Matty was everything to me.
Everything.
He was my only family left.
Sure, his mother was my sister.
But at this point in my life, she is as close as I am to a stranger.
She is twenty-five years old, and has a child.
Now normally, that would not be that big of a deal, but Sarah had the mentality of a fifteen year old.
She could not take care of a kid.
So, every time she went to a party, had friends over, was drunk or high, she called me up on the phone and I was by her side in a flash.
No, not to help her.
To take care of Matt, who should not see, hear, or speak of the things he had probably become so used to.
That was, until one night that two years ago.
She decided to drive him to my house.
She decided to drive drunk.
And thats when she changed our lives forever.
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Do you know how hard it is to tell a eight year old boy that he is never going to walk again?
Hes never going to climb the tree in the backyard.
Hes never going to play baseball in the park.
Hes never going to even do something as simple as walking up the stairs.
Whats harder to do than that?
Maybe to tell him that was his mothers fault.
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Two Years Later
Oh crap. Im late, again.
I had left Matt at the hospital overnight for some sleepover with the other patients, and had completely forgotten that I had to pick him until five minutes before I was supposed to.
My tires screeched as I hastily pulled into a parking space, and I feverishly opened the door.
I traced my familiar route to the front doors, politely smiling at the people I knew, and took the elevator up to the third floor.
My stomach lurched as the journey began.
When I stepped out, I immediately realized that something was unusual.
Everyone had filed out into the hallway, all in a large crowd around a group of people.
I couldnt see their faces past the countless kids gathered around them.
"Grace!"
I spotted Matty wheeling his way through the crowd.
"Hey, kid." I said, kneeling down to give him a hug, which he made a face at, but returned nonetheless.
"C'mere, I want you to meet someone." he said, taking by hand, and using the other to push himself back towards the mass of people.
"Why's everyone so excited about these people?" I asked him.
"Because..." he told me.
"...It's Fall Out Boy." I finished, taking a look at the four faces I could now see clearly.
I didnt get a chance to get a word in edge wise after that, not that I could of, because my vocal chords and my brain were not cooperating together at this moment in time.
I looked down at my shirt and felt immediately stupid, and tried to cross my arms, but now it looked as if it read "ALL OU Y".
I hate when irony likes to rear it's ugly head in the worst possible situations.
"No need to be embarrassed." a voice told me.
I looked up from the intent gaze of my shoes to see a man standing there, long hair and glasses.
"I'm Andy." he said, outstretching his hand.
_____________________________
Now, I really cant recall what I talked about with him.
My mind was moving at light speeds, and my mouth was either glued shut or talking far too muchI was far too nervous to tell.
I kept sneaking glances at Andy, who seemed to have an intent gaze on me every time I looked over.
I prayed my hair was hiding my deeply reddened ears.
I didn't even notice Pete looking back and forth between us, smirking the entire time.
Matty and Pete had somehow engaged in a deep conversation during all of this, that ended with him signing something for Matt, smiling at me, and departing.
I could have sworn he just winked, but maybe I was seeing things.
Rest in results...<3
I watched him and Andy leave, and turned back to face the boy in front of me with a devious smile on his face.
"What are you smiling at?" I questioned skeptically.
"Look for yourself." he said, handing me the signed paper.
And there, right for me to see..
...was Andy Hurley's phone number.
