Outer Beauty; Deep As Skin And Just As Thin

The football slammed against the ceiling. The impact caused it to ricochet from the ivory, landing directly in Matt’s open arms.

Time was creeping by at snail’s pace. He had no idea why he was so eager, except for the fact that it involved a certain amber-haired girl.

Riah.

She was constantly gliding through his mind. Like a muse, she touched upon every aspect of his life.

Breakfast, Riah. School, Riah. Job, Riah. Dinner, Riah. TV, Riah. Party, Riah. Sleep, Riah.

Riah, Riah, Riah, Riah.

Something was wrong. Something was terribly, terribly wrong. Matt couldn’t put his finger on it, but he knew he had to leave. Now.

By the time the bulging, scarlet symbols on the digital clock read 6:37, the chestnut haired boy’s apartment was empty.

- -

He parked his ebony car a block away from Riah’s apartment. The streets of Boston were crowded, and he realized that if he didn’t nab a spot quickly he’d never make it. In a quick motion, the door was slammed open, shut, then locked, and he began his walk towards her home.

All the while, the blood pounded against his skull, pumping and pushing, threatening to break through his very bones and flesh. The skin on his cheeks felt raw and pale, and the poor boy had no clue why but he needed to hurry up.

Quickening his pace, ignoring the pain in his head, Matt’s jade gaze lingered on the cracked sidewalk.

And then there was a voice; a soft murmur of his name. The words let off a taste of shock and surprise. He picked up his head, facing the sound. And soon enough, he was no longer staring at the silvery cement, but at the slender, curvy figure of a girl.

A girl with glowing green eyes, a jet black, silken bob, and olive cheeks.

Her name instantly slipped out of his mouth. “A-Ada?”

She was running, sprinting towards him, arms wide and then clasped around his neck. Her pretty head was buried in his chest, and she, uncharacteristically, began choking out words.

“Oh, God…Matt. I-” Sob. “Can’t b-believe it’s you…it’s been months…” Sob. “I missed you…I was so wrong…”

Unsure of how to react, he gently stroked her back, placing her down on her own feet. She stood there for a while, sniffling. His emerald eyes stared at her, quizzically, waiting for the Ada he had known to emerge from the wave of tears.

“Shit…” she swore, smiling now. “I did not just do that.”

He smiled sadly at her. “Actually, you did.”

Her green eyes, so similar to his own, rolled good naturedly. He tried to ignore the fact that they were glistening with tears. “God, I’m so stupid. I just saw you and lost it…Matt…I…”

The soft smile on his face died on itself, and he looked at her sadly. “Ada, it’s okay. Trust me, I’m pretty sure your life is just fine without me.”

For the first time in those five minutes, she took time to look him over. Ada’s heart fell when she noticed he was wearing his dark jeans, and his favorite grey sweatshirt. His regular date attire. Swallowing hard, she turned away. She was so stupid…to think he would wait for her.

“You’re here for a…a…”

“A date, yeah.” he said dryly.

Ada’s gaze darted from the boy before her and the apartment, and back. A sharp wave of realization seemed to wash over her, eyes sparkling with newfound tears.

“Oh, Matt…don’t tell me…just, don’t tell me…you’re dating…that, that girl!”

His eyes narrowed at this, voice cold. “What are you talking about?”

“That…that Summers girl! The anorexic! We used to go to the same school, she’s like, the only one that lives here!”

He backed away from his ex-girlfriend, anger evident on his features. “What the hell happened to you? You’d really say that about someone, Ada?”

Now, it was the black-haired girl’s turn to be angry. “What happened to you, Matt? You see what she’s doing to you? She’s lying, lying to your face every time! I know her, damn it! You don’t have to believe me, but, hate to break it to you, but all you’re going to get is hurt!”

As she stormed off, the boy of eighteen remained silent, watching her stomp away. When she was nothing but a speck of black and green, he turned towards Riah’s apartment, trying his hardest to ignore everything he heard.