Here With You

We’d been at the mall when I’d seen the damn thing, and I’d acted like I hadn’t noticed it. I refused to cave in. I’d set that I would not cave in and give them what they had wanted. But I couldn’t not notice.

So two days later I stood at the door of the store debating to either go in and get it over with, or run away and forget about it like the coward I was. I was some vampire wasn’t I? Out of all the things about to happen I chose this to freak out over. I finally took a deep breath and walked into the store.

It was very bright inside and the music was far too poppy for anything that was played in the normal stores where I purchased my clothing. But then again this trip, and more specifically what I was here to buy, was not any thing I would normally purchase. So I guess it was fitting for the day and random act I was doing.

I had made a mental note to get in and get out as soon as humanly possible, which I was determined to succeed at. I had grabbed the thing and darted to the check-out within four minutes of entering the store, making sure it would fit included. Paying however took a while longer.

I made it out of there as fast as I could and hurried my way back through the mall and out to the car so I could hopefully avoid being seen. Thank god that no one was back at the dorm house since everyone was hanging out with the guys today. Sarah was with my aunt for the day since it was a Saturday evening, and my mom was with them. Sneaking in should be easy.

The dark sunglasses made the walk out to the car easy on my eyes and protected them from the setting sunlight, but it tingled against the skin on my arms left exposed by my short sleeved tee shirt. And as comfortable I was and how much I liked the night some sunlight felt nice against my skin. In the car I tossed the bag into the passenger seat and turned the key in the ignition.

The engine came to life immediately and the stereo trailed after in seconds. The sounds of Metallica filled the car as I put my seat belt on and packed out of the parking space. I drove the speed limit and took the slightly longer way back to the school. I loved to see the beach at sunset, nothing could compare to it.

It was nightfall when I got back to the school. I told myself that I would just take the dress upstairs and hide it in the closet then I’d call Matt. I’m sure he would at least want to hang out tonight. I parked the car, took the keys, got out and headed for the dorm house. I unlocked the door and walked inside. I switched on the light in the living room and closed the door. Then I saw him.

“Matt! What are you doing here?!” I asked as I threw my arms behind my back to try and hide the bag.

“I was waiting for you. Lilly let me before they left. I was wondering where you went. So I thought I’d surprise you.”

“Well you surprised me alright.” He was walking towards me now and I was pushing my back and the bag closer to the wall. It had been a bad idea.

“What are you hiding?”

“Nothing.” I pressed myself against the wall as hard as I could. He would never get this bag from me and see what was inside. No one would ever see. I’d changed my mind.

“You are lying.” He was in front of me now and he placed his hands on the wall on opposite sides of my head. He was a few inches taller than me so I was looking up at him.

“So what if I am?”

“What’s in the bag Saph?”

“What bag?”

“The bag behind your back.”

“That is none of your business Matt.”

“Come on Saph, show me.”

“Nope. Never.”

“Please?”

“Don’t pout.” I looked down to avoid the irresistible pouting face he was making. I wouldn’t be able to say no if I looked at him.

“Come on Saph. Don’t you trust me?”

“Of course I trust you. It’s an embarrassing female thing.” The idea popped into my head so I ran with it.

“You are lying again. It is something you don’t want me to see. It might be embarrassing to you but it wouldn’t embarrass someone else.”

“You know this how?”
He smiled and chuckled showing his dimples and making my heart melt right there. “Your eyes give you away.”

“Damn you.” The smile was cracking at the corner of my lips.

“Fine you don’t have to show me.” He said with a depressed sigh which made me feel bad as he smile faded away.

“Matt don’t do that.” I hated it when he did that. I couldn’t take it.

“Okay.” he didn’t waste anymore time and he pressed his lips against mine. In that moment the bag that I was hiding from him didn’t seem to matter and the embarrassment at the thought of him seeing it was almost nonexistent. He was the only thing I could think about. One of my hands let go of the sack and moved to the back of his head.

