Chapter One: Our First Meeting
"Now shouldn't you be fucking with somebody your age instead of making changes? Wrestle to the ground; God help me now"
The sound of his voice resonates in the back of my mind. It harmonizes with my brain waves and makes love to my inner ear. His angelic melody makes my spine shiver and my arms tingle with desire. I could not think of a more perfect man than Matt Healy.
Matt Healy is the 17 year old boy next door who turned from garage band that played loud all night to the band playing through my computer speakers, the band that goes on tours and I see in concert, the band that is this close to hitting it big. The band name: The 1975. An alternative band that I swear was sent straight from heaven to my next door. If I look out my window now, I see Chocolate Lake, or so we call it, and to the left of it is 8355 Edinburgh Lane; the house of Matt Healy.
That house has the garage that caused so many sleepless nights for me. It was not because it was so annoying that I couldn't sleep, no. It was because I was up all night listening to the early renditions of their now popular music and dreaming about the boy next door. Matt Healy was 13 when I first met him. I was a mere 12. We were best friends, and we still are, but the air has shifted. That boy has my heart more than anything else would. And I think I have his.
He is a tall lanky lad, his eyes are a dark brown but they sparkle and glisten in the reflection of the sun. His hair in a sort of black line down his head, with either side shaved to make his hair sort of a Mohawk. But he let it grow long so it just sits there hanging down in his face when he plays his guitar. He has tattoos all up his legs and on his shoulders; that was my favorite part. Well besides his angelic voice.
Occasionally I would sit up on my roof and read a sonnet or two while watching the sunset and I would look over at his house. Most of the time he would be over there staring at me, smoking a fag or a joint, smiling and laughing; I loved when he did that. Some of the time I would join him.
I glance over at Chocolate Lake every so often and wonder when he'll be home. I miss him. More than that, I miss our picnics by the lake. He used to bring his guitar. 'Lucky' he called her, and he'd play some of the songs he was working on. Then, in the heat of the moment, we would share a quick yet passionate kiss. We would do this every time we had a picnic, it was just sort of protocol you could call it.
When I first met his band, they were shy and so was I, then to break the ice, Matty pushed me into the lake. I immediately freaked out because who knows what was in those waters. The boys took their shirts off and jumped in all around me. I was 12 when this happened. It scared my half to death of course. Matt came over to me and grabbed me and calmed me down by singing in my ear. This was when we shared our firsts. We knew it was bound to happen.
When I first moved to Manchester I wanted to take a look around so I was walking around Chocolate Lake. I found him on the little dock with his feet in the water singing Lovesong by The Cure. Without thinking I joined in. Once he caught the sound of my voice he looked up and yelled 'Hey!' I got scared so I went and hid behind a bush. He laughed quietly and ran over to me.
"Hey don't be afraid. What's your name?" he said real sweetly
"B-B-B-Brooklyn." I stammered like an idiot "Brooklyn Baker"
"Well hello Brooklyn Baker. I'm Matt Healy"
"Nice to meet you Matt Healy"
"I heard you singing. You're really good. How old are you"
I hesitated "Twelve"
"Oh that's cool! I'm 13. Want to come hang with me on the dock?" he smiled
"Sure"
That word. That one word changed my entire life.
The end of the summer came and we carry on with our story. I met his band mates for the first time and that's when it happened. We were in the lake and I was clutching on to him. Our foreheads touching, the breathing heavy, it was my first intense moment with him.
"Do you remember" he asked "When we first met?"
"How could I forget?"
"Well I'm really glad we did"
He then pulled me in, probably clueless as hell, and kissed me.
"Well then" he laughs "There is a first time for everything now isn't there, Ms. Baker?"
I laugh and I push him away. I get my grip on the lake bottom and swim over to his friends
That moment in the lake is wear our story begins. The story of how I fell in love with Matt Healy.