Jackson." I reply.
"Can I get you a drink?" He asks.
"No that's okay, I don't drink." I reply.
"Oh come on, one drink?"
"No, no, it's fine."
"Let me get you one."
I sigh, realizing he's not going to stop asking.
"Okay." I say.
Matthew gives me a look and I shrug, as in "what was I supposed to do?"
Jackson comes back with a cup of I don't know what. I sniff it and shut my eyes at how strong it is.
"Morgan, do you want to go upstairs?" He asks.
"Uh.." I don't know what to say. I look at him and smile awkwardly.
"Come on." He says as he grabs my hand.
"Oh, uh." I say, panicking. I don't know what to do.
All of a sudden I feel someone else pull me. Matthew. He holds onto my hand tight and glares at him.
"Bro don't you have girls your age to go for?" he says, "She's not even that hot, I mean she's just good at kissing."
I look at him, disgusted. I've never kissed him, let alone touched him.
"Man, you're wasted. Just go." Matthew says.
"No man, stop ruining my time." He says, before trying to grab onto me again.
Matthew pushes him away.
"Back off." He says, more angry now than annoyed.
"If you want to fight, we can fight."
"Nobody's fighting anyone man-"
Before Matthew could finish his sentence, Jackson threw a punch at his face. I gasped before backing up. Matthew let go of my hand and punched back.
"Don't touch anyone at this party." He hisses.
Jackson got up and tried to throw another punch, before everyone noticed red and blue lights outside of the windows. Kids started rushing out of the house in a big group.
Matthew grabbed my arm so we wouldn't get lost in the crowd.
"We're going to find Hailey and her friends." He yells over everyone's voice.
"Okay." I yell back.
We're looking around and we finally see Riley, Penelope, Liv, and Bri.
"Where's Morgan?" He asks.
"Upstairs." Liv says before giggling.
Matthew heads upstairs, still bringing me with him. We open and knock on every door as fast as we can until we see her and Oliver, making out. She looks at us.
"Matthew! Leave!" She says.
"Cops. We're leaving." He replies.
She rolls her eyes at him before looking back at Oliver and winking. We go out and around the backyard, before walking a few blocks down to the car.
"Who has the keys?" I ask.
Matthew holds them up.
"What, can I drive?" I ask again.
"Did you drink the mystery drink?" He says.
I give him a look before he throws the keys at me. I grab them and get into the drivers seat. He sits in the passenger and all the other girls sit in the back. I start the car and we begin to drive back to the Graham's house.
"Are they sleeping over?" He asks.
"Yeah, I think." I say.
"You can sleep in my room. If it's too loud."
I glare at him, reminding him that Hailey is in the car and she can hear us.
"Relax. She won't remember this conversation tomorrow. Hey Hailey."
"What?"
"Chicken butt."
Hailey groans before falling asleep with the girls in the backseat.
When I pull into the driveway, I look back to see everyone asleep. I look in the passenger and see Matthew fake sleeping. I give him a little hit and he pretends to be hurt.
"Guys, we're here." I say, but nobody acknowledges it.
"Just let them camp out in the car. I can't carry every single one of them up the stairs and into Hailey's room. We're in a garage anyways."
"I have a different idea. Let's just bring them all into the basement. They can sleep on the couch."
"Okay, but you're doing it."
"That's fine. Can you set up some pillows and blankets though?"
He nods. I grab the girls one by one and put their arms on my shoulders. I bring them over to the couch and see Matthew set up the blow up mattress as well. I put them all down and put blankets on them all.
"You're a really good friend, Morgan. I'd just leave all my friends in the car." He says.
"Okay Matthew, goodnight." I say, smiling.
I go onto the blow up mattress and try to make space. There's definitely no space on the couch.
"You can always have my bed." He says.
"No, it's fine I'll take Hailey's." I reply.
"If you say so."
We both head upstairs and I change into a hoodie and pyjama pants. I see him in the bathroom.
"Go ahead." He says, stepping away from the sink.
I brush my teeth and he waits for me. When I'm done I put on some chapstick.
"Do you want to watch a movie?" He asks.
"Yeah, sure." I reply.
We go to his room and I sit on his bed. I've never been in his bed, it's really comfortable. He sits down beside me and turns on his computer.
"What do you want to watch?"
"Anything."
He turns on a movie and we start watching it. I feel myself starting to get tired so I lay back onto a pillow.
"Tired?" He asks.
"Yeah."
He turns off the movie and puts his computer away.
"Do you want me to walk you back to Hailey's room?"
"Nah, I'm just going to rest my eyes here for a minute if that's okay."
"Yeah, you can stay here if you like."
"If that's okay."
Why is his bed so comfortable.
"Yeah, yeah. That's fine." He says, getting back into bed.
"Night, Matthew." I say, turning to face him.
"Night, Hailey" He says back, before planting a kiss on my forehead.