“See!” she shouts when I’m dressed. “The blue is awesome with your eyes.” She grabs my shoulders and wheels me around to face the mirror. “You look like a model. Matt is going to die.”
“Thanks, Aud.”
“No problem,” she says. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to go borrow one of my mom’s necklaces.”
I sit back down at Audrey’s vanity and use some of her makeup. Just as I’m applying a little light pink blush, I hear movement in the hallway. I turn to see Matt passing by on his way to the shower. He’s carrying a towel and, as usual when he’s at home, he’s barefoot.
Our eyes meet.
“Wow,” he says softly. We hold each other’s stare for so long it feels dirty—in a good way. Neither of us says anything else, which makes it even more powerful. His eyes take in my hair, my exposed shoulder where the jacket is falling down on one side. We’re a room away from each other and I can feel his eyes on me like fingertips.
“Move it along,” I hear Audrey say to him from the hallway. “Drool later.”
The bubble burst, Matt grins sheepishly and turns away.
The “real” gift is third-row tickets to Arcade Fire.
“It’s like an eclipse,” I say about the chances of my favorite band playing in town on my birthday. “Or a meteor shower.”
“It’s pretty awesome,” Matt says as he watches the roadies set up.
Even though I thought she was joking, Audrey did actually invite Bear to the show. I glance over at them and silently agree that okay, fine, he does look a little like Jake Gyllenhaal.
But still he’s not as cute as Matt.
“This is the most amazing birthday ever,” I say in Matt’s ear.
“You deserve it,” he says in mine before kissing my neck and leaving me with head-to-toe goose bumps.
As the opening act begins to play, when the bass and the drums and the guitar and the screaming make it too loud to hear shouting let alone my whispered voice, I say, “I love you.” I know he can’t hear me, but I put it out into the universe anyway.
And for now, that’s enough.
twenty-four
The next Friday, I realize that nothing can stay perfect forever.
Audrey goes home sick from school, and even though I talk to her after fourth period and she seems fine, I’m still concerned.
And then Matt and I have our first fight.
It happens after school, when I’m packing for a four-day trip to Seattle. I’m joining Mason and Cassie on their annual pilgrimage to the Northwest for Fabulous Megan’s test. They’ll poke and prod during the day, and Megan and I will have bonding time at night. As much as I love being around Matt and Audrey, I can’t wait to just “be” with Megan. There’s something about spending time with someone who’s known you forever. It’s effortless.
Matt sits on the bed while I pack.
“It sucks that you’ll be gone this weekend,” he says.
“I know. But I’m really excited to see Megan. I haven’t seen her since last year.”
“I’ll miss you,” he says with a flirty smile that I feel to my toes. Smiling, I look back to the T-shirt I’m folding. He grabs one and folds, too.
“Hey, Dais?” Matt says. My stomach flits at the way he shortens my name. I love it.
“Uh-huh?” I murmur, folding happily like we’re an old married couple doing the laundry together.
“There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”