Lonely hearts

3. Backseat rider

That night I hear someone honking outside. Poking my head out the window, I see that it is Matt. A smile appears on my face, but it quickly disappears when I arrive outside. Amber is sitting in the passenger seat. Matt is standing next to his car patiently waiting for me. "What are you doing here?" "I came to pick you up for a ride, I was feeling guilty about ditching you this afternoon." I shrug. "It's no big deal." "Sure? You sounded pretty angry over the phone." "Yeah, sure. I was just cranky because I had been waiting for half an hour." Matt chuckles softly. "You have such a short fuse, too." I roll my eyes. "Well are you going to get in yet?" I nod and get in the back of the car.

It's a long drive, as usual. Matt is busy talking to Amber about some movie I've never heard of. Meanwhile, I sit slumped in the back, staring out the window. The world is so soothing when it's dark. I listen to the music playing softly and the voices of Amber and Matt. We've been driving for half an hour and I haven't said a word. No need and yet no one is listening. Matt and Amber are too busy talking to each other. I am shaken out of my thoughts when the car stops. When I look up I only notice that we are at the mcdonalds.

"So what do you guys want." "Just give me a milkshake and some fries." Amber answers immediately. I think for a moment. "Just get me some chicken nuggets." Matt nods before slamming the door and disappearing into the large building. Leaving me behind with Amber.

She turns and looks at me. "You don't talk much huh." I shrug. "No idea what I should say." Amber laughs softly. "I get it, Matt and I spend so much time together. I understand that's probably really awkward for you." I shrug. "I'll survive though." That was a lie I feel terrible, but she doesn't need to know that. Then she'll go to Matt and I don't want to get in the way of their relationship.

"How are things going between you guys anyway." "Good , good." "I saw the picture on insta." A smile appears on Amber's face. "Yeah cute huh?" I nod. "Definitely." Then an awkward silence falls that is interrupted when Matt returns.

"Your order." He opens the bag and tosses everyone their food. "Here your chicken nuggets madame." I look up as he throws twenty chicken nuggets at me. "Matt are you serious? Twenty." "You didn't say how many you wanted." "I said some." I say as I suppress a laugh. "Yeah I know, but you're always hungry so I thought it'll be fine." ""It will." We both burst out laughing. This is the first time in a long time that Matt and I are laughing together again. That I'm not watching him and Amber laugh together, but that I can laugh myself. I enjoy the moment until it is interrupted by Amber suddenly starting a whole story about her dance lessons.

And then it's Amber and Matt again, like I'm not there. I'm not going to lie. By now I've gotten used to it. So I stare out the window again as I eat my chicken nuggets in silence.

After about twenty minutes, we stand still again. When I see that we are in front of a house I already want to get out to walk inside, but when Amber gets out I realize that this is not my house. Normally Matt drops me off at home first. Matt turns around. ""Are you going to sit next to me?" Almost immediately I jump out of the car to sit next to Matt in the passenger seat. We wave goodbye to Amber and then drive on, but I notice we are not driving toward my house.

"Matt my house is the other way." "I know that." He looks at me with a playful smile. "You're not going to kidnap me are you?" A smile escapes from Matt's mouth. "Well I'll have to think about that, but I thought we could use some time together." I can't suppress my smile.

After a few minutes, we arrive at a parking garage. I recognize it right away. "You remember?" "You think I would forget the day I almost broke your arm?" I burst out laughing, after which Matt laughs just as hard along with me. We do stay in the car, since it's pretty cold outside. The daytime weather may be getting better, but the nights are still cold.

For a while it remains silent. All that can be heard is the radio playing softly. "I missed this." Matt looks at me thoughtfully. Then he heaves a deep sigh. "I know, but Amber doesn't like it." I raise my eyebrows. "What do you mean?" "She doesn't like it when I meet up with you without her around." "So she doesn't trust you?" Matt sighs "I think she rather doesn't trust you." He batters his eyes. "But I also understand. You don't know each other well at all. Maybe you should just do something together sometime." I roll my eyes.

"Don't roll your eyes like that, then you can get to know each other better." "And what if I don't want to do that at all?" "What do you mean?" "What if I don't want to be best friends with your girlfriend?" Matt sighs. "If you guys are friends it would be easier." "Matt you're allowed to choose your own girlfriend, but that doesn't mean you have to immediately decide for me who I'm going to be friends with." "I meant well. I don't understand why you're being so difficult." "Because Matt I don't need to hear everything. She doesn't need to spend days talking to me about how great you are and about how good you are at kissing. She doesn't need to tell me how good you are in bed, because Matt I don't want to know. And I certainly don't need someone who thinks we're friends."

Angry, I get out of the car. Maybe I'm overreacting, but I just don't think I can take it. How she would talk about Matt. I walk out of the parking lot on my way home. Soon a car pulls up beside me. "At least let me take you home." I sigh, but give in anyway when I notice the goosebumps on my arms.