The Dude's a Girl

Chapter 10: Matt Madness and Tom Trouble

It was nine in the morning and I got up, yawning. Thinking nothing of it, I didn't mention what happened last night with Matt. It was the middle of the night, he must've been sleeptalking or just talking nonsense or whatever.

I went into the bathroom to shower and hear muffled speaking. I listened closer to who was speaking; Matt and Tom.

"I heard what you said last night about Sam..." Tom claimed.

Oh gosh, I can already sense trouble brewing.

"Huh? About what? I don't remember." Matt told him.

"You do remember. You said that Selena was into me and swapped the CDs but you just covered for her. And you also said that, uh, you used to like Sam."

"That's all, um, true, but I don't remember saying that." Matt said.

"Fine, whatever." Tom replied sarcastically. "Just know that she's with me now."

I came out of the bathroom and acted as if I didn't hear a word. The rest of the day, I couldn't help thinking about Matt. I don't know why though, because I was going out with Tom. I'm hoping this doesn't sound like a horrible clichè love triangle because it's simply me caring for my roommate. As a friend.

I went over to the art room and drew a deer. Big brown eyes and dark brown fur, it represented Matt. But seriously I was still thinking about the way he said that he used to like me. Used to. For some odd reason, I didn't like it. I didn't like how he used the past tense. I'm no attention seeker and I really don't need a man's approval to be happy but something about Matt made me want him interested in me.

But then again there's Tom.

Handsome, kind, funny, protective. But what does he have that Matt doesn't?

Oh Sam, stop bringing up Matt. Stop thinking about the exact way every strand of his hair sits on his head, the way he squints when there's too much sunlight in his eyes, his lips as they sing the lyrics of his favourite song.

And I can't forget that he took the blame of swapping the CD cases. And his braveness when Dylan wanted him to stay away from Kayla.

Wait what about Kayla? She's my friend, I think, and she wouldn't want me thinking about Matt this way. Actually wait, she isn't even going out with Matt, is she? They're just really close friends. Right?

Anyway, I went to my dorm room and found Matt there. He looked at me and I looked at him, and as if we were speaking without words he said, "You know, don't you?"

"What? That Selena likes Tom or that you used to like me?" I gave him an awkward smile. "Because if you mean that, then yeah I know both of those things."

"Oh." Matt said and we both sat down on my bed.

"Um, I was wondering...what made you stop liking me? You said you used to like me, and that means no longer in the present." I asked him.

"Oh, really?" He said sarcastically, smirking. "And anyway, I kinda got over you because, after a while, I knew that you didn't like me back and I've kinda, uh, learned to accept that throughout the years."

I looked down at my lap silently.

"You kinda got over me?" I repeated, hoping not to sound too desperate.

"Well, I mean, you're one of those people who, I mean, if you wanted to, I would be with in a heartbeat, you know," Matt blurted out quickly, probably with no second thought.

I could tell from the silence that followed it that he regretted saying the words that just came out of his mouth.

I looked at him, catching sight of his sparkling eyes. He looked guilty for god-knows-what and then glanced back at me. My eyes darted shyly to my feet, swinging nervously in the air.

Why was I nervous? I mean, I was never really nervous around Matt before this moment.

I turned back to Matt, this time turning my full upper body. He lifted his head up so it was directly face to face with mine, for the first time today. His skin was pale as usual with his cheeks slightly reddened. Dark hair swept his forehead and his tall frame leant forward a little.

I could feel his breath against my nose ever so subtly before I leaned in even closer. I tilted my head back a little bit and before we knew it our lips were millimetres away.

I know I'm making this sound as if it took hours but really it only just felt like hours, when really it was seconds before we were kissing.

And it was only a second before the door burst open and I realised that I didn't close it properly.

My head span around to see who was at the door; to see who had seen us kissing.

"Sam, is that you?" A familiar voice spoke up, confused.

"Um, hello." I was speechless about his arrival.

"Sam, uh, who is this?" Matt turned to me, furrowing his brows.

"He's my-"

"I'm her boyfriend." The guy at the door confessed.