Authors: Monica Miller
She shrugged as Ben and Matt glared at her and continued her talk with Gabrielle. I smiled at Kate, who returned me a shy smile and sighed. This wasn’t going to be easy.
*
I sat on my desk writing a report for Matt and I was proud I could do that. I’ve learned so much since I’ve started working here about half a year ago. I could help Matt a lot and I was happy to do that. I felt useful, but I knew Matt would accept me even if I had no idea how to take a call. Yes, I was still struggling with the phone, but I was getting better at it. And Matt stopped calling me just to check if I answer correctly.
Katerine had her paperwork as well and she pulled a chair and sat on my desk and I gave her a smile. It was so easy to like her, even though half of the department glared at her every time they met her on the hallway or the elevator. Everyone knew she was dating Matt and none of them got more than a night stand with him. I included. But I liked to think that I am more than that.
“Why are you staying here?” I asked out of the blue and Kate looked at me and shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong I think you’re awesome, but you know, I thought Matt’s more… helpful?”
“Oh, I do not need his help for this,” she said pointing at the documents and shrugged again. “Plus I do not have to spend every minute with him. Do you mind if I shall stay here?”
“No. Of course not!” I replied and she smiled. “So how are things going?” I asked. I was curious to know her point of view. I knew he said things were “great”.
“Everything is really well, thank you, Emma. Matt is a rather interesting person. He is amazing, actually.”
“I know that,” I said with a smirk.
“I know he has his moments and he is not so determined to have a relationship or so, due to what happened to him in high school and it’s normal. I was pretty decided not to have a relationship because I dated someone back in London and it end up bad and now I met Matt and…”
“Wait, wait. Sorry for interrupting, but… Did you say something about “due to what happened to him in high school” or have I just misunderstood your accent?”
“You’re so funny, Emma. I still don’t get what’s with the British accents… They are okay, but not so special…”
“Katerine,” I said with a serious tone.
“Oh, yes. Didn’t you know about Serena? His high school sweetheart?”
“Um… No?” I asked and looked away. Why would he tell Katerine about his high school love and not me? I think I would’ve taken it worse than Katerine and I envied how she wasn’t jealous.
“He dated this girl back in high school, she was a cheerleader or some kind of popular girl, and she cheated on him on Prom or after or something. With his best friend.”
“
What
?” I yelled and some of the people in the department looked at me with curiosity. “Sorry,” I muttered and looked at Katerine. “Who in the world would cheat on Matt?”
“Not you apparently,” Katerine laughed. “You didn’t know about this, Emma?”
“No… He never told me that… He said his Prom sucked, but seriously, my friend told me was just as great in high school and…”
“Bitches will be bitches,” Kate shrugged and I nodded. “Anyway, don’t tell him I told you. Maybe he’ll tell you himself or maybe it doesn’t matter that much.”
“And that’s why he’s always dating blonde girls whose name starts with “S”?”
“Does he?” Katerine asked. “I have no idea, it could be. But he doesn’t seem too affected by it, you know. He said he had a perfect Prom afterwards. I don’t know when or…”
“He was my date to Prom,” I whispered.
“Look… I don’t know. I kind of feel really uncomfortable between you two. When I first saw you I thought you were dating, because he was looking at you with his eyes full of love and…”
“Shut up, Kate,” I said laughing. “We never dated or anything.”
“You should,” she shrugged.
“Are you talking as Matt’s girlfriend?” I asked.
“Of course. Not now, but… I do like him and we get along well, but it will not going to last, because we’re not the perfect person for each other. I don’t know what I want anymore because I’m totally screwed now. But you seem to be the perfect person for him, Emma.”
“What happened to you?” I asked avoiding her statement.
“I dated a guy for three years and… it didn’t go really well at the end. He just… left. Without an explanation and…”
“So Matt’s just… rebound?” I asked with an annoyed tone.
“Yes and no. He’s actually one of the greatest guys I have ever met. But I don’t plan on getting emotionally involved, not again. Anyway, I am not breaking up with him or anything so… But if you do end up together you could invite me to your wedding.”
“I don’t know if this is your usual British humor or if you’re actually serious.”
