Special Someones

Chapter 25 Pact

Xue Ge pushed the door open slowly, with Jennifer waiting a safe distance behind.

Matt was on the bed, looking at his laptop. Bolin was laying on the sleeping bag, resting while playing something on his phone.

Try as he might, Xue Ge couldn't read anything in Matt's expression at all. He looks fine? "Matt, you okay?"

Matt nodded. "yes i'm fine. and congratulations. i'm a good wingman right."

Bolin looked up from his game briefly but continued playing.

Xue Ge felt uncertain. "What you mean?" If I didn't know Matt better, I'd think he was being sarcastic.

"well you wanted me to help you with Jennifer. i think you've succeeded."

Bolin put down his phone and looked questioningly at Xue Ge.

But Xue Ge didn't know what to say. Should I deny that I'm with her? How do I explain that kiss?

"have you guys finished study group yet. then you can join us," Matt said.

"No, just check you okay. We study now." Xue Ge closed the door again.

#

Moments later,

"Maybe he isn't feeling jealous?" Xue Ge suggested.

"It's possible," Jenn concurred, "Not everyone gets jealous easily. He's always known you liked me, and he's even helped you get closer to me before."

"Are you sure he's okay?"

"No. Even the typical people have difficulty recognising jealousy sometimes. So it could be that he's just unaware that he's feeling jealous. Or simply choosing not to act on it.

"So how can we know for sure?"

"Talk to him. Keep watching him," Jenn suggested.

#

It was time for bed. Jennifer and Bolin had gone home, Xue Ge and Matt had their baths. Matt had borrowed Xue Ge's phone, and was listening to music while lying on the bed with his eyes closed.

Xue Ge sat on the sleeping bags below the bed, trying to think how to breach the subject. He lay his chin on the bed and forced himself to ask, "Matt, you really okay ah?"

"yes. i'm happy for you." Matt responded, eyes still closed.

"You don't feel jealous?"

"i don't think so. i never understood jealousy anyway. it doesn't seem like the right thing to feel when someone you care about gets something they want."

"Don't you want me? For yourself. Without Jennifer," Xue Ge asked.

"i'm still new to the concept that i wanted you. so i'm not sure if i want you exclusively to myself yet."

Xue Ge decided that was enough, and the two boys bid each other good night soon after.

#

Xue Ge woke up to the sound of sniffling from where Matt lay, as he sometimes did these past few nights. As usual, Xue Ge slowly moved up to lay beside Matt and put his arm around him.

Matt jerked away and pushed Xue Ge's arm off.

Xue Ge froze in shock.

"i'm sorry. don't touch me. please. i don't like being touched," Matt said between sobs.

Xue Ge quietly moved back to the sleeping bag on the floor. He sat next to the bed, curled up into a tight ball with his head on his knees. He stayed there, listening until the sound of sobbing from the bed stopped.