Steel city calls

I smiled to myself, as I watched Matt hold my hand. My insides felt all fluffy and strangely warm, as I walked after him with a big grin on my face. I could tell that Matt was grinning too. It seemed as if I could feel happiness radiating of him…
‘So… Wha’ happened tha’ made yeh come ba’?’ Matt suddenly asked, breaking my train of thoughts. We stopped in front of, what I assumed, his car. I sighed and Matt opened the trunk of his car.
‘Mah roommate an’ boyfrien’ of six months, John, screwed some chick. I ended i’ an’ left.’ I answered carelessly, as we put away my luggage.
‘Sorry teh hear it, love.’ Matt gave me a sympathetic look and I waved my hand. I was more than glad to be away from John. What kind of relationship it is when you spend your time away from your boyfriend, or purposely try to be away from him? That’s not a relationship. Period.
‘We didn’ feel anythin’ fer each other, so it’s okay. I woul’ ‘ave left New York anyway. I missed Sheffield.’ I smiled to myself, as I opened the door and sat down in the passenger seat. I was glad that I didn’t mix up the sides.
‘Look a’ teh brigh’ side, Pay. Yeh ‘re free to fin’ someone else.’ Matt grinned at me and I chuckled. Was he implying something, or did I want to think so? I really hoped that he was implying something…
‘On a happie’ side, I’m glad yer back, Pay. We missed yeh. I missed yeh.’ I smiled at Matt and felt my stomach do a flip. I definitely felt something for him and I made an assumption that it wasn’t going to go away. Ever.
‘I’m glad teh be back, Mattie.’ Matt grinned at me and started the car. I watched him for a little while, before I turned my head and looked out the window. It didn’t seem that a lot had changed, or maybe I was trying to prove to myself that nothing changed?
Somewhere along the way we remembered our senior year in high school and started reminiscing. It felt good, until we reached Matt’s flat and we had to leave the safe heavens of his car. I managed to smile to myself, as I got out of the car. I immediately went to help Matt with my luggage. He opened the trunk and suddenly turned to look at me.
‘Wha’? Somethin’ wron’?’ I asked, tilting my head to the side. Matt grinned, before he enveloped me in a hug.
‘I missed yeh.’ He muttered, clutching me to his chest. I smiled to myself, as I snaked my hand around his waist.
‘I missed yeh too, Mattie. I’m so sorreh fer not callin’ yeh fer so long.’ I muttered, as Matt clutched me tighter. It felt so good to be in his arms.
‘I’m jus’ glad yer here, Pay.’ Before letting me go, he kissed my cheek and I felt myself get a tad bit hot. I grinned up at him. We grabbed my luggage and made our way to Matt’s apartment.
‘I’m warnin’ yeh. The guys are pretty excited teh see yeh, so watch out.’ I gave a slight chuckle, as Matt opened his apartment door and we walked in.
I heard chatter coming from somewhere in the apartment and a smile crossed a face. After taking off my shoes, I put my backpack beside my luggage and grabbed Matt’s outstretched hand and we went into, what I assumed - his living room. The chatter died down and everyone in the room looked at me. I grinned at all the familiar faces.
‘Wha’? Surprised teh see meh?’ I asked laughing, as Oli charged at me. He crashed into me and we stumbled a bit.
‘Yeh changed, Payt! I’d do yeh now, if I could.’ Oli grinned at me, as he held me tightly. I laughed and closed my eyes.
‘Don’ talk nonsence, Oli. Yeh have whom yeh can do.’ Oli laughed and kissed my forehead, as he let me go. I grinned up at him.
‘Yet, yeh do look hot.’ I slapped his arm and gave him a playful glare.
‘We missed yeh, yeh twat.’ He ruffled my hair and I scowled. Though, it did feel good to finally see him.
‘I missed yeh, too.’ I muttered, as he went to take his previous seat and I was met with Vegan’s grinning face.
‘Vegan! How ‘re yeh?’ I grinned up at him, as he enveloped me in a hug.
‘No’ as good as yeh, yeh bimbo.’
I feigned being hurt, as I put a hand on my chest.
‘I ‘re not a bimbo. Yeh very well kno’ tha’.’ Vegan grinned at me, as he gave me another hug.
‘Yeh know tha’ I kid, Pay.’ I smiled, as he let me go and I was immediately enveloped in a hug by Tom, Oliver’s brother.
‘Woah, Tommy. Didn’ kno’ yeh missed meh so much.’