“Serious about what?” Matt asked appearing out of nowhere and he placed his hand on my shoulders. “You two don’t seem to be working at all. It’s nice gossiping on people, right? Especially when they’re not there?”
“Of course it’s more interesting. Why would it be interesting if we were talking about you right now?” she asked and Matt laughed.
“So you indeed were talking about me, right? I can’t blame you, I’m irresistible.”
“Sure, Prince Charming,” I said and Katerine laughed and looked at us, and the fact that Matt’s hands was still around my shoulders while his girlfriend was standing in front of us was a bit confusing.
*
“So that’s what she told you?” Gabrielle asked after I tell her about my discussion with Katerine. “She’s so nice and it’s obvious she noticed the chemistry between you and Matt.”
“Oh, c’mon. You never support me!” I complained.
“I’ve never said that. I’ll always support you and now I understand why he never actually made a move. I was reserved and reticent about getting involved in a relationship, but we’re talking about Shia… But it’s so bad that happened to him. I know what it’s like and it’s bad.”
“What move? What? I know how it was like for you and I hated everything of it and I had no idea this happened to him and I hate that stupid bitch!”
“This is so cute,” she said with a smile.
“What?”
“Not you, the text from Jensen. He’s a funny guy,” she said placing her iPhone on the table. “What did you said? That you wanna try with him now?”
“No! He’s dating Kate.”
“And we both agree she’s great and they look absolutely great together, but we know who’s Matt’s other half.”
“What’s the matter with you, Gabrielle?” I asked laughing. “You spend too much time around Monica. She always says stuff like this. I don’t even plan on telling her about this, she’ll be all over me to do something and you know I won’t. It would be weird.”
“What’s weird about it, Emma? The fact that you two are so crazy about each other and find every stupid excuse not to be together? First it was… I don’t know, everything that happened after Prom, and then he arrived in Los Angeles, and you dated Morgan, he dated that stupid blonde bimbo, then… I don’t know! You just find stupid excuses and don’t even try to say anything.”
“You’re right,” I whispered. “I’m just afraid I’ll get too involved in this, because it’s Matt we’re talking about and…”
“Yeah, but life is about taking chances, babe,” she said with a smile. “And trust me, that hottie is definitely worth the risk. He’s not my type anymore, because you’d have seriously competition!”
“So funny,” I said rolling my eyes and Gabrielle laughed.
But she was kind of right, in fact. Life was about taking chances. But how could I take a chance while he was dating Katerine? And supposedly I liked her. I mean, I actually like and appreciate her. But I actually was starting to think more about it. Maybe Matt and I could be good together.
Chapter 18
Not as bad as it seems
~
M
att
N
icholls ~
I opened my eyes and noticed Katerine’s arms around me. It was still dark outside, and I guessed it couldn’t be more than 5 AM. I moved carefully trying not to wake Kate and rolled out of bed running a hand through my messy hair.
For a brief moment when I woke up, I wanted to have Emma next to me. But that was crazy because I liked Katerine for real and well… Emma was a completely different story. I know I was kind of crazy for trying to make her realize we could be good together before Kate arrived and then I let it go. Maybe because I thought of Kate’s arrival was a sign and you have to consider the signs. Maybe that one wasn’t the right moment to declare my attraction towards her. Because was just an attraction. Okay, maybe a little more.
It could be more because I knew Emma for over four years now and I knew everything about her. So that could add some points to it. But it wasn’t like I loved Emma or something.
Yeah, sure keep lying to yourself,
my subconscious scolded me.
I’m not lying to myself
, I replied back then shook my head because I realized I was having a conversation in my mind. And you just can’t do that, because it’s crazy.
I walked around the house with nothing to do, and then I took the remote and turned the TV on, and just my luck the volume was pretty high so I tried to turn it off, but I just can’t seem to manage it and it took me more than 10 seconds to do it. I dropped the TV remote on the floor and it broke to pieces.
“Fuck,” I muttered and sat on the couch.
Okay, let’s review this. I woke up next to my girlfriend wishing my friend, Emma, was the one next to me. Like an ordinary day.
