Elena Sergio
I was acutely aware of the weight of Matthew's arm settled comfortably around my shoulders, and the warmth of his hard, sturdy chest as he pulled me close to him.
We were sharing a table like the rest of the class, only in this case behind, and watching the Othello classic that showed on the projector earlier set up by their literature teacher, Miss Dana.
"Don't tell me you're a romantic, Matt," I said, smiling up at him.
When he looked down at me, I could see a hint of laughter in his blue eyes.
He shrugged. "I like the Romeo and Juliet classic and I'm sort of enjoying this one, although that's kinda hard with you so close to me, I guess so. Yeah."
"Well, that's a plus," I chuckled, ignoring his snarky comment. "Because, you, my dear best friend, do not fit into the category of romantics."
Matthew cocked his eyebrows and smiled. "And why would you say that?"
"I've known you for eleven years, first off. Two, because, you're well . . . a hunk, you know, all 'imma beat yo ass up if you fuck wimme–ish', all . . . brawny," I said and laughed, then thought, hunks don't do romance.
"Shut up," Mathew said playfully before leaning down and placing a kiss on my shiny brown hair.
"You're taking the SAT right?" He asked, tracing a thumb up and down my shoulder lazily. "Okay wait, don't answer that, you already told me."
"Too late. Yep. You too? Oh wait, don't answer too, you already told me"
"Too late," he chuckled. "Betcha."
"I'm going to Jacksonville University. Hopefully, I'll get in once we graduate. What about you?" I decided to tell him my choice then.
"I'm looking at the University of Florida. Hey, that way, it'll be easier to see each other, don't you think?"
I smiled. "Yeah. That's great. So, what you wanna study?"
"Law," he stated.
I blinked. "Law? Ah, you like arguing, don't you? Of course, you do."
He laughed. "You don't have to put it that way."
With that, he moved his hand from my shoulder and gave my cheek a mild poke, "but you, milady, I'm willing to argue for, anytime, any day."
"Aw, there's the romantic, huh?" I said with a light blush. In my favor, the room was much too dim for him to notice.
"Anything for the lady," Matthew grinned. "You're gonna be there for the match next month right?"
"You mean the state match or the school's?" I asked.
"State. You know what, both. You'd be there, right?" he asked, looking down at me hopefully.
"Yeah, sure," I nodded. "Of course. Won't miss it."
He smiled. "Perfect. Honestly, the practice has been crazy. Coach is expecting so much."
"And you're getting nervous?"
"No. Not really. I'm just . . . what if we lose? It's unnerving thinking about it, you know."
"Absurd, you mean," I said then took his free hand in mine, "the team's gonna win, Matt. You just have to believe it. And besides, how can they lose when they have you in it. The best goalkeeper to ever grace the football field."
"Aw, you think so?" Matthew said, amused.
I decided not to be a tease this time so I said, "I watch you practice almost every day. I know so."
Matthew caressed my cheek then with his thumb. "Did I ever tell you I love you?"
I flushed but I made sure to hide it. "No. I do not remember you telling me so."
"Well, Elena Kim Sergio, I. Love. You." He said, making sure every word came out clear.
Right at that moment, I knew it was real. Everything seemed to dim to a speck, highlighting all I felt for my ex-best friend Matthew, making it more lucid.
It wasn't just teenage infatuation. I liked him. Absurd as the word was to me about a year ago, it was real.
"Do you want me to say it back, though?" I said jokingly.
"No, not really. Don't bother," Matt shrugged.
"For reals?"
"Of course not, jeez," he replied immediately.
I laughed. " l love you too, Matthew Tristan Dunlop."
"Ah, better," Matthew smiled.
Suddenly, the lights in the class went on and Miss Dana's gaze settled on us both, along with the gaze of the rest of the class.
My cheeks turned beet red at the sudden attention. Matthew, on the other hand, stared back at Miss Dunlop coolly, his arm still wrapped warmly around my shoulders, although his body composure said he'd been taken by surprise too.
"Dunlop, would you mind telling us the year and names of the protagonists and antagonists in the play just finished?" she rapped out quickly.
Miss Dana had always been a fast talker.
I, who'd already moved away from Matthew, gave room for him to take his arm off my shoulders. Then I watched as he stood up, an air of confidence surrounding him.
"In the year 1807, the book Othello was written by William Shakespeare. The protagonists were Othello, the moor, and Desdemona, his wife. The antagonist, Iago."
Damn, I thought, Matthew is a romantic and a reader.
Miss Dana stared at Matthew for a few moments, her lips pulled into a thin, grim line, then she sighed and moved her gaze to the rest of the class.
When Matthew sat down, I welcomed back the warmth that came with his presence.
"So you're a reader too," I smiled at him.
He looked at me. "You wouldn't believe how long that's been in my memory."
"Your homework would be to go home and find out your talents, each of you," Miss Danan said, her voice high and sharp, cutting through the romantic atmosphere that had once again begun to build between both of us.
"As it is, the date for the talent show is fast approaching. Being your assistant drama teacher, you all are mandated by me to go home and find out what you think would be amazing to others and put it forward to me by the first Friday of March."
As if on cue, the bell for school went off and without waiting for a response from the class, who equally was not waiting for a finishing statement from her, she turned and walked back to her table.
I picked up her bookbag, stood up, and slung it over my shoulder right at the same time Matthew stood up.
Together we walked out of the classroom.
"I have practice, Elena. Would you wait till after so I can drop you off?"
Tracy shook her head. "Ah, no, it's no worries. Megan would do so."
Megan was my close friend too but after she got a boyfriend in sophomore who she's still seeing, we kind of grew distant. We were still friends, we still talked, but just not as with Matthew or as much.
