Do you need a ride?
I'm all confused. It's way too early for me to function properly, since I'm definitely not a morning person. My knees are wobbly, I'm yawing constantly and I'm busy not to spill the hot tea my mum made me all over my skirt. So why there's an unknown phone number bothering me is completely beyond me, and seriously unnerving as well. I definitely don't give out my number to anyone, means the only ones texting me are Kaia and my mum. And apparently, this unknown person.
Uh, who is this?
"June, do you have a club meeting today?" my mum asks while packing my lunch, "It's so nice to see you spending this much time with your new friends."
I'm not sure if I can already consider all of the council members my friends, but it feels nice. All the new people I hang out with on the regular now, the fact my mum thinks I have friends and am sociable. This never happened before, except maybe in kindergarten. Internally, I'm glowing. Outside, I'm munching on my cereals and act unfazed.
"Not sure, but I think so. Johnny would schedule club meeting everyday if he could. I'll let you know, okay?"
My phone buzzes. It's the unknown number again. I sigh and put down my spoon really slowly, and hope for the dear god this is not someone I'm forced to have awkward text conversations with now.
Matthew – Kaia gave me your number. I'm going to drive to school soon, so if you need me to pick you up ...
Huh. Well, this is surprising. The fact Kaia gave him my number without even asking not so much, but the fact he's actually asking to pick me up. Is this Matthew's plan to rile Logan up, or is he usually like this in a relationship? And why do I care?
No thanks, I have a car. See you at school?
Matthew's reply comes one second later and only consists of a thumbs up emoji.
I stare at our conversation and wonder if I came off a little too rude. If this was Kaia, I wouldn't think twice about it. But this is Matthew, super nice and considerate Matthew, who is doing all kind of things for me even though I'm not exactly friendly, Matthew who is fake dating me – emphasize on dating, if I didn't stress this out enough already. And here I am, not even using emoji in my texts.
"Mum," I say and look up from my phone, "Can you pack me extra lunch – a sandwich maybe? And some of the cookies you baked yesterday?"
"Is this for Kaia?" my mum asks while shuffling around in the kitchen, "I already packed her sandwich in your box."
"No this is," I pause and bite my lower lip, "– for a friend."
"A friend from the club?" my mum asks and is all excited again, "I should bake something for all council members, don't you think? As a thank you they treat you so nicely."
If so, I'll personally make sure Logan and Vivian won't get anything.
"Why not," I say and take the bag she prepared for me, "Thank you mum. I'll get going."
"See you after school, honey," my mum calls and pets my hair.
I wave while running down the driveway, a pair of laced boots with two inch heels in my hands. They'll match well with my black skirt and dark blue blouse. Kaia's usually quick to declare I'll look like a bank employee heading to work, but today all I get is a squeal and a tug on my ponytail.
"How is my not single anymore best friend doing?" she giggles like a maniac, "Oh, I'm so excited – Vivian and Logan are going to lose it, I can already see it. Logan's probably still shocked and Vivian's going to explode."
"Why though," I say and stop my car in the parking lot, "She probably won't care much."
Still, a not so small part of myself hopes she does care a lot. And an even bigger part that Logan does.
I don't meet Matthew right away. Once, I'm pretty sure I catch a glance of a very tall dark brown head towering the other students, but can't do much since I'm stuck in a very excited group of sophomores. They're all around me, humming and buzzing like a swarm of bees while pulling me down the hallway. It takes a lot to free myself when I reach my next classroom and I end up using more elbow than intended.
Liling waves at me when I pass the junior homeroom and mouths something I don't understand, so I simply wave back. She's sitting next to Duncan, but they aren't holding hands or interacting in any way that inclines they suddenly found love over the field trip.
Finally, I see Matthew waiting in front of the cafeteria. He's dressed in a very nice dark blue button up and his hair is combed backwards. Matthew has one hand in the pocket of his jeans and exchanges a few words with some passing seniors I vaguely recognize.
When he spots me, he laughs.
"Couple outfit," Matthew grins and goes to sling an arm around my shoulders, "Hi girlfriend."
It's extremely awkward, but then it's not, since Logan did the same thing (slightly different though, with optional kisses) and I should be used to it. I notice some passing students giving us wide eyes and swallow hard.
"Hi boyfriend," I say and look up at him, "Sorry for um, this morning. And my rude text."
Matthew laughs and pulls me to his side. "I missed you. I thought you would at least text me during classes, now that we're dating and everything."
I don't know if he's serious, so I simply shrug. Not for all money in the world and additional extra revenge on Logan would I text more than necessary.
Matthew smiles and bends down to press a quick kiss on my forehead, right above my temple.
"Fix your face," he whispers, "Our table is right in front of us – Logan and Vivian are there."
I smile and push my hand against his chest, which feels weird and only confirms me my acting skills won't win an Oscar anytime soon, but it's enough anyway.
"What is this?" Liling screeches as soon as we stop in front of the table and points at us with wide eyes, "Is this a prank? Hidden camera? Punk'd?"
