THE MATCHMAKER ➢ JB MZ

five

FIRST PERIOD COULDN'T HAVE came any slower. joey found himself watching the clock, desperately waiting for homeroom to end. he felt stupid for feeling excited to talk to maddie. well, it made sense, she was funny and nice and a great person to be around.

he could use a friend like her.

the bell rang for first period, and when joey entered to room, maddie was already there. she was writing in her notebook full of ideas, of her plans. she never shut it so fast when she saw joey enter the room. he sat down next to her.

"hey," he said. "i noticed you closed your notebook fast, are you afraid i'd expose your newspaper article?"

he was clearly joking which maddie found funny. "yes, of course. this article is top secret, and if anyone sees, i might just get fired."

"that's a shame," joey replied. he was already talking like her, in a sarcastic but strangely funny and playful way. that's what he liked most about being around maddie. he didn't have to say 'yo wassup aye' or anything like that. he actually had somewhat normal conversations.

"a total shame," she chuckled. she then faced him, leaning her face again her hand. "so, what if i told you that i know someone who likes you?"

"i'd be so surprised," joey responded to her. who could she be talking about? "seriously, who is it?"

"i can't say," she grinned, which only made him eager to know who it was. was it her? he couldn't believe that he was thinking that, of course it wasn't here. "but anyways, this person really likes you."

"okay, can you just tell me who?"

"i wish i could say but i was sworn not to tell," maddie sighed. "but they think you're amazing, really amazing. and they admire everything about you."

joey just wanted to know who, although he did like hearing these things being said about him. especially hearing it from maddie, she was so nice about it too.

"well i just wanna know who said those things," joey sighed.

"would you date that person if you knew who they were?" maddie asked him.

"maybe," said joey. "just maybe."

maddie nodded and smiled. "great."

greg marks then interrupted. "you guys realize we can hear your conversation, right? like everyone in this classroom can hear what you guys are saying?"

maddie and joey laughed about it. they didn't really care though, it wasn't anything bad.

"yeah like honestly guys i'm just here to learn and you guys are up here trying to talk about dating. i can't deal with the teens of this generation," said some random girl maddie identified as abby. maddie and joey started laughing about it. both of them went to paying attention to the teacher who was just starting class.

joey couldn't focus. he just needed to know who liked him, like would it kill maddie to just tell him?

class went by so slowly, because all joey wanted to do was just find out who the heck liked him. he just needed to talk to maddie again, but he didn't want to get asked a question while he is talking and embarrass himself by not knowing the answer since he's not paying attention!

eventually, class ended. maddie grabbed her things and started to leave.

"wait, maddie," he tried to keep her from going.

"yes?" she raised an eyebrow.

"tell me."

"i can't!" she said, and you could tell she wished she could tell him. "you know i want to but i just can't."

joey was confused. "why not?"

"why do you think?"

joey then sighed. "okay true but i just want to know."

"alright well, i'll tell you later. at lunch?" maddie questioned as they now started to walk in the hallways.

"fine," joey said. "sounds good."

"good!" maddie smiled. "i'll see you then."

"see you." they went their separate ways. maddie felt great and couldn't wait to tell vanessa. so far there wasn't much action but this was something! but maddie didn't really know where else to go from here.

greg walked up to joey in the hallways. "hey man."

"yo greg," joey greeted him.

"i heard the conversation about some girl liking you, right?" greg started to say. joey nodded.

"and?"

"i know who it's about," greg told joey. joey felt relieved, he didn't feel like waiting to hear maddie tell him.

"really?" joey looked at greg.

"yeah of course bro." greg started walking joey. "it's maddie."

"wait what?"

"maddie's the girl who likes you, obviously." greg nudged joey.

"how do you know?" joey asked curiously.

"she told me, like yesterday," greg informed joey. his eyes lit up.

"wait, for real?"

"yeah," greg kept on going on. "she's so into you bro, like she's in love. and if you don't believe me, why else would she not tell you if it wasn't her? if it wasn't her she would've said something."

greg has a point. joey thought to himself.

"woah, thanks greg." joey couldn't believe that maddie actually liked him.

"no problem joey," greg nodded. "i gotta go, but have fun with maddie."

greg walked away, leaving joey walking to class. he was almost late because of greg, but who cared. maddie liked him, and he couldn't stop thinking about it.

what was he supposed to think about it? it seemed too weird, but maddie told greg herself.

joey didn't even know if he liked her back, it was all too new to him. it was on his mind but what was also on his mind was that maddie was going to tell him her true feelings later at lunch.

how could he prepare himself for this?

he went to second period, not even focusing on reality one bit. maddie ziegler liked him, not only liked, but loved.

he just couldn't figure out if he liked her back.

a/n

I LOVE GREG SO MUCH

'he's such a stud in this' s/o to you maddycat!

LEAVE SOME COMMENTS AND VOTE PLEASEEEE OKAY BYE!