Braver Than I Used to Be

Chapter Two

At school when I arrived to second period there was a folded-up paper on my desk.

Too soon for ice cream?

I giggled to myself and I could see Matthew's head twitch as he tried not to turn around and look at me.

"It's Friday, I am going to the movies with Ray." I whispered to myself knowing he could hear me. He nodded to confirm.

I stared at the board trying to follow along and take notes when I little paper ball bounced off my head and onto my desk. I opened it up.

Saturday?

"I'll let you know." I whispered. Not even a minute later another paper came flying in the same pattern. It had a phone number and said I wont hold my breath.

"Wait, why do you keep asking me to do things?" I whispered to him.

Just then the bell rang and he turned around "Because I know for some reason you want to as much as I do." He said so fast, no one even noticed he was talking to me and he was out the door.

"I didn't realize Matt was in your class." Ray said to me when I walked out.

I panicked for a second because I thought he saw him talking to me, but it wasn't likely. "Yeah, he sits right in front of me."

"He doesn't talk to you, does he?"

I shook my head and felt so bad for lying. "No, why?"

He rolled his eyes, "You know why."

"Yeah, I remember our promise, why are you worried about him talking to me? He has no reason to."

He shrugged and I felt like what Matthew thought about the fight may have been true but I wasn't ready to ask Ray. It wasn't worth having to explain because he would want to know why, and I didn't want to lie more than I just had.

"What time is the movie tonight?"

His face changed and I knew that look, it was guilt. I knew what was coming, my heart kind of sank because I was looking forward to actually hanging out just Ray and I tonight.

"I'm sorry, I forgot I promised Maggie I would take her to dinner tonight."

I nodded and walked off to go to class alone as he called behind me. I knew Ray was going to have his own life and I understood that, but since he started dating Maggie, the only time I saw him was at school and before bed when he would talk about Maggie. He had slowly become really annoying.

When I sat down in class, before Ray got in, I fished the piece of paper with a phone number out of my backpack since my skirt didn't have pockets and I forgot the jacket to my uniform, I shoved it in my backpack, terrible idea. I didn't realize how many papers I actually had in the one pocket.

I messaged Matthew saying Cheesecake?

"So, no movie tonight I take it?" Matthew said when I sat down.

"I don't want to talk about it." I mumbled disappointed.

He nodded. "Got it."

I tried my best to perk up and not be annoyed about the fact that I saw Ray's car outside by the movie theater. "What did you mean earlier? About wanting to do things as much as I do?"

He coughed, "Yeah, I wasn't expecting that to come back to me."

"Too late, explain."

He placed his hands in his lap and I could tell he was turning them in each other nervously. "Well, let me try to explain best I can. You see, I keep asking because, I don't know, I feel like I should." He paused and sighed, "That came out wrong. For some reason I like your company, even though I am not supposed to, and yes, I have friends and there are other girls I can have the company of, but I don't know, being around you doesn't drive me crazy after an hour and you eat A LOT of cheesecake, which is also cool."