Chapter 9: Alive and Kicking

I'm running through a field of green grass and violet and periwinkle flowers, budding like its spring.

But it's not spring, it's autumn.

Why is the grass green, I think, it's autumn it should not be green

I keep running; I don't know when I'm going.

The field seems to go on forever; where am I headed?

Am I dead? Am I dreaming?

I actually can't tell the difference.

I see someone; their small body becoming larger as I get closer.

It's Matty.

'Love, come here. You're getting closer'

I'm running but I feel the closer I get to him the farther away he becomes.

It's like I am in this eternal loop where I will keep running and never touch him.

But as soon as he stops moving and I become only a few feet away from him he disappears.

A swarm of black clouds with gory images protruding outwards engulfs me.

I lay down in the fetal position and scream, covering my ears and closing my eyes

They would whisper awful things

'Please sterilize yourself'

'We're gonna fuck the shit out of her'

But the one that hit the hardest was

'I'm leaving for a year'

I scream as loud as I can scream

"STOP JUST MAKE IT STOP PLEASE"

I open my eyes. My vision is blurred and my head feels clouded with confusion and anger and vivid memory of the dream I just had.

I had to have been sleeping, question is for how long?

I look to the right of my bed and sitting there reading The Great Gatsby was Adam.

I sit up and he spots me.

Adam throws his bookmark in his book and runs to my bed side, assisting me as I try to sit up.

I sit up, still dizzy and really tired, and look at him.

'Brooke' he smiles 'How do you feel?'

"Like shit" I laugh.

'It's great to hear your laugh again'

"How long have I been asleep" I whimper

Before Adam can say anything he's interrupted by a familiar face

'3 days, 2 hours, 49 minutes and 23 seconds'

3 days? God damn I slept for a long time.

"Matty, is that you?"

'Yeah it is. How're you feeling?'

I smile and being really stupid and rash, I get out of bed.

I'm expecting it to be like my dream where I go to touch him and he disappears but this time I actually touch him.

I feel his heart beat and his perfectly chiseled chest.

I throw myself at him and hug him tighter than I ever had before.

He hugs me right back and then loosens his grip.

By doing so he can see my face directly and then he kisses me, for the first time in a year he kisses me; a deep passionate kiss.

God, I've missed him.

Tara runs into the room and steals me from Matt.

She hugs me tight and laughs and cries at the same time.

Sooner or later everyone joins me in my room and hugs me and tells me they've missed me or I look different or the love me or all of them together.

After we've all calmed down and Matt has fetched me a cuppa and we're all sitting down I decide to ask:

"What happened? And don't sugar coat, what happened?"

Matt starts:

"Well we went to that party you were at and we busted through that God damned door, Brooke. My adrenaline was pumping; I was ready to kick some ass."

George takes over "I yelled Listen up, I'm going to say this once and I expect an answer because if I don't get one, you're in for a boat load of ass beating. Here is my question: Where is Brooklyn Baker and everyone fell silent but pointed towards the hall where I saw Johnny and Max carrying you like you were a toy. I said nicely Thank you and then oh you should have seen us, Brooke. We charged at them."

It was Adam's turn next "They dropped you and then ran off so we followed. Matt, George and Ross jumped over you and tackled them to the fucking ground and beat the shit out of them. I stopped and grabbed you and carried you to the car. And I won't deny it, I cried okay. I was really worried about you. Meanwhile Tara, oh God, you owe a whole lot to Tara"

Tara blushes and then begins.

"I found Stephanie on the couch making out with some weirdo. I pulled her off and stood her up and looked her straight in the eye and said Listen to me, you knew what happened to new girls at this party and yet you let her come anyway. You are no friend and in all honestly I think you're a fucking bitch. And then I just punched her in the face That was for making her almost kill herself I kicked her in the shins That was for her right now I slapped her in the face And that, was for me."

I clapped and smiled as big as I could.

"Thanks guys, no more parties for a long time, I promise!"

You all are probably wondering, in the beginning of the story didn't you say you were waiting for him to come home? Well he's home now right? Is this present day?

Well my dear readers, the answer is no. Matt Healy will leave once again. But we aren't quite there yet.

I finished my cuppa and layed back down again, with Matty by my side.

"Matty, I'm really glad you're back."

'Me too'

And then we both drifted to sleep.

Well boom, Matt is back you guys! There won't be as many cliffhangers, plot twists and climaxes for a long time now that he's back, sorry guys! Will update soon! Thank you all for the 245 views as well! Keep reading! Thanks again you guys! So grateful!