You're My Perfect Lie

Matt’s POV

“I’m gonna take Bella out for a walk, ok? I’ll be back in a while” I say to Val who’s busy studying a script for some independent movie she got a couple of weeks ago.

“Ok, sweetie. Take care & don’t wear the dog out” She says to me, kissing me lightly on the lips. I stand, calling for the dog, which comes into the living room. I put my sneakers on & put the leash around Bella’s collar. I head out & put my aviators on, planning on walking down to the beach & let Bella run around for a bit.

*~*~*

“Bella, come here, girl” I say, standing up from where I was sitting on the beach. Bella comes slowly towards me, her tongue hanging out in exhaustion. I pat her head, grabbing her collar & hooking the leash, before starting my way back. We walk down the boardwalk slowly, allowing Bella to get a breather from running on the beach for over an hour. I swear, ever since she ate those special brownies, she’s been so obsessed with the beach that sometimes, she’s the one that wears me out. As we’re about to arrive to a curb, something, more like someone, catches my eye. I see a gorgeous girl sitting alone at a café, a book in hand, moving swiftly her foot that hangs from her legs being crossed. She looks familiar, but I can’t put my finger where it is that I’ve seen her. She’s dressed in a simple yellow t-shirt & skirt, but something about her is so appealing, that like a fucking magnet, I start towards her, just wanting to get a close-up from her so I can go home at ease & not be left wondering where was that I’ve seen her (I really hate when that happens), when I notice that it’s Sophia… Tal’s girlfriend. Just as I was trying to speed walk out of there, I see Bella sniffing her bag that she has placed by her feet. That, of course, catches her attention & she baby-talks at the dog, before petting her head. A couple of seconds later, she looks up… she looks at me.

“Hey” She says, a smile adorning her face. I smile back at her. “Matt… right?” She asks, closing her book. I stupidly nod, not trusting my voice to answer her.

Ever since meeting her at the club for Tal’s birthday, I’ve found myself more than once thinking about her. But not her as a woman, per se. It’s more than obvious that she has a beauty that’s not from this world. But thinking more at the way she carries herself. So confident, but not in a cocky manner. It’s like she knows she’s beautiful, & she knows she’s more than that, but it’s humble enough not to rub it on your face. The way she clicked immediately with the girls, the way she won over the guys… the way she seemed to have enamored Tal. Just her… in that way that just makes you want to know everything about her. Yes… she’s that captivating to me.

& it made me missed the times when I used to see Val with the same eyes that Tal sees her. With so much adoration. With so much love. It’s not that I don’t love Val, cuz I do, very much, she’s my best friend & we’ve been together since forever. How many people can say that they get to marry their best friend? Not many. But I’m one of the fortunate. It’s just that sometimes, just sometimes, I feel that we are missing that something that made us fall in love with each other. That something that made me think that Val was the most amazing & beautiful girl on this earth. & that’s what I see in Sophia & Tal. Maybe it’s cuz they are just starting their relationship, but you can see that it’s something so real, that no matter what, you can’t help but long for something, just a tiny bit, of what they have & what it’s to come for them. Something that I can’t help but feel that Val & I have lost.

“I’m Sophia. We met at Tal’s birthday” She says, & that’s when I realize I zoned out. “Your dog seems to remember me more than you do” She says, petting Bella’s head, which’s more than happy with the attention this stranger is giving her. “& you don’t even know me, do you? Do you?” She says in the baby talk, making me stifle a laugh.

“I’m sorry, of course I remember you… you’re Tal’s girlfriend” I say, awkwardly standing there, after trying to gain some composure. “What are you doing here?” I ask her the first thing that comes to my mind, mentally slapping myself for such a cliché question.

“Just enjoying the weather, the beach, and as for now, the company” She says, smiling at me. “& waiting for my unpunctual cousin who was supposed to meet me here…” She looks at her watch. “42 minutes ago. Oh, wait… make that 43” She says, sighing.