"Why would you be punk'd," Duncan says, "Are you a celebrity?"
"No but, seriously?" Liling pushes Duncan's face away, "Are you really dating?"
"Sure, why not?" Matthew laughs and helps me to sit down next to him with a hand on my waist, which is very unnecessary and very effective.
Everyone stares at us with big eyes. Johnny's mouth hangs unattractively open and Vivian's frozen with her sushi halfway to her mouth. Logan glares at us from her side, one hand curled to a fist, while Agatha's eyes are huge and her lower lip wobbles.
"Really?" she asks and looks visibly downcast, "Why didn't you tell me, Matthew..?"
"Sorry," Matthew rubs the back of his neck, "It all happened so fast. I definitely wanted to tell you today."
"Hey new couple," Kaia takes a seat in front of us and happily reaches for my lunch bag, "Hmm awesome, cream cheese and ham."
She hands it back to me and I pass it along to Matthew.
"Um, my mum made you lunch, too."
Matthew stares at me in surprise.
"Oh wow – thank you!"
Logan looks like he smelled something bad. Bringing Matthew lunch was actually way more genius than I thought.
"So sweet," Liling sighs and turns to Duncan, "Why aren't you sharing your food with me?"
Carlos spits a mouthful of soda. There's a pause where all eyes are on Liling and Duncan with a few clearly panic-stricken faces. Mine is one of them, since I can hear my money screaming somewhere at the back of my mind.
"Wait – are you two also dating?" Carlos asks and his voice cracks, "Seriously now?"
"What?" Liling furrows her brows, "No of course not, why are you asking?"
Duncan gives her a look but doesn't say anything.
I sigh in relief and lean back.
"Got a little shock there for a second," Matthew mutters to me, "I actually put a huge sum on prom night."
"I have twenty bucks on the line," I whisper back and shuffle around, so our arms aren't touching any longer, "But if they continue like this, prom won't really work out either."
Matthew glances down at my awkward wriggling but doesn't comment on it. "What they need is – a catalyst."
I can't help but laugh. "I can't stop thinking about our presentation either. I'm so stressed already."
"What, why? Mr. Callahan was so nice during my last year," Liling says, which starts a whole new argument with Duncan whether her perception of teachers can be trusted at all since she's such a kiss-ass, in his words.
"Well, can yours be trusted? Every teacher thinks you're dumb."
"What? Teachers think I'm brilliant."
"You asked Mr. Myers during the trip if the Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil was real. It had wings."
"So? How do you know that's not real? Aren't they extinct?"
"Oh my god," Carlos deadpans, "My money is gone."
I roll my eyes and dig into my foods. My mum packed my favorite bread, which is a grainy and messy and soon, there are crumbs all over my face. Matthew laughs and leans over to brush them off my cheeks.
"Here."
I cough heavily in response.
"Don't suffocate, June," Vivian says and reaches out to pat my back.
I give her a surprised look, because why is she touching me, and that's when I notice Logan's eyes on me. He's watching Matthew and I, and there's clear annoyance on his face.
"Baby," Vivian calls out, voice a little impatient, "Baby, you have crumbs on your face."
Logan clearly doesn't get her hinting and turns around with a confused expression, but soon enough they're making out nevertheless. Right in front of us, great.
"And here I was wondering how you could possibly turn this into a make out session," Carlos says with a pained expression from Logan's other side , "Guys, I'm still here you know."
Neither of them react. My eyes follow Vivian as she runs a hand through Logan's messy locks, pulling him closer with a wet noise I want to immediately forget.
"You really can't talk to them while they're at it."
Agatha leans over Vivian's shoulder to pass Carlos some of her apple slices, which he happily accepts, and then offers the rest to Matthew and I, though I'm too annoyed over my sandwich to notice.
"Do you want to come to my place after school?" Matthew suddenly asks and tilts his head, "My parents aren't home."
This surely puts a drastic halt to Vivian and Logan's make out session, and there's a gurgling noise until Logan finally frees himself and gives us a brow raised look.
"You parents aren't home?" he deadpans, "Seriously now?"
I can't really say I react any better, since I'm giving Matthew a what the hell look. To make it worse, all the other members listen avidly, and seem pretty excited. Carlos raises both eyebrows, and Duncan whistles not so quietly. I want the ground to vanish me.
"Yeah, so?" Matthew says all oblivious and slings an arm around my shoulders, "It'll be fun."
Duncan whistles again. I want to go and strangle him, plus Matthew while I'm already at it.
Logan snorts and seems ready for another snide remark, but Vivian catches his face with her hands and spins it back in her direction.
"Why don't we spend the afternoon by ourselves too," she suggests and her voice is all sugary sweet, "We can watch a romantic movie and light some candles."
Ok, now I'm seriously puking. I roll my eyes and lean over to nudge Matthew's side.
"Are your parents really away?"
There's a grin on Matthew's face I absolutely do not like.
"Wouldn't you want to know?"
I snort and turn away, just in time to hide my burning cheeks.