hey now. (matt press).

Chapter Eight: Unspoken Tensions and Late Night Revelations

The sound of birds chirping woke me from my sleep. I sat up, letting out a noiseless yawn and stretched my arms. A quiet thump echoed through my room as I accidentally hit something.

"Ow," Marcus' muffled voice exclaimed.

"Oops. I forgot you were still here," I chuckled, though Marcus did not look amused. Last night, I had ended up telling Marcus why I was upset, and he had responded with, "boys ain't shit."

"We don't have to go to school today if you don't want to," Marcus proposed, rolling onto his side to look at me.

"I'm not going to try and hide from him. I'm not that type of person," I shook my head.

"I know, but I'm really tired and don't want to move," he pouted, silently begging me with his eyes.

"Fine," I huffed and rolled my eyes, lying back down.

I had to force Marcus to go to school with me the next day. I had never met anyone as lazy as him (other than myself).

"You're so annoying," I told him as I dragged him into the school.

"You're annoying. I don't get why I had to come, too," Marcus complained as we walked to my locker.

"It's school, dumbass. You have to go," I explained.

"Says the one who never shows up on time," he pointed out, leaning against the locker next to mine.

"Shut up," I rolled my eyes and threw everything I didn't need into my locker. Marcus let out a scoff. I looked up to see him staring at Matt, who had just arrived at his locker. Conveniently, his locker was opposite mine and at least five rows down.

"Don't even look at him," Marcus said loudly enough for Matt to hear. Marcus, being the mature person he is, pulled a face at him once he did turn to look.

"You're like an immature thirteen-year-old girl," I remarked, causing him to let out a quiet, "uh-huh."

"Do you need a hug before I go?" Marcus smiled dopily at me, holding his arms out.

"No," I deadpanned, pushing his arms away.

"Okay, come here," he said, pulling me into a tight, bone-crushing hug.

"I hate you," I grumbled into his chest.

"Love you! See you later," he called out loudly as he walked away, causing me to groan.

I closed my locker and made my way to my first class, all the while not sparing a glance at Matt.

I managed to go the whole day without talking to or looking at Matt. It may have been petty, but I didn't care. He seriously pissed me off. After school ended, I hung out with Marcus (again) at the skatepark. It wasn't as if I had anything better to do.

"You know, if I were you, I wouldn't even waste my time with someone like him," Marcus shrugged as we walked back to his house, practically in pitch black. "He's a douche."

"I really thought he might have liked me. But it's a good thing I keep telling him that I don't like him. I mean, look what happened," I sighed.

"True. However, not defending him, but that might be why he did it. Because you said you didn't like him," Marcus pointed out.

"Maybe. God, why am I so stupid?" I groaned.

"It's probably because you're blonde," he smiled at me as we stood outside his house.

"Thanks," I sarcastically said as we walked through the front door.

"Hey, Dad," Marcus signed and spoke simultaneously to his father while I went to get a drink from the fridge. "Okay, I'll let her know."