Serendipity-Phase 1

Chapter 11 | The Group Lunch

"Yeah, it's at 1:00," I say

"So is this a reminder?" He asks and I can hear the playfulness in his voice.

"Huh? No no!" I immediately reply and chuckle.

"So?"

"I actually wanted to talk to you about something. Is this a good time?"

"Well, I was in bed having the best damn sleep in a while so I hope that this conversation is interesting"

"Oh god, I'm so sorry... I just thought that maybe you might have been awake...I feel so bad. I'm sorry, I'll let you get back to bed—"

"Hey it's fine, I'm up now. We can talk" he quickly reassures but it does very little to ease my guilt.

"Actually can you hold for one second, I'll just find a better spot," He says and I hear some shuffling from his line.

"Okay...Go on"

"Okay, so this is about our little meeting today. You know Nathan right?"

I just cut right to the chase.

"Yes..." he says leaving the statement hanging, waiting for me to continue.

"Well, he'll be kinda joining us for lunch," I say and close my eyes shut bracing for some kinda reaction.

The line is once again silent and I'm wondering if he actually cut the call out of anger. But he didn't.

"Matt?"

"I'm here. Sorry, I don't understand. Why is he coming over? Not that I mind—I mean he must be your friend...I didn't mean it like that but it just confuses me that you would invite him after that incident in the restaurant. You guys are probably dating again and that's fine, I just, I kinda maybe—"

I found it extremely cute that he was rambling.

"We're not dating," I say calmly, making him pause.

"Right..."

"Yeah, we're not. It's just...It's a whole story but we are certainly not dating, he's just a friend"

"I'm a patient guy...I can listen to the story"

I chuckle at his curiosity but comply. After all, he deserves answers.

I told him about Nathan's confession, about Sam's situation and he patiently listened without intruding.

"So what you're saying is, he wanted to do that whole dating thing to make Sam jealous? Are you sure about this?" he asks.

"Yeah, I mean I have my doubts and I definitely don't like his approach on this matter but what has happened has happened and I am pretty sure their feelings are legit. But again if things don't work out between them then it's their issue to solve. I won't butt in." I say

"What about you?" He asks and I frown.

"What about me, what?"

"Well you liked him or maybe still like him, and now he's saying that you were just a way for him to get to what he wanted, doesn't that make you feel bad?"

"I never liked him as more than a friend and I certainly didn't or don't have any feelings for him. I only said yes because he asked me out in the school hallways and every ear was listening to us and I didn't want to openly reject him in front of all of them. That's why I said yes. Definitely not because I liked him or something like that."

"He asked you out in the hallways?" He asked incredulously.

"Yep," I say, popping the "p".

"There must've been a lot of pressure for you"