It wasn’t like I didn’t like Katerine. Because I did. Ever since I met her I felt she was different somehow and maybe she could be the person who would make me forget about Emma. Because I couldn’t. I’d ruin everything, like I always do. And my friendship with Emma was the best thing I’ve ever had. For real. She kept me on the line and it was so nice to hang out with her and see her laugh. But I don’t love her, like I thought in that dream.
Yeah, it’s still echoing in my head that one. One does not simply dream about his best friend and forget it that easily.
“Hey, what happened?” I heard Emma’s voice behind me.
I turned my head immediately and saw her standing in the door frame with messy hair and she looked so tired. She was wearing only a long, tight t-shirt that made me cringe only thinking that I could…
Matt, focus!
“Um… Nothing, I-I…”
Why are you stuttering, douche bag?
“I couldn’t sleep and…”
“Everything okay with you?” she asked with a cute smile.
I nodded before saying another stupid thing. Emma ran her hand through her hair and yawned, but still trying to walk towards the couch and stumbled across something on the floor.
“Ouch!” she complained and I tried not to laugh. “Not funny. Oh. Kate’s still here?” she asked taking a black high heeled shoe from the floor. “She should be more organized,” Ems complained sitting next to me and yawned again.
“Why don’t you go to bed?” I whispered tucking a strand from her hair behind her ear.
Smart move, dumbass
, I told myself as I felt my blood rushing through my veins.
“And let you torture yourself until the sun rises?” she asked, laughing. “Nope, I can stay with you, if you’re okay with it. Or do you wanna be a forever alone? I would completely understand it.”
“You’re way too sarcastic for 4 and a half in the morning,” I said after I read the hour on the screen of my phone.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered softly then started laughing. “Forever alone,” she added getting closer to me.
“Yeah, I can’t even be a forever alone here. You’re all wrapped around me, but I can understand it,” I said with a smirk and she punched my shoulder. “C’mon, Ems, you know you want to.”
“Mhm,” she whispered and moved closer to me. “I definitely want to be up at 4 and a half in the morning because I can’t keep my hands off you.” she said and then laughed.
“I knew it!” I said and she laughed. “C’mon, you like watching me walk around like the Sex God I am and…”
“Dude, are you being serious?” she asked and laughed. “I’m so freakin’ tired and I am making such an effort to stay here with you. I can’t keep up.”
“Okay, we can continue this later.”
“Or you can continue this with your girlfriend because she is actually in your room.”
“Or… that.”
She nodded and an awkward silence lied between us for a couple of minutes. Then Emma suggested watching a movie so we chose
The Dark Knight
and she took a blanket and put it around her shoulders and then shifted on the couch for about fifteen minutes.
“What’s up with you?” I asked and she shrugged.
“You know
The Dark Knight
bores me.”
“One does not simply get bored at The Dark Knight, Ems,” I told her and she shrugged and shifted on the couch again. “You’re distracting me.”
“Oh, shut up. Will you get me a glass of water, please?” she added in a whisper.
“No.”
“I said
please
,” she whispered. “I’m not in the mood to go in the kitchen, plus it’s dark.”
“So you’re afraid of the dark now?” I asked and laughed.
“Please,” she whispered. “Will you let me die here? I’m thirsty.”
“What will you do if I get you your water?”
“Let’s not go there,” Emma suggested and I laughed. “Please?”
“Fine,” I said getting up of the couch and she grinned. “Don’t say I never do anything for you.”
I stayed in the kitchen for a while, looking in the fridge for something to eat, but I wasn’t in the mood for making a sandwich and I just grabbed an apple I knew I’d hate and a bottle of water for Emma. She was still curled on the couch, looking so tired and cute at the same time.
“There you go,” I said and she smiled gratefully.
“Thank you, Mr. Nicholls,” Emma said and softly kissed my cheek and my heart skipped a beat as I tried to force a smile. “You’re awesome, did you know that?”
“I’m not the one who got out of bed and stood with me because I couldn’t get sleep.”
“True story,” she agreed and moved closer to me placing her head on my shoulder and I smiled to myself as I wrapped my arm around her.