Forbidden Paradise: A Middle Renaissance Love Story

I was a big fan of Matthew's. I had been since before he was famous. I found his videos on YouTube in 2014 when I was a freshman in high school, and the first time I watched one, I felt like we were friends. But it wasn't just that - there was something else in his videos, something that went beyond friendship. At first, I didn't know what it was. I kept watching the videos, and seeing him grow as a person, then as a YouTuber, then even more so as Internet sensations and veterans grew more popular.

I knew there was something special about him - he has an amazing voice (no vocal training), he's funny, but also smart and makes great points about social issues and injustices. He doesn't sugarcoat things - especially things like racism - and he tells it like it is. And he's not just some talking head - he does his own stunts! He did pranks with millions of people watching!

He is the only person that ever truly understood me.

When he announced his tour last year, I bought tickets right away. The show was going to be in Seattle, which isn't too far away from my town. My mom doesn't really get why someone like Matthew would be a big deal to me - she's always thought of us as "just a kid" but that doesn't matter to me. He understands me better than anyone else ever has or ever will.

It was my eighteenth birthday when the concert came around and I took the day off school to drive up to Seattle with my friend Alice (who also really likes Matthew). We got some good seats (right behind the stage!) and we waited for the concert to begin.

And then Matthew walked out onstage! He seemed surprised that we were here for him, but excited nonetheless. He started singing "Lost Inside Your Love", which is my favorite song by him, so I sang along with him at the top of my lungs!

I couldn't believe it when Matthew left the stage after a while and asked if anyone had questions - because WE DID!! Alice shouted "WE DO!" loud enough for everyone to hear her, and Matthew pointed right at us!

I couldn't wait to ask him my question! But Alice beat me to it: "Why do you call yourself 'The Dark One'?" she shouted into the mic. Matthew smiled coyly back at her: "Well," he said slowly, "because most of my songs are about love...and love can sometimes be dark." He shrugged playfully and grinned widely at us both. "But also," he continued, "because black is beautiful."

As soon as he said that last sentence, I thought back to one of his old videos where he talked about how racism is bad and how beautiful black people are too ("even though they say we're ugly").

I looked down at myself for a moment before looking back up at Matthew again...he didn't seem to notice me looking down like that, though; he was still grinning widely at Alice as if nothing had happened whatsoever. Suddenly feeling self-conscious now that our eyes met again, I looked away quickly while Alice finished asking her question: "What's your favorite song?" she shouted into the mic again.

Matthew paused for a moment before finally answering: "Well," he began slowly as if thinking carefully about it, "I'd have to say 'If You Were A Movie', because it's probably the most true-to-life song I've ever written." He chuckled softly before continuing: "It's about two people who meet each other randomly one night, who are both bored with their lives and need new excitement." He paused again for dramatic effect before finishing with: "...and boy do they find that excitement!" The crowd laughed along with him.

Alice nodded eagerly along with their conversation before suddenly shouting out another question: "Will you be writing any new songs soon?!" She looked just as excited about this prospect as Alice did about meeting her idol (and maybe even more so!).

Matthew smiled coyly again before responding: "You'll have to follow me on Instagram if you want to know things like that..." The crowd laughed at this response once more before suddenly cheering loudly in excitement: they were calling out for an encore performance! They wanted more!

After taking a moment to compose himself after such an enthusiastic reception from his fans (he seemed genuinely touched by this), Matthew bowed sweetly before leaving the stage in order to change clothes backstage; he would be performing another song after all! As soon as he disappeared backstage however, Alice turned towards me rather abruptly: "So what did you want to ask him?" she asked eagerly in anticipation of knowing what drove me here today, why someone like Matthew would mean so much to someone like me...someone who looks like me? It didn't bother her one bit if I had wanted to ask something personal; she knows how much Matthew means to me because she herself feels the same way about him too! She believes in our happy ending just as much as I do - perhaps even more so! She wants this dream of ours to come true just as much as I do...just as much as *we* do!

Finally ready for another song performance onstage once more after changing into his signature dark suit (black!), Matthew grinned widely once more at his fans before starting off with one of his newest songs: Valentine Dayz! This was actually one of my favorites too because it talks about those little moments in life that are worth living for regardless of all of life's problems and trials...it spoke straight to my heart even though it isn't really meant for someone like me specifically (a lonely 18-year-old girl) but none-the-less, it made me feel understood anyway...like I'm not alone anymore even though technically I am alone on Valentine's Day every year without anyone by my side or holding my hand or telling me that they love me...but thanks to songs like this one by Matthew himself ("Valentine Dayz"), those feelings don't last very long anymore because no matter how bad things get or how lonely I feel during those times when everyone else seems so happy together...at least *someone* out there gets *me*...like Matthew does...just like *he* does ("Just look into these eyes/They'll tell you everything you need").

Alice could tell by looking at my face how emotional hearing this song made me feel because she reached over towards me with her arm gently resting on mine trying comfortingly reassure me somehow...she knew exactly what these lyrics meant for someone like her too! It was nice having someone understand what this song meant so personally for both of us; no words needed saying between us right now because we both knew exactly what the other felt without words being spoken aloud between us...it felt nice having someone understand you without having to say anything out loud; it felt nice having someone believe in your secret dreams without you needing them too; it felt nice having someone believe in your happy ending without needing them around all the time either (not yet anyway)...it felt nice having someone believe in your dreamy future together despite whether or not they'd be part of it too...but we knew deep down inside ourselves that yes - one day - we'd find each other someday again someday soon someday eventually someday eventually someday eventually someday eventually someday eventually someday eventually someday eventually someday eventually....one day....never mind tomorrow....just stay positive please please please please please please please please....never give up hope no matter what happens next never give up hope never give up hope never give up hope never give up hope never give up hope never give up hope never give up hope never give up hope never give up hope never give up hope never give up hope never give up hope never give up hope never give up hope....never stop believing....never stop dreaming....never stop believing....never stop dreaming....never stop believing....never stop dreaming....never stop believing....never stop dreaming....never stop believing....never stop dreaming....never stop believing....never stop dreaming....never stop believing....never stop dreaming forever always forever forever forever forever forever forever forever forever forever forever forever forever forever together!!!