Fading // m.e

fourty nine.

OMG GUYS THIS IS SO CLOSE TO 100K OMFG I LOVE TOU SO MUCH!!¡

IM AIMING FOR 100k BEFORE THE 3RD OF NOV WHICH PROBABLY WONT HAPPEN BUT I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THIS ANYWAY XX

Song of the chapter:

'Robbers' - The 1975

. . .

ANALISE'S POV

I sauntered behind the boys, watching as they ran carelessly through the streets, blanketed in light snow, Cameron paying an occasional glance in my direction.

Smiling back, I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear, feeling my cheeks flush as I focused on the pavement to keep myself steady, careful not to step on the cracks between each slab of concrete.

What was I doing? Was I seriously flirting with Cameron?

Pulling my arms up against my chest, I gasped when a pair of hands squeezed at my sides.

"It's just me." Matt laughed, spinning me around and untucking a hand so it fell into his own, his cold touch enveloping my hand and sending light tingles through to my fingertips.

"I'm sorry, Lise." He muttered as we paced slowly down the street, the others now no where in sight. They'd probably already reached the hotel at the speed they were going.

"For what?" I sighed, "Scaring me, or having your little fit back in there?"

As he squeezed my hand, the corner or his lips tugged upwards into a smile. "Both." He chuckled, leaning down and pressing his lips to my forehead as I stood there, forcing a small smile.

"What's wrong?" He asked, his eyebrows pulled together in concern as he stopped our arms that swung in the space between us.

With a small shake off my head, I bit the inside of my lip trying to process it myself. What was wrong? Why did I feel this churning feeling in my stomach? Why did it seem to effect me that he had this Annie girl, whoever she was. Why did a small part of me constantly wonder what it would be like if I chose him in the first place?

"Don't be stupid." I scolded myself, seeming to forget that Matthew was less than thirty centimetres from me.

"Why would you be stupid?" He laughed, but I knew he realised something wasn't right. The concern in his eyes, his curious nature.

"You and Cameron didn't - no of course not." He paused, squinting his eyes at me. "He didn't say anything to you did he, because if he did I swear I'll-"

"Matthew, no." I chuckled half heartedly. This wasn't Cameron's fault at all. He hadn't done anything wrong; I wouldn't let Matthew get to him if he hadn't done anything. He's still my best friend.

This was wholly my own issue.

"You, know, you don't need to protec-" I stare at him for a second, letting his hand drop to the floor before I groan, and rake my fingers shakily through my hair.

"Matt, I understand you're worried and all but it's nothing like that okay?" I exclaimed, and quickened my pace.

With an extended arm, he pulled us to a halt, his hand resting on my stomach. "Ana, stop."

Spinning me around, he rested a hand on my waist, and used the other to tilt my face so our eyes met. "You were wrong." I muttered, exhaling all the suppressed stress. Just breathe - he doesn't have to know the whole truth.

I mean, I was technically lying to him every second. Any minute of the day I was with him, or in his arms, or kissing him, I felt that guilt build up onto me.

So how hard could this one be?

MATTHEW'S POV

I felt her breath blow into my face. It came in shaky intervals like she had been holding it.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, that I was right." She replied slowly. Taking her wrist in my hand, I pulled her down with me sliding against the painted wall until we sat on the freezing concrete floor beneath us, my legs out stretched with Analise sitting between them.

"A little more detail would be great." I whispered into her hair, watching as she smiled into the open.

"Annie." She breathed, her smile slowly fading. "I think he's seeing this girl, Annie. He told me he'd bring her to the party."

I nodded as she spoke, the relief consuming me in a small chuckle.

"And... How do we feel about that?"

She paused for a moment in though, chewing on her bottom without notice of my hands playing with her hair. Or maybe she did and just didn't say anything.

"Well Dr Phil," she laughed, "It doesn't really effect me, now does it? How about you?" She questioned a little too quickly, pulling away from me and standing up onto her feet as she gathered her hair into a messy ponytail.

"I'm just glad he can finally keep to his own girl now." I joked, slinging an arm around her shoulder, grinning as she placed her head against my shoulder.

She's finally my girl.

. . .

"Took you long enough." Aaron called out from across the room where the boys were sprawled out onto the several couches, completely pulled into whatever was playing on the television.

"Yeah you lovebirds have been missing out on the movie!" Shawn chimed.

"Well maybe we had better things to do than watch a movie with you losers." Analise joked, poking her tongue out when Taylor and Gilinsky started pelting us with popcorn.

"Hey, can I borrow you for a sec?" Cameron asked Analise, completely ignoring my existence.

Looking over to me, I nodded quickly and ran over to the couches, watching them in the corner of my eye as her eyes bulged at the crumpled piece of yellow sticky note he had passed her.

Getting up, I walked over to the kitchen, grabbing a whole bunch of shot off the counter. "Don't fucking mind me." I mumbled under my breath, trying to read his lips, before his eyes finally flickered my way and he left.

"What was all that about?" I asked, passing her a bowl full of half eaten pop corn bits and kernels.

"You did need to attempt being a spy to over hear the conversation, you know?" She said, folding her arms, the sheet half hidden in her palm. "It's nothing though, he was just missing today and the guys didn't know where to find him."

"So would we find him there?" I asked as I pointed at the note, trying to suppress a smirk. "Anderson's Clinic?" I asked, tilting my head just so I could read the messily written letters.

"Oh, no that's old. Don't worry about it." She replied hastily.

"I nearly couldn't read it." I joked, but I felt like something was restraining her.

"I'll be sure to tell Nash to work on his penman ship when I see him- hey I'll be right back." She finished off, her gaze flicking over to Cam who was know throwing on his beanie and waving her over.

"I'll come." I rushed, her wrist now in my hand. When did I do that?

"Please don't. Just... J-just stay here."

. . .

IM SO PROUD I FINALLY UPDATED.