Secret Diaries (Heartlake Cliche #1)

Chapter Twenty-Six

February 29, 2007

Some boys would tease the girl they like. Others are simply jerks.

     She was wearing red shoes again. Mahogany red ballet flats, to be exact. Her rose-printed dress looked perfect with her present footwear.  Last night, on the other hand, was obviously unplanned on her part, considering how she was wearing denim shorts and white collared blouse. Her oxford shoes were the color of faded red lipstick—the shade a girl’s lips would be right after a kiss.

     Matt groaned inwardly. Exactly what he wanted to think about.

     A soft sigh escaped from his lips as he turned away from the girl walking beside him. He went back to recall yesterday’s encounter. Her shoes seemed weird at first but her legs made up for the sudden burst of color in her feet.

     Legs which were currently covered by her long dress today.

     Thank god.

     They were led to one of the private rooms at the back—though not too far back—of the restaurant. The server took their orders then immediately left. Grace took a seat on one of the cushions, imitating the way the Japanese would; while Matt sat cross-legged.

     Silence filled the room for all of five seconds before Grace closed her eyes and exhaled—as if preparing for a big confession.

     “Last night,” she began, “I got drunk.”

     “I know,” Matt interrupted with a smirk.   

     She glared in response then continued, “I can’t quite remember everything that’s happened. So I was hoping you’d enlighten me.” Her eyes wandered away from his as soon as she ended her request.

     He widened his grin, if only to annoy the girl in front of him. “After all the trouble I went through, you’ll come to me and say you don’t remember a damned thing.”

     It wasn’t quite what she expected to hear and she got irritated, as Matt expected. “You know, sometimes I think you’re born just to make other people’s lives miserable. If you had no plans to tell me, why’d you go and ask me to meet you?” she asked in a raised voice.

     Before he even had time to digest her rant, she stood up and got ready to leave.

      “Sit.”

     She stopped and stared at him. He looked back, a hint of his temper visible in his eyes.

     “What?”

     “Sit. Down,” he commanded, cocking his head towards the direction where she was previously seated.

     She released an exasperated sigh. “I swear you’re the most arrogant jerk in Heartlake City,” she grumbled but did as she was told.

     “Or so I was told,” Matt replied. “By the haughtiest female drunkard of Heartlake City, nonetheless.”

     “Will you just tell me what happened?” she demanded, knowing perfectly well who he was referring to.

      At that moment, the waiter arrived with their food—a set of futomaki and ebi nigiri—plus green tea for each of them. They kept silent until the waiter had finished laying down their orders on the table and left.

     “Do you remember a thing from last night?” Matt asked as he took a sip of his tea.

     “I just remembered joining a drinking game with your friends. That’s it,” she answered, taking a piece of futomaki.