Like a Fool

I awoke with Matt’s arms encircling my waist. A common position that took on so much more meaning this particular morning. A contented sigh escaped my lips and a grin spread over my face as I looked over to the closet doors that doubled as a mirror. He was sleeping peacefully, a slight smile on his face, with his head tucked over mine.

I hopped beyond hope that he wasn’t just playing into some crazy impulse, that he actually liked me. It couldn’t be pity, other wise he wouldn’t have been acting so… so much like me. But was it just another one of those stupid phases he goes through? Like the six months he only dated Goths?

A voice that had made its home in my head popped up. Carleigh seemed to be communicating with me, Shut up Cain! Stop thinking and start feeling. For once just let you’re crazy notions go and let Matt love you. I had to stop myself from nodding. She was right. I needed to stop over analyzing. If I kept this up then I’d wined up alone and miserable.

I closed my eyes once again and allowed blissful sleep to wash over me.

“Cain, Cain wake up! It’s almost eleven! We missed school!”

“Oh, no. Damn. Whatever shall we do?” I was sarcastic even when half asleep, awesome. “Ow!” I whined as he flicked my ear “What was that for?”

“For being cynical this early. Now get up! We’re going out.”

“Okay, get out so I can change.” I sat up looking at him through bleary eyes.

“Great! I’ll give you ten minutes.” He bounded out of the room and shut the door. I rolled my eyes at his energy and fell back onto the bed with no intention of getting up.

Fifteen minutes later there was a knock on the door “Cain? Are you dressed yet?” He didn’t hear my mumbled reply “Alright, I’ve warned you. I’m coming in now!”

“No.” I muttered half-heartedly.

The door opened and Matt let out an exasperated sigh “Really Cain? Really? Get your lazy ass up! How do you get up in the mornings? I mean really!” I waved my hand at him, silently telling him to go away. “Nope, not going to work this time.” He yanked the blankets off me and stood there with his arms crossed. I groaned, curled into a ball, and tried to get the covers that were now pooled at the end of the bed. “Nice try, but no.”

I flung myself out completely on the bed, my arms and legs outstretched. I opened my eyes and briefly lifted my head “You suck, you know that?”

“Yeah, well you love it. And babe, you might want to fix your clothes. Everything’s riding up a bit…”

“Fine! I’m up! Just let me get dressed!” I didn’t bother fixing my clothes, nothing serious was showing and he can get over it.

“Alright! Ten minutes. I’m serious this time! If you’re not up then you don’t want to know what I’ll do!” He said as he shut the door.

“Ha!” I muttered as I grabbed the blankets yet again and closed my eyes, prepared to get at least a few more minutes of sleep.

Twelve minutes went by this time “Cain! Seriously?!” I pulled the blankets over my head and trying to escape him. “No, not going to happen. I’m amazed that you get to school on time most days, this is horrible.” the blankets were ripped off again.

“Give me a break Mattie! I haven’t gotten a decent nights sleep in forever! You try to sleep in that roach infested sorry excuse of a motel.”

“Oh no no no, that’s not going to work on me. Don’t try and guilt me into letting you sleep longer!” I stared up at him silently willing him to let me sink back into his soft mattress and allow blissful sleep to consume me once again. He groaned “Why? Why must you use the face? It makes me feel horrible.”

“What ever do you mean?” I asked, innocence ringing through.

“You make me feel like I’m the bad guy! Like I’m doing something that’s making you upset.”

I flopped back and nestled my face into the pillow “You are the bad guy! I don’t wanna wake up…” I muttered childishly.

“And then you do that and I remember you’re a huge faker.” His hands grasped my ankles and the bed disappeared swiftly beneath me.

I landed with a thud on the ground at Matt’s feet, who was still holding on to my ankles. “Ow!” I started to beat on his leg “What was that for?!”

“Don’t try and Jedi mind-trick me! It’s eleven thirty in the afternoon, more than time to get up!”

I looked up at him “I hate you right now. Normally this level of hate is reserved for my alarm clock, but sir, you’ve reached it. Congrats.”

“Drama Queen.”

“I’m glad you finally got my title right. Now can you help me up? I have no idea what you’ve done on this floor, and frankly I don’t want to know.”

“Oh please, I’ve never taken any of them home. Can you imagine my parents reactions? I mean come on, that’s suicide.” He held out a hand and hoisted me up. I was honestly surprised, I thought he took girls home all the time. I guess he just goes to their house…

I shook my head, I will not think about that stuff! He’s with me now, and that’s all that matters.

“So what’s so important that I wake up at the crack of dawn?”

“It’s not the crack of dawn you idiot.” I smacked him on the chest “But you’ll just have to wait and see now won’t you?”

“Aw come on! Tell me!” I stomped on the ground childishly.

“ Not going to work, but don’t get to excited. It’s a small surprise.”

***
After much more arguing, Matt winning, and me childishly taking my time to get dressed we arrived at a small restaurant hidden away between the beach and major stores.
“You see we were going for breakfast but…” He trailed off, hinting that I didn’t get my lazy ass up in time.

“Eh, worth it. Lunch is good too.”

He rolled his eyes and escorted me inside to a table nearest the ocean “Okay, I’m counting this as our first date. What do you think so far?”

“Well you were brutal this morning-”

“Afternoon.” He interrupted.

“Fine, afternoon, then you wouldn’t tell me where we were going, and now you’re questioning me. It could use some work in my opinion.”

“Damn, that doesn’t sound so good… I’ll have to step it up a notch huh?”

I nodded and narrowed my eyes shrewdly “I’d say so.”