Heart Stealer

Chapter 7 The Football Game and Afterward

I felt really guilty about snapping at the boys the next day and wanted to make it up to them. So I got up early to make brownies for them to ease my guilt. It was something I did whenever I did something wrong—a way to make things up. I cared for both Matteo and Pierce and I was terrified of losing either of them. The stress over the newspaper article yesterday and fear of Matteo finding out that it was me got to me and I lost it because of that. I needed to calm down and make things right with them both.

Even if the trepidation of going to Pierce's house for the party with Matteo was overwhelming me.

"She's baking again! Mom, Thea did something real bad!" Amber hollered, coming downstairs. I scowled at her as she came into the kitchen, sniffing.

"Hmm, I smell chocolate! Oooh, you must have done something real bad! Who'd you diss?" Amber asked impishly.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Amber!" I said, hiding my reddening face in the cupboard as I searched for some ziplock packets.

"Oh come on, everyone knows you only bake stuff when you're guilty about something," Amber said with a smirk. "Bt-dubs, I call dibs on the first piece of whatever you're baking."

"They're brownies and you can only have one," I said curtly.

"Oh, who are the rest for?" Mom asked me as she entered.

"Yeah honey, I'm not sure I want to share your baking," Dad joked as he appeared too.

"They're for Matteo," and Pierce, I added in my head, "I sort of snapped at him yesterday and I wanted to make it up to him."

"Well, it is the quickest way to a man's heart..." Mom said, patting Dad's stomach. I giggled and Amber made retching sounds.

"Ugh, love-fest," she muttered.

~

The only topic that topped the article about Pierce's mystery woman was the big football game. The air was saturated with excitement and attention was at an all-time low in class. But my attention was fixed on Matteo. I'd been trying to get a minute alone with him all day but it seemed impossible. As the star player of the football team, every girl seemed to want to hog him, wishing him luck and giving him flirty faces while trying to hold a clueless football strategy conversation with him. I gave up trying to get a hold of him by lunch after five futile attempts and plonked at the golden table despondently. I lay my head on the table not sure if Matteo would show up...

"Hello, my Belle Amour." My head shot up at that voice. Matteo was taking his seat beside me with his lunch tray, a cheerful smile on his face. He was gonna have lunch with me, yes!

"Matteo! I've been trying to find you all day," I said, raising delighted eyes at him. He turned and looked concernedly at me.

"Are you okay? You seemed kind of on the edge yesterday."

"I'm fine, I'm really really sorry for snapping like that yesterday," I said, biting my lip nervously. He took my hands into his, his expression mild and gentle as always.

"You don't have to apologize, Thea. You were right. I believe you gave Tom way better advice than either Pierce or me."

"You're not offended?" I asked, still feeling guilty. He leaned in and without warning, captured my lips in a sweet, affectionate kiss. A dreamy smile spread on my lips.

"Does that answer your question?" He asked, rubbing circles on the back of my hand. I smiled.

"Hmm-mm," I nodded. I pulled out the packet of brownies I'd prepared for him from my bag.