Matchmaker's Match

Chapter Fifteen

Late night talks & jokes
♡ Amanda ♡
. . .

Jazzy's waiting for me when I get from the park- it's late and everyone is gone now- my mom and step-dad are most likely asleep and Jazzy's practically fighting her bobbing head crashing into her laptop keyboard right then and there.

The only light that's on when I enter the house is the kitchen light. I slowly close the front door and cautiously make my way into the kitchen.

Jazzy's sitting at the table with her soft pink blanket wrapped around her shoulders- before I even see her face I think of the way she looked when I walked away- when I did and said what I did and said to Teddy... I think about her little face, her little hears- what she seen and what she heard... how crushed she might be.

I hate the thought of it all.

"Hey" I say, gently tapping her on the shoulder just in case. Slowly, she looks up at me- her eyes sleepy and gives me the laziest smile in the world, "you're home!" she says it more enthusatically than she looks.

"I've been waiting for-ever" she groans, rubbing her eyes, now turning to me in her seat, "w-where did you go..." she pauses, then- as cautiously as she can- like I'm made of glass or something she asks, "what happened with Teddy..?

I let out a sigh before falling into the chair to her then my head sinks into my cupped hands. "you wanna start with the happy thing or the angering sad thing?"

She shrugs, "first... I want to know if you're okay".

"I'm fine" I scoff, taking my head out my hand and instead putting my head back on my fist to look at the young girl, "and I might be going out with Hannah soon.." I smile- Jazzy's eyes widen and she gasps, "really?" this seems to wake her up in one way or another.

"Yes! she's soooo shy and so adorable and oh my god I really, really wanna like- kiss her and hug her and cuddle her and couple shit like take her on cute dates and shit".

"Oh my god you're whipped" Jazzy giggles.

"Maybe" I'm smiling so hard it's scary- but then I realize I have to tell her the truth- so I have to get it over with.

"And uh..." I gulp, "Teddy's a..."

"I know" she interrupts, looking down, "I heard" the last words that leave her mouth come out in a whisper, "he was so made he left after he got himself composed... he just- left".

I nod slowly- scared that if I open my mouth tears might fall down my cheeks- I know it's for the best, I know I shouldn't be sad but I am.

I'm sad because Teddy's a person I no longer know- and the saddest thing about that? Well, I don't have a straight answer but I'm thinking it's the one where I'm losing somebody..

And I can't force him to go back to normal.

I take in a breath of air, calming myself I ask, "Hope here?"

Jazzy, "traditions are traditions, now aren't they?"

I start giggle and stand up, poking out my elbow I say in a rather thick yet fake British accent, "well aren't you right my lady- they certainly are".

She smiles and links her arm in mine. We leave out the kitchen with her laptop and blanket in both of freehand and as we down to the den, she says, "it's between 10 Things I hate about you and Clueless".

"Oh defo Clueless" I say- and as she nods and we make our way to Hope, for the first time in what feels like ages, my mind is off of Theodore Tanner.

. . .

For the rest of TG break, Hannah and I text about everything and nothing at all- we text about my obsession with Strawberries and we talk about Build-a-bear and how I've never been there but have always wanted to go- we send each other Tiktok videos and she sends me videos of her dog Comet being a "crackhead" I love texting her almost as much as I love her smile and how amazing she can draw.

But you know what else I love? How shy she is when it comes to FaceTime- I want to see her face but she thinks it's awkward and breaks out into a nervous wreck of giggles and red blush when she sees my face- it's cute as hell.

On the Sunday before we go back to school I fear one thing...

"What if she's so shy when we go back to school that she avoids me all day?" I ask Ell, staring up at the ceiling of my bedroom while munching on a Krispy Kreme donut.

Ella- who's sitting at my vanity applying some new products she got when we went to the mall with Sadie and Hope earlier this week, lets out a sigh and says, "she might".

My fears confirmed, I sit up, "oh you're so much help" I say sarcastically.

Ella shrugs, "it's Hannah- she gets so nervous she wants to puke and a few times- she actually has".

My brows cock up, "she has anxiety?"

"Maybe. It's never been diagnosed but I mean... look at the girl"

I think for a second, "you think I made her want to puke in the park?"

"No. I just think you have to be patient. She's liked you for ages, Dee- she probably doesn't know what to do now that you even know her name".

I slowly nod then tilt my head in confusion, "she's liked me that long?"

"Since like freshman year, yes" Ella stops applying the product- an ache eraser- as it calls itself, and smiles at me, "you're very Clueless".

"Huh" I smile, "guess that buzzfeed quiz was wrongggg I am to just like Cher"

Ella giggles and rolls her eyes- I on the other hand don't let it go.

"And you're my Dionnn" I say in a sing-song voice.

"Shut up" she giggles.

"Love ya too, El"

I finish the donut and find myself still sitting there, staring at the ceiling, I ponder on how long Hannah's liked me and I've neve noticed...

Am I really that clueless?

Was there really that many signs?

Then Ella's voice breaks me out of my thoughts, "wait a minute, why aren't you guys texting like crazy? what happened?" she turns in my seat rather abruptly.

I laugh, sitting up, "relax, relax, she's at the vet with her dog for his check up as soon as that's over we'll resume our usual text convos" Ella lets out a loud sigh of relief, I'm infamous for being the type of person to get scared of my feelings and run- Ella and I have been working on it since Ruby Mae- my last almost girlfriend- who was almost too perfect for my league.

"Damn El, you're acting like I'm that stupid"

"You are" she chuckles, "and I know you're my best friend and everything but if you break that girl's heart I'll break your skull"

I gasp rather dramatically- placing my hand on my heart for added effect, "you'd never"

Ella waves her hand at me dismissively but smiles in my direction anyways.

. . .
♡ T A L E Y I A H ♡