The Devil In Disguise

CHAPTER 18: Matchmaker

"Why does he hate me for leaving?" I asked Simon in Chemistry. He smiled, his dimples appearing adorably. Sitting straighter in his chair, glad to have something other than Chemistry to think about, he leaned forward, resting his head on his hand contemplatively. Turning to me after a moment, he said,

"Well, it's not hard to figure out."

I glared at him, making him snicker. "Can you just tell me? I don't know him as well as you do."

"You don't need to. I haven't seen Xander try to hide his feelings so hard and fail. Usually, he's this, y'know, intimidating, no-emotion guy," Simon described, even holding out his muscles to represent Xander's strong hold over his feelings. "But ever since you came to this school —" Simon emitted a low whistle, "— he's been different. Not very different, but, like, different enough."

"Huh," I said, stumped. Was it even possible? That Xander... felt... things for me? Me?

"But there are so many other girls in this school that literally drool over him," I countered, voicing my concerns. Simon laughed as if I'd made a hilarious joke.

"They're not his type at all!" he exclaimed. "Yeah, they're pretty and all, some of them are funny, but none of them caught his eye like you did. You walked in with your rainbow-y hair and weird-ass attitude and that's it —" he clicked his fingers "— challenge accepted."

I was staring at Simon with a befuddled look on my face.

"But then why did he say he doesn't care anymore?" I asked him quietly, fiddling with my hands, my slightly chipped nails occasionally scratching at my skin, my heart contracting at the memory.

Simon rolled his eyes. "Wow, you really overthink things. Xander will murder me for telling you this, but basically, this is how it works. You listening?" he asked, his eyes snapping to mine, a smile written in them. I nodded, my full concentration on Simon.

"Good," he grinned, then launched into his explanation.

"So, basically, Boy likes Girl. Girl and Boy share obvious chemistry and banter and shit, and Boy is very happy. Boy secretly throws party so that Girl comes. Girl leaves party and doesn't tell Boy why. Boy thinks Girl doesn't like him, doesn't trust him, etcetera. Boy asks Girl to tell the truth, Girl gets defensive and tells Boy to stay out of her business. Boy is hurt and decides that Girl doesn't care and that he read too much into it, so Boy says something hurtful in the moment, not meaning it. Girl is sad, Boy is sad. Girl thinks Boy hates her, Boy thinks Girl hates her... when secretly, Boy and Girl actually feel the opposite. Get it?"

He was breathing heavily, having said that all in one breath.

I gaped, speechless. He must have big lungs.

"Please don't ask me to repeat it," Simon whined after registering my nonplussed expression, making me laugh. "Actually, I think I got it," I said after a moment.

"Really? 'Cause I think I got lost halfway through myself," Simon admitted, grinning sheepishly, making me laugh again.

Suddenly, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rise. Turning instinctively, I caught Xander quickly looking down, a controlled, stoic look on his face, scribbling down answers on his worksheet as a girl next to him desperately tried and failed to start conversations. Does he really like me? I thought. Simon certainly thought so.

As the bell rang and everyone started to pack away, Simon whispered into my ear, "Do something about it. I told him the same thing. You two are unbelievable, really, and watching you fight is pointless. Just accept the truth," Simon nodded wisely, making me bite back a snigger.

"You should win matchmaker of the year," I said sarcastically, clapping in mock-appreciation and Simon mimicked me in a high-pitched voice, glaring.

"You'll thank me for it one day!" he yelled, running out of the classroom to catch up with Xander, and I smiled. Thanks, Simon, I thought.

A/N:

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—deainlustris