MATCHED

CHAPTER 8

         SAMMY'S POV

After the diner, I ended up at home.

Home sweet home, am I right?

If that's what you call both your parents never being home, being on business trips, and being too busy in their little world to acknowledge you or your accomplishments.

The main reason why I tried so hard in school was for college, of course, but for my parents to be proud.

I would stay up till 2 am studying just to get an A on a test, and when I did, I tried showing my parents to get some sort of 'I'm proud of you son' from them which never happened. All they usually did was glance at it and nod their head before making a business call.

Again, same thing for sports. I tried to be the quarterback of the team to impress my dad but secretly I'll never be good enough. It's not my passion, yet I do it anyway to try and get attention from the two people who so-called raised me.

I flop down on my giant bed, looking up at the ceiling until my mind goes to Eviee.

With that, I grabbed my phone and started to message her.

There's nothing else to do, and she's fun to talk to.

Sammy: 19 questions is still on the table

I hit send with a smirk appearing on my lips. To my surprise, she responded quicker than I thought.

Eviee: Oops meant to respond to you earlier, sorry about that

Sammy: unforgivable, now tell me eviee, what's your favorite color?

I stared at my screen as I awaited her reply...wow, I realized how sad my life had become. Here I was chatting with a stranger on some stupid ass dating app, I quite honestly didn't need but used for entertainment purposes.

Eviee: Green

A smile laced my lips as I started to type back.

Sammy: green? huh, mine is green too

Eviee: Yeah? You sure you aren't copying me?

Sammy: copy you? funny joke, now you ask me a question

I awaited her reply as I stared at the white screen in front of me until I saw the dots on the screen signaling she was typing.

Eviee: Worst fear?

I sat for a moment before typing what I thought was the best fit for the question. Yeah, I didn't lose anyone by death but it felt like I lost my parents to their business.

Sammy: losing the people I love

Eviee: Huh I relate to that, losing people you love is the worst

Not wrong about that...

Sammy: you lost someone you loved?

Eviee: Everyone eventually does, now enough with this depressing talk, ask me a question

I chuckled at her being right, it was getting depressing so I started to lighten the mood a bit.

Sammy: do you believe in ghosts?

I asked the random question but didn't see her reply for the next few minutes so I sat my phone down next to my bed as I continued to stare at the ceiling.

Usually, kids my age are excited for the weekends, but that just means more time feeling alone or at Ryan's house which don't get me wrong, I really appreciate, but that doesn't change the feeling deep down.

Soon enough, my eyes ended up closed and I was drifting off to sleep.

*******

"Sammy Sandars!" A voice called out harshly from the other side of my door, but I ignored it.

Suddenly the door flew open, making my eyes shoot open at Ryan who stood in the doorway of my room. I squeeze my eyes trying to correct the blurry vision.

"What?" I snapped, moving the direction of my body opposite of him so I could be bothered less.

"Guess what bro, I got a date. Yep, call me a big deal." He trailed out, making my ears perk up at his excitement but I was too tired to move.

"Huh, good job."

"That doesn't sound like excitement, I'm disappointed in you."

I opened my eyes to see Ryan now sitting in my desk chair, swivel around in it.

"Who is it?" I asked more awake, but still could barely keep my eyes open.

"You're a fucking Psychopath, who falls asleep in their jeans?!" Ryan pointed to me, and I looked down at the clothes I wore at the diner.

"Leave me alone, now, who's the girl?" I said in a monotone voice, sitting up as I swung my legs off the bed.

"Skye."

I snapped my head toward Ryan who looked very happy about speaking her name, but I knew who came alone with her.

Sam.

"Sam's best friend?" I ran my hand through my hair before standing up, "For your sake, hope she's nothing like Sam." I joked, making Ryan roll his eyes.

"We both know she's not, anyway, I asked her on a date and she said she had plans with Sam today, so, um..." Ryan started to scratch the back of his neck, looking around the room very nervously.

"Sooo what?" I pushed further, raising an eyebrow.

"I wanted to see her tonight, okay?! I told her we could all hang out together." Ryan's voice sped up, making me do a double take at what he had just done, and said.

What the hell?

"That means, you and her, and Sam, correct?"

"And you." Ryan smiled away the pain before his smile fell once my face became more annoyed.

"Why me?"

"Because why not?" He shrugged his shoulders. "We didn't want Sam third wheeling with us."

"Oh, so it was both of your plans?" I crossed my arms in front of my chest, making Ryan sigh loudly.

"Hey! Be happy, it's just one night. Plus, this is earning me points for being a caring guy letting her best friend on our date."

I stared blankly at Ryan.

Yeah, he doesn't realize how weird that sounds.

"You're a desperate guy I'd say." I shook my head in amusement as I started to search my closet for a new shirt.

"Coming from you."

I flipped Ryan off as I pulled a shirt out of my closet along with other clothes.

"Taking a shower, when is this weird ass date of yours?"

"In like 40 minutes."

I stopped in my tracks on the way to the shower and slowly turned to him as he sheepishly stared back, signaling his hands to shower.

"What? Go shower, I don't want to be judged because of how you smell."

I closed my eyes, fighting back the urge to start a fistfight with him, and walked into the bathroom.

This can't be that bad, right?