Have Faith in Me

I sat on the bed Matt and I shared, watching Matt toss clothes out of his closet.

“You have a tiny duffle bag and you’re pulling everything you have out of your closet,” I said, raising an eyebrow. He tossed me a playful glare.

“I’m simply pulling everything out to decide what I want to take,” he retorted.

“And you couldn’t decide what you wanted while your stuff was hanging in your closet?”

“You know what, Rachel?”

“What, Matt?” He looked at me, smirking slightly. “I’ll fight you, bro!” Matt laughed, shaking his head. “You mad, bro? You mad?” I continued as I tried not to laugh myself. Matt came over and leaned over me, forcing me to lay back on the bed. He pressed his lips against mine in a long, sweet kiss.

“I don’t think I’ll fight you. Don’t wanna hurt your pretty face, now do I?” he chuckled. I rolled my eyes as he lifted himself off of me and resumed his wreckage of his closet. I sat back up. “Are you sure you don’t want to fly out half way through the tour for a few days?” I shook my head.

“It’s already gonna be hard enough saying good bye to you and the guys. I don’t want to have to do it a second time. Besides, who’s gonna watch Bella if I do, huh?” I added when the white dog came into the room. I picked her up and started to pet her.

“My parents as usual. She’s used to being left with them. Isn’t that right, Bella? Isn’t that right?” Matt talked in a baby voice to Bella, shaking her head and scratching behind her ears just the way she liked it.

“Well your parents aren’t me. I’ll be staying here with Bella while you’re all over Europe with fan girls throwing themselves at you and screaming that they want to rape you and marry you.” He raised an eyebrow as a smirk found its way back to his face.

“What?” I was wary, unsure of what he was thinking.

“Were you one of those fan girls?” I rolled my eyes.

“I was not. I actually found it kinda creepy that girls would be like, ‘I wanna fuck you, M. Shadows!’ or even sometimes, ‘You can ravage my body.’” Matt laughed. “And on my God, the fan fictions!” I hid my face in mock horror. I pulled my hands away from my face, grinning when I heard Matt laughing more. “Just kidding about the fan fictions. Although the incest and slash ones were a big turn off to me.” He shook his head as his laughter started to calm down.

“You are a dork, you know that?” he said. I gave him a cheesy grin.

“Only for you.” Matt shook his head as he started to separate his clothing. I watched him separate his clothes into what he was taking and what he was leaving. He glanced over at me after a moment, smiling. “What?” I asked, cocking my head slightly to the side.

“Nothing.”

“Liar.”

“Am not.”

“Are too. Why were you smiling?” Matt rolled his eyes, the smile still on his face.

“I was just thinking about how cute you are.” A light blush instantly covered my face, causing him to chuckle.

“You’re not gonna fit anything into that suitcase like that,” I commented when Matt started tossing things into his duffle bag. I climbed off the bed and sat down on the ground beside him. I took a shirt and started to fold it.

“I’ve been packing my own bags for ten years now and you come along and make me feel like I don’t know how.” I flashed him a smile.

“I’m just showing you how to do it neatly.” He handed me another after I put the first one away. I glanced at him, biting my lip. “Just a month right?” I quietly asked. Matt let out a deep sigh as he ran a hand through his short hair.

“Just a month,” he assured just as quietly. I let out a sigh to mimic Matt’s previous one. His lips met mine in a short, soft kiss. “Time will fly by and I’ll be home before you know it.”

“I don’t think so seeing as this will be the first tour I’m not with you.” He took my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

“As soon as I get back, I’ll talk to Larry to see if we can rearrange something for you to be our tour photographer.”

“But, Matt, you have to realize that I have a job at Revolver. I just can’t leave every tour, especially the longer ones.” Matt let out another sigh. I gave him a sympathetic smile. “I would say I might take you up on your offer to go visit you, but I’m not promising something I know I won’t do.” He shook his head.

“Let’s just stop talking about it and talk about something more cheerful.”

“All right.”

***

“It’s weird knowing that you’ll be here and not touring with us,” Zacky said as he hugged me the morning of their departure.

“Well someone has to watch Bella, Icky, and Pinkly,” I jokingly reasoned. I moved on to hug Brian.

“Our parents have always done it, you know,” Brian reminded. I shrugged.

“I wanna do it this time?”

“Liar! You just don’t want to tour with us because you secretly hate us!” accused Johnny, hugging me as he yelled. I shook my head.

“You’re weird, Johnny boy. I’d love to tour with you guys again but I do have a job.” I turned to Matt when I finished speaking. He gave me a sad smile, which I returned.

“Come on, guys. Let’s head onto the bus,” Zacky told Brian and Johnny.

“This is it,” I murmured, looking up at Matt’s hazel eyes.

“I guess so,” he replied. After a moment, he pulled me into a tight hug. “I’m gonna miss you so much, Rachel.”

“I’m gonna miss you too, Matt.” I hugged him back, trying to fight back the tears threatening to fall. Matt kissed the top of my head.

“I’ll call you everyday even if it’s just to sit in silence because we have nothing to talk about,” he promised. I let out a small, watery laugh.

“I’m gonna miss your dorkiness.” Matt pulled back and placed a passionate kiss on my lips.

“I love you,” he murmured.

“I love you too,” I whispered back before kissing him again.

“See you in a month.” I waved as he walked onto the bus. I watched the bus disappear down the street and around the corner.

“Come on, guys,” I said, looking down at the three dogs around me. “Let’s go inside.”