The Summer We Lied

Chapter Fourteen

The smell of buttery popcorn is the most amazing smell in the world. Buttery popcorn, two cans of iced Cokes and packets of Skittles and M&M's.

That is how Kylie and I start our Tuesday evening at The Gattaca.

The movie theatre is almost empty because we are probably the only ones in town who still haven't watched Aquaman.

Everybody else did. As Kylie and I take our decent middle row seats, I can't help but hear the chatter from people around us about how amazing the movie was the first time.

So we really are the only ones who never watch it as yet. We could have seen it on Netflix, but going to the movies is amazing. There's just something about it. Plus the snacks are always great.

As the lights dim and the screen comes on, I feel my phone vibrate, so I pull it out expecting a text from Matt.

But I'm disappointed when it's not him. I sent Matt an early morning text and he still hasn't replied. My text 'Hey' just sits there, all lonely.

"Are you okay?" Kylie asks in a hushed voice.

"Yeah." I nod.

She grabs my hand and squeezes it. "Are you sure? We can just take these snacks and just go home and chill. As much as I'd like to look at Jason Momoa, I'll survive."

I put my phone away and nod again. "I'm fine, Kylie. Let's just watch the movie."

We watch the movie in silence, with tension building, nail-biting at the fight scenes and drooling at Aquaman's body.

When the movie ends, we leave the theatre with sighs and make a deal to watch it again and soon enough.

Kylie drops me off at home, before leaving to go back to her own house.

In the kitchen, I find that mom and dad left a note saying that they've gone out for some groceries and when I call out for Daniel, I get no response.

He must be out as well.

I have the house all to myself. I go upstairs and run a hot bath before getting in. I sit in the tub, till my skin is super soft and wrinkly.

When I get out, I throw on some clean undies and a nightshirt on top. And then I paint my toenails the same dusty peach nail polish that Kylie and I used the night before.

When I'm done, I run downstairs and put an old episode of Supernatural on. When Riverdale isn't on, I love watching reruns of Supernatural and X-Files. Halfway through the show, the doorbell rings. Thinking it's my parents, I get up from the couch and go to open up.

But when I open the door I find Matt standing there. The first thing that I notice is the bluish bruise forming on his left cheekbone. And then the blood that's dripping from his eyebrow.

"Matt...are you okay?" I ask, reaching out for him.

He stands back. "I'm fine. I came to see Dany. Is he here?"

"He should..." I begin, but Matt is already pushing past me and jogging up the stairs.

I close the door and wait at the bottom of the stairs. Matt comes back downstairs and pushes a hand through his dark, wavy hair.

"What happened?" I ask, gently and go towards him.

"Nothing. I just don't want to talk about it," he replies coldly.

I flinch, but still, keep my composure. "Do you want me to clean up that cut? My mom has her first aid stuff in the kitchen."

When he doesn't reply, I gently take his hand and lead him into the kitchen.

Matt leans against the counter, while I grab a petri dish with warm water, cotton balls and a small, rectangular bandaid.

I take a tiny piece of cotton, dip it into the water and squeeze before lifting it up to Matt's bloody eyebrow.

He clenches his jaw when I slowly dab the cotton against the cut. I clean up the cut, with Matt looking down at me and watching me closely.

"I can be a real d**k sometimes and I'm sorry Kelsey," Matt says softly.

I place the bandaid on his eyebrow and look into his eyes. "It's okay. We all have those days."

Matt takes in a deep breath and nods. "Yeah. I had an argument with my dad today. It got out of hand. I'm sorry for barging in. I should go."

I grab his hand. "Sometimes you can't run away from your problems, Matt. And that's if you have absolutely nowhere else to be. But you have a place to be and it's here, in this house. You're always welcome here."

Matt stares at me for a long time, before taking my face in his hands. And then he's kissing me. It's warm and fierce. It's one of those kisses that will leave you wanting more. Matt's touch and his lips have become like my drug. Once I got a taste, I couldn't let it go.

Matt slips his hands around my waist and pulls me against him. Our tongues run against each other and I realise how much I want this.

"Why didn't you text me today?" I ask, my voice is breathy as we break apart.

Matt grazes my neck with his teeth and bites as he goes along. "I don't know. I just didn't want to be in a crappy mood when talking to you."

"Are you in a crappy mood now?" I ask him.

Matt grins and presses his forehead to mine. "How can I ever be in a crappy mood when I'm around you?"

I roll my eye's. "You're such a smoothie."

Matt throws his head back and laughs. The sound is deep and melodious and it warms me on the inside."What is a smoothie?"

"Nothing, " I say.

Matt raises his eyebrows. "You better tell me or you're going to bring on the tickle war."

"No. Please don't. I meant that you have such a sweet, smooth way of talking. You're a smoothie. It's so stupid," I say, looking down.

Matt lifts my chin up with one broad finger. "It's not stupid. It's cute. And now I think I have to start the tickle war. You're being way too cute."

"No!" I yell and push him away.

I run as fast as I can and into the lounge, but Matt is faster. All he does is reach out and grab me with both arms and I know that I won't be able to escape.

He pins me to the couch and hovers above me. "This position that we are in, is very, very dangerous for us."

Very slowly Matt runs his long fingers across my bare thighs. His eyes meet mines.

"You have goosebumps," he teases.

I blush but stay silent. My skin is hot and heart is beating fast.

"You're so easy to read," he says and bends down to kiss me.

I push my hands through his hair as our bodies press together. Everything feels so right and so good.

He suddenly grabs me and places me on top of him, so that I'm straddling him.

I blush because I've never been so intimate before. The most I'd ever gotten to was a kiss in 3rd grade. I can barely remember it now with Matt wrapping himself around me.

"What do you want to do?" Matt asks as he places his hands on my hips.

I don't reply, instead, I slowly begin to grind against him. I can feel the hotness between my thighs grow. The heat between us is undeniable.

"f**k," Matt groans and I can feel him harden against me. Our mouths come together once again.

I must be doing something right because Matt is unbelievably hot. His skin burns as I place my hands around the nape of his neck.

And while I'm moving against him, I hear the car pull up in the drive. I jump back off Matt and climb onto the other couch.

Matt is laughing, but I'm burning with embarrassment as Daniel enters the front door and comes into the lounge.