“Back so soon?” Nicole asks after I knock on her bedroom window.
I laugh. “Where’s Matthew?”
“Backyard, but he’s not alone,” she says. “You know what? Just go back there. It’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure?” I ask sheepishly.
“Yeah. He’s just out there with one of the guys. I don’t think it’ll be an issue.”
“Okay…” I say.
Liz and I walk around the house and I push the gate open. Walking into the yard, I see Matthew sitting on the porch next to a boy laughing about something. I slowly walk in their direction, and the boy notices me before Matthew does.
“Who are you?” he demands, standing up.
“Um…” I say.
Matthew stands up now, his face lighting up. “Alex! What are you doing here so soon?”
“You know them?” the boy asks him. “What do you mean so soon?”
“Relax, Chris,” Matthew says. “This is Alex and Liz.”
“I don’t care what their names are,” Chris says rudely. “Why are they in our yard?”
Matthew walks up to me and kisses me. Chris stares with shock.
“They’re dating, numbnuts,” Liz says, rolling her eyes.
“Matthew, what the hell?” Chris says.
“This is Alex, and I love her. This is Liz, her friend.”
“Is this one for me?” Chris asks of Liz with a smirk.
“Honey, I’ve got a boyfriend and a baby on the way. Still interested?” Liz says sarcastically.
“You’re pregnant?” Matthew asks Liz.
“We’ll talk about it later,” Liz replies.
“What the hell is going on?” Chris asks with frustration.
“Okay, okay, calm down, man,” Matthew says. “I met Alex almost two months ago and we started dating. We’ve been sneaking around a little. That’s it.”
“But…you can’t do that…” Chris says, scratching his head.
“We know. But we don’t care,” Matthew says, looking at me and smiling. I blush.
“You two are so freaking adorable!” Liz squeals.
“Okay, fine, whatever. Why are they here?” Chris asks.
“She’s going to spend the night. It isn’t the first time, either,” Matthew replies proudly.
“Well, she’s quite a trophy,” Chris says, eyeing me.
“Isn’t she?” Matthew laughs. “I shot, and I scored.”
I glare at Matthew and clear my throat to get his attention. He looks at me, and his confident expression immediately falters when he sees that I’m mad.
“Do you always act like an arrogant jerk around your friends?” I ask.
“Alex, I’m just joking around. You know I don’t think of you like that. I’m sorry. I take it back,” Matthew says sincerely. “I’m incredibly lucky just to have you in my life.”
I smile a little. “That’s better.”
“Wow,” Chris says.” “She’s certainly got you whipped into shape.”
“I’m not whipped into anything. I’m respecting my girlfriend.”
“Whatever, man,” Chris says, getting ready to go inside. “Do me a favor and keep her quiet tonight. I need my sleep, and the walls are thin.” He smirks.
“Hey, don’t talk about her like she isn’t here,” Matthew says to my defense. “That was pretty uncalled for.”
“What’s the big deal? She obviously came here to screw you,” Chris says. “I mean, did you see how excited she is when she walked in?”
I tense up. “Stop it, Chris,” Matthew says is a firm voice.
“Stop what? Am I wrong?”
“I’m warning you, man,” Matthew says. “Quit while you’re ahead.”
“Whatever, I’m going to bed. Liz, I have some extra room if you get bored,” Chris says with a wink.
Liz pretends to throw up, causing Matthew and I to laugh hysterically as Chris walks inside. Once he’s gone, the three of us sit on the back porch.
“Are you seriously pregnant?” Matthew asks Liz.
“Yes, is that a problem?”
Matthew laughs. “Not my problem.”
“Fair enough,” she says.
“How far along are you?” he asks her.
“About two weeks.”
“Ah.”
“Well, I’m going to get going,” Liz says a few minutes later. “It’s already eleven. I don’t want Cody to worry.”
“Okay,” I say. “Be careful going home.”
“I will,” she says. “Don’t forget to keep her quiet, Matthew,” Liz jokes.
I bury my head in my hands as Liz leaves.
“What’s the matter?” Matthew asks.
“Why is this common knowledge?” I groan.
He laughs. “It’s not a big deal, Alex.”
I lay down on the patio and stare up at the stars. Matthew lays down next to me and puts an arm around me.
“They’re almost as beautiful as you, you know.”
I turn my head and give him a small kiss. “You’re so sweet.”
“It’s getting kind of cold,” Matthew says a few moments later. “Don’t you think?”
“Kind of,” I say. “Want to go inside?”
“I suppose,” he says.
We go inside and go to his room where Nicole is sitting on her bed.
“Please don’t kick me out,” she says, and we laugh.
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Matthew says with an exaggerated smile. “We’ll go in the extra room.”
“Fine, fine,” Nicole says as Matthew grabs his pajamas.
“Go ahead, Alex, I’ll be right there,” he says to me.
I walk down the hall to the extra bedroom and sit on the bed. Do I take off the clothes first and surprise him? Or do I wait for him to come in? Being a girl is hard.
Matthew comes in a minute later and shuts the door behind him. “Hey.”
“Hey, yourself,” I smile.
He walks up to me and gives me a small kiss. I bite my lip.He steps back a little and stares at me, awkwardly. I look at him questioningly and he blushes.
“Matthew?”
“Yeah?” he says quietly.
“You don’t have to ask permission.”
He turns bright red, and I can’t help but laugh. “It’s okay. We’re new at this,” I say. I pull my dress over my head, and his eyes nearly pop out of their sockets.
“New pajamas?” he manages to say.
“You like them?” I tease.
“Like them? I- I,” Matthew stammers.
“Shh…” I say as I walk up to him. He smiles, and I kiss him lightly. I pull away after a moment. He tosses his shirt onto the floor and walks towards me again. Setting his hands on my waist, he kisses me harder than ever before, forcing me to walk backwards until I hit the bed with the backs of my knees and fall onto it. I giggle, and he shuts off the lights.