“Mind if I keep you company til your cousin arrives?” I ask her, slapping myself mentally again, for my forwardness.

“I would love that” She says, sitting straight on her chair. I sit on the chair in front of her, Bella plopping down next to her.

“What are you reading?” I ask, noticing the abandoned book on the table. She lifts it up for me to see. “Anna Karenina” I read out loud. She nods her head.

“Ever read it?” She asks, placing her hair to one side of her neck, letting me see the almost moist skin there from the heat. Her bronze skin shining lightly.

“No. Do I strike you like the type of guy that would read that type of shit?” I say. I see her chuckle. “No offense” I quickly say, not wanting for her to think I’m judging her.

“I’m not the type of girl that would read this type of shit either. It’s supposed to be one of the best novels of all time, but it’s boring. I guess I just wanted to see it for myself” She says, removing her fedora from her head, shaking lightly her brown hair. She places her sunglasses on top of her head, letting me see her mahogany eyes. “So how’s Val?” She asks. I turn to look ahead of me.

“She’s great” I say casually.

“Never got the call for the shopping spree we were meant to do” She says, uncrossing her legs, just to cross it again, making her skirt lift up with each movement she does. Not that I’m noticing that type of shit. Of course I’m not. I’m married… I don’t notice that types of things anymore.

“She’s been busy. She just got a role & she’s been studying the script” I say, a bit bitter since she’s been kinda neglecting my… needs.

“Oh, yeah. She mentioned to me she was an actress” She mutters. An aspiring-actress, I mentally tell her.

“Yeah” I say.

“That’s so cool. She’s an actress, you’re a rock star. It’s like a match made in heaven” She says.

“More like the cliché couple. The only thing that’s missing is for us to die of some overdose or some shit like that” I say.

“Well… let’s pray that doesn’t happen” She says, tilting her head, giving me a playful look.

“Can I get you something else?” A teenage waitress ask her, before briefly looking at me.

“No, I’m ok. Do you want something, Matt?” She asks me & I politely decline. This made the girl look at me, before her eyes going wide.

“Oh, shit. You’re M. Shadows. I’m your biggest fan” She say, almost squealing. “Can I have your autograph?” She asks & I nod, signing the back of her pad. “Do you think you can take a picture of us?” She asks Sophia.

“That’s really not necessary” I mutter. I don’t diss my fans, I’m who I am because of them. But I don’t want them to bother Sophia.

“Oh, it’s no problem” She says with a polite smile, taking the phone from the girl. “Say cheese” she says, looking at the screen, after briefly looking at me.

“Thank you so much” The girl says, before walking away, fanning herself.

“Sorry for that” I mutter to Sophia, feeling a bit embarrassed about what just happened.

“It’s ok. I guess that’s what I get for hanging with a rock star. I’m used to it” She say, placing a strand of her hair behind her ear.

“You’re used to it?” I ask her confused. I see her tense up a bit, before quickly coming with an answer.

“It was something I always wanted to say” She says, smiling at me, taking a sip from the cold glass filled with ice chips & water. “Happens a lot?” She asks me, hinting about the waitress.

“No often. It’s mostly teens” I say. She nods. “I feel flatter, but sometimes it’s quite embarrassing” I say, chuckling.

“I imagine. But it must be pretty cool for people to recognize you. I mean, they don’t just recognize the artist… they recognize their hard work & the impact you have on their life. I think it’s pretty impressive” She says.

“I’ve never consider it that way” I tell her. & it’s the truth. I’ve never really thought about the impact we leave on so many people. It’s almost like we’re family. “But enough about me & my pretty fucking fabulous rock star life. I want to know about you. What do you do for a living, Sophia?” I ask her, trying to get the inside scoop from her & avert the topic from me. Cuz she’s the one I’m interested in.

“I’m junior architect in a design company in Venice” She says, making my eyes pop out of my sockets.

