Despite growing up together, Catherine Simmons and Mattis Reed were never close.
Cat was inseparable from Mattis' younger sister, Chloé, while he was busy running around on the football field.
But when Cat's new dream drags her across the country du...
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As soon as we step inside the doors, I'm reminded of how packed this party is. It's like walking through a barrier, and the sound assault my poor eardrums.
I follow Mattis to the kitchen, noticing all the people who clap him on the back, yell greetings or send him flirtatious smiles. No one spares me a second look. I don't think I've ever really stopped to wonder just how popular Mattis is around here, but I guess that's what happens when you're a successful college athlete. I cannot relate.
Despite the many attempts from others to grab his attention, Mattis walks purposefully, and it looks like he barely registers the quick touches or lingering glances from people around him. How must it feel to not even be able to attend a party without having a whole fan club fawn over you?
A little lonely, I suspect.
Because it's clear in the faces of all these people; they don't care about Mattis. Most of them probably doesn't even know him. But I guess it's like when you constantly read about celebrities in tabloids. You develop a sense of kinship with those people, except all you see is the carefully constructed image they present.
You can't be friends with a persona, no matter how much you may want to.
When we reach the kitchen, Mattis grabs a disposable cup and turns to me. "What can I get you?"
I bite my lip to keep from grinning. There should be no novelty in a guy you've known all your life offering to make you a drink, and yet there is. For a split second, Mattis' eyes fall to my mouth before he clears his throat and turns to the table to follow my directions.
As I watch him diligently find an unopened soda can, my skin prickles. I glance up, noticing half a dozen pair of eyes on us. Most of them look away, embarrassed they got caught, but a few keep blatantly staring, ignoring all social etiquette.
Walking through the house, I'd been invisible in Mattis' wake. Here, as the recipient of his undivided attention, I am suddenly very, very visible.
It's a little like being an animal in a zoo. Either Mattis is so used to it he doesn't even notice anymore, or he's just really good at hiding his discomfort.
As he turns back to me with my drink, I see a glimpse of blonde hair in the crowd, and soon my roommate comes into view. She sees me and waves.
A sense of guilt hits me full force. I'd just completely forgotten about her. Sure, I doubt she's been struggling for company, but we did have a deal.
I look to Mattis again as he opens a beer for himself, his blue eyes trained on me. "Gotta go. It was good to see you, Matty," I say, squeezing his shoulder. I'm surprised exactly how much I mean it. It was good to see him. "Bye."
I hear his mumbled farewell as I push through the crowd toward my roommate.
