The Dude's a Girl

Chapter 11: Coats and Closets

"Boyfriend?" Matt looked up, shocked.

"No, we were close and kissed once in Michigan but we weren't dating." I said to Matt and then turned to my old friend Ryan, who was at the door. "We go to the same school and like each other, but we aren't dating!" I explained.

My explanation didn't look so helpful to either of them.

"I've enrolled here because this guy dropped out because he got a place in a better college or something so I took his space next door. I bumped into this girl, Selena, and she told me everything. You being a boy and all."

"Okay...well, uh, nice to see you again." I said to him.

"Nice to see you too," And he winked at me with his blue eyes and frowned at Matt.

Ryan turned around and went next door, shutting the door behind him. Matt looked at me, with an eyebrow up.

We both chuckled and then leaned in for another kiss as the door creaked opened again.

"Ryan, I thought you were-" I began but I stopped myself when I saw the betrayed look in his eyes. Tom's eyes.

***

I squinted as the blinding sun shone in my eyes. I yawned and crawled out of bed. Looking at the clock, I saw that it was six in the morning. Breakfast usually started at seven forty five, so I took a long shower and got ready.

Tom hadn't spoken to me that day. Or that night. In fact, I hadn't even seen him, which means he must've bunked with his friend two doors away, the one with a spare bed.

Anyway, Matt woke up and we went down to breakfast together. I had some tea and toast and we both finished eating in silence and went back upstairs to our room. When we walked into our room, Tom was just about to leave it.

"Tom-" He shot me a look full of sadness, anger and disappointment.

He stormed out the room and down the stairs. I didn't even get to explain anything to him. Actually, no I don't need to explain. It was my choice and he should respect my actions and honestly, whether or not he had walked into the room at that moment, I would've told him.

I slumped onto my bed and turned on the television, surfing through the channels. I was excited for our dinner date tonight but at the same time, I still had time to kill.

Matt told me that he wanted to work out for a while, so he went over to the gym and let me know that that he would be back by five.

MATT'S POINT OF VIEW

I jogged down the stairs. I couldn't wait for our date. Sam meant so much to me. I really really liked her. As I walked into the gym, I saw it was completely empty besides Ryan. God, I don't like that guy.

"Matt. What are you doing here?" Ryan narrowed his eyes at me and stopped running on the treadmill.

"Oh, I don't know, I'm shopping for rhinosauruses, idiot." I replied sarcastically.

"You're so weird. I can't believe someone like Sam would like someone like you." Ryan walked suspiciously over to the door and closed it. He kicked my back and I fell to the ground in pain. As I struggled to pick myself up, he tied up my hands using skipping ropes and shoved me into the gym closet! He put tape that he found in the storing closet over my mouth and chuckled as he locked the closet door.

I tried kicking, but it was no use. I began to panic as I wondered why this was happening to me.

SAM'S POINT OF VIEW

I looked at myself in the mirror. I had borrowed one of Kayla's dresses (who, by the way, was adorably supportive of our relationship.) I planned to wear a huge coat over the dress so Ms Trall wouldn't see.

I threw on the coat, despite it being August, and went over to the gym. The door was locked. Maybe they were cleaning it or something? But then where was Matt?

I tried calling Matt's phone before realizing that he left it in his room. Oh no, don't tell me that he's one of those guys that blow girls off. I knew it. Nobody's that perfect. I knew he had to have an imperfection hiding somewhere.

I sat in my room, a big frown on my face, as the clock reached our date time and even passed it. That's when Tom walked in. He walked up to me and looked at me seriously.

"Kayla told me you had a date with Matt today." Tom said, taking a seat on his bed.

"Yeah, I was supposed to, but I, uh, can't find him," I embarrassedly mumbled, tears glazing my eyes.

After a long pause, Tom spoke up again, "You know what? I really had feelings for you and I still kinda do, to be honest. But I would never go to the length of sabotaging your happiness for my own benefit." He got up and added, "So come on, we're going to go to look for him, because I know for sure that he's not the kind of person to blow people off."

I smiled at him and stood up, sniffing.

I zipped my coat up again and we left the room. As we neared the gym, we heard a large group of people talking very loudly and in particular, Ms Trall was shouting.

"I am disappointed Ryan, since we have accepted you into our school and you have just went and done that to one of our pupils," She said angrily, "And that is why you should understand why you are to stay in your room at all times besides breakfast, lunch and dinner, from now to the start of term."

I heard Ryan let out an annoyed grunt.

We reached the bottom of the stairs and saw Matt rubbing his wrists, which were bright red and Ryan, who's face was bright red.

"What happened?" Tom asked a girl in the crowd.

"Me and my friends were in the art room and we heard thumping and muffled shouts, so we told the janitor that it was coming from the gym room. He opened the door and we found Matt in the closet."

"And then he told us that Ryan did it to make him miss his date with his girlfriend or something," Another girl told us.

We looked at each other, eyebrows raised.

"Why does this Ryan care about, uh, Matt's girlfriend?" Tom asked me, knowing that others could hear our conversation.

"Well, I heard that his girlfriend used to go to the same school as Ryan, and he liked her but she didn't like him back." I explained to Tom.

Matt came back to the room and because it was past the time we were allowed to go out, we just watched some television with some popcorn.

Someone knocked on our door, so I walked over to open it. Ms. Trall stood there, smiling.

"Hello there, Sam. I just wanted to remind you, Matt and Tom that tomorrow is visiting day." She informed.

"Oh, okay, thanks, I guess." I replied as she then went next door.

I doubt Dad and Rosa will come, so why waste my breath asking them? Matt's parents and sisters had plans, but I had no idea about Tom. I yawned as I leapt onto the bed, burying myself under the duvet.

The next day, I got up and saw Ranie, the devil herself, sitting on Tom's bed. She was smiling and talking to Tom. She smiled at me sickeningly sweetly and looked back at Tom, carrying on with her conversation. I frowned back. I rubbed my eyes and washed myself up, got changed and headed downstairs. The cafeteria was full with relatives of students. I gave myself a sad smile, as I realised that no one was there for me. I took a deep breath, before eating my breakfast silently.