Reach Me

2

For the rest of lunch, Matt and Erin chatted about themselves and got to know each other better. As it turned out, Matt was new as well, born in Albany, New York and moved only 4 months ago. Erin, on the other hand, told him about her life in Illinois and how she missed it so much.

"What else?" Matt proceeded to question.

"Huh?"

"What are your hobbies, likes, dislikes, guilty pleasures?" He laughed.

After a long silence, she answered. "Oh. Well, I like to.." Erin didn't know what to say. She realized she wasn't that interesting after all.

"I don't know." She finally said. "I'm not that interesting." She embraced the fact that she couldn't change who she was, what she liked, or what she did.

"Not interesting? Are you kidding? Everything about you interests me! I mean... I don't mean to sound wierd or anything, but I just find you very intriguing and I really enjoy your company." He babbled. All in all, Erin was extremely flattered and was looking forward to becoming good friends with this boy.

Erin noticed the cut on his left brow that was obviously attempted to be cleaned and blended in with his dark brow. "Oh my gosh. Your cut." She pointed out. Matt's finger touched the wound and felt it carefully. "Oh yeah. I had an accident. Don't worry about it." He assured, but somewhere deep inside he was pleading for her to urge on about how bad the cut was and what had happened.

"I saw you in the office this morning when I was getting me schedule. You were pretty bruised." She urged on.

"Yeah. It was just an accident." Matt didn't know why he wouldn't tell her the actual reason, for it was quite embarrasing. Even though he knew he could trust a girl like Erin, he felt somewhat embarrased to show her he was weak. The cut on his brow was only the beginnning.

"What happened?" Erin knew someone had hit him or even worse, emotionally bruised him, but she genuinely wanted to know.

"Uhh. It was Brian. Brian Hanning. From my Literature class." Matt's eyes glanced over to a boy at the opposite side of the lunch room, standing up and laughing obnoxiously with his group of guys and one girl with Brian's arm wrapped around her shoulders. Erin couldn't see the girl but all she was thinking was who could date a guy that would have the nerve to make a person bleed? "But don't worry about it." He assured with a forced smile.

"Don't worry about it? You got to tell somebody, right? I mean, isn't that what we're all told to do?" She was definitely worried. Worried for Matt. Erin was happily greeted by a nice boy who didn't deserve to be hit. Why wouldn't she be worried?

"No. You can't do that. Brian can..do things." He trailed off. "Do things? Okay. We'll let it be." She concluded, still not convinced.

"What? Are you worried about me?" Matt joked poking her with his elbow. "Worried as in I care about you? No. Worried as in I am concerned for your safety? Yes." Erin answered.

"That's kind of the same thing. So you do care." He urged.

Erin sighed. "Don't get your hopes up, boy." She joked and then they both chuckled awkwardly resulting in them making horribly awkward eye contact and then looking away quickly trying to pretend nothing had happened. Something had definitely happened.

A high pitched ring set off signaling the end of lunch and the beginning of passing period for 4th period.

"See you later, Erin" Matt said his farewells.

"Bye." She answered with a wave.

Erin set off to 4th period which, fortunately, was art. Art was probably Erin's best subject, as in the subject she loved the most.