Good Boy, Bad Girl

Matchmaking

I'm really sorry this is so late! I was busy last night and couldn't finish it, even though this chapter is fairly short. I'm afraid the story will be ending in three more chapters (including epilogue), so I'll try and get two out tomorrow and the finale on Sunday.

I found out surprisingly quickly what the look May gave Angel was about.

Only about ten minutes after May left did Mel drag Taylor to his feet. "Tay! You've never really had a conversation with Gabriel, have you? C'mon, I'll introduce you!"

The two of them ran off, and seconds later Angel grabbed my wrist, sparks shining in her eyes. "We need to go somewhere too."

"H-hey! Angie! What's going on?"

"You'll see!"

And now I'm standing here in a corner of the garden with May and Angel giggling hysterically and with no clue what's going on.

"Um..." I begin, but I have no idea where to go from there. May notices my confusion and takes pity on me, apparently.

"Sorry, Bobby. You must be pretty confused, huh?" She says between giggles, and I nod slowly. Angel composes herself and smiles at me apologetically.

"I'll explain. Bobby, let's be honest, we've both realised there's something going on between Mel and Taylor, haven't we?" she begins.

I snort. "That's an understatement. They're practically married."

May nods, the same glint in her eye as Angel. "It's been unbearable, living in the same house as them and seeing them constantly dance around each other. Even Dad's noticed, and that's saying something. So that's why I'm enlisting you two as employees!"

"Employees? What's the job?" I ask, and both May and Angel smirk.

"Matchmaking!" The former says cheerfully.

Oh no.

Fifteen minutes later with dread pooling in my stomach I'm walking towards Mel as slowly as possible. As much as I want her and Taylor to get together, this seems a little... excessive.

May and Angel had both assured me multiple times that the plan would work. "Jake's fine with it," Angel assured me. "Hell, he's the one who suggested it to Lia who suggested it to me. And you told Mel about him being gay, so it's not like it's a dramatic reveal. I've gotta talk to Taylor, so mine's gonna be way more awkward."

Honestly, the plan really should have been for Angel to talk to Mel. Not because girl-girl, boy-boy or anything, but because they've been best friends for thirteen or so years and have probably asked each other far worse.

With the reminder that this was all Jake's idea in my mind, I curse him as I approach Mel. She's dipping strawberries into the chocolate fountain and eating them, contentment on her face. Her birthday, November 8th, was the other day, and ever since she turned sixteen she's seemingly been eating strawberries none stop. Her hair is up in a ponytail, curls hanging like trinkets on a wind chime, and she's wearing a loose white dress that reaches to her knees and wrists. Taylor and I aren't formally dressed at all - I'm in a long sleeved shirt and jeans and he's roughly the same - but according to her Angel's aunt and uncle forced her into formalwear - a cobalt blue sleeveless dress and a white jacket, her hair in an elaborate up-do created by Uncle Nick.

Needless to say I blushed crimson. Luckily, she didn't notice, but apparently literally everyone else did.

The memory of Mel's grin at seeing my scarlet face fuels my determination and I walk towards her, mind made up. She notices me fairly quickly.