dreams (Matthew Espinosa Fanfiction)

blackout.

"Surprise!" the lights immediately blind me as the entire room jumped to welcome us home. String lights wrapped around the edges of a party banner in the center of the room read, Welcome Home Ethan! Startled at the sudden surprise, it was evident that Ethan had missed home. His eyes glimmered as he shouted, "Oh my! Thank you guys! I had no idea!" while also pulling me into his warming hug following another that he gave to our parents. Our entire family was here, Uncle San, Aunt Dells and the cousins, and even E's most closest friends as well.
The house was brightly lit with string lights in every corner. Plastic cups and plates covered the surfaces of every furniture table, and each room smelled of pure pizza grease.

"Don't just stand there! Come! Come tell us about how it felt living in Europe!" my aunt yells hauling Ethan towards the living room couch. I give a quick smile before walking away towards the stairs. Moving Ethan's stuff into the new place had exhausted me well beyond my existing energy. Trust me, if there was such thing as negative energy, this was it. 

My eyes had begun to puff and could barely stay open for even another second. My shoulders drooped and hung low seeming as if I had tried reaching for my toes at one point and gave up midway. My hair was a mess; a frizzy nest pulled into an effortless bun. My makeup had smeared and mostly been sweated away, and my clothes were only but a college tee shirt and Nike athletic shorts. All that I had in mind was the thought of being wrapped in the covers of my bed, sleeping soundlessly.

I had begun to close my eyes as I reached the first step when I noticed a figure sitting at the top of the staircase. I didn't bother opening my eyes back up again–I had no energy to. I kept my lids closed and trudged my way to the room through memory. A slight whisper of my name and a familiar scent awakens me, "Claire."  I gave no physical attention. Although it most likely is him, I had gone through too much the day before to be going through it another time again. "Goodbye." I whispered as I walked through the bedroom door. 

My back gently presses against the wooden entry in an attempt to close it. A hand smacks the opposite side just before closing. Matthew.
"Matthew, I can't. I can't do this again." I say softly.
He pushes the door back slowly, revealing the tireless face of his. "Claire, would you please listen to me?" he pleaded. I leaned against the opened door in a slouched manner, my eyes still struggling to open. "Then talk."
I felt my body slipping. The remaining energy that I had in me drained entirely. My hand slipped from the knob and my head became light. A pair of arms caught me as I fell. It may not have been my bed's, but I missed this warmth. My eyes shut and for that one second, I saw a boy that was genuinely hurt.

-

My nose was suddenly filled with a strong, overwhelming, disinfectant-like odor. My eyes blinked several times before coming to a full wake. I laid on a hospital bed, IV's connected to me from all over. I scanned the room. My parents and Ethan stood just outside speaking to a doctor. On the right of me, a large bouquet of lilies and peonies covered most of the table that it stood on and next to it, a group of balloons swayed from the breeze of the ventilation system above it. On the other side, Matthew. His head lay flat on the remaining space next to me. His hands gripped tightly around mine, muttering my name under his breath as he slept. I try to pull away without waking him, failing miserably so. "Claire, are you okay?" he asked. I carefully pull myself up into a sitting position. Ethan rushes in with my parents following and pushes Matt to the side, "Laire! Are you okay?" I felt how unwanted Matt must have felt at that time, "I'm okay, but I don't remember what happened.." "Oh hon," my mother says, stroking my hair.
I felt light again, "How did I get here?" Ethan slightly looked above his shoulders in direct sight of Matthew. "You overworked yourself. If you were tired you should have told me sis. Mom said you didn't feel good the night before and when you woke up you also skipped breakfast. You didn't eat all day either. I wish you would've said something, but I'm glad you're okay."

I felt sick again. Apparently a whole night's rest wasn't enough. "Hey guys, is it okay if I can be by myself right now? I guess I'm still tired out from yesterday. I'd really like to rest right now," I say. Ethan and mom had left first. "We'll be back in an hour or so, sweetie. Get some rest, okay?" my father says. He grasps Matt by the right shoulder, escorting him out the door.
I clear my voice, "Dad? Can Matt stay for a minute? I really need to talk to him."
He hesitated a bit and finally approved.
"Uh, yeah sure hon."
He took steady steps towards the hospital bed I laid on, "Hey."

"Hey."

Note:
Ooooh yeahhh! I've actually missed writing! I'm so proud of myself for coming back. Recently my friends and I had to come up with a script for tech class about what you would do during or after the first 24 hours of a natural disaster and we decided to write about the 2004 tsunami in Southeastern Asia. We each recieved an A+ for our detailed descriptions and dialogues! Since, I have been very inspired to continue this story and get some chapters out for you guys! Pls thank my tech teacher! lol
Anywayssss I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! There'll be more soon!

xoxo,
naatxlie