The Beauty in Time

20

೫𝙴𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚊೫

I don't bother trying to dry my hair with a blow dryer. I just pull it up in a hair towel and leave the bathroom, leaving my dirty clothes and second towel on the ground to clean up later.

When later will be is a mystery to both you and me.

I spent a lot of time in the shower. So long, in fact, that the hot water ran out. Even after my shower turned ice scold, I spent a little more time in there. Part of me thinks Matthew will be gone by the time I get out, but he's not. In fact, he seems to be jamming out to Heat Of The Moment in my kitchen. With my cat.

"A look from you and I would fall from grace—Right, Dizzy?" He's singing slightly off key. "No, no, no, those bubbles are not for you." He scolds her quickly. In the background of his talking and his song, I hear the water from the sink running.

I peek around the corner to look into the kitchen. Matthew stands at the sink with Dizzy watching him on the countertop. The dishwasher's open and he's in the middle of setting my favorite mug that has been sitting on my dresser forever now.

I let myself come out a little more from behind the wall to hopefully get his attention eventually. He's a little busy though. "And incidents arose from circumstance," He lifts a wet and soapy hand to drag it across Dizzy's face. She looks mortified but doesn't jump down from the counter.

"Are you bullying my cat?"

Matthew's eyes snap to me immediately. He grins at me, uncaring that I stand in front of him in a grey t-shirt that stops slightly above my mid-thighs, bright blue shorts that stop pretty much in the same spot only an inch lower, and with a hot pink towel wrapped around my head.

I look stupid.

"A little bit." He confirms shamelessly. I scoff quietly, wandering further in. "Songs unsung," Matthew joins into the song as he looks back down at the sink. He looks back to me moments later after finishing what he needed to, grinning when he sees me standing right beside him.

Without much warning, he drops the sponge and reaches out for me, hands gripping my hips as he spins. I gasp and look down at his still soapy hands that are soaking wet. "Matt!" I complain. My shirt is grey on top of it all.

He ignores my complaint. "It was the heat of the moment!" He shouts instead of singing, though he does drawl the words out like he would if he were singing it.

I laugh when he starts tugging me closer, hands wrapping further around my back. "You're such a bad singer!" I giggle, leaning my face into his shoulder to hide my laughing for no reason. I don't care if he sees or hears me laugh.

"Am not—What my heart meant!" He hugs me tighter, still pretty much shouting.

"Matthew, your hands are wet." I complain, beginning to try to push him off me. I start to grin at him while he goes on with his stupid song.

He reaches over absently with one hand just to turn the water off so he can keep getting in my face without wasting water. "Come on, babe. Sing with me." He groans, pulling at my body to get me closer.

"You're not even singing! You're just yelling!"

"Uh-huh—Ready?" He grins, still urging me on. "Catch a pearl—Here we go—Something, something, wings!" He continues. I laugh when he clearly forgets a couple of lyrics. "Heat of the moment—Elle!"

I shove my face back into his shoulder, giggling as I participate with him. "The heat of the moment," I return at the same time he does. He celebrates by yelling louder.