The sound of jingling keys pulled Samantha from her dream. Her mind fought
to remain in the warm comfort of her fantasy. This was the first night of
restful sleep she'd had in this house and she was bothered by the
interruption. Her arms were heavy as she brought her hands to her face,
wiping her eyes before slowly opening them. She squinted against the
glaring sunlight that streamed through the living room window, forcing its
way through the curtains that did little to diffuse the strength of the
light. Behind her, Samantha heard footsteps on the hard wood floors in the
foyer. She sat up on the couch and craned her head around to catch sight of
Jenn walking past the doorway.
"Hey. Are you just getting home?" Samantha asked.
Jenn stopped in the doorway. "Yeah, I stayed at Brian's house last night." A smile spread across her face and she chuckled aloud. "I see you had company yourself."
Samantha gave Jenn a curious look. She turned to see Matt sleeping peacefully beside her on the couch. It saddened her to think her insecurities were to blame for their misery. Samantha couldn't help but think all this pain and awkwardness between them could have been avoided had she only talked to him in the first place. Instead, she acted rashly, foregoing any opportunity for explanations or justifications, something she now regretted. Samantha had lost herself in her thoughts and completely forgot she had been talking to Jenn. When she finally realized, she turned her attention back to the doorway and was surprised to find Jenn had gone.
She sat back against the couch, resting her head against its back. She allowed her head to gently fall to the side and her eyes rested on Matt's face. It had been weeks since they last shared a bed and she had thought they never would again, but it seemed second nature to lay next to him now. Perhaps they would find their way back to one another.
The day was still early and the sunlight began to irritate Samantha's eyes. She closed them, hoping to guard against the burning sensation. A short time later she was snuggled up to Matt, her head against his chest, her arms curled around his body.
A few hours later she awoke to the soothing feeling of Matt's hands as he ran them through her hair. Softly, she stirred in his arms and gently kissed his bare chest. He protectively hugged her closed to him. Neither dared to say anything for fear they would ruin this blissful moment.
After about twenty minutes of quietly lying contently in each other's embrace, Samantha broke the silence. "I should get up and get going."
"Or you could just let me hold you." Matt replied.
"I would love to, but I'm meeting up with Jonathan."
"Oh. I see." The disappointment in his voice was obvious, despite his attempt at indifference. He released his grasp and moved to sit up.
Samantha sat up as well and moved away from him, sensing he wanted a little distance from her. "I've cancelled twice already. He'd never forgive me if I cancelled again." She tried to explain.
Matt stared out into the distance. "It's okay. I understand. I should get going anyways." He rose from the couch, picked his shirt up from the arm of the couch and proceeded to put it on. He looked around the living room; looking for anything else he might have left lying around. He got his jacket from a nearby chair. His movements were rigid and mechanical and he refused to look at Samantha.
"Matt, I just want you to know that it's not like I want to spend time with Jonathan more than I want to be with you. I just . . . I promised him." She added, trying to reassure him.
Matt didn't attempt a response; he simply headed for the front door. Samantha followed close behind him. When they reached the front door, both stopped. "Well, I'll see you around, I guess."
"Yeah, I'd really like that." Samantha replied with a smile, hoping to lighten the mood.
Matt turned, opened the door, and left; leaving Samantha standing in the open doorway wondering what had just happened between them. For a few minutes, Samantha stood in the doorway, staring after him, bewildered.
"Hey. Are you just getting home?" Samantha asked.
Jenn stopped in the doorway. "Yeah, I stayed at Brian's house last night." A smile spread across her face and she chuckled aloud. "I see you had company yourself."
Samantha gave Jenn a curious look. She turned to see Matt sleeping peacefully beside her on the couch. It saddened her to think her insecurities were to blame for their misery. Samantha couldn't help but think all this pain and awkwardness between them could have been avoided had she only talked to him in the first place. Instead, she acted rashly, foregoing any opportunity for explanations or justifications, something she now regretted. Samantha had lost herself in her thoughts and completely forgot she had been talking to Jenn. When she finally realized, she turned her attention back to the doorway and was surprised to find Jenn had gone.
She sat back against the couch, resting her head against its back. She allowed her head to gently fall to the side and her eyes rested on Matt's face. It had been weeks since they last shared a bed and she had thought they never would again, but it seemed second nature to lay next to him now. Perhaps they would find their way back to one another.
The day was still early and the sunlight began to irritate Samantha's eyes. She closed them, hoping to guard against the burning sensation. A short time later she was snuggled up to Matt, her head against his chest, her arms curled around his body.
A few hours later she awoke to the soothing feeling of Matt's hands as he ran them through her hair. Softly, she stirred in his arms and gently kissed his bare chest. He protectively hugged her closed to him. Neither dared to say anything for fear they would ruin this blissful moment.
After about twenty minutes of quietly lying contently in each other's embrace, Samantha broke the silence. "I should get up and get going."
"Or you could just let me hold you." Matt replied.
"I would love to, but I'm meeting up with Jonathan."
"Oh. I see." The disappointment in his voice was obvious, despite his attempt at indifference. He released his grasp and moved to sit up.
Samantha sat up as well and moved away from him, sensing he wanted a little distance from her. "I've cancelled twice already. He'd never forgive me if I cancelled again." She tried to explain.
Matt stared out into the distance. "It's okay. I understand. I should get going anyways." He rose from the couch, picked his shirt up from the arm of the couch and proceeded to put it on. He looked around the living room; looking for anything else he might have left lying around. He got his jacket from a nearby chair. His movements were rigid and mechanical and he refused to look at Samantha.
"Matt, I just want you to know that it's not like I want to spend time with Jonathan more than I want to be with you. I just . . . I promised him." She added, trying to reassure him.
Matt didn't attempt a response; he simply headed for the front door. Samantha followed close behind him. When they reached the front door, both stopped. "Well, I'll see you around, I guess."
"Yeah, I'd really like that." Samantha replied with a smile, hoping to lighten the mood.
Matt turned, opened the door, and left; leaving Samantha standing in the open doorway wondering what had just happened between them. For a few minutes, Samantha stood in the doorway, staring after him, bewildered.