My ears were still ringing from the show as a security guard led us backstage. She had informed us that Matty requested we come back after the show. If all of this didn't feel like a dream before, it certainly did now. We reached a lounge, where Matty, Adam, Ross, and George all sat on a plush sofa, drinking a round of beers.
"Ladies." George smiled.
"Ah, Viv! I'm so, so glad you made it." Matty smiled, setting his beer down and walking over to hug me.
"Good to see you too, Matty." I said, heart in my throat.
"These are my sisters, Audrey and Violet." I said, introducing him to the two of them.
Audrey and Violet both shook his hand and Violet bumped me with her arm, still teasing me.
I replied by kicking her in the foot. She was quiet after that.
"So, Vivian, Violet, and Audrey. This is George, Adam, and Ross." Maddy said, gesturing to his bandmates.
They all waved and said hello politely as we shook their hands.
"What'd you think of the show?" Matty asked, taking a seat back on the couch.
"It was incredible. I honestly think this is your best album yet. I loved every bit of it." I replied, smiling.
"Fantastic indeed." Audrey chimed in.
"Hey, Matty, wheres Georgia?" Ross inquired.
"Oh, she should be here any minute. I'm sure she's just freshening up." Matty said.
"Would you like some drinks?" Adam asked us.
"Oh, none of us are legal." I laughed.
"Legal shmegal. You've got to be at least close to 21." Adam said.
"I'm barely 20. Violet is 18, and Audrey is the tender age of 16." I explained, a playful smile on my face.
"You could've lied and said 17, at least." Audrey huffed.
"What? You are the baby after all." Violet reminded her.
"One day I'll be more successful than all of you." Audrey said.
"Shoot for the stars, Audrey. With that attitude you just might live up to your word." Matty laughed.
The night continued and we all did a few icebreakers to get to know each other better. Violet was chatting with Ross about music theory (she played the violin, and quite incredibly at that) and Audrey was making Adam and George crack up with her witty jokes and advanced sense of humor. I now sat on the couch next to Matty and he was asking me various questions.
"Ok, why are you unsatisfied with your art?" Matty asked.
I sighed and rolled my eyes.
"Is it really that obvious?" I asked.
"Yes, it really is that obvious." Matty said, making a funny gesture with his hands.
"Well, I suppose its kind of an internal reflection. I'm not really happy with myself either. My life hasn't been the easiest. I guess its just how I feel about myself reflecting into what I create as well." I explained, folding my hands in my lap.
"But what you create is so beautiful." Matty protested.
"I'm glad you think so." I said, offering him a small smile.
"Honestly, I'm very proud of my music. But creating an intricate picture in your mind and putting it to paper in such vivid detail is a skill I could never harbor." Matty said, shaking his head and taking a swig of his drink.
"Have you always lived in New York?" He asked.
"Yes, but out of the city at first. I only moved to Manhattan recently. I was raised on the countryside." I said.
"What about your parents?" Matty asked, resting his chin on his hand.
"Its a long story..." I laughed nervously.
"Well, I've got the time." He laughed slightly.
"Well, my mother was from the city, and my dad lived on the countryside. They met one night at a park and got married after about a year of dating. The thing was, my mom had lived a pretty hard life in the city before she met my dad. She was into parties, drinking, drugs... My dad evened her out for a long time, but she had always had a slew of mental health issues and one day, when I was about 14, she just kind of flipped out. Her mind really deteriorated and she left us. We had no idea where she was or who she was with, and then one day... the cops showed up at our door." I said, recounting that day as it played in my mind.
Matty's eyes softened as he looked at me.
"She died of an overdose. She had gotten back into her previous life.. and it took her with it." I said.
"Oh Christ, Vivian. I'm so incredibly sorry. I can't even imagine what that would feel like, and at such a young age, too." Matty said.
"It happens... It shouldn't, of course. But she just let her struggles get the best of her, in the end. I wish we had been enough for her." I said.
"When did you get into art? Was it after that?" Matty asked.
