andromeda // matty healy au

Bette Davis Eyes

A loud beep called my attention away from packing my work bag. My clothes in the dryer was done. I pulled out a hoodie, which felt toasty when I slipped it on. I left the rest of the clothes in a heap on my couch.

That's a problem for future me, I thought.

I stuck a water bottle, towel, and usual suspects into my bag. I was off. Before leaving the pathway in front of the building, I turned around and looked up. In the window of Matty's living room, the curtains had just moved back into place. They still shifted and swayed from the inertia of being held open.

He had seen me.

It felt like he was getting too close to Andy. When I just saw him an hour ago, he had a certain look on his face for a split second. It was similar to the look George had given me the other night. I thought I was safe under my mask, but now I wasn't so sure.

Slipping in through the back door, as usual, I closed my dressing room door and slipped into my white, gleaming bra and bottoms. This outfit had light pink roses littered across the bustier and sparkles all along the lace of the bottoms. It was fresh and feminine. When I wore this one, the men called me 'babygirl', even if I was half their age. It unsettled me.

After I finished my set, I walked across the floor to scan for any empty glasses left on tables. Dancing was the easy part, but finding a finished drink that doesn't belong to a creepy guy trying to grab your bum is the difficult part.

"Are you finished with this one?" I asked a tall man sitting at the bar.

"Huh?" he said over his shoulder.

"The drink. Are you done?" I gestured to the empty glass beside him, not on a coaster, I might add.

"Yeah, I am, Celeste." I froze in place. He still refused to acknowledge me despite knowing my real identity.

"How do you-?" I started, but then the seat turned around. George sat before me, looking expectant.

"Don't worry, I won't tell Matty," was all I heard as my vision went blurry and my legs went limp. Darkness clouded my eyes as my body sliced through the air. I felt the ground hit against me and then silence.

-

I heard Sammy's voice next. He spoke in a higher pitch than usual, not bothering to cover his panic. He was telling Rae and other dancers to get ice, water, towels, a cellphone, some other things I couldn't quite make out.

"Andy, please wake up, doll." He pleaded. My eyes lolled open to see an array of concerned faces above me. George being one of them, my breath hitched. He knew my secret. I was doomed.

"Oh thank God," Sammy muttered.

"Hey, uh, Andy. If you like, I can take you home. Don't worry I've already answered security questions with Sammy, here." His eyes were kind and his voice softened at seeing my state. I was covered in sweat, but I felt cold, too. "You can still decline, but I'd really like see you get home safe, rather than waddling home by yourself."

"I would like that very much, George." I croaked. Rae helped me up off of the floor and held my shoulders while we made our way to the dressing rooms again. Once I was seated in the familiar chair in front of my makeup mirror, she closed the door behind us.

"Okay, girl, I know you're not feeling too well," she said as she crossed the room in her glitzy heels. She kneeled in front of me and placed her hands on my knees. " I really need you to tell me if you're okay with this guy driving you home."

"His name is George, he's a friend of a friend, but he's harmless." Rae started to take off my pumps as she listened to me talk about George. "He's a nice guy. He'll take me home, and I can text you to make sure I get in alright. Would that make you feel better?"

She breathed a sigh of relief as I offered my plan. "Please do, that would make me feel much better. Now, take off your wig and help me with your regular clothes?"

-

George was outside, leaning against a small, dark red VW. Rae was still helping me along and gave her number to him.

"Make sure you tell me she's safe." Rae is another maternal figure I have in my life. She was more protective of me because she was the only one who knew that I lied about my age when I was hired at the club. Knowing I was so much younger than her, she was the one who helped me with creeps. She and I even went to a self defence classes to learn more about how to keep ourselves safe after and during our shifts. I told her that I was underage by accident when I was talking about my homework assignments. She said she wouldn't tell Sammy and I knew I could keep her to her word.

"Come on, Andy, let's get you home." George spoke in a soft voice again as he ushered me into his car. He popped my bag in the backseat.

"I'm sorry." I said, not really knowing what else to say. I wasn't sorry for dancing, but I knew that this would make things weird for us as friends.

"What are you sorry for?" He asked as we pulled out of the parking lot. "You shouldn't be apologizing to me."

"I know," I said. "I've got to tell Matty, but I'm not sure when is the right time. I'll figure it out, but I don't know how to break it to him. I'm worried he won't take it well... Lying, and all."

"Look, Matty really likes you, Celeste." George didn't take his eyes off the road, and he drove cautiously in the nighttime, which I admired. "He won't stop liking you because of this. Even if it is a kind of sketchy job."

"It's not that bad, George, and anyway I think Matty likes Andy more than me." I said plainly. "But, whatever." We sat in silence as the car pulled up to the front door.

"How did you know it was me?" I asked as George turned off his engine.

He smiled and said, "You've got wonderful, unmistakable eyes. Even in the mask, I could tell who you were."

"Oh," I said. "Do you think Matty knows?"

"I don't think so, but he may figure it out sooner or later. If you really want to tell him, sooner would be better." George left me sitting in the passenger side and helped me by getting my duffel bag from the backseat. He supported me up the three flights of stairs, making sure I don't feel any woozier than I already felt. When we got to my front door, he gasped.

"Yikes, you've got one hell of a shiner there." He said, turning my face to the side to reveal a tender spot below my eye. "You must have hit your head on the bar on your way down, do you need help grabbing an icepack?"

"George, honestly, I think I'll be fine the rest of the way. But thank you so much for the ride home, I really appreciate it." I reached up to hug him, and he raised his arms around my waist.

"Sorry for scaring you in the bar, I didn't realize you would faint... and don't worry about telling Matty. He really does have a thing for you." He stroked up and down my back, which reassured me.

"Thanks, I'm glad that we spoke." I said as we broke apart. He started to make his way down the stairs, when he turned back to me.

"Hey, I'm just trying to be a good friend. Have a good night. Remember to text Rae." He waved and with that, he left me at my doorstep.