A Little Bit Older

I had a house. I had a house and I was officially able to move in. I was beyond excited and couldn’t wait to finish unpacking all my boxes. My large furniture had been left behind in France so I’d done a bit of online shopping for the bigger things like a bed and living room piece. So now I could officially say I had a house and it was all mine. It was just up the street from Meghan and Zack’s house so I could easily walk over to see them on week-ends and only a few blocks away from Matt’s house so if the weather was nice and I had some time I could technically walk to see him too.

It was everything I’d wanted. I had a small backyard, a guest room, an office, and a master bedroom and closet. I even had a small 3-piece ensuite that was perfect for me. I had laundry in my house – which was a huge improvement from my previous apartment – and a large kitchen that was separated from the living room. I loved how closed all the rooms were. Open concepts were nice, but I wasn’t a huge fan of them because they felt so lonely when it was just one person.

“Last one, where should I put it?” Matt asked and I walked over to look at the label on the box before pointing to the kitchen. My handwriting on all the boxes turned out to be barely legible and I realized I had scribbled the room names in French.

The box situation though turned out not that hard because I had only sent over about a dozen different boxes and most ended up being clothes, kitchen goods, linens, or books. The hard part would be the assembling of everything that I’d ordered online like my bed. The mattress had been delivered a week early to Meghan’s house and my couch was supposed to be coming in later this week.

“You have been a saint.” I told him following behind to the kitchen.

He had agreed to help Zack and Meghan move me in because it was the “good boyfriend” thing to do and we figured they’d believe our guise best if we just did the typically good person shit together.

“It’s not a problem. I know how happy you are to finally have your own place.” He set the box down in the corner with the rest.

“Oh my God, Matt. It’s absolutely perfect. I can’t wait to get like a tiny Christmas tree for the living room and I get to hang up lights outside my windows. It’s just beyond words.” I exclaimed and he laughed before shaking his head at my excitement.

“I think it’s a bit early to be thinking about Christmas. We haven’t even had Halloween.” I started going through my boxes and paid him little mind.

“It’s close enough to call it over. Besides, I’ve already started Christmas shopping so that mean’s it’s Christmas.” I explained without listening to his reason. Christmas had always been my favorite and if I could celebrate it all year around, I totally would.

“If you say so. Do you need any help?” He asked watching as I cut open all the boxes and started lying things out on the floor.

“Nah, head home. I’ve got this. You and Zack got the bed set up earlier, right?”

“Yupp. All assembly of furniture has been completed. You’re good to go.” I nodded and smiled at him. For a fake boyfriend, he was nothing short of perfect. I wrote it off as him being a good friend though because if I thought on it too much, I couldn’t stop reading into it.

“Thank you,” I chimed from my place on the floor and he nodded before heading out.

It was just me and my boxes now. Meghan had promised to come over later that night and help me finish putting everything away but for now I was just trying to get everything laid out we could see what all needed to be put away. It might not be the most effective method but I liked going about it like this. If I got at least the kitchen organized, she could easily put away my bedroom stuff and my books so I wasn’t worried about time. Meghan also could make beds ten times better than I could so I was hoping she’d do that for me too.

After a few hours, I had organized the kitchen and gotten most of my linens and books put away. All the was left was organizing my closet and making my bed. Unpacking turned out to be easy when everything was neatly organized in their boxes. It probably also helped that I had already decided where everything was supposed to go during the house tour and now it was just a matter of getting everything put away where I thought it belonged.

“Honey, I’m home!” Meghan voice rang through the house and I figured she had just let herself in – I’d given her the extra key because she was closest. I’d thought about giving it to Matt to go along with the appearance of a fake relationship but Meghan was closer in the event of an emergency.

“Hey, I’m in my room!” I holler backed and could hear her footsteps coming up the steps.

“Jesus, did you actually finish unpacking everything?” She asked walking in and plopping down on my mattress.

“Did you think I wouldn’t?” I asked smugly as I tossed a pillow case filled with bed linens at her. “Could you make my bed, please?” I asked completely changing my tone.

“Is that the only thing you keep me around for?”

“I made my bed for so many years on my own. I love how you make them.” She rolled her eyes but complied anyway and went about making my bed for me.

“So are you excited for Halloween?” She asked.

“Not really. I haven’t done anything for it since college.” I confessed.

“What? Really? You never celebrated in Marseille?”

“Nope. I didn’t really see a purpose for it.”

“Okay, I have to tell Matt. You’re coming to the big party, right?”

“Yupp. I’m not sure how big of a party it’ll be given that you’re all old.” I laughed and she tossed me my pillows and the pillow cases – which was the only part of bed making that I was good at.

“Remember, you’re older, bitch.” She murmured and I smiled. I loved my baby sister when she got sassy with me. “How are you and Matt doing by the way, by the way?” She asked and I knew that it had only been a matter of time.

“I think we’re doing well. I dunno. You’ve seen us.” I explained simply before tossing my pillows onto the finally made bed.

“Are you going to admit how right I was about you two?” She laughed and I couldn’t help but to smile a little bit because she had no idea. I think she was right, he was perfect for me. But at the same time, he would never be with me.

“Maybe one day, but dearest sister, today is not that day.” I murmured without making eye contact with her. I was afraid if she saw my eyes she’d see right through the façade.

“Well I expect to hear it before you walk down the aisle at least.” She said rolling her eyes and laying down on my bed.

“Shut up.” She laughed and I laid down next to her and pulled her into a hug. My beautiful sister, in all her good meanings, could cause me a lot of hurt sometimes and she didn’t even know it.