Colin couldn't stop thinking about Matt. It was horrible. He couldn't fall asleep that night.
Matt made a High School Musical joke, came out to Colin as gay, and get this: in science Matt was playing Tetris. Without looking up from his game Matt answers the question by saying that mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. Then he gets a long block and clears four rows. It was then and there that Matt officially became Colin's idol and crush.
Colin, you closeted little gay boy, Colin thought as he lay awake that night. Why can't you be more like him? Why are you so stupid? Why didn't you tell him you were gay too? Stupid, stupid, stupid idiot.
Suddenly Colin's phone started buzzing and blinking. "Teenagers scare the living shit out of me! They could care less, as long as someone will bleed! So darken your clothes or strike a-"
Colin turned off the alarm. "Even my taste in music is terrible! A guy like Matt would never listen to My Chemical Romance."
Colin groaned and jumped out of bed to get in the shower.
"Teenagers scare the living shit out of me!" Matt's phone started buzzing. Matt got angry at himself. He turned off the alarm before saying "A guy like Colin wouldn't listen to this stuff! This music is for gays!" He threw the phone across the room. Then he remembered who he was. "Oh yeah. I am gay."
He hadn't slept at all that night. He couldn't stop thinking about stupid Colin and his stupid heterosexual- ness. All the hot ones are straight. Straight girls always say that all the hot ones are gay, but that is 100% false, and every gay boy in the world knows it. Stop lying to yourselves, straight girls.
Matt got out of bed and opened his dresser. It didn't feel right getting dressed without My Chemical Romance playing, but he wanted to be more like Colin so he skipped it.
Today seemed like a good day to wear a Camp Half Blood shirt, so he did. Black skinny jeans, black chucks.
Matt walked downstairs and opened the fridge. He got out the orange juice for Charlie and an apple for himself.
He walked into the living room where Charlie sat, watching Kim Possible. Matt raised that child to watch good Disney shows and none of that Austin and Ally crap.
He passed the cup of juice to her and did a little bow, same as every morning.
'Good morning your majesty' Matt said to her as he sat down.
'Good morning' she replied. She was very absorbed in her TV. Matt couldn't blame her, because it was the episode where Ron and Kim end up going to prom together, and that was always his favourite episode.
"Hurry up, fag. It's time to go." Andrew yelled from the kitchen. Yet another moment when Matt was glad Charlie couldn't hear all the things Andrew said.
Matt kissed Charlie on the head. She waved as he walked out the door.
"Okay, so what about her?" Colin asked.
"Uhh... Hasn't got it."
Marybeth pointed to an eighth grader. "Him?"
"You know Angel from choir?" Matt asked.
"Oh my gosh, no way!" Marybeth said. "I always knew they were perfect together!"
"Okay, okay," Colin said. "What about me?"
"I don't know." Matt said, which was actually true.
"Come on dude," Colin said. "Just tell me."
"I said I don't kno-" Matt stopped. "No. Flipping. Way."
"What?" Marybeth asked. "Did someone just get their string?"
"Even better," Matt said as he walked across the hallway.
There, in all its glory, was a pink piece of paper that read in black ink School play: Beauty and the Beast Auditions Wednesday after school in gymnasium.
Matt gasped. "Tomorrow is Wednesday! Oh boy oh boy oh boy!"
"Matt, please tell me you're not serious." Colin said.
Honestly, it hurt Matt a little when he said that. Of course the one thing that Matt loves more than anything in the world has to be shut down by a stupid crush. Stupid Colin.
"Oh yeah..." Matt said quietly, looking down. "Yeah just kidding..."
Marybeth gave Matt a strange look. Then it seemed to dawn on her that this was all because of a crush. Then she went totally expressionless.
For the rest of the day all Matt thought about was what a dick move that Colin made. He was hanging out with Marybeth when they were talking about it. "Matt, that's the most ridiculous thing you've ever done."
"I know...." Matt groaned. "Colin is ruining my life!"
"How so?" Marybeth asked, though she already knew the answer.
Matt blushed. "He's just... ARGH!"
Marybeth sat next to Matt on the floor while he cried his eyes out.
"Honey, you're gonna get past this."
"No..." Matt sniffed. "I can't just get on with it..."
"Why not?"
"Because..." Matt said. "He's stupid and he's straight and he's ruining my life... But I like him."
"Why would you like him if he's ruining your life?" Marybeth asked.
"Because..." Matt said. "That's how crushes work."
"Sweetie..." Marybeth gave him another hug.
Matt sniffed and stood up. "I'm gonna go to auditions." He declared. "And if Colin has anything to say about it he can kiss my butt."
"Yeah!" Marybeth cheered.
"Can..." Matt said quietly. "Can we go find people's soul mates? That always cheers me up."
"Let's go then." Marybeth said.
All Matt thought about the following day was auditions. He was going for his favourite character, Lumiere because he would do Andrew's chores for a month if it meant getting to sing "Be our guest" on stage.
Matt tried not to bring up auditions all day because he was around Colin all day.
"Next up, Matthew Henderson." The drama teacher called.
This is it, Matt thought from behind the curtain. He put on his fedora.
The stage went dark.
"It is with greatest pride and deepest pleasure that we welcome you tonight." Matt started to say. "Now we invite you to pull up a chair, relax, as the dining room proudly presents-"
Matt walked onto the stage as the light shone on him. He looked at the crowd under the brim of his hat. "Your dinner."
