Lights, Cameras, Outsiders!

Chapter 4

My friend Christine flew in after the two week period and sat with me in the room. Matt was a frequent flyer, from the floor to the table, absolutely insisting I go on a date with him.
"You know you really shouldn't turn him down, Essie. He seems pretty nice."
"After what he did to me, are you kidding?"
"He's changed probably. He was scared then," she said. I was quiet.
"Come on, Essie. Wouldn't you run off too?" She said.
"I guess."
"Then next time he asks you on a date, say yes."
"I will if you come with us."
"What? I'm not third wheeling!"
"Then we'll just wait for someone to ask you," I said.
"Whatever."
"Okay can I get Rob Lowe and Tom Cruise and Tommy Howell up here?"
"Okay see. Susie really thinks these guys are getting the jobs. Maybe one of them will ask you," I said.
They performed the scene. Tom was Darry, Rob was Sodapop, and Tommy was Ponyboy. In all of our guts, we knew Tommy was Ponyboy. There was no doubt about it. And after switching between Randy and Sodapop and after much discussion, we knew Rob was Soda. But Tom.... We don't know.
And now it was lunch break:
"Hey, sweets!" Matt came up the table as I moved papers around on the table into different files. I glanced at Christine. She nodded.
"Hi," I smiled.
"How about you and me grab some lunch?" He wouldn't look me in the eye.
"Can you look at me?" I said.
"Okay, look, I've been asking you and asking you to go out and you keep being a hardass. Why can't you just be reasonable with me or just be nice or-" I touched his hand and he finally looked up.
"I was going to say yes if you would just look at me," I said. He smiled. I realized he actually was hurt by everything before and became seriously happy when I said okay. My finger slipped underneath his palm and grabbed his hand.
"Emilio!" I called. Emilio was walking with Rob and Tom but halted. He walked up.
"Can you see if Rob wants to go to lunch with me and Matt and Christine?"
"A double date?"
"I prefer, lunch with friends."
"He does think she's cute."
"We're going now. Ask now," I said. I still had Matts hand in mine. He was looking away.
"We're going with other people?" Matt asked. I got up and went around the table.
"Come on, Matt. You can take me to dinner tonight," I said, straightening out his jean jacket.
"Okay," he said. He started to move his hands down my waist.
"He said okay. He's asking her now."