Understanding You

Chapter 11

" Congratulations, Zara. ", Ross stumbled on the beer bottles sprawled on their living room floor. He hugged me and handed a cup of vodka.

" Vodkas not her choice. "

Matty snatched the cup from my hand and took me to his room upstairs. I looked around the room, there was a matress on the floor and a crucifix on the wall hanging just above his bed. The interior of the room felt like it had just been whitewashed. His sheets were ash colured with abstract designed pillows. I examined the room for any of his photos but there were none. Instead there were a lot of vinyl collection stacked neatly across his bed on a shelf, with rows of books too.

" You're quite religious. ", I smiled at him. He had his arms folded across his chest and a cigarette was hanging from his lips.
" I got you fooled, huh! ", he said coming over to me. I raised an eyebrow at him.
" I'm not the religious type. I'm an atheist. I don't believe in God. ", he said casually putting his hands on my hips.
" Then what is that? ", I pointed at the crucifix hanging on the wall. He smiled and said that he loved religious iconography. I nodded at him.

" See if you're a believer in a God or the God you are not forced to have all his photos or religious idols all around you. It's the same with me. I'm a devout atheist and there are people who don't like carrying icons with them. But I like to think that its sorta cool. Some like carrying it some do not. I'm not an orthodox. I'm all cool if you ask me. ", he said.

" So you've never actually believed in God? ", I asked him. He scrunched his nose and shook his head.
" What about you? Do you believe in God? ", he asked me.
" I don't know. I've never given much thought to God. Guess I'll have to die first to see if there is a Jesus. " I said.
" Right that guy. Great respect for him though. ", he said.

" Okay enough talk about this lets talk about you. I wanna know about you. ", he said. He slipped his long limbs around my waist and pulled me towards him. He rested his head on my shoulders as we sat on the couch while I played with his long slender fingers.
" What do you wanna know about me? ", I asked him.
" Everything. ", he said.
" Okay. So.... umm I took up majors in Literature at college. I played badminton but I was never the cheerleader type though and umm I like reading and - "
" Who's your favourite poet? ", he asked me.
I smiled at the thought of my favourite poet.

" Elizabeth Barett Browning. "
He nodded and pulled me even close.
" Do you know any poets ? ", I asked him.
" Not quite. I do know authors though. ", he said.
" Whom do you like? ", I asked him getting a little excied.
" I like Paulo Coelho and Tolstoy. " I nodded and shifted my gaze towards his eyes.

His eyes, so familiar and strange, it felt as if all my memories from the past were flowing on top of me. He smiled at me while I snaked my arms around his neck and ruffled his hair. I could feel him tighten under my touch but didn't let it show tough. He placed his hand on my thighs stroking it up to my waist and intertwined his hands in my hair. I could feel the heat rise between us. I could feel the growing need of physical intimacy in his eyes, burning with a desire I had never seen before until this moment. My heart beat quickened. Matty closed the distance between us by kissing me on my lips, a  taste of fresh cigarettes and chocolate lingering on his breath and lips. He caressed my cheek and pulled me even close when we lay on the couch with his body on top of mine. His kiss deepened as his lips moved down my neck. My chest heaved up high when his teeth clashed on my bare skin. He softly bit my neck and licked it. He trailed the kisses down to my stomach when a knock at the door startled us both. He looked up from my stomach and I looked at the back to the pounding at the door.

" Matty you asshole, get down here. ", George shouted and by the sound of his voice he was pretty wasted.
" In a minute. ", Matty replied.

Matty rose up and ran his hands through his messy curls. They were all out of place. I got up and straightened my t - shirt. I looked at my vision in the mirror and my lipstick was nowhere to be seen. Matty rose up from the couch and opened the door. I walked towards the door when he grasped my wrist gently and closed the door. He looked at me while leaning against the door. I smirked at him, what was going on in his mind?
" What do you say we do that thing again we were doing some seconds ago or go down the party to join them. ", he said licking his lips, not once leaving his eyes from mine.
" I guess I'll go with the former one - ", the sentence had barely left from my mouth when he kissed me and carried me towards his bed.

                                            ***

" Hey mate you missed all the fun. Where were you.....both? ", George asked pointing at Matty and me. Matty glance at me sideways and let out a grin which covered his face. I could see a twinkle form in his eyes. Never have I felt happier before.

" Some important stuffs George you wouldn't understand. ", Matty replied taking a seat beside Adam. George rolled his eyes and took a gulp from his drink.
The boys were doing some joints and drinking when Serena appeared out of the crowd and hugged me from behind. She was completely off the hooks tonight and was slurring her words to be exact.

" Where have you been, Zara? I was searching all around for you. "
She took a drink from her glass and let out a small hiccup. I took the glass from her hand and placed it on the table.

" Yup and that was probably the last one for you. ", I said as I placed her between Ross and George whereas I took a seat on the other end of Adam's. Matty whispered something on Adam's ear when suddenly he got up and Matty took a seat right next to me. I rolled my eyes at him as he formed a massive grin on his face.

" Wooh hoo. Something is definitely going on between you two. ", George pointed out and started laughing hysterically. George nudged Ross who had passed out in the sofa itself. I looked at Matty who stood up from his seat.

" Where are you going? ", I asked him.
" I'll be back in a minute, I promise. ", he smiled and went ahead with a guy whom I didn't recognise. To be honest I didn't recognise half of the people in the party, except for the boys and Matty.

" Hey Zara come on, let's dance. This is your day after all. Hey mate come on. ", George stood up and pulled Adam and me to the dance floor. I laughed at George as he showed some of his weird dance moves. So far I was really enjoying the party.

Matty had been gone for a long time now and he still hadn't returned. George and Adam were still dancing when I decided to go search for Matty. The orange disco light and the loud music really seemed to dull my senses a bit, or the alcohol I guess.

" I'm gonna go look for Matty. ", I shouted at George.
" Okay. ", George shook his head violently at the music.

I walked up to his bedroom and knocked at the door several times but there was no answer. So I decided to return down to the party when somebody opened the door. I turned around to find Matty with bloodshot eyes, sniffing as if he had cold.   A white powder was spread on his philtrum.

" Zara! What are you doing here? ", he sounded surprised.
I reached my hand ahead and touched the powder strewn on his philtrum. He was taken aback by my actions and started talking unnecessarily about irrelevant things when it finally dawned on me that it was coke. It was cocaine. Matty was doing drugs. I wiped my finger on my t - shirt and looked up at him. His facial features had hardened upon realising that I had known about his escapade.

" Matty.... you. You do this? ", I asked him not being able to shake the image of the powder away from my mind.
" Its not what you think. Its, its..... I'll meet you down. Okay. I'll meet you down. ", he pushed me away slightly when suddenly I caught a glance of the man with whom Matty had left some minutes ago.

He shut the door on my face while I had no idea about what should I do next.

Just when you start thinking about the good things in life or the happiness that starts forming around you, life decides to take a turn. A turn of events in which you are left to question about why does it all happen to you?