Matthews Dunlop.

The moment I rang the doorbell, I stepped back and waited for a reply. There wasn't one. Yet. That wasn't unusual though, Mrs. Sergio, Elena's mom didn't normally come to the door so quickly, mostly because her bedroom where she probably was at this time was somewhat far from the door. If I didn't know better I'd have rung the doorbell again, but knew better, so I didn't.

After about thirty seconds of waiting, the front door unlocked with a click and slid open.

"Ah, Matthew!" Mrs. Segio's eyes lit up the moment they met mine.

"Hey, Nat," I smiled back. "Is Elena in?"

"It's eight in the morning and a Saturday," she said, "of course, Elena is in. Although I think she's still asleep. Come on in."

She held the door open for me and I walked. As soon as I was inside, she shut the door gently.

"Would you like to wait here while I go check on her?" She asked, turning to face me.

If there was one thing I loved about Mrs. Natalie Segio it was how beautiful she was, even in her early forties, but not just that, also how incredibly polite she was. To anyone and everyone. It did numbers on my mind when it came to manners. Teaches me how to be just like that.

"Alright," I nodded.

She was about to leave when she noticed what was in my hand. A medium-length box wrapped in a gift wrap.

"Oh, is that for Elena?" She pointed at it.

"Uh, yeah," I ran a hand through my hair. "I got it for her."

"Ouuu," she smiled. "I guess it's a surprise so I'm not gonna bother asking. You know what, why don't you go up to her room and check if she's up already."

"Me?"

"Yeah," she said. "Since you have something you'd like her to have."

"Oh, okay," I told her.

"Sure." She stepped back. "I'll just be in my room if you need me."

Right then, Karen came walking down the stairs in slacks and a tank top.

"Oh, hey Matthew." She waved as soon as she saw me.

"Hi, Karen," I said with a smile. "Elena told me you won the beauty pageant yesterday."

"That's right," she beamed, plopping down onto the couch beside where I stood. "Why weren't you at it anyway? I don't remember seeing you there?"

"I wouldn't have missed it if I could," I told her. "But my family and I went to visit my grandma at the hospice where she's being taken care of in Michigan."

"Oh, Mrs. Dunlop," Karen looked at me. "How is she now?"

"She's getting better. Her doctor says her dementia is letting up one step at a time."

"That's great news," Karen smiled. "I hope she recovers fully. We all miss her."

"Me too."

"So, you wanna see Elena?" She asked, her eyes trailing down to the box in my hand. "And you got something for her?"

To her question, I gave a nod.

"Alright. She's up in her room. "Want me to fetch her for you?"

"No, it's fine," I said.

"Okay."

Leaving Karen behind, I turned and headed up the stairs to Elena's room which was down at the far end of the corridor. I'd known Elena for so long, her home felt like home to me too, just as mine did. Anytime I told my mom I was going out to meet Elena, a light always lit up in her eyes. She approved of our friendship, just like Elena's family did.

I got to Elena's room eventually, clasping the box tightly in my hand. The door was eased open by a crack. It wasn't wide enough for me to look in and see properly through the crack, so I wrapped my hand around the handle of the door and pushed it further open.

"Lee?" I murmured as I let the door slide open.

When I got no reply, I stepped in. Aside from the sliver of light that filtered into her room through the crack made by the curtains, the room was dark.

There she was on the bed, her back to me, a pillow in between her legs. Her hair was falling over her face, her breathing even. She was still fast asleep.

I set the box aside on top of her dresser which stood beside me and watched in admiration at the girl I called my best friend. The most amazing human I ever met and hoped to meet in the next life and the next and in the next. She had no idea, wasn't aware of how much she meant to me.

Elena was all I thought about. Aside from my family, God, and my loved ones, she was all that occupied my mind every passing day. How to make her smile, when I got to hear her voice, see her beautiful smile, listen to her laugh. And whenever she was upset I was too. And that's why it hurt me knowing that she was only going to get her heart broken if she kept like this—chasing after KJ.

It was so obvious he didn't have as many feelings for her as she did. And I've tried to tell her, gosh I've tried, but she can't seem to get past all that false exterior and see KJ for who he is. A manipulator. He was only out to play her, hurt her feelings. And I swear if my thoughts about him, my doubts were correct, he was going to it. He'd be done for.

Slowly, I walked up to Elena, staring down at her full five feet, seven inches sprawled out on the bed. Through her lush brown hair that covered her face, I could see her lips were parted, a single line of drool forming at the corner.

I chuckled and got my phone out of my pocket. Opening my camera, I took a picture of her. It was going to serve as good blackmail material in the future.

Slipping my phone back into my pocket, I reached down and gently pulled a lock of her hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear as I did. And then I pushed away some more and some more until there remained a lock at the corner that fell over her left eye.

