Comfortable Liar

questions; a problem for discussion or under discussion; a matter of investigation

"Stupid."

"Idiot."

"Annoying."

"Asswipe."

"Crazy bitch."

"Dumbass."

I stared at Zacky and Raynee as they continued to go back and forth calmly. They were sitting in the middle of the living room, surrounded by unconscious people and beer bottles. It didn't seem to phase them though. They sat with their backs against each other, calmly insulting each other.

"King me." I looked to the side to see Aiden smirking, and then she looked over at me. She had been sneaking glances at me all night, and I knew she was dying to know what had happened.

"Yeah, yeah, Angelis," Jimmy mumbled and placed a checker on the red one right in front of him. I heard a snore come from my other side, and I looked over to see that Johnny had moved into the fetal position in the chair he had been sleeping in.

"Tired yet?" Matt whispered in my ear. He was sitting on the couch with me in his lap, and I had let my head fall back against his shoulder.

"Very," I mumbled. I felt Matt move, and then we were laying stretched out on the couch. Matt kept one arm around my waist, and I used his chest as a pillow. Everything around me got quieter, and then I slowly drifted off to sleep.

*** | *** | ***

"Erika Mason! Wake up!" someone whispered in my ear. My eyes slowly opened and I looked into a pair of blue ones. The violet specks were very bright.

"What, Aiden Fiction Angelis?" I asked, using her whole name.

"You've got some explaining to do," Raynee said in a sing/song voice. I was about to ask what she was talking about, but then I felt an arm tighten around me, signaling that I hadn't had some crazy dream.

"Okay, I'm coming," I whispered. I slipped out of Matt's arms and stood up slowly, and then Aiden led the way outside. We stopped at the deck and sat down in the few chairs, and I let my eyes scan the backyard. There were some random people passed out, and one guy was passed out in the pool on a floatie.

"So, you and Matt, huh?" Aiden asked. I turned to look at her, but I quickly looked down at my hands.

"Yeah, I think so. It was kinda weird," I said.

"You think so?" Raynee asked. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. I was still getting used to the fact that Matt and I were together. What was I thinking?

"I don't really know how it happened. All I can is, he's a great kisser," I said. I heard Aiden and Raynee let out cat-calls and heat rose into my face.

"He must be one hell of a kisser if he got you to say yes. You and Matt? A couple?" Aiden asked.

"Do I have to get along with Zacky now?" Raynee asked.

"No! No. Everything's still the same," I said.

"Just very different," Aiden said. I looked up to see them both smiling, and I felt a little relief.

"So, are you two okay with this?" I asked.

"More chances to piss off Zacky? Sounds good to me," Raynee said.

"If it's what you want, then I'm okay with it," Aiden said.

"It's what I want," I said quietly, enjoying the fluttery feeling in my stomach.

"You girls wouldn't talk about me, would you?" I twisted in my seat to see Matt standing right behind me with his hands on the back of my chair.

"Nope," Raynee said.

"Never," Aiden added.

"I thought you were asleep?" I asked.

"I was, but then I realized you were gone and I wanted to see where you went," Matt said. He bent down to give me a quick kiss, and I could hear two distinct giggles.

"I guess we'll be on our way," Aiden said. I looked up to see them both standing, and Aiden started dragging Raynee back towards the house.

"Have fun, you two!" Raynee yelled before they disappeared.

"So, did they approve of me?" Matt asked, his lips right by my ear now. I stood up from the chair and walked over to the railing, and I couldn't help but to inwardly laugh at all the passed out people. Mike was going to have fun kicking everyone out later.

"Erika?" I felt Matt's arms wrap around my middle, and then his front was pressed against my back. I twisted in his arms so that I was facing him, and then I lifted myself onto the railing.

"Yeah, they approve. As long as I'm happy and they don't have to get along with your friends," I said with a small smile.

"It's not really our friends I'm worried about," Matt said. He took both of my hands in his own and draped them around his neck.

"Who else is there to worry about?" Our friends seemed like the biggest problem, since they basically hated each other.

"Your brother." Those two words made me freeze, and I almost forgot to breathe. Yes, Matt and Alex got along pretty good now. They weren't exactly friends, but they had learned to tolerate each other. Over the past few months, Alex had gotten very protective of me, along with Raynee and Aiden.

"I'll tell Alex." He couldn't get too mad at me, I think.

"What? No way. I'll tell him," Matt said and smiled down at me. His eyes were extremely light today, and there was a golden brown mixed in with the light green.

"Tell me what?" I turned my head to the side and saw Alex standing a few feet away. His shirt was wrinkled and his hair was messed up, but he looked wide awake. I pushed Matt back slightly and slid back to the wooden deck. I stepped past Matt and towards Alex.

"Matt and I are together now," I said quietly, waiting for his reaction. His eyes darkened, his jaw muscles clenched, and his hands curled into fists.

"Since when?" It amazed me at how he could keep his voice so calm. It was something we had in common.

"Last night. Are you okay with that?" I asked. I was standing right in front of him now, and he looked past me to Matt.

"Not really, but if he's really what you want..." He was still staring at Matt.

"Yeah, he is." Alex looked down at me, and I saw that he had calmed down a little.

"You sure?"

"Yes, Alex, I'm sure," I said and smiled up at him.

"Alright. Come here," he said and opened his arms. I stepped into his embrace and wrapped my arms around him.

"Thank you," I whispered. Alex nodded his head, and then he was staring at Matt again.

"Hurt her and I'll kill you," Alex said. The tone of his voice almost made me shiver, but I held it in. I didn't hear Matt say anything, so he had probably just done one of those guy head-nod things.

"See you later," I said and kissed Alex's cheek. He mumbled something and then disappeared back into the house. I stepped back to Matt's side and smiled up at him.

"See? Problem solved."

"Yep, problem solved," Matt said and smiled down at me. The sight of his dimples still amazed me, and then his lips were on mine. I felt my heart give an extra hard beat, and then I let myself melt against him. Nothing could be better than this.