Settle Down (Matt Espinosa)

Ch. 49

"what am i supposed to do when the best part of me was always you? and what am i supposed to say when im all choked up and youre okay?"

MADISON'S POV

"Remember when I told you everyone leaves me and you laughed in my face? You said, and I quote, 'No one's ever left you, Mads. And no one ever will, I promise.' But you were so full of shit! Dad left and you had the nerve to say that. Then you left too. And now Matt left." I shouted into the open air at Will's grave.

Matt said he was coming back. But then again they all do. I remember the smile on my childhood best friend, Gabriela's face as she told me that this wasn't a goodbye, and she was only moving one town over. That one town turned into one state and I never saw her again.

Or the last time dad walked out the door for work, and just never came home again. Or my cousins who were my best friends and inspiration growing up, when one day they just stopped talking to me.

"If you were still here, you would've lectured me from the second he arrived that Matt was no good. And I would've believed you. Until he smiled, or laughed, and I would've ended up falling into the trap anyways, telling you he was different. And eventually, you'd give up, knowing I'd just land myself in this situation I'm in now, waiting to tell me you told me so. But maybe that time I would've believed you, and I wouldn't have cared that he left and never came back. But you're not here and neither is he and it hurts."

My phone buzzed with a new text from Lexi.

From: Lexi
Are we still on for our coffee date?? Mind if i bring a few friends? :)

Everyone at school had stopped swarming me, but everyone assumed I was friends with them. Lexi, of course, took advantage of that and swept a few of them under her wing and now hangs out with them.

I don't know if they're genuinely friends with Lex for her, me, or the fact that she met Matt. But I won't rain on her parade, especially when I haven't had a chance to hang out around them.

To: Lexi
yeah that's fine, no big. see u there

I walked away from Will's grave, my boots crunching through the leaves as I walked out to the car. 

 .

15 minutes later and I was pulling up to Starbucks. I noticed Lexi's car right away, and pulled in beside it before getting out to meet her and whoever she brought.

Walking in I immediately spotted Lexi, and the two people she brought with her, Marina and Colby I think their names are. Lex was sitting next to Marina and Colby across from them, leaving an empty seat next to him with a coffee in front of it.

I remember Lexi going on about how hot the "new student Colby" was, but I'd never actually seen him myself. I didn't really care, either. But she definitely wasn't lying.

He caught my sight and did that smile and nod all boys did before the girls turned around and smiled as well.

I returned their greetings as I approached the table and sat down in the seat.

"Hey girl! Peppermint hot coco just for you!" She sang, nodding towards the cup in front of me as she took a sip from her own.

"You rule," I replied with a grin, before turning to the other two. "Hi, Marina and Colby right? I'm Madi."

They both nodded as Marina spoke up. "We know who you are, everyone does." She replied, laughing.

Colby laughed. "What she means is, nice to meet you."

"You too." I said, trying to ignore what Marina had said. I didn't ask to be known by the whole school, or the whole country for that matter. I didn't want to be known. But what's done is done.

Lexi pulled out her phone. "With the squad!" She yelled into the microphone, moving her phone around the table, showing Colby and I before panning back over to Lex and Marina. 

After a few seconds, she looked up at us. "Vine or Snapchat? Or Instagram?" 

Colby shook his head and laughed as I leaned my forehead against my palm. Marina was the only one to answer her. "Hmm.. Vine and Instagram. No one ever looks at Snapchat stories."

"Done!" Lexi squealed as she put her phone back in her bag. "This is so exciting guys, having all 3 of my besties at one table!"

Kinda felt a pang of jealousy that she classified me under the same label as people she's only known for a few weeks, but I tried to brush it off. 

"Well then I guess the three of your besties should get to know each other then, huh?" Colby asked, cracking a grin.

"Right! I know 20 questions is so overrated and cliche, but how about I ask questions and you all answer them?" Lexi suggested, rubbing her hands together.

I wasn't in the mood to play whatever game she was planning, nor did I want to be interrogated. I just wanted to drink my hot coco and talk with my best friend, not strangers.

"Sounds good." Marina replied as Colby nodded. Lex looked over at me and raised her eyebrows. "Mads?"

I nodded, still supported my head with my hand. "Yeah, whatever."

"Alright! Relationship status?"

"Single."

"Single."

I hesitated, my mind quickly flashing to Matt before I replied. "Single."

I saw Lexi smirk at me as she asked the next question. "Pets?"

"Horse," Marina replied, as Colby said he had a dog.

"Nope," I told them.

The questions dragged on and on until Lex finally ran out of questions to ask. "Wasn't that fun?"

"Yes, for sure. Most fun I've had all year," I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes at her as Marina got up to throw away her coffee.

"Of course it was smart-ass, it's barely two weeks into the new year and you won't let me drag you to any more parties," Lexi replied back with an eyeroll of her own.

"Lex! Matt Espinosa favorited your Vine!" Marina came running back, showing her phone to Lexi. 

"Oh my god!"

"Are they always like this together?" I whispered to Colby, who was sitting there scrolling through his own phone.

"Pretty much, it's Matt this, Matt that, fangirl over this, fangirl over that. They're insane." He told me.

I shook my head and pulled my phone out to see exactly what was in the Vine he favorited.

Like I had imagined, it panned around the small table, but of course Lexi held the camera on Colby and I for a fair amount of time.

I feel guilty for hanging around guys without Matt, but at the same time I want to slap myself for how stupid I sound. He got jealous over my cousin. 

Which is probably why he'll be even more jealous that Colby isn't related to me.

If Lexi was in my position, she'd be all over making Matt jealous. But that really doesn't appeal to me at all. 

I know what it's like to see someone you like with someone else, while you're hopelessly far away from them, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

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A.N: i feel like this isnt a good chapter but at the same time i think it is.... so sorry if you dont like it... :(

So Lexi's using Madison's newfound popularity to find new friends.. but why isnt Madi? lol

Pic of Marina + Colby on the siiiiiiide

dont forget to comment & like because i love hearing ur feedback more than anything. always makes me smile xo