“J-junior architect? Venice?” I ask her in disbelief.

“Yes. Venice, California, of course. Not Italy. I wished I could design there, that would be so awesome. The architecture all throughout Europe is so amazing” She says, rambling for a bit, before she notices my shock face, rolling her eyes. “You look surprised. May I ask why?” She says, filling my ears with her soft laugh.

“Well… no offense, but… what the hell are you doing here?” I ask her. I mean, she’s practically an hour away from her home.

“I’m on vacation” She says like it’s the most obvious thing. “I know what you’re thinking. Why a girl that lives on the beach does comes to another beach that’s just an hour away beach from her home for vacation? Well, it’s simple… I can’t get enough of SoCal” She says, smiling. “It’s so beautiful here. & I love warm weathers” She says, sighing.

“Actually… I was thinking more in the lines on how the fuck did you ended with someone like Tal. I mean… he… we… are not exactly your type of crowd” I say, resting my elbows on the table.

“What do you think my type of crowd is, Matthew?” She says, mimicking my actions, making our hands almost touch. The way she says my full name, how it rolls off of her tongue is so… sexy yet innocent.

“Well, you’re an architect so I’m guessing you hang around a lot of smart & full of shit people, in expensive suits, eating fancy meals in fancy restaurants, where they can talk about their fancy projects” I say, smirking at her, showing her my dimples. She smirks back at me, rolling her eyes. “You not saying anything just prove me right” I say, leaning back on my chair. She purses her lips, before chuckling. “But what I’m dying to know is why Tal? You guys are so-“

“Different?” She interrupts me & I just nod. “It’s exactly that. He’s so different from everyone I’ve ever dated… he’s like fresh air. He comes up with the silliest things. He’s done so many crazy things that I have never ever thought someone could do” She says, & I see her eyes getting that silly glint… the same glint that Tal’s eyes get when he’s talking about her. “He’s made me do things I would never dream of doing. His lifestyle is so different, that it just… completes mine. I’m the safe, constant & stable thing he needs in his life & he’s the wild, spontaneous & carefree thing that I need in mine” She says, gazing at me, with a small smile on her red lips. “& there goes the cheesy moment of the day” She says, laughing, her cheeks getting redder by the moment.

“Do you love him?” I ask, not really thinking about the question.

“No” She says, her answer taking me by surprise. For someone who just pour her heart out to me, well… that wasn’t the kind of answer I was expecting. “I believe that it takes time to fall for someone… I believe that you have to enjoy every moment that makes you fall in love with that someone… I believe that, although I’m not in love with Tal right now, I’m getting there” She says, her smile never leaving her face. We stay there in a comfortable silence, me just staring at her & her just sucking her bottom lip, thinking.

“Well…” I say, standing up. “If it means something… he’s getting there too” She looks up at me. “I like you. You’re easy to talk & Bella likes you too” I say, motioning towards the sleeping dog on her feet. She laughs. “The guys & I are having a get together tomorrow night. You should come. I’m sure the girls will be more than thrilled to see you. We couldn’t shut them up about you that we were getting kinda jealous” I say, receiving a heartfelt laugh. “You can even bring your cousin” I say. “Who I think forgot completely about meeting you here” I say, checking my watch & noticing that we spent almost an hour talking.

“Yeah” She says, grabbing her stuff. “It’s getting kinda late, so I better go too. Tell Val to text me your address & I’ll see you tomorrow” She says, hugging me, taking me by surprise. I awkwardly hug her, not expecting this proximity from her. “I’ll see you tomorrow too, Bella” She says to the hyper dog, patting her head. “Bye” She says, starting to walk the opposite way from where I’m headed. I stay there, just seeing her figure go. She slightly turns to catch me staring at her, waving at me, before placing her fedora on top of her head. I smile to myself cuz it’s been a while since I’ve been able to talk to someone so freely like I just did with her. & I can’t wait for it to happen again.