The Virgin Studies

Ch.22

Chapter 22

Matt’s hand rested gently on my knee as he used the other hand to drink his sprite. I sat stiffly trying not to make any movements that would cause any attention to myself.The restaurant was dim lightly and had elegant music playing. I felt as if I were in a scene from the movie Titanic.

“Is everything okay?” Matt whispered ion my ear over all the laughter and conversations of the table.

“Yeah” I forced a smile and nodded my head. This was clearly a lie. How did he expect me to be okay with sitting at a table with his, Serafina’s and Hunters family all sitting together and having dinner in the hotel restaurant. My eyes shifted to Jason who was sitting next to me eating his steak with a bored expression on his face. While Serafina who was sitting across from me picked at her salad while giggle at some lame joke  Hunter whispered in her ear. As usual our parents were sitting on the other end of the table. It wasn’t easy to pretend I was happy while sitting in between Jason and Matt, and across from Hunter. I just got that feeling that nothing good can come out of us all being together. We were all together because this weekend is the big math torment, and since I’m family friends with the Dicksons, Hunter came. And Matt (even after I told him several times not to come) because we are also family friends, and because he has been my boyfriend for the last month and a half. Because of Jason, Serafina came along with parents.

     "So were basically gonna be stunk in some room, with like… Over three hundred nerds.” Serafina commented then took a sip of her diet coke.

“Yeah sorta” Jason answered in a bored tone. I wanted to tell them that it’s an honor to be able to compete in the math completion. And not everyone who competes is a nerd. But knowing that Serafina would probably just roll her eyes at me I decided not to say anything.

“I think it’s pretty chill that you’re doing this math thingie, Julie.” Hunter smiled at me.

     My eyes narrowed at him as if he had three heads. First of all, Hunter doesn’t think anything is “chill” unless it has to do with sports or naked girls and secondly he hasn’t said a word to me since he kissed me in the closet , and now he wants to call me “chill”. It was really strange of him.

    My eyes shifted to Matt to see that his his jaw was flexed and he looked ready to punch his best friend. Actual, since we met up with Jason, for this whole trip Matt looked ready to punch something or someone.  I was however happy that he hadn’t mentioned the kiss to Hunter, so I didn’t bother trying to get on his bad side. I am not the person who wants to break up two best friends. As far as me telling Serafina about the kiss; well… The thing is that she wouldn’t get mad at Hunter, but somehow blame it on me, so I’m keeping my mouth shut.

“You didn’t think it was chill when you hung Jimmy Franker on the lamp pole Friday.” Matt stated

“Jimmy Franker could win the NBA, and he still wouldn’t be chill. And besides it was your idea.”

That silenced Matt. I looked over at Matt a bit surprised. I remember Jimmy coming to practice late, and he was really upset about being hung from the lamp pole in front of all the cheerleaders. I figured it was a bunch of pot heads who did it to him. Not my boyfriend.

“Why would you guys do that to him?” I asked looking between both of the boys.

“It’s pretty funny” Hunter laughed. I rolled my eyes at Hunter and looked over at Matt to see him trying hard to hide his laugh.

“You know that his dad had to bring him a new pair of pants because they ripped?” I was hoping to get a look of sympathy from the two boys, but however they continued to laugh. This was the Matt I hated. The Matt that would laugh at the expense of a skinny, freckled, red headed, short kid. I looked at Serafina for support, but she was also laughing with the boys.