The Summer I Met The Girl

eighteen

Matt has almost no fun at the party. He's too busy watching Beck's every move.

They agreed she could have a few drinks, but he monitors them closely, and whenever she has to go to the bathroom, he holds her drink and stands outside the door.

Matt knows he's bothering her, but the alternative is them leaving, so she doesn't say anything. Smart move.

It's almost midnight when Matt tries to start rallying his siblings and friends to go home. It doesn't work, Henry, Crew, Chase and Jason are monopolizing a game of flip cup. Beck and Landon are watching the game closely, and Matt is sitting on the stairs nearby, just watching.

A few drunk girls file by him on the stairs, and then he feels someone sit down next to him.

"Hey stranger,"

Her voice makes Matt snaps his head to look at her.

"Carly." He says softly.

She smiles, "What's a handsome star football player doing all by himself?"

Matt smiles back at her, "I'm babysitting, Beck and Henry are in town."

Carly's eyes travel to the table where his siblings are. "That's nice of you."

"How are you?" Matt asks quietly. Carly looks different than the last time he saw her. Her black hair is past her shoulders now, although she still has the purple streaks in it. She's added an extra lip ring, and Matt's mind flashes to when he used to suck on them and her moan would fill his mouth.

"I'm doing really well, thank you."

"I'm glad." Matt sighs, "Carly, I never got a chance to really apologize to you, and I'm sorry for that. And I'm sorry for absolutely everything else I did to you. I know I was a shitty boyfriend."

"You were actually a great boyfriend, right up to the cheating." Carly says with a smirk.

"Yeah, not my best moment."

"Are you seeing anyone?"

"No, I actually just got out of a relationship." Matt looks down at the stairs.

"Really?" She says, her interest peaked, "Why didn't it work out?"

Matt looks up at her, "I kind of have feelings for someone else."

Carly laughs, "Oh Matt." Her voice is laced with pity, but no surprise.

"What?"

"When are you going to stop doing this to yourself?"

"What are you talking about?"

"The self-sabotage! You cheated on me two days after I told you I loved you. Let me guess, this girl you just broke up with, things got serious?"

Matt shakes his head, "Not really, no. It was getting serious though."

Carly sighs and sets her hand on his forearm, "You are deserving of love, Matt. I hope one day you realize that."

Matt looks at her. "Why do you think that? I cheated on you, you of all people should actually believe the opposite."

"Because I know what kind of man you truly are. You made a mistake, but deep down, you are a good man. And you are going to find a girl one day that makes it worth it, a girl that makes you run towards commitment and not away from it."

"Yeah see that's the thing, people keep telling me that, but every time I think I've found her, the door gets slammed in my face."

Carly cocks her head. "What do you mean?"