We walked along the beach in peace, hand in hand which was a pleasant feeling if you asked me. It was getting late, not really that late but I could tell by the waves crashing had slowed down drastically and the sky wasn’t light blue anymore, it was more of a vibrant dark blue. I could spot some stars that were hiding being some of the thin clouds as I looked up at the sky. It was beautiful and I loved to just look at the stars, it reminds me of how small people’s problems really are compared to the huge-ass world out there.

“So…” Matt said interrupting whatever was going on in my mind.

“What a cliché thing to say” I snickered and looked up at him, coming eye to eye with his hazel ones.
He laughed whole heartedly and lightly tugged my arm as we turned left, away from the beach and in the direction of the forest.

“Well then… Let’s talk about, less cliché things. What got you into music?”
That question felt personal since music was the one thing that helped me go through and deal with every day. Music was to be honest, my everything. The one thing I could count on throughout my 17 years on this planet. After I took some seconds to think about how I would respond to him, I explained to him.

“Well, uhm… Let’s say that a lot of things have happened in my life and I don’t think I’ve had it relatively easy, right now it’s getting a bit better but music has always been there for me. Up until I was 5 years old my father used to turn on the cd-player as soon as I got home from kindergarten I guess. I don’t remember a lot but I do know that we listened to a fair share of Metallica, Guns ‘n’ Roses as well as ABBA.” I giggled. “But the past 10 years it’s been like an emotional outlet, you know? I find it easier to express how
I feel through music rather than just talking about what I feel.”
He nodded.

“It’s hard to explain why music means a lot for you but it just does. It’s there for you and it’s kind of a pain reliever…” I stated and let out a heavy sigh.

The words were true; it was like a pain reliever to listen at music or creating it. There’s so much passion when you listen to it, you interpret it in your own way. When you write your own songs you put so much thought, emotion and effort into it, sure some people will read the song in a different way but still, it’s like therapy to me.

We were about to step into the dark outskirt of the forest, to admit it was freaking me out. Big, tall trees, stacked tightly against each other and a lot of weird ass sounds. It wasn’t fully dark so I can’t say I was completely freaked out as Matt walked a head of me, still one hand connected to mine. He lead me on a narrow, pine coated path as walked further and further in the woods.

“Matt, are you a serial killer?” I asked playfully.

He chuckled and turned his head towards me, showing his tongue.

I couldn’t help myself as I said this, “IF you’re not going to use it, you better-“

“What? Hey, girls aren’t supposed to say that. Guys are!” He argued as he interrupted me.

“You’re just jealous.”

“Of what?”

“That I get to say this because I caught you in the act. BURN!” I snickered, wondering
what the hell was up with me. This was so not me.

We stopped in front of an old, oak tree that looked really worn out and like it had
survived a couple of rough storms throughout decades.

“I would love to let you go first, but believe it or not. You are wearing a skirt and I don’t want to peek under… sort of.” Matt teased me and I raised a questioning eyebrow at him. What was he talking about letting me go first and looking up under my skirt?

My question was soon answered as he walked half a step to the side of the oak and started climbing up it. I walked so I stood under his hovering figure, seeing that there were some wooden tiles nailed on the tree. Both of my hands went to the tile that was as far as I could reach as my left leg ended on a tile beneath me. This didn’t feel that safe and I was hesitant to go up further but as I saw Matt looking at me and motioning for me to continue, I did so.

Matt disappeared after I found myself struggling to climb up, my arms were hurting and so were my legs. What kind of date was this? Hitch-hiking? Rock-climbing? Well... tree climbing.

I knew I had gotten to the place where Matt had climbed up when I climbed up through a wooden hole. My eyes were faced with wooden planks that were, pretty neatly, staked around the tree stem. I managed to get on the plank and I curved forward as I slowly and carefully walked on the planks. Matt’s bulky figure was in front and I could see how it was outlined by the sunrays. I put my hand on his shoulder as I carefully sat down next to him, my feet dangling of the edge of the wooden surface.

My eyes looked over and I was faced by the horizon and a big blue ocean that had the sunset reflecting of it. It was breath taking. It was pretty much an outlook over the ocean, a part of town to the left and to the right a fair.

“It’s beautiful” I whispered, not sure if Matt heard me.

“Yeah it is. I and the guys intended on making this a tree house when we were younger but we got so caught up in the music so it never became one. I still loving going here though, to think and calm myself down.” He explained. Sometimes Matt would appear to be so deep with his words. Sure he had the tough guy façade but I really think that he was a genuinely nice and caring guy under that façade. I’ve just got a couple of samples of it and I wouldn’t mind more.

It was quiet for about ten minutes. It was nice and comfortable to not think about anything, just relaxing and eying the beautiful view.

“Ames?”

I snapped my head towards me and murmured a yeah?

“I just… I just want to apologize, from the bottom of my heart for everything I’ve don’t.
I’ve been an asshole and the things I did, no one should go through. It wasn’t fair to you nor that I drug my friends along in the process. Maybe it’s because I don’t know you that well or that you are a gorgeous person inside and out but I did feel threatened for some time. Don’t ask why, I have yet found a reason to why I think that way.” He admitted, I took his large hand in mine as I locked eyes with him.

“Matt, you don’t have to do this okay? Sure it sucks what happened and I hated my life but to be honest. Everyone deserves a second chance right and right now you are redeeming yourself. So don’t sweat it. I like you now and I know that you’ve stopped that side of you. You’re just lucky I can be nice sometimes.” I said and teased him at the
end as I slipped my arm under his around his waist and leaned my head on his shoulder.

The truth was that I hated my life and Matt only had made it worse but now he had proven himself different and I believe that people always have something good in them. Matt had earned a lot of trust from me this past month and I really feel like he’s filled a hole that’s been empty for too long.