Brains and Brawn (BxB)

Chapter 4

A/N: Song: "Piano Man" by Billy Joel

MATT'S POV:

Ugh!! So this has been a very awkward day. I told Macy and John what happened in gym class today on our lunch period. John laughed his ass off, while Macy just looked at me sympathetically and patted my shoulder trying to comfort me. The notebook incident didn't change anything. Leo still doesn't really acknowledge me. Gym class went by super fast, we just had to do laps around the field, which sucked because I hate running with all my might, so there wasn't much interaction with other people (thank God).

Then after lunch I had my other class with him: Art. Still nothing. When I was walking inside the classroom, we did make brief eye contact, but I just lowered my head and walked to my table in the back of the class and sat down and didn't dare to look at him.

So now, I'm here sitting in the school's library after class, rethinking my life choices instead of actually studying. I'm here with John and Macy. We're waiting for our school's game to start. There's only half hour left until the game starts, so we pack our things and exit the library and go to the school's stadium. 

When we get there John and I find a place to sit, while Macy went to buy us some food.

Everywhere I look there are people wearing our school's colors- which are black and orange- and shouting repeatedly: "FOXES!GO GO! FOXES!GO GO!" very loudly I might add, while the cheerleaders do their routine.

After a while Macy returns just when the team is making their way to the center and into their positions. My eyes immediately, almost involuntarily find number 12, which just so happens to be Leo and wish I hadn't, because when I find him, he's kissing none other than Laurel. After a few seconds, she goes back to her team and Leo searches the crowd. "I wonder who he's looking for", I think.

Then his eyes stop when they find me and then he... winks?! What the heck is happening?! And just like that he goes back to the game, as if nothing happened, like he didn't just wink at me! Well maybe I got things all wrong. Maybe he winked at someone else. Yeah, that's probably it. God, I can be stupid sometimes...

Then it was just a normal game. We're tied with the other team- the Bulldogs. We have 2:45 minutes left to the game. Then, when it's just about to end, our team passes the ball to Leo and he's running and just when it's about to end... he SCORES! By now everyone is on their feet shouting Leos's name.

After the game ended Macy and John left. They offered me a ride but I refused, 'cause I have to go pick up Chris from Mrs. Pemberton's house and it's out of their way.

Five minutes after I left school, it starts freaking raining. Just my luck! I really didn't want Chris to get sick... maybe I can get Mrs. Pemberton to give us a ride home. 

A few minutes after that, I hear a car stopping close to me, so, obviously, scared, I keep walking and the car slows down and drives at my pace. I am now on the verge of having a heart attack, when I hear the windows roll down and then: 

"Hey, Stalker Boy, need a ride?"

Freaking Leonardo Bryant. I don't know if I should be relieved that it isn't a serial killer, or worried that it is the guy that thinks I'm a weirdo creepy stalker.

"Umm, no thanks , I'm fine," I answer, hoping he'll just leave.

"C'mon Matthew, don't be difficult. It's pouring and you're soaking. I'll drive you home."

"That's ok really, I'm not going home yet so..."

"Well, where are you going?"

"I have to pick up my brother from a friends house," I tell him, now really wishing he would just leave me in the rain.

"It's ok, get in, really. I don't mind," he insists.

"His house is kinda far, you'd have to go out of your way, so I really don't mind walking."

"Matthew, if you don't get in now, I'll go there and I'll put in my car myself. Besides you said it yourself- it's kinda far, so just let me drive you."

"I'm gonna get your car all wet," I reason.

"Matt, it's ok. Just get in," damn, I love it when he says my name, gives me the chills...

I finally give in and get inside his car. Crap, this looks like a really expensive car. Now I feel even worse for getting it all wet.

"You're shaking. Take your shirt off," he says. And for the first time I notice I am indeed shaking, so I do as he says and take off my hoodie and the jacket I was wearing and I'm just wearing my t-shirt, that is still pretty wet.

Then when we stop at a red light, he turns around and takes something out of his back seat and hands me a sweatshirt. Just as I'm about to take it he says: "You have to take that one off too. It's also wet."

 So I take it off too, while feeling his eyes on me. Then I look at him and he's still looking at my chest. Weird...maybe he's thinking how I could possibly be 16, I probably have the body of a 13 year-old. I take the sweatshirt from his hand and put it on:  "Thank you," I say. I'm immediately hit by his scent. It's a mixture between cinnamon, apples and his deodorant. It smells so much like him and God it smells so good. Then he must have noticed that I was still shaking and started taking his jacket off too and also handed it to me. 

"Oh you don't have to do that, then you'll be cold," I tell him, feeling guilty.

"Don't worry about it," he answers. So I take his jacket and thank him once more.

He's just there looking at me, his eyes dark. Oh no, is he mad that I'm wearing his clothes and now regrets handing them to me? Well next time think about the consequences, Jesus.

He just keeps looking at me for a while and we're brought back to reality when the car behind us honks, and that's only when we notice that the light is green again.

"So, where should I  take you?" he asks after a few minutes. So I give him directions to Mrs. Pemberton's house. When we fall into silence, that was surprisingly comfortable, he turns the radio on and one of my favorite songs comes on: "Piano Man" by Billy Joel, so I start mouthing the lyrics and he must have noticed because he asks: "You like this song?"

"Yeah, it's actually one of my favorite songs," I answer.

"Me too," he says. And I'm a little surprised, he doesn't look like the type of person to listen to this type of music. I would've thought he'd like more recent, hip songs. I mean I like some of them too but you know...

"Not many people know this song,"he continues." What's your favorite band?"

"I don't know, I can't really choose, there are too many. It would be like a mother of 5 children picking her favorite, she probably subconsciously has a favorite, but she'd never admit it to herself."

Then he chuckles. He chuckles!I made Leo Bryant laugh! And is it a good damn laugh. It's so rich and deep, it sends shivers down my spine.

"You're funny," he states."Well, then what are some of the bands you like?"

"Umm , I love The Beatles, I mean they're a classic. I also like Franz Ferdinand, Billy Joel, Queen, The Smiths, The Sex Pistols, Nirvana, Ramones and a few songs by Green Day and some by Fall out boy," I finish kind of embarrassed. I'm not used to talking about myself.

"You just stated most of my favorite bands.You forgot one though. I also really like The Artic Monkeys and Imagine Dragons," he says.

"I love those too!" then I blush, embarrassed by my own enthusiasm. And he laughs again. What is going on in the world. The boy known for never showing any kind of happy emotion just laughed. Twice! in my presence.

"You're cute," he says. And by now I'm pretty sure my face looks like a cherry. 

That's when we arrive at Mrs. Pemberton's house. So I thank him for the ride, but insists he'll wait and take me and my brother home and I know there's no place for discussion.

A/N: Big chapter... It'll continue on the next chapter.