‘Shadup, yeh dill.’ I laughed, as Tommy clutched me tightly. Besides Matt, Tommy was the second one I had the closest relationship with. I was sure, that sometime along the way, as we were growing up, he had feelings for me, but he knew about Matt, so after he confessed to me, we remained friends. I was certain that his confession had brought us closer and that I could call him my best friend too. I knew that if I had a problem about my feelings towards Matt, he was always willing to listen and help.
‘Yeh kno’, it’s no’ nice to call meh tha’.’ I muttered smiling, as Tom let me go and ruffled my hair. I scowled again.
‘I kno’, yeh bloke. I’m jus’ gla’ teh hav’ yeh ba’.’ He grinned and sat down on the couch.
‘How ‘re yeh, Payton?’ I smiled at Lee, as he gave me a hug. His hugs were always comforting and that’s what I liked the most about him. He always knew how to make me feel better after I had a bad day. My chest closed up a bit, as I thought about what I had lost these past two years that I didn’t meet up with them. I was an idiot.
‘I’m fine and dandy.’ I muttered, as Lee let me go and chuckled.
‘Yeh need teh tell me about yer adventures.’ He grinned and I nodded my head, before Jona appeared in front of me and stuck his hand in front of me.
‘Teh supah-freakishly-awesome handshake?’ I asked laughing, as Jona nodded his head like a little kid.
‘I don’ remembeh it.’ I chuckled, as we did strange hand movements trying to remember our strange handshake we had come up after we met. We both messed up a few times, but still managed to do our awesome handshake. Or at least, what looked like our handshake.
‘I missed yeh too, yeh strange little girl.’ Jonna hugged me and I grinned to myself. I definitely missed out on a lot of things. Jona let me go and sat down.
‘Tell us wha’ ‘ave yeh been up teh.’ Oliver grinned, as I plopped down on Mattie and threw my hands around his shoulders, while his hands snaked around my waist. Yes, this definitely felt right.
‘Well… I ‘ave been doin’ some modellin’ fo’ a few stores in NY. I ‘ave also been workin’ as a photographer. Apart tha’, I ‘aven’ done anythin’ else.’ I shrugged my shoulders, looking at each and every guy’s faces. They were watching me with smiles on their faces.
‘I ain’ killin’ yeh, Nicholls?’ I looked at Matt, as everyone started laughing.
‘Yah, yer so obese I’m dieing undah yer weigh’.’ I pouted, as the guys kept on chuckling. They always found me and Matt entertaining…
My stomach chose the perfect time to start growling and I felt heat creeping up my neck.
‘Yeh ‘ave been eatin’, righ’?’ Oliver asked seriously, as I nodded my head. After I turned anorexic when I was 15, the guys were always looking out for me. I can still remember their expressions clearly when they found out that I was sick. They were shocked, but most of all worried, but with their help I had managed to gain weight and after that I always tried to stay in good shape. I didn’t want to experience what I experienced when I was anorexic.
‘Yah, I ‘ave been eatin’. Just teh excitement go’ to meh.’ I smiled sheepishly, as Oliver rolled his eyes. Tommy stood up and went to walk out.
‘Where ‘re yeh goin’?’ I asked, looking at him.
‘Teh ge’ yeh food.’ He grinned at me.
‘Wha’? I can make food mehself.’ I protested, turning to stand up, yet I was held down by Matt.
‘I’ll ge’ yeh some Chinese. Yeh love tha’ stuff.’ My eyes went wide, as I grinned at Tom.
‘Yeh remember?’
Everyone scoffed and I raised my brows.
‘We coul’ nevah forge’, yeh twat.’ Oliver also stood up and went after Tom.
‘Yeh stay here wif Matt an’ we’ll be back soon enough.’ With that, everyone walked out and I was left with Matt.
Did they do that on purpose? Because I was sure that I saw a mischevious grin on Oli’s face…
‘Yeh okay, Pay?’ I looked at Matt and tried to seem okay with the space between our faces. Still, I felt my heart accelerate a bit and my hands get clammy. If only he knew how he made me feel…
‘Fine.’ I smiled at him and put my head at the crook of his neck. Matt hugged me bit tighter and I smiled at that.
To this, I could definitely get used to, yet I wondered for how long I could keep my emotions in check. At that point it seemed silly to think such things. I was an adult. It didn’t matter what could happen, or what would happen. Deciding that I should just forget worrying about my feelings for Matt and let it go with the flow, I sat up and looked at him. Matt looked at me with a raised eyebrow and I grinned like a little kid in the candy store.
‘Lets play some x-box.’