For Fuck's Sake! (Mat Nicholls)

seventeen

It was two days before Homecoming and to say I was nervous was an understatement. I was excited too, but more nervous since Mat was the one taking me. I always found myself daydreaming about us dancing on the floor, or sharing cups of fruit punch.

I woke up this morning and Mat wasn't anywhere. He wasn't answering my calls either and his shoes were gone. I assumed he went out somewhere but I was worried about him for some reason. I think him leaving and being gone brought back memories from our previous situations. I decided to just cook breakfast for us to try and get my mind out of the gutter.

•

Just as I finished frying two eggs, the front door sounded. I immediately dropped my cooking utensil and practically sprinted towards the door. I saw Mat standing in the doorway with a dry-cleaning bag in his hand.

"Hey," he greeted as he took off his shoes.

I didn't reply as I ran into him, wrapping my arms around him happily. He let out a small groan as I collided hard with him, hugging me back after a moment.

"I missed you," I told him as I pulled away, "You had me worried!" I said, smacking his shoulder lightly.

"I missed you too. Why were you worried?" he chuckled as he made his way into the kitchen.

I followed him and made my way back to the stove, turning it off and starting to clean up.

"I woke up without you here and you weren't answering my calls," I said while plating our breakfast.

"I went to go get my suit dry-cleaned and my phone died on the way there. Sorry, love," he apologized as he sat down at the kitchen counter.

"Makes sense, it's okay," I nodded as I set our plates on the table.

"Thank you, babe," he leaned over the counter and set a kiss on my cheek before sitting back down and digging into his food.

I blushed, "No problem."

•

We had just finished breakfast and I was washing our dishes since there weren't a lot. Mat was sat on the kitchen counter a moment ago, but he ran into the bedroom to grab something. I set the last plate on the drying rack and wiped my hands, turning around to lean on the edge of the counter. Mat came back into the kitchen with a giant speaker in his hands and a grin on his face. I raised an eyebrow and smiled softly as I watched him turn it on and go onto his phone, presumably looking for a song.

"What are you doing?" I asked curiously.

He didn't reply as he was focused on whatever he was looking at one his phone. He pressed something on his phone and set it down, waiting for the song he chose to come on. Electric guitar strumming came on, making the entire vibe of the kitchen light up. He began to play the air guitar, while also simultaneously playing the air drums. I bit my lip with a smile and watched as he began to dance along to the upbeat music. I immediately recognized the song as "Not The Sun" by Brand New. I smiled wide as I watched him smile at me too. The main guitar and drums popped in and soon the vocals did as well.

"Please don't be technology, so I can turn off your love like some cold machine," Mat began to sing loudly from across the kitchen, closing his eyes as he moved his arms around.

I laughed softly and continued the lyrics, "Don't feed me scraps from your bed, I won't be the stray coming back just to be fed."

"Don't be waves, come and seal my fate marine. Just pretend that you want me!" Mat sang as he began to walk towards me, still moving his body.

I unfolded my arms and stood up from the counter, waiting for him to reach me. He reached me and set his hands on my hips, pulling me towards the middle of the kitchen. I grabbed his shoulders and followed him, the both of standing in the empty space. The chorus of the song hit and Mat placed multiple pecks on my cheeks before continuing to sing to me.

"And be my babe, be my babe, be my babe, be my babe, be my babe," he rang out, grabbing my hand and making us dance together.

I followed his lead and continued the song, "Be my babe, be my babe, be my babe, be my!"

A small instrumental part played after the chorus and we took this time to just hold hands and dance together. We spun around, moving our feet in rhythm together as Mat whistled along with the music. He managed to sneak a small kiss onto my lips, making butterflies erupt in my belly. Another verse was about to begin and Mat pointed at me, still holding my hand, signaling for me to start the verse this time.

"Well, don't be that note I can't hold," I smiled.

"Well, don't be that joke that I told and told 'till it got old," Mat continued.

"Don't be the hand 'round my throat so I can't breathe!" I sant loudly, moving Mat's arms up and down.

"Say you're my friend but why won't you be my family? And if you breed, just don't tell me!" he finished the verse before the chorus came on again.

We repeated the chorus of "be my babe" to each other, both of us blushing like tomatoes as we danced and lost ourselves in the music. He continued to sing the last part of the song.

"Be my serene, tell me you know what I mean," he sang softly as he pulled me in, the moment becoming intimate as we held eye contact.

"You've set on me, but you are not the sun, you are not the sun," I rang back to him, the music overpowering my voice.

The guitar solo kicked in and we held each other during it, the both of us feeling the love and electric of the music. It felt like something out of a movie. Specifically, one of those scenes where the camera would move in circles around two people. Mat started to sing again, this time his voice was softer.

"So let's pretend that you love me," Mat finished for me, placing a delicate kiss on my lips before making us dance together again.

And for the last time, we sang the iconic chorus, "Be my babe?" we repeated it until the entire song finished.

Both out of breath from dancing and singing, we looked at each other and started to laugh. He grabbed my hand and twirled me a few times, smiling every-time he saw my face after I twirled. The song repeated itself and played again, but we didn't sing or dance this time. Instead, he pulled me towards him again, his hands set on my hips gently. He raised his hand towards my face and tucked my hair behind my ears, making sure to twirl a piece a bit before leaving it alone.

I scanned my eyes throughout his entire face, not believing that a man this perfect was holding me in this moment. His eyes were locked onto mine, and I could feel the fireworks being shared between our two bodies. He suddenly leaned his head towards my ear. I got goosebumps as I felt his warm breath fan against my ear, sending electricity throughout my entire body.

"So would you be my babe?" he whispered, causing all the hairs on my arms to stand up.

That exact chorus began to play at the exact time he asked that, making the moment more explosive.

"Is this your way of asking me to be your girlfriend?" I whispered back with a grin.

"Would you be my babe?" he repeated, ignoring my question.

"I'll be your serene," I breathed out, referencing the lyrics in "Not The Sun."

A huge smile erupted on Mat's face and I saw his eyes glint slightly. He grabbed my face and brought me in for our most passionate kiss yet. The song was still playing in the background and it was specifically the guitar solo. It amplified the intimate moment to the point where my entire body was covered with goosebumps. He pulled away from the kiss and just looked at me.

"I've been waiting for this moment for ages," he told me.

"Me too," I agreed, placing a small kiss on the tip of his nose.

Even though it seemed cliché, the way Mat asked me to be his girlfriend was possibly the best thing that could have ever happened to me. "Not The Sun" is such a gorgeous song and now, it will always remind me of us and our relationship.