I Don't Wanna Be in Love

Ember awoke with a sense of surrealness. It took her a few moments to realize she was in a hotel room, alone, single and still in California. The little clock reads 9:17 am, with a yawn, a stretch and a rub at her eyes, Ember heaves herself off her back and into the sitting position. “Morning,” She whispers to herself, a smile tugs at the corners of her mouth.

Sunlight is flooding through the unshielded windows. “Might as well go and get ready,” She says out loud in a slow tone, trying to keep her excitement minimal. So she slides away the cotton covers and climbs out of the queen size bed. Her bare feet touch the cool floor and awake her toes. She flips on the clock radio as she passes it by, checking her phone for any missing texts or calls. With almost a full battery she leaves her phone be and turns to make it to the bright white bathroom.

She stops in her tracks; the radio station is set on the local pop station. She makes a distasteful noise as she turns to switch the station, searching for a good morning rock station. She had the afternoon shift today, which meant she could see Matt for the morning breakfast and then proceed on telling her co-workers her news.

“Hey, Billie is back from vacation,” The guy from the modern rock station is filling the speakers with banter on the latest skanky celebrity feuds.

Ember turns the knob for the bath, tests the water after a few seconds pause and switches to shower mode. She discards her clothes into a pile and steps in under the warm raining water.

After washing her hair with the shampoo then conditioner and washing her body with the puff sponge and body wash she grabs the near towel and gets out. Her fingers comb through her wet hair as she stands in front of the cabinet mirror looking at herself.

Last night she had already put away her toothbrush and things in the bathroom, so she grabs them and starts the morning routine. Thinking all about yesterday’s turn of events, she plays flashbacks of Jacoby’s unbelievable face and then Matt’s when arrived to see him. “This’ll all work out,” She says with a mouth full of toothpaste before spitting and rinsing her mouth.

She pulls on a pair of slashed up grey jeans, a Marilyn Manson tee, her high top chucks and her hair up in a messy pony. Then Ember runs her eyeliner stick over her peeps a few times to get them nice and dark, applies some black eye shadow for good measure and is ready to go for breakfast.

It’s now 9:58. She goes to her phone to grab it to see a text from Matt, five minutes earlier, asking if she was ready to meet him.

Yeah, I’m ready, be there in ten minutes.

K, I’m on my way there now. [:
“Awe he included a smiley.” She muses to herself out loud, sending him a smiley back then pushing her phone in her pocket. She grabs her thin grey stripped zippy for the morning chill and makes sure she has her hotel key then leaves for breakfast.

“Hey,” She calls as she walks up the little diner deck. Matt turns to see her, a smile immediately walking across his face.

“Hi,” He stands up, pulls her into a tight but short hug then proceeds to pull her chair out, after she sits he sits. “So how are you this morning?”

“I’m fine, it’s too early for anything to be anything other then that, how about yourself?”

“I’m pretty great now.” Matt’s hand touches up against hers softly on the table, Ember turns her face for the reason that she can feel herself blushing. “Any plans today?”

“Work,”

“How about after work?”

“Nada, zip and zilch,” She smiles, urging him to go on and ask her out.

“Well a couple friends of mine are having a barbeque tonight and if you wouldn’t mind I’d like it if you came with me.”

A barbeque was not on Ember’s mind, but why not? The friends she met last time were nice enough, so this could be fun. “Ok, I’m in.”

“Alright, I’ll pick you up about eight.”

“How about I meet you at your place?” She replies with a slight cringe.

“I don’t mind picking you up at a hotel,” Matt says softly laughing, his thumbs rubbing tiny circles on the top of Ember’s hand that lies underneath his.

“That obvious?”

“Good morning, are you ready to order?” The waitress asks, walking over so suddenly that neither of them noticed her there until she spoke.

“Yeah I’ll take an orange juice and today’s special.” Matt asks without having to look at the menu, he looked it over while he waited for Ember to arrive.

“I’ll have,” Ember pauses to look at the menu sitting in front of her; she hadn’t felt hungry until now, until she looked over the words listing the foods. “An apple juice and today’s special as well but with extra cheese.” She waitress jots down the orders, picks up the menus and walks back towards the shack.

“So where were we? Yeah, just give me what hotel and what room and I’ll be there at eight.”

“You’re persistent.” She states and he nods almost gleefully. “Why?”

“I have my reasons,”

“I think you just want to leave me without a car,” Ember muses, nodding to herself.

“Now why would I do that?” Matt asks innocently, a faux sound of shock hidden somewhere in there.

“Oh I’m sure you have your reasons,” In distraction he pulls her hand up off the table and kisses her hand very softly, so soft his lips barely touch her skin. “…The Holiday Inn on Chariot and room 6 B.” She divulges, losing to his charm and blushing brightly.

“Thank you, now that wasn’t too hard was it?”

_______________________________________________________________________

“So you’re new girlfriend is coming is she?” Zacky asks from Matt’s couch, spread out on it comfortably as he plays a round of the latest baseball game with Matt.

“She’s not my girlfriend,” He replies, jokingly scowling.

“Not yet, but you want her to be.” Zacky nods, wooing at the TV obnoxiously loud when he makes a run.

“I’m taking it slow-“

“Val told you to.” Zacky interjects, correcting Matt.

“Yeah and she’s right, I mean she just got out of a long relationship-“

“Yeah I get you man, but don’t you think having her meet the gang is a big step? Ya’ know like meeting the parents?”

“Well she’s met Val and Jimmy, and it’s not going to be all of us. Just gonna’ you, Dawn, me, Val, Brian and Michelle.”

“I say go for it, why take it slow if you know what it’s going to turn into? Worse case it doesn’t work out.”

“But that’s just it, I don’t want there to be some fucking worse case man, I want this one to work out. I don’t know why but I feel something towards this girl.”

“It’s called being turned on: you find her attractive and when that occurs, your dick-“

“Shut the fuck up dude,” Matt responds, not being able to hold in his laughing. The room is soon full with the noise of the two of them laughing uncontrollably. Their laughing subsides all too soon once Zacky jumps up and begins screaming in victory.