Will It Be Forever

The wind blew, leaves rustling by him and he stepped over the graves so he didn’t step on them. Matt stuck his hands in his pockets and knew where he was going without even having to look. He had been here plenty of time before. It seemed like lately he hadn’t been here enough. His hazel eyes searched the ground until he found a certain marble tombstone.

He swallowed hard for a moment and knelt down beside it. He set the one white rose he held in his hand on the grave and sighed. “Hey babe… Sorry I haven’t come by in a while,” he started. Usually she didn’t want to talk to him while he was around her grave. Val rather give him a hard time when he was trying to live.

“I don’t meant to…” He heard her voice. Matt raised an eyebrow and sighed before patting the tombstone. He had felt guilty after the night with AJ. The kissing had been nice… Really nice, but he felt like he had betrayed Val in a way. “Don’t think like that silly.”

Matt let out a small laugh and shook his head. He readjusted the hat on his head and took off his sunglasses. He hadn’t talked to AJ in two days, he figured it was the whole second date thing, you had space it out a bit but that wasn’t the only reason. “She misses you…”

“Val…” He started and shook his head. He didn’t know what to say to her at the moment. What could he say? Should he talk to her about AJ? Oh God, that would be weird. He raised a hand and scratched his temple for a moment. “I don’t know what to say…” He whispered. For the first time in awhile, he felt speechless. He could feel a lump forming in his throat that felt like a giant orange stuck there, threatening to suffocate him.

“You don’t have to say anything you know…” Matt let out a small snort of laughter. He shook her head and looked down at the ground. He glanced back up at the sky and took a seat on the ground.

“Her name’s AJ,” he told her. “Addeline Jones… She owns a bar I’ve been going to since you…” He sighed. “Since you died.” He winced as he swallowed hard. At least the lump was gone. “I like her… I mean she’s not you but…”

“She’s her own person Matt…”

“I know…” He said in a low voice, feeling his chest getting heavy. “It’s just different. I haven’t felt this way in a long time.” He sighed and stood up, dusting himself off. “I miss you,” he told her. “I love you…” He smiled a bit and then turned around before leaving the graveyard.

-Time relapse-

AJ looked around. Was God just teasing her or was her bar really this busy? She had felt her phone vibrating in her pocket but she couldn’t answer. Not at a time like this. People were yelling her name, customers were demanding her attention and she was short staffed. “Hold on! Hold on!” She yelled as she turned to grab a bottle of Jack. She glanced at Jessica and tossed her the bottle. The blonde caught it and Addeline flashed a smile. “Get on it!” She said with a small smile before heading out from behind the bar.

She looked around and frowned a bit when she didn’t see Matt around. She hadn’t talked to him since they went out and she had been hoping that he would’ve shown up. AJ shook her head and went to the closest table that looked like they needed some drinks. The table was occupied by a few college frats but she put on a smile for them anyways.

“Hey there,” she said and noticed that she caught their attention.

“Well hello,” one of them said. He was a brunette in a letterman jacket for whatever school he went to. “Aren’t you hot?” God, he was younger than her. One of THOSE types of guys. She shook her head and forced the smile on her face to stay.

“What can I get you all?” she asked.

“Round of tequila shots for all my friends!” The obnoxious one shouted as he slammed his hand on the table.

“Woo!” His friends shouted and she winced slightly. Jesus Christ. She sighed a bit and nodded. “Four tequilas coming up,” she said and turned around. She felt a pinching sensation on her ass and she whirled around. One of them had just pinched her ass.

“Don’t do that again,” she warned whoever did that. The brunette, who seemed to be their leader, stood up and groped her. AJ balled her hand into a fist and punched him. “Get the hell out of my bar!” She pointed to the exit for them to go to. “Now.”

He grabbed her wrist and this was a time she wished that she had invested in bouncers. She tried to get her wrist away from him but he only gripped harder. “No one punches me and gets away with it,” he said.

“You’re a drunk bastard,” she shot back and then she felt a force against her cheek. AJ reeled back and her hand went to her cheek, feeling the tenderness there.

“HEY!” She heard someone shout. She knew the voice. Her eyes went up to look to see Matt looming over the frat boy before his own fist met with the boys face. “Don’t you ever touch her again you little bastard. I’ll fuck you up. I don’t ever want to see you here again.” He picked the guy up and took him out of the bar. AJ looked at the obnoxious one’s friends and they looked like they had just shit their pants. She felt someone by her side. She looked up to see Jessica there.

“Are you alright?” She asked her and AJ slowly nodded.

“Yeah,” she replied. “Just remind me to higher a few bouncers at the end of the month…” She sighed heavily and got to her feet. She looked to see Matt coming in and heading straight for her. He wrapped an arm around her and touched her face. “Are you alright?” He asked and she nodded.

“It’ll be a little bruise but I’m fine…” He leaned in and kissed her forehead.

“Let’s get you some ice,” he told her and it looked like Jessica was ahead of him as she came back with a bag of ice.

“Thanks,” she told her and Matt took the bag, putting it against her face.

“You’re pretty busy tonight,” he said. “You sure you can handle the rest of the night?” AJ looked at him for a moment then looked past him at the crowd. She bit her lower lip as she saw glances heading her way. Some people had already gotten up and paid Jessica for their tabs and they started to leave. At least some people had some sense. She swallowed hard and nodded again.

“It’ll be fine…” she told him. “Once everyone leaves I can close up and go home.” Matt smiled a bit at her.

“Well aren’t you superwoman?” He asked.

AJ blushed a bit. “Thanks for coming by,” she said.

“Well, I missed you.” Well, this night had just gotten better.