Lights, Cameras, Outsiders!

Chapter 44

LCO 44

"Okay, okay, okay, we're almost here," Matt said, tugging the luggage across the hallway in front of me.

"Come on, Matt, I'm tired, I'm hungry," I said.

"Okay, okay. I got the key, okay?" He held the bronze key up and stuck it in the lock.

"Wait. Close your eyes," he said.

"Come on, Matt," I said.

"Close."

"Fine." I heard the jiggling of the lock and the door creak open. He pulled me in and the floor creaked.

"Open." I did. Windows stretched from the ceiling to the floor and a small staircase came from the floor to the small balcony. Three doors lined against the wall on the small second floor and the kitchen opened up underneath the balcony. The living room was large.

"Here you go," Matt said.

"Oh, my God, Matt! This is so nice!" I exclaimed.

"I know. Do you like it?"

"I- I love it! Oh my gosh," I stared in awe. Matt wrapped his arms around my waist from behind and laid his chin on my shoulder.

"We're gonna be good here. We're gonna grow old here," he whispered.

"We are?"

"We're gonna be married and live here and have babies and raise them and have parties and welcome people because this is our home." I intertwined my fingers with his at my waist.

"This apartment is where our lives are going to take place. Where I'll care for you and help you recover after surgeries. And where I'll dry your tears and tickle you until you cry. And where we'll fall more in love," he said. I turned around and linked my arms around his neck and kissed him. He kissed me again and kept on until we were inseparable. He grabbed at my waist and started to move his hands down.

"I thought we couldn't do that. My heart," I said as he started to kiss my jaw and neck.

"That's okay. I'll be gentle."

"Matt...we don't have a bed."

"That's okay. We don't need one."

********

"Whatcha doin?" I heard Matt say behind me. I tugged on my blanket to cover my bare body and didn't turn around.

"Watching the sunrise. Everything's prettier in New York," I said.

"Even you," he said, kissing my cheek and taking a seat next to me. He had a blanket wrapped around him too, no shirt underneath.

"But I'll tell you something, hun, New Rochelle ain't Manhattan. There's no Empire State Building to wake up to or Twin Towers to see the sun rise over. It's just a bunch of rich family homes in snow in the winter and golf carts in the summer."

"It's still perfect. Manhattans twenty minutes away."

"Manhattan is the heart of the New York. We're in the head."

"Maybe we should put furniture in here right away. I like it empty," I said.

"We gotta put a phone in here soon. When we go over to my parents house today, we'll get a couple things, okay? They live some blocks away."

"That's great." I looked up at him and rest my hand against his face.

"You really should shave."

"I would. If we had water running. But we don't so we'll have to go down to the YMCA in The Bronx to get cleaned up and go see my parents and then we'll check into the hotel."

"But finish watching the sunrise before you do that." He laid his head on my bare shoulder and I put my arm around his back.

"I like it empty too," he said, "the sun fills it up."