Despite growing up together, Catherine Simmons and Mattis Reed were never close.
Cat was inseparable from Mattis' younger sister, Chloé, while he was busy running around on the football field.
But when Cat's new dream drags her across the country du...
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I procrastinate calling Chloé all Saturday, trying to figure out a way to tell her about last night, that doesn't make it sound as bad as it was.
Chloé knows me too well, and chances are she'll see right through me.
Ultimately, I take a few deep breaths and start the video chat.
"Hi, Cat!" It seems my best friend is standing in her bathroom, just starting her hair-care routine. She's wearing a fluffy, yellow bathrobe, and I'm guessing she will snuggle up in bed and watch re-runs of New Girl after this.
"Hi," I say weakly.
Pull it together, woman.
"How are you?" I ask, trying to cover up my weird greeting. I force my face into a casual expression, thankful she's bent over the sink at the moment.
"I'm fine. I went to trivia night with the girls yesterday, so I'm taking it easy today. How about you? What did you do?"
Okay, this is it. You can do this. It's not that bad.
"Well, I went to the football game, and then I kind of went to dinner with... Matty?"
I'd intended to sound all confident and nonchalant like I could trick her into thinking this was a normal development, but instead, my voice ends up squeaky and unsure, as if I'm second guessing if it really was Mattis across from me at that table.
Chloé's fingers pause their movements midway through massaging shampoo into her hair. Slowly, she parts the curtain of blond, soapy curls between us so she can lock eyes with me through the phone.
"What?"
I plaster an awkward smile on my face. "Yeah, apparently, we're becoming friends."
That's not so bad... right?
Her mouth is hanging open. "Really?"
"Are you mad at me?" I voice the question that's been taunting me all night. What if becoming friends with Mattis kills my friendship with Chloé? I might like spending time with him, but I love her.
"What?" Her brows crease, and she straightens up a bit, causing water droplets to run down her neck. "Of course not. You can be friends with anyone you want, Cat. I'm just a little surprised. I mean, why?" The look on her face is wholly bewildered, like she can't fathom why I would want to be his friend.
How can I explain it to her?
"We ran into each other and started talking, and I don't know, he just seems... different."
"Different?" She cocks her head skeptically.
"Yeah, from how I remember him. More mature, I guess."
"Mature? Matty? My older brother? You sure we're talking about the same guy?"
I roll my eyes. "Chlo, come on, you don't think it's possible he's grown up a bit?"