"Yeah, I just tried to escape from the real world as much as possible, as anyone would do. I tried reading, writing, all of that. But art was my passion. Spilling my mind out onto a canvas was my therapy." I explained.
"Well, your still here. You fought through it." Matty said, smiling.
I was going to agree with him when Georgia walked in, her sandy hair lying perfectly just as it was when I met her.
"Babe, it took you long enough." Matty laughed, getting up to greet her. He kissed her cheek and I moved over to make room for her on the couch as they sat down.
"Surely you remember Vivian." Matty said, an arm around her shoulder.
"Oh, of course." She flashed her perfect white teeth at me in a wide smile and shook my hand.
"Nice to see you again." I said, although something about her was.. off-putting.
Maybe it was her unblemished caramel skin or the way she didn't have a single hair out of place. I wasn't sure.
I kind of phased in and out of the conversation for the rest of the night, not really paying attention. My mind had drifted to its more shadowy corners and I was now asking myself loads of questions about who I really was and what I had been through. The lateness of the night dawned on me and I was beginning to feel tired.
"Matty, I think we're going to go." I said, mustering a smile and looking at hime.
"Oh. Is everything ok?" He asked.
"Yeah, of course. I'm just really tired and need my shut eye." I said.
"Well, I wanted to talk to you about something, if you've got the time, yeah?" Matty asked, suddenly standing up. Georgia shot him a glance and I wrung my hands nervously.
"Maybe.. maybe later, Matty. I've got to get my sisters home." I said, looking over at Violet and Audrey.
"If you insist." Matty said, shoving his hands in his trouser pockets and nodding.
"Thank you so much, for everything. Really, Matty, this has been an incredible week. This was the opportunity of a lifetime." I said, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"No need to thank me, Vivian. I've loved having you in my company." He said, pulling me into a hug.
I could feel Georgia boring holes into me with her ice cold blue eyes and I pulled away, firmly shaking his hand.
I walked over to the rest of the boys and bid them goodbye.
"We'll be seeing you around eventually, I know it." Ross chuckled.
I raised a brow quizzically and he just smiled at me in response.
With that, the three of us left the building and called a cab and were on our way home.
"What was all that?" Audrey questioned.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Don't be daft, Viv." Violet laughed.
"I.. If you mean that whole encounter towards the end, I'm not really sure." I said.
"Why on earth did you turn down his offer to talk about whatever it was he wanted to talk about?" Violet asked.
"I felt awkward.. Georgia was right there. I don't fathom that she likes me much." I said.
"Matty certainly does." Audrey shrugged.
"You don't know what your on about." I said, shaking my head.
"Sure I don't." She retaliated.
I rolled my eyes and just stared out the window, watching the store fronts and pretty apartment buildings go by. It suddenly dawned on me that this whole week was over. Matty, and the rush of adrenaline he gave me, the excitement of seeing him, it was all over. I was sad about that, but I didn't really know him, after all. He had a life, and I had a life, and for a brief moment, our paths had crossed. But that's all it was. It was a brief moment in time, and the moment was now gone. We were both going to go back to our separate ways, even if I longed for a connection with him. That connection being a friendship, of course. I'm not a boyfriend stealer, and Georgia seemed quite content with him. I left it at that, and momentarily put the experience out of my mind. The cab dropped me off at my apartment, and Violet and Audrey waved me goodbye as I stepped into my building.
"Be safe!" I shouted, and the cab sped off.
I walked into the building and took the elevator to the third floor. Stepping inside my apartment, I left my shoes at the door and and then went into the bathroom to get ready for bed. As I was washing my face, my phone buzzed on the countertop and startled me slightly.
Matty: thx so much for coming to the show, I really hoped you enjoyed it. Europe is next!
I smiled and responded with,
Thank you so much for the opportunity. Good luck on tour -Viv
The conversation ended there and I changed into my pajamas and crawled into bed. Sleep came easily, but as I drifted off, I was only thinking of Matty and his mess of dark curls, smiling at me from the stage.