Leviticus: Return back home

Ch.24: Purple beanie

《MATT’S POV》

Matt sat down on Charley's couch once again. He had only been here before once, but the room already had a sense of familiarity to him. 

"We should really finish the project today." He told Charley. 
Charley looked at him and nodded, but something told Matt that he didn’t really agree.

Matt didn’t like to admit it, but he also  enjoyed spending time with Charley. If you ignored the part of him being a homophobic bully, he was actually a very nice person to talk to. 

A knock on the door startled him a bit. 
“Yes?” Charley called out, while logging in on his laptop. 

The door opened and Josh came in. “Hello Matt, it’s nice to see you again. Paul told me you just got here.”
Matt smiled at him. He liked Josh, he seemed like a good guy. 

Josh continued. “Matt, would you like to stay over for dinner?”
Matt hesitated. His mom really wasn’t going to like this, even though it was his step-dad’s turn to cook tonight.

She already wasn’t too happy about him going over to someone’s house who she hadn’t met before. But, he was kind of curious to know what it would be like, to eat together with Charley and his dads.

Josh sensed his hesitation and rushed to say: “Paul is a very good cook, I promise.” 
Oh, fuck it. His curiosity won from the need to keep his mom happy. 
“Yes, sure. I have to call my mom, though.” 

Charley’s dad nodded. “Yes, of course. Let us know if it’s fine with your mom, then.” 
His mom wouldn’t be fine with it, that was certain, but Matt didn’t tell him that.

Josh went back downstairs and Matt stepped out into the hallway to call his mom. She wasn’t happy, of course, but somehow after some talking, she reluctantly agreed. 

He quickly went downstairs and informed Josh, before going back to Charley’s room. 
“My mom’s fine with it.” He said, and it wasn’t even a full lie. 

Finally, they could get back to work. Today they were both easily distracted, however, and they spent most of the time just talking about other things, like school and when they first met. 

“Remember how you were here for just a minute and already a girl came over to basically hit on you?” Matt asked, facing Charley, sitting cross legged on the couch. 

Charley looked genuinely confused. “Wait, when?” 
“In the library." Matt couldn't believe Charley had already forgotten about this. "Come on, Charley. You must remember this." 

Charley shrugged. "I just remember you." 
Matt tried to hold back a smile.
"You called me handsome." Charley suddenly said, surprising Matt. 

"What?" Matt said, not knowing how to respond to this.
Charley smiled now. "The first time we met, you said I'm handsome."
Matt didn't exactly recall, but he trusted Charley was telling the truth.
 
"Did you mean it?" Charley was now looking at him, his dark eyes searching for Matt's, who was desperately trying to avoid eye contact with him. 

"Did I have a reason to lie?" 
Charley chuckled. "Touché." 
Then he stared at Matt intently, making Matt feel a bit weird.
"You are handsome too." He suddenly said, casually, as if it meant nothing. 

But it meant something to Matt. It meant he had to try to once again ignore that nervous feeling in his stomach and the warm sensation of hope in his heart, it meant he had to try to pretend this made him feel nothing. 

"Thanks." Was all he could get out. 
Charley laughed. "Don't fall in love with me, now." Matt silently thanked Charley for grounding him and reminding him of who Charley was.