"Okay then," Matthew breathed, his eyebrows rising in relief.
I liked how his eyebrows gave his face so many different expressions.
Smiling, I said, "You just go do your thing."
Matthew smiled back. "Alright, I'll see you tomorrow. But I'mma call you tonight, so expect it."
"Sure."
He gave my hand a tight squeeze, leaned forward, and kissed my forehead.
"Bye," he whispered.
With that, he turned and left.
I had never been so sure of anything in my life as what I felt for Johan at that moment. With a satisfied smile, I turned and walked away in the opposite direction.
°°°°°
Isn't it obvious, Elle? All he wants is to have sex with you." I mentally recoiled at Megan's words.
"Why would you say that, Megan?" I frowned, settling down in front of my vanity mirror, placing the phone down on the table and putting it on speaker.
"Because it's true," Megan replied, her voice from the phone seeming to reverberate around the room.
"And how do you know that?" I asked, pulling her brown hair up in a messy ponytail.
"Elle, honey, that's how boys are. I know these things."
"So, I should break things up with Matt then?" I said tentatively, before applying bronze eye shadow and dark mascara to my blue eyes.
"Thank God you finally understand," Megan said with a sigh.
"I've known Matthew for eleven years now," I chuckled. "He's not gonna go break my heart or anything. And besides, he's different
"He's not, Elena, trust me. They never are. Now hurry up and get outside, I'm on my way," Megan replied with finality in her tone.
"No, wait, Megs, I want us to clear things up, Matthew is different," I tried again, standing up from my chair and putting on hoop earrings.
"Elle, I'm telling you, and you have to believe me, all Matt wants is to get in your pants. Precisely in the back of his car," she rapped out. "Alright, I gotta go. Hurry up."
The line went dead immediately and I was left in a brief silence.
Why was Megan saying all these? I mean, I get that she and Matthew never really got along because she felt I preferred Matthew over her but still, why? Could it be that she was having relationship issues at the moment and was simply venting it out on an absent Matthew, just because Matthew's a guy and is supposed to be scum seeing as 'all men are scum'?
Not wanting to dwell on it much, I shook my head, garbled some of my stuff, and left the room, heading downstairs to the kitchen where we had breakfast every morning, mostly just me and Karen wherever she was home because dad and mom were usually busy.
"Hey, dad. Hey, mom," I smiled on getting to the kitchen.
"How's it going, honey?" Mom asked.
"Morning, love," said dad.
"Great," I answered them both and picked an apple out of the bowl.
Just then, I heard a car pull over in the driveway, followed by the honk of its horn.
"Megan's here," I said, "see you after school."
Kissing mom on the forehead and waving at dad, I ran out the front door and walked up to Megan's car, stopping directly in front of it.
Megan fixed an amused look on the apple in my hand before moving her gaze to my face.
"Well, don't just stand there, hop in," she smiled.
*****
Bang!
I let out a yelp and stepped back at the sudden noise caused by the slamming shut of my locker, my heart already thumping madly against her rib cage.
A short laugh followed. "Jeez, relax. It's just me, Matt."
I looked up into familiar blue eyes, feeling rather embarrassed.
"You asshole," I feigned a frown and shoved his arm. "What the hell was that for?"
"Chillax—"
"No, I cannot "chillax" when you almost gave me a heart attack," I said and crossed my arms with a huff.
"Alright, I'm sorry, Lee," he begged, his eyes pleading. Was he serious right now? Calling me Lee. I wanted to laugh.
When I didn't budge, he tried again.
"Two cones, cookies, and cream, after school and you'll stop being mad. Deal?"
My eyes widened and immediately, I smiled. "Deal."
"Great," he grinned and I couldn't help the fluttery feeling in my tummy.
Every move he made was impossible to go unnoticed by me. He'd just run his hand through his thick, dark hair and I wished, so bad, to touch it. Feel it. Breathe in its scent.
What was he doing to me without even knowing? Or did he? Was it all just physical attraction? Was Megan right?
"So," I began after letting out a short breath. "Um, would you be there with me during rehearsal? Yesterday was a total flop and I need my emotional support there today."
Matthew chuckled. "Emotional support, huh, yeah sure I'll be."
"For real?" My face lit up.
"Definitely." He nodded, smiling.
Suddenly, my face broke into a wide grin, and immediately, I wrapped my arms around his chest and pulled him into a hug.
The scent of his cologne—Victoria's Secret (I had no idea boys used that) —and aftershave blended into one and oh, was that nice.
After what seemed like ages, I pulled back from him, and then he took my hand in his.
"What do you say we will go out tomorrow. After school?" he smiled, his expression a sincere one of elation.
"Oh, shoot," I groaned. "I have practice tomorrow. We have rehearsal again. How about Wednesday or Thursday?"
"Dang, now I have football practice on Wednesday and Thursday," he said and sighed. "Okay, how about Friday night? Eight sharp. Montero's?"
"Uh—" I began when he cut in.
"Please don't tell me you have practice again."
I laughed. "I don't have practice on Friday, Matt."
"So we're good then?" he raised his arched eyebrows.
"Yep," I smiled.
"Awesome," he said then, at once, leaned in and placed a feathery kiss at the corner of my lips, earning an increased heartbeat from me.
"I'll see you after school then," he told me, stepping back and fixing his gaze on me.
"Sure," I said, holding his gaze.
He stared at me for a few more seconds, squeezed my hand then let go.
"You just don't forget our deal," I said as he made to leave.
"You betcha," he grinned, gave me a thumbs-up, and walked away.
For the rest of the day, All I could think of was Matt's lips mere inches from hers.
Megan would be so disappointed.