The moment I made to push it aside, Elena opened her eyes, startling me into a gasp. Jerking up from the bed, she flailed her right arm connecting it smack dab with my nose.

"Ow!" I yelled, stumbling back, my nose stinging.

"Matthew?!" She breathed.

Still stumbling back, I tripped over a small box on the floor, sending me spiraling out of control. By the next second, I'd crashed into the door, falling flat on my butt. All the while, my nose still stung.

"Ow," I groaned from the additional sting in my butt now. "I think I broke my tailbone."

"I'm so sorry," she said from the bed, staring at me. "I didn't mean to. I just thought . . . you were someone else."

"It's fine," I muttered. "Come help me up at least?"

"Oh sure." At once, she got down from the bed and came over to me. Taking my hand, she pulled me up.

"What are you doing in my room anyway?" She asked, pushing her hair out of her face.

"I just came to see you," I told her, holding a hand to my still stinging nose. "And then I was told you might still be sleeping."

"Well, apparently," she shrugged.

"It's almost nine, Lee. You're normally up by 7:30." I stated.

"I had a rough night," she muttered, turning away from me.

I dropped my hand from my nose. "What do you mean by rough night?"

When she didn't reply, instead of going over to stand by her nightstand where there was a glass of water, I took a step forward toward her.

"Are you okay?" I asked softly.

She picked up the glass of water, removed its cover, and took one large gulp that emptied the cup.

"No," she said finally, staring into the empty cup.

"What's wrong?" I asked, taking another step closer.

"KJ is a dick," she said. "He stood me up for his bullshit party and then when I went to confront him about it, he gaslighted me."

"This is about KJ?" I looked at her.

"Yeah, I guess." She raised her face to me then. "But it's fine now. I'm okay."

Only when she looked directly at me did I notice the puffiness under her eyes. Her eyes were swollen. The kind that came only after you've cried for at least an hour the night before.

I clenched my hands, my teeth grinding. Bloody KJ piece of fuck.

"Are you sure?" I managed to ask, fighting to hide just how angry I was. "Are you sure you're okay, Elena?"

"I'm sure, Matt," she gave me a small smile. "A hundred percent. At least I have you here now."

With that, she turned away from me, toward her dresser. At once, she noticed the wrapped box on top of it.

"Whose is this?" She frowned, picking it up and turning it over. She shook it. When what was inside made a sound she looked at me.

"Is this yours?" She asked.

I let out a breath then. Counted to five in my head. It was cool, KJ was a dick and Elena was over him, there was no need to be mad now.

"Yep." I popped the p. "Not exactly mine."

"Oh, you got it for someone?" She raised her eyebrow, a knowing smile on her lips.

"Yeah, I did," I nodded.

"Who?" She asked excitedly. "Clara?"

"You," I shrugged.

"Me?" Her eyebrows pulled together.

"Yeah."

"Oh." She picked up the vox and looked at it again. Then she looked back at me. "What's the occasion?"

"Nothing," I shrugged again. "Trying to make up for being an ass throughout last week, and not being there for you when you needed me."

The pause after what I said was piercing and the sheer awkwardness, jeez.

"As friends though," I added quickly.

"Oh," she murmured, holding the box up. "Thanks, Matt. That's sweet of you."

"It's no biggie," I said.

"So what's inside?" She asked.

"Open it," I nodded. "Open it and see."

She looked at me funny before turning toward her bed. Walking over to it, she sat down. "Okay, I guess."

Quickly, she began unwrapping the box, making guesses as she went. "A new watch? Air Jordan's? A new phone? Oh no, wait, AirPods? Nah, it can't be AirPods, the best is too big for that. Money?"

I chuckled seeing her that way. Elena always hated suspense or surprises. It was something we both shared. Our mutual hate for suspense.

Finally, she unwrapped the box fully, then she opened it, dropping its cover aside.

She picked up the shoes inside and held them up. And then she looked at me.

"Heel?" She scrunched up her nose. "Golden heels?"

"You don't like it?" I stared.

"Of course, I don't," she said. "I mean thank you, Matt, I do appreciate but you know heels aren't exactly my thing."

"Oh, but you already have more than enough sneakers and Jordan's, Lee. Get this one for a change."

"Where then will I wear them to?" She set the shoes aside and crossed her arms.

"I don't know." I rubbed the back of my neck. "The prom or something? College events, I don't know."

She sighed. "Well, you make a good point though. Thanks once again, Matt. For real."

"It's nothing," I gave a small smile. "Well try it on. Let me know if I'll get a refund or not."

Chuckling, she took the shoes and put them on her feet. They fit so perfectly you'd think she'd picked them out herself.

"And they're my perfect size." She said, smiling at me. "You do know me too well huh."

"Well, yeah," I nodded. "I'm all-knowing, you know what I'm saying. I can read you like a book, yeah."

"Oh shut up." She rolled her eyes and we both burst into laughter.