Word has it that opposites attract. Jessica Keith would give the pithy expression two middle fingers because a wild party girl like her and the prim do-gooder, Matthew Parkinson are opposites hopeless to attract, let alone breathe the same air.
Howe...
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Jessica
We sat inside the car and stared at his parents' house for what felt like forever. Matthew was quiet during the 20-minute drive. Maybe he was thinking about Vren's blabbing mouth. Maybe he thinks that we're worried about the same thing.
I would be lying if I said he was right. Right now, all I could think of is our unfulfilled plan to spend a day at the beach. His invitation felt like it was forever ago.
Anyway, what was it in my old life that made me want to have it back so badly?
I suggested we drive to Vren and Audrey's cabin because it was private. We don't want to deal with so many beachgoers. I think we decided to go for a weekend. That's two days from now.
I sighed and gambled a glance at Matthew.
He looked like he was miles away.
I cleared my throat, hoping to stir him out of his thoughts.
It didn't work.
I cleared my throat one more time.
He's still staring at the open space.
"You know, I don't think Vren is going to say it's a brawl."
Matthew finally snapped out of his reverie. He turned to me and looked like he had no idea what I was talking about.
"The 'brawl' thing with Vren?"
His brows knitted together. Then, they arched with realization. "Oh, right." He sighed and went back to staring at his parents' house. "The brawl," he murmured to himself.
"Do you think they'll know we're just sitting here?"
His shoulder lifted an inch. "Maybe."
"Should we go inside? Maybe they'll think we're being weird." I scrunched my nose to indicate the weirdness of this staring-at-nothingness thing.
His dimples appeared along with a sweet smile. "Yeah, maybe we should. It's going to be fine."
I nodded. "Yeah. There's no worst-case scenario here."
We both clambered out of the car and walked toward the door. I press the doorbell, tucking away the sad feeling that this might be the last time that I'm going to be at this doorstep with Matthew.
"Hi. Finally. I thought you were going to spend the entire day at the driveway." Andrei regarded us both with an amused grin. "I heard you started a brawl in some club."
Matthew groaned. "It wasn't a brawl."
Chandra appeared behind Andrei. "Matthew, I heard there was a brawl. Are you okay?"
"Not a brawl, Chandra."
"That's not what I heard from Vren," she says with a grin. She opened the door farther and gestured us in. "Brawl or not brawl—tell me all about it!"
