Pucker-Up

Chapter Thirteen - Gaby

Isabelle and I walked out of the ice rink, noticing how it was a few degrees warmer in the autumn air rather than in the icy stadium. We both didn't speak for a minute or two as we began our trek back to our apartment, which is unlike us not to yap. She broke the silence and looked to me with a smile. "Look at you, living the Wattpad life. I can't believe you know all these cuties." She laughed. "Let's be real, Mathew is the only cutie." Isabelle gasps at what I said "but what about Ethan??" I tilt my head to the side, wondering if she was being serious about finding him cute. "I... suppose?"

She made us stop by the uni campus ChaiTime on the way home, to get whatever crazy drink she likes and regularly craves. We stood in front of the computer screens to order the drink, trying to limit as much socialising with the workers as possible- Suddenly we both had our shoulders shaken by someone behind us. My hand flung up to sit over my heart, peering back behind my shoulder. Our school friends, Anna, Grace and Sophia had large smiles on their faces as they realise how frightened it made Belle and I. "Oh my god-" I sigh lightly with relief, hearing them all start laughing. "Hiiiii." Anna smiled as Grace continued. "What are you two doing out and about? especially at this hour-" She teased with sarcasm in her voice, causing Belle to peer down to her watch. "It's only eight thirty! It's not like we are grandmas who are in bed by now-!" We all laugh, everyone knowing that wasn't true. Im usually lying in bed by 9pm, latest, which I guess causes Belle to get into bed then too. So we are definitely grandmas. "What have you girlypops been up to?" Sophia asked and we gave them the run down of the hockey game- Belle couldn't hold back on talking about how pretty the boys were. "Damn, Gaby!" Grace's jaw was on the floor, clearly wondering when we were going to tell them all this information if we hadn't seen them tonight. Isabelle grabbed her drink off the counter, trying to pierce the straw through the plastic film on top of the cup. Everyone watched, including the two workers, as it took her four attempts. Some of her cold chocolate drink spilt out of the newly pierced hole. "oopies.."

All five of us made our way around the courtyard, distracting ourselves from heading home for the night. "So where were you three off too for the night?" I ask, Anna pulling out her phone to show us a photo of some trendy looking dance club. "There's some club in at the city we want to go to, so we were heading to the metro before we saw you guys and wanted to come and talk." Belle looked surprised "Oh! Dont let us stop you, it'll be so late by time you get there, you may as well start the journey now." Sophia smiled and shook her head lightly. "It fully opens at 10pm, it's not like we are on a time crunch." I look to Isabelle, who looks to me. We would be asleep by then, these people are champions to still be out partying by then. I felt my phone buzz in my pocket, seeing a message pop up. It was from Mathew—

Mathew: Hey. Just making sure you got home safely.
My heart literally flutters in my chest, feeling Anna move up beside me to look at my phone. "GASP- Gaby-!" Everyone looked over to us two, becoming deeply curious in what was happening. Isabelle took my phone to read it with Sophia and Grace, everyone gasping. "Gawddamn babygirl, he's so into you." Sophia grins. I steal my phone back and shake my head. "He's just nice." Anna tugs at my arm "you need to respond to him, now!" I stare to the message before replying.
Still out and about, actually. Bumped into some friends. How is the party?
The text bubbles instantly popped up again, which made me happy.
Mathew: Not bad. You should come along to the next one though. It'll give me someone to talk to haha :)
Definitely. You need to win more games to have more parties lol - I respond, smiling a bit at my phone. I look up to realise how much of my own world I was in, Anna, Sophia and Grace are already saying their goodbyes for the night. Anna grabs a hold of both of my arms, looking me deep in the eyes. "I expect you to message us tomorrow about what's been said. Okay?" I nod silently, watching them walk away. Belle grins and links her arm back with mine, deciding to walk home now.

We walked through the front door, flicking on the lights as she locked the door behind us. Isabelle removed her jacket and let it lay on the lounge, wandering off to the bathroom. I pulled out my phone to see if Mathew replied, still sitting on delivered. I pulled my luck and sent another message- just because.
Im home now. Still at the party?
I took a seat on the couch and removed my hair from the low bun it was wrapped around in. It was only a minute until he messaged back.
Mathew: About to head off. Maybe I could call you on my walk home?
I feel my face instantly get red- my skin burning along to my ears. My thumbs hover over the keyboard, not knowing how to reply. I just stood up and hurried into my bedroom, closing the door behind me.
Okay.