26 - Jessica

Jessica

There was a soft knock on the door.

"Yeah, just ten more minutes," I called out.

"Okay, but, um, I think the party started ten minutes ago?" Matthew says through the tiny gap of my slightly opened bedroom door.

I applied my favorite mascara. "Uh-uh. We're going to be fashionably late."

"Okay. I'll just, um, wait in the living room."

"Yeah. Just

"Aw, look at you both. You both sound like someone in a relationship."

I glared at my phone propped against the mirror where I had Audrey, Chassie, and Kathie on a video call. "A relationship called "friendship." Andrei and France did me dirty. Mostly Andrei. He set us up to go together. I mean, I get that the whole family is trying to get Matthew to come out of his shell, but pimping him out to me like that? I don't like it."

"You haven't even tested the waters yet. You can't say you like it," Kathie says in a sing-song voice. She had on a pink apron, her hair in a messy bun, and a whisk in hand that she waved like a magic wand. She and Chassie are making brownies for Ethan's bake sale tomorrow.

Audrey on the other hand is gorging on great dollops of peanut butter.

Chassie leaned over the counter, her voice zooming in on my screen. "I smell a budding romance."

I snorted. "Maybe, a burning brownie."

She stepped backward, her hands on her waist. "How dare you, we're still just pre-heating the oven. I am really, very, deeply offended."

I scrunched my nose. "Below the belt?"

"Way below the belt. You owe me an apology."

"How about six-hour-long babysitting on a day of your choosing? Miles and I could use a different scenery." I wagged my brows.

Hers arched. "I'm listening."

Audrey stopped sucking on her spoon. "Wait, is Miles doing okay?"

I lifted my palm as if to calm her down. "He's doing great. You don't have to worry about anything. At all. Eat your peanut butter."

She nods slowly.

"As I promised, I will call if there is something you need to worry about."

Audrey sighed. "Okay." She dipped her spoon in the half-empty jar and scooped out a huge blob of peanut butter.

I shivered inside.

"Anyways, Chassie, we can come over for a sleepover. And you can go out with Nathan on a date." I shrugged.

She grinned. "You should offend me more often."

"Oh, I will, honey."

There's another knock on the door.

I gaped. "Fuck, it's been ten minutes already?"

"Language." My friends said in unison.

"Geez. Okay, sorry." I stood up and gave myself a once-over in the mirror. I smoothed a hand over the plunging neckline of my bright red, layered tulle dress. I cocked my head to one side, wondering if the dress was outrageous enough.

"I still didn't agree to that dress," Audrey deadpanned.

I raised a finger. "Which made me want to wear this dress in the first place. But," I clicked my tongue, "is this outrageous enough? I want it to be a huge middle finger to my mother."

"Believe me, that's two middle fingers the size of Jupiter." Audrey covered her mouth with the back of her hand and muffled a tiny burp.

"I think it's outrageous enough," Kathie chimed in. "Those red curls make it extra outrageous."

I fluff my hair. "It's worth the two hours it took to make these extra curly."

Chassie appears on the screen beside her sister. "It's the bright red lips for me. Your mouth almost looks like it's sinned a thousand sins."

I did a dainty little bow. "Thank you. Couldn't have done it without you, guys."

"Jessica?" Matthew's voice cut in faintly from behind the door.

"I'll be right out, Matty. Just one more second," I said over my shoulder.

When I turned back to my phone, the girls were all staring with jaws hanging open.

"What?" I grabbed my purse from the nightstand.

"You're calling him 'Matty' now? Seriously, what's going on in my house?" Audrey questioned playfully.

I rolled my eyes. "I gotta go."

"Hey, wait—"

"Bye." I blew them a kiss and hung up. "I'm ready. Just have to put on my shoes. Or I'll just try to wear them on the way to the car." I snatched them out of their box and sashayed my way out of the door.

Matthew was waiting patiently in the hall, his back against the wall and hand in his pocket. He looked so neat in his tailored suit. Like suits are specifically made for him. No hint of stubble and no wayward strand of brown hair either. Just pure and utter perfection.

He looked at me.

I looked back.

He stared.

I stared right back.

I didn't know his eyes were baby blue.

I gotta say, I have a thing for bad boys, but he makes it all go away. I think I'd pass up a thrilling ride with a hot black leathered jacket guy on his motorcycle if this guy shows up on my doorstep too.

I'd happily let him carry me to his white horse and ride off into the sunset.

I blinked.

What the hell?

I let out a laugh, but I think it just came out awkwardly. "I think we better go?"

H blinked.

"Yeah." He clears his throat when his voice came out small. "Of course."

We walked to the front door and left the awkwardness in the hall. I forgot to put on my shoes as I said I would, so I walked all the way to the car barefoot like the idiot that I am. Matthew didn't seem to notice though.

Normally, we have Miles, but at the moment, we don't. He's with his uncle Andrei and aunt Chandra who are probably celebrating with a bottle of Chardonnay, knowing they succeeded in making this thing happen.

My phone rings.

I try not to physically show that I was relieved.

It was Harper.

"Harper," I answered, my voice embarrassingly high-pitched.

Harper laughs on the other line. "Whoa. Tone it down with excitement. Did I catch you at a bad time?"

"Believe me. I could kiss you in the mouth right now." I smiled.

"Oh. I thought we don't swing that way, but okay, I'll accept that with an open mouth."

I laughed. "You're disgusting."

"I know. Anyways, the reason I called is, I'm at a bar right now and it's getting kind of lonely sitting here alone."

"Oh? Aren't Taylor and Rach."

"Yeah. But they're both in the bathroom. We did shots and Rachel is not doing great. You know her." I imagine her waving her manicured fingers as she talks.

I nod. "I know. She can't hold her drink."

"So, if you get bored at your grandma's party. You can join us. I'll text you the deets. Just in case, you get bored, 'kay?" She sounded like she was chewing – probably nibbling on her olives.

"Okay, sure."

"Okay. Take care."

She hung up.

And then I was alone in the car again... with Matthew. It took a minute to compose myself and that's when it hit me. "Oh, shit."

"What is it?" Matthew glances briefly at me before turning his attention back to the road.

"I think I forgot the birthday gift." I pursed my lips.

"Oh, you didn't."

"I didn't?" I shifted so I'm facing him.

"Yep. It's in the backseat." He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder.

I look through the rearview mirror and it was there. Sitting in the backseat as Matthew said. "How did it get here? I'm pretty sure I left it in the living room."

"Maybe it's, I don't know, haunted?"

I stared at him in confusion. It took me a solid minute to realize that he was kidding, and he put it there. I hear myself laughing.

He laughed.

I shake my head. "That was a really lame joke."

He shrugged. "At least I tried."

I smiled. "Okay. Points for trying."

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