Unmasked

“You’re on delivery duty again.”

Matt hit his head on the table he was fixing the leg of when he sat up too quickly, wincing and rubbing the spot he hit as he turned to look up at Lawrence. He didn’t seem to be kidding. That man never joked. Matt wasn’t even sure he smiled.

“Delivery? Again?” he frowned. “You made me deliver yesterday. And my shift ends in five minutes, where the hell am I supposed to go?”

“We sent the kid, and he got sent back,” Lawrence shrugged. “Apparently, the girl who opened the door asked for ‘the blonde one’. I imagine she meant you.”

Matt’s first thought was that it was Melanie again. Then he saw the address, and he felt as though he was paralyzed. It was the same address of the pretty girl from the night before. He looked back at Lawrence in disbelief.

“She asked for me?”

“A girl with braids, I believe,” Lawrence answered. “That’s what Johnny said, at least.”

Matt thought back, remembering the friend who was bouncing around behind her. He couldn’t have been more confused, but sighed and reluctantly took the keys to the car. There was no arguing with Lawrence, no matter how terrified Matt may have been of returning to that place.

When he arrived and knocked on the door, he could hear rustling and muffled arguing on the other side. It took a few moments before the door finally opened and someone poked their head through. Matt remembered her as the friend, but there was something else that was vaguely familiar about her. He shook the thought from his mind, offering the box to her.

“You ordered a-”

“Wait right there,” she said, interrupting him and slamming the door in his face.

He shifted awkwardly before the door opened again and the girl with the bob haircut was somewhat shoved forward. She was a lot more dressed up than the last time Matt had seen her, and he found himself speechless. She didn’t seem like she was comfortable in what she was wearing, adjusting the skirt so it was a little longer and refusing to look Matt in the eye.

“What do I need to sign?” she sighed.

“Right here,” Matt said, placing the receipt on top of the box and handing her a pen.

She scrawled out a signature and took the box, handing it to her friend. She then cleared her throat awkwardly, hanging on to the pen and clicking it a few times. She glanced once more at her friend before she turned back to Matt and gave him sort of an embarrassed smile.

“Do you work tomorrow?” she asked him.

“Just in the morning,” he said, shifting uncomfortably.

The girl nodded, then took his arm and wrote down a phone number on his wrist.

“I won’t have much to do tomorrow,” she said. “Maybe shoot me a text when you’re off the clock and we can find something to do.”

She tapped him on the nose with the pen before handing it back and disappearing back inside her apartment. Matt just stood there, staring at the phone number. And then he booked it home as fast as he possibly could. Cyrus was sitting at his computer, working on something when Matt burst through the door and scared him shitless.

“Where do I take a rich girl on a date?” he blurted.

Cyrus just stared at him, blinking a few times in confusion. Matt felt bad for Cyrus, sometimes. While they were very close friends, they hadn't actually known each other for very long. The guy had been dragged down deep into the world of "heroes and villains", and he didn't even play a role in it other than Melanie harassing him every time Matt was ignoring her. He could have lived blissfully in peace, not knowing anything about anyone, but Matt had dragged the poor guy into his whirlwind of a life.

“What?”

“Sorry, let me just get some whiskey or something and then I’ll explain.”

Cyrus rolled his eyes and turned back to whatever he was working on, disinterested. He worked from home as a digital artist, and was often commissioned to create art or logos for websites and businesses. He didn't like to be bothered while working, but Matt was too frazzled to let him be at peace. He took a long swig of his drink before plopping down on the chair near Cyrus’s desk. He took a moment to watch his best friend as he worked. Cyrus was the good looking one, mostly because he knew how to style himself. He didn't have money, but he was good at pretending like he did. Not to mention, he was charming as hell. It was almost a waste that he rarely left the house or socialized.

“Rich girl?” he questioned. “Come on, Matt.”

“I'm serious,” he argued, showing him the number on his arm. “See? I gave her a pizza and she gave me her number. She wants to hang out tomorrow.”

“She didn't tip?”

“Cyrus.”

“Ah, she wants the tip.”

“Cyrus, I'm not kidding around here!” Matt grumbled.

“Sorry,” he laughed. “Just ask her out. Take her to some chain coffee joint. Then she doesn't have to know you're dirt poor. Though I think she can probably assume that much.”

“Coffee?” Matt repeated. “I hate coffee.”

“Do you want to go on a date or not?” Cyrus sighed.

“Yeah, but-”

“But nothing. Suck it up.”

“You're right.”

Matt flopped back against the seat, knocking back what was left in his glass. It had been a long time for him. Melanie was picky with dates, and for the most part, they'd stay home and altogether ignore each other after arguing about where to go and what to do.

“I haven't been on a date since I was still with Mel,” he remembered.

“I thought you were done with dating for now,” Cyrus said.

“I was,” Matt grumbled. “I don't have time for it. I don't know. This is different.”

“I get it,” he chuckled. “What's her name?”

“Uh, Audrey, I think,” Matt said. “The receipt said Audrey North.”

“You think?” Cyrus asked, raising a brow. “You mean you didn't ask.”

“Uh, no.”

“So does she know your name?”

“Uh. No.”

“Did you say anything to her?”

“Uh.”

Cyrus shook his head again, laughing. Matt rolled his eyes and stood up, taking off his hat and running a hand through his hair. He paused, glancing at the hat, then down at his clothes.

"Hey, one more thing," he said quietly.

"Yeah?" Cyrus answered, getting annoyed now.

"I need to borrow your clothes so I don't look like a wreck."

"I'll pray for you, Mattie."