fangs / matt champion

part six

It had been a few days since the movie night and Matt still hadn't made a move. I assumed he wasn't interested or wasn't looking for anything right now. I couldn't blame him. His ex just fucked him over pretty bad. What did annoy me was the fact that I didn't get the closure I wanted. I still went about my days as I normally did. We would make small talk in homeroom and smile at each other in the hallways, but that was about it. It was like that night had ever happened, all up until this morning. I had finally opened the email from UT and I didn't get the answer I was hoping for. They had rejected me, and it really fucking hurt. I stayed in my bed that day. I couldn't fuck with school today. My phone lit up on my nightstand, and I lazily looked at the notification.

-

matt: you weren't in homeroom

cat: correct

matt: how come

cat: bc i stayed home today

matt: everything ok?

cat: lol no

matt: i'm coming over

cat: please don't

matt: let's go on a drive. i'll be there in 20.

cat: okay

-

I got out of bed and got ready, changing into leggings and a hoodie and letting my hair down. I put on some quick makeup and sighed as I heard him honk downstairs. I grabbed my purse and ran down the stairs, locking the door behind me before sitting in his car. I smiled slightly as he greeted me, driving off quickly down my street. "Wanna tell me what's going on?" he asked, keeping his gaze on the road. "No." I mumbled, laying my head on the door and turning away from him. "I didn't skip school to not help you. Tell me what's wrong." he sighed. I groaned, staring out through the windshield as he speeded last the same streets I was tired of. "I didn't get into UT Austin and that was where I really wanted to go." I admitted, biting my lip and looking down at my lap. I felt the tears forming in my eyes but every bone in my body was begging me not to cry in front of him.

"That sucks, I'm sorry." he said carefully, looking over at me quickly before looking back at the road. "So now I'm probably gonna get stuck going to TSU and moving to San Marcos which makes me want to cry." I complained. "If it helps, I'm going to TSU." he shrugged, instantly making me feel guilty. "I'm not trying to be a bitch right now but I just wanted to  move somewhere at least a little more creative. San Marcos is the same Texas bullshit and I'm tired of it." I mumbled, playing with a loose thread of my sleeve. "I get you. Did you apply anywhere else?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "UCLA, but that's out of the fucking question if I wasn't good enough to get into UT." I said, laughing sarcastically. A few tears left my eyes and Matt looked over and wiped them away.

"Don't say that. You don't know the way things are gonna go. Your life will be whatever you make of it regardless of where you get your degree. It's a piece of paper." he reasoned, smiling softly. "I was just really happy with my music stuff and everything was going so well and then this shit happened. I don't know, I just feel like nothing is going right." I admitted with a shrug. Matt pulled up to a nearby park, making me smile. "Let's walk." he suggested. I followed him down the sidewalk, walking by his side. "Everything is gonna work out, Cat. I promise. You're talented as fuck and if you want to do your music stuff then fucking go for it. Don't limit yourself because you don't think you're good enough. You are." he said cautiously. I stopped in my tracks, pullling him into a hug. "Thank you. I needed this. Sorry I'm a mess." I joked, pulling away from the hug. "You're not a mess." he mumbled, taking my face in his hands and pressing his lips against mine.

Our lips moved in harmony, and I could feel the butterflies erupting in my stomach. Everything about this felt so right. I kissed him back, enjoying every second of it. When he finally pulled away, we were both all smiles. "Wow." he whispered, making me giggle. We spent an hour or so at the park, talking about our feelings and our futures and what we wanted out of life. He wasn't sure what he should do. He really enjoyed making music and doing his own thing, but he knew he needed to go to college just in case it didn't work out. He told me about how he felt alone because of what his ex and best friend did to him, and that the movie night was the first time he had ever felt like a part of something.  I laid back onto the grass, staring up at the sky as a plane flew by. He laid down next to me, closing his eyes as the sun hit his face. I sat up and sneakily pecked his lips, making him chuckle. "What was that for?" he asked huskily. "To thank you for today." I shrugged, laying back down and leaning against his chest.