I moved slightly away from the wall while still holding the sack so that I was closer to him. This was different. His arms moved from the wall to my back and one rested on the small of my back. The dress didn’t matter at all anymore, my head was spinning from kissing Matt like this. Until finally I let it go and it fell to the floor with a soft “thud” and my now free hand moved to the back of Matt’s neck.

Being this close I could sense two things really well. A) how small I seemed compared to Matt’s muscular form. And B) how good of a kisser he was. The next thing I noticed was how good he smelt. He had taken a shower before he had came to wait for me because his hair was still wet. I could also smell his favorite cologne on him.

“I love you.” He whispered as he pulled away from the lip lock before taking a deep breath in. Apparently neither of us had been breathing much.

“I love you too.” I whispered back with a smile before I let myself completely relax in his arms. We stood there for a few seconds like this before we both remembered that there was a bag that contained the secret article of embarrassment lying on the floor behind us. We remembered at the same second I thought, but Matt must have remembered half a second before me, because he had grabbed it and was on the couch before I reacted.

There he sat looking better than anyone ever should holding the bag that would probably kill me of embarrassment when he opened it. He was smirking and I began to wonder. If that kiss was a distraction I was so going to soak him with water. “You. Was that kiss to distract me?” I asked with almost a growl to my voice.

Matt laughed and sat back on the couch, obviously enjoying our little game. “No. Saph I didn’t plan that, it just happened. As a matter of fact I forgot all about this,” He lifted the bag slightly. “Until the second I grabbed it.”

I realized it was over, but I wasn’t going down without a fight. I jumped towards the couch in an attempt to snatch the sack back, but I missed my an inch and that gave Matt enough to quickly move to the other side of the couch. I glared at him but he smiled again and my heart did that melting thing, again.

“Now let’s see what is in here.” He chuckled and began to open the bag. I lunged again and this time when I missed I fell right onto his lap. I looked up at him and he smiled back down. I could hear the comment already. “Nice landing Saph. But you missed.”

“Shut up Matt.”

“Done.” He quickly opened the bag and pulled the dress out. I sat up and hit my red face as he shook it out and realized what it was. I looked at his face to see him seem shocked. “Of all the things to be embarrassed about Saph, this is what you didn’t want me to see?” He asked raising his eyebrows.

“Yes. I changed my mind about it when I walked through that door.”

“What is it for?”

“It was for the dance.”

“Was?”

“I changed my mind.” I stood up and went into the kitchen to get some water.

“Why?” He followed leaving the dress lying on the couch.

“Because Matt I don’t have the body to wear a dress. It wouldn’t look right.”

“You are insecure about your body?”

“Yes. Okay. I am.”

“Sapphire why?”

“I don’t know Matt.” I took a drink of water from the glass I’d poured and as the cool liquid trickled down my throat I felt two arms around me from behind.

“You don’t need to be. I think you’d look beautiful.” His head rested on my shoulder and my hand automatically went to his cheek.

“I think you are biased though.”

“No I’m not. I’ve always thought you were.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I have. Go try it on.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“Nope. Go.” He gently turned my and pushed me towards the living room. He smiled encouragingly.

“Fine but when it looks like shit on me don’t say I didn’t warn you.” I took it upstairs and changed into it quickly while avoiding the mirror. I could hear Matt outside the door and he was waiting for me to come out. I took a deep breath and opened the door. “The truth how bad is it?” I asked.

“You look beautiful, like I knew you would.”

“No B.S. Matt. I said the truth.” He sighed and rolled his eyes before gently pushing me into my room and in front of the mirror so I was forced to look at myself.

“It doesn’t look that bad.” I admitted, fairly pleased with how it looked.

“I already told you how you look.” Matt kissed my cheek and I smiled.

“So what are you wearing Mr. Compliments?” I asked turning the tables on him.

“I don’t know. Jeans and a tee shirt?”

“No way! If I’m wearing this you aren’t making me look like I got all dressed up for some stupid dance and you wore jeans. No way in hell. Besides the girls told me that you’d be willing to wear a tux for me.”

“They ratted me out. Damn it. Well a penguin suit it is then.”

“Thank you.” I smiled at him before I gave him a quick kiss on the lips.