Chapter Four- Matt’s Date

Matt was already standing at my locker when I arrived at break a few weeks later. This wasn’t a rare occurrence, but the look on his face told me something was up. “Problem?” I asked casually, as he shunted back to let me go.

“I have some possibly catastrophic news.”

I frowned at the serious tone of his voice, “What? What is it?”

“Look, I’ve been flirting with this guy in my street. I think he’s hot- it’s nothing in comparison to what I feel for you. And, we were talking yesterday… And he kind of asked me out.”

I blinked at him, “Matt, that’s great. What’s the problem?”

“Well, I don’t want to date him, only for you to realise you’re in fact madly in love with me,” he explained moodily.

I shut my locker and leaned beside him. “He knows you basically stalk me, right?”

He nodded, “It’s come up. He thinks it’s cute.”

I smiled. It was cute. I actually got on really well with Matt- it was a shame I couldn’t bring myself to see him as he wanted me to. “And he still wants you, Matt. Doesn’t that tell you you should go for it?” He turned his gaze to me thoughtfully. “Screw me. I’m an ignorant prick who can’t see how lucky I would be to have you. You need to start living for yourself. Go for it.”

He chuckled, “What if, riveting as that speech was, I don’t want to?”

“If you didn’t want to, there wouldn’t be a problem and you wouldn’t be coming to me for advice,” I stated.

He bobbed his head, “Fair point.”

We both fell into thought for a moment. “How much to you like this guy?” I asked him. “I don’t exist, okay? Tom Fletcher is a name on a register, an unknown face in a sea of people. But how do you feel about him?”

“I like him.”

“Then, there you go.” When he still looked doubtful, I sighed, “Matt, if you say yes to him, I will give you a kiss as a goodbye-for-now.”

“With tongue?” he asked hopefully.

“Don’t push your luck.”

I waited patiently for his answer as he thought it through. It was just a kiss, and- this way- when he started dating, he wouldn’t be too plagued by a build up of lust or whatever he felt for me. Or not a massive one, anyway. He nodded slowly, and I pivoted, slamming him tightly into the locker.

Trapping his body between mine and the metal, I leaned in slowly and brushed my lips over his, before going back in for a firmer kiss. He moved his lips fluidly over mine as I angled my head so they caressed one another’s. He stuck to my no tongue rule, which I noted. I finished it by pulling back and giving him one final peck on the lips.

“I will do your bidding, master,” he promised weakly.

“Say yes to…” I paused, realising something. “Hang on… Tell me his name.”

“James,” he gasped, still revelling in the fact that I had him pinned against a locker and his face was torturously close to mine.

“Say yes to James,” I commanded him.

He nodded, “Okay, okay. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go tell people what just happened.” I stepped back to let him past, laughing as he bolted down the corridor.

“Well, that was a steamy moment…” a voice remarked at my shoulder.

I glanced sideways at Dougie, who was staring after Matt. After our truce, we had gotten along really well, and I was glad. It turned out we actually had a lot in common. “It was a bribe, believe it or not.”

“A bribe?” he sounded doubtful, but didn’t elaborate. “He’s scared of me.”

I grinned, “Why?”

He shrugged, “While we were dating, I kind of told him that if he ever made a move on you, I would shave off his hair while he was sleeping.”

A frown came to my face, “But that doesn’t stand anymore, does it?”

“Maybe he thinks it still does,” he muttered, skirting round the actual question.

I regarded him for a moment, then dismissed it. “I was trying to get him to date someone.”

“By kissing him?” he asked incredulously. “Tom, if anything, that’s just going to make him want you more. Your kisses are addictive- even without tongue.”

I cocked my head to the side thoughtfully, “You managed to fight it off. Maybe he can as well. And plus, my kisses can’t be that addictive, or I’d be dating right now.” I glanced at my watch before he could reply, “I better get going. I’m meant to be on the other side of the building for Music. I’ll see you in Chemistry, right?”