School days go by one after the other, each blending into the next. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though. My phone now has a plethora of new numbers, Tori, Harper, Rose, Chelsea, Matt, and even Nick’s (not crazy about the last two, but whatever). To think I’d be so excited about a few phone numbers, but until now mine has only had family and a few people from school that I would hang out with but not regularly.

We even have a group chat now between Tori, Rose, Chelsea and myself! Tori uses it mostly to post dumb meme’s throughout the day that has all of us chuckling in the middle of class. I’ve learned to stop checking by now since I’ve gotten some annoyed glances from professors. But it’s nice to have a place where the four of us talk, even if I’m not always an active participant.

Maybe it’s stupid to find myself looking at my contact list and smiling but I can’t help it. I’m making friends, and not the kind that I just give that title to in order to make myself feel better. No, because even in the last few days I’ve spent time with Tori, Chelsea and Rose during school hours. Once Harper even invited me out to eat with him and his jogging friends. Saying yes wasn’t too bad of an idea even if all of them were rather rambunctious. I mostly stuck with Harper at the pizza joint, but it was enjoyable and I’m starting to feel more comfortable with people and crowds.

Yes, I’m still an anxious mess by the idea of it, but I’m learning to cope and handle some interaction from time to time. Then I need a break to recuperate, which is a lot more than what I’ve ever done. Maybe my college days really are looking up?

Even my schoolwork is going by well! I turned all my homework in, including the review for Freshman Seminar. Amanda did end up talking with Harper in order to finish hers. Matt seems to have finished his since he turned it in and, judging by their distance in class, he and Amanda haven’t talked again. Can’t blame either of them for that.

So I can conclude that my first three weeks of college has been great! Well, maybe not today, seeing as I just got off the worst shift I’ve ever had and it’s pouring down rain and guess who doesn’t have an umbrella? This unfortunate soul right here. Cue Ursula.

Scowling, I stare out the windows of Subway in my stinking work uniform to see rain drenching everything in sight. My plan is to wait except it keeps coming down and I’m exhausted. There were so many jerk customers today, and it was a freaking Sunday! Usually nothing happens on Sunday, but I had a lady come in and tell me, “Make me a tuna sub with whatever you normally put on it.”

Then I proceeded to explain our damn slogan to her, “Make it your own way,” and that there’s no freaking “normal” way to make a sandwich. She didn’t like that and my manager got called, who explained the same thing so, thanks for being a bitch, stupid lady! Then I dumped an entire batch of onions on myself, had to remake them, burnt some cookies and slipped in the backroom. Now it’s raining and I’m tired, cranky, and smell like shit so cut me a break here!

Seems that won’t happen though. The rain keeps coming and I’ve been here for 15 extra minutes. I could buy an umbrella at the gas station. By then I’ll be soaked anyways, and it’s not like I need an umbrella. I have one but didn’t bring it today since the weather said it wasn’t going to rain! Never trust the weather.

Well, I need a bath anyways. Heading to the back, I grab a plastic bag to put my wallet and phone in. It’s only a 15 minutes walk. With a heavy sigh, I step outside to leave. I wait under the awning just a few moments longer in hopes it’ll stop but it doesn’t—

Then my phone rings.

I jump in surprise, wondering what Mom is doing already calling. She always makes sure to call on the weekends so I reach back to pull my phone out of my pocket but it isn’t Mom.

It’s Matt.

Matt’s...calling me? What? Why? Should I answer? I’d feel like a jerk for ignoring, especially since he has never called me. It’s almost worrying. Maybe he butt dialed or something.

Curiosity gets the best of me. Biting my lip, I answer hesitantly, “H-Hello?”

“Do you need a ride?” Matt asks immediately, which has me furrowing my brow.

“W-What? How?” I spin my head from side to side then spot a familiar black Mercedes parked a little ways down the street. It’s obviously Matt.

“I was heading to get food and saw you standing there without an umbrella,” Matt explains without my even having to ask.

“Oh, uh—” Shit, what do I say? If I say no, it makes me seem like I don’t want to get in his car. That’s totally untrue because it’s a Mercedes that I will never be able to afford in my life so, yes, let me see the inside of the car. At the same time…“I c-completely reek.”

Matt actually snorts.

“I’m serious. Have you smelled the back of a Subway?”

“No.”

“It’s awful.”

“I guess I’m about to find out. Let me turn around.”

“A-Ah, you don’t have to! I can just run to you.”

Wait, that means I agreed to the ride. Have I decided yet though? I don’t think so. But it’s too late, Matt repeats that he’ll drive around the block then hangs up. I’m too shocked to do anything other than stand there with my phone pressed to my ear like a weirdo.

What the hell is happening? Now he’s giving me a ride although we haven’t talked in over a week and we don’t really talk at all. Isn’t he worried? What if I, like, pull out a knife or try to steal from him? Sure, he could destroy me with a flick of his finger, but that’s not the point! Don’t give strangers car rides! I feel like a mother having to lecture a kid.

Matt pulls up right in front of me moments later. There’s a brief second where I consider just bolting but feel like a complete jackass at the mere thought...plus I really want to see the inside of the car. The windows are tinted. It looks so damn nice on the outside. I bet the inside is leather and probably hi-tech. It probably smells nice and doesn’t have a scratch or dent.

Oh, screw it!

I end up rushing to the door, flinging it up and sliding inside.

Yep, the car is just as gorgeous on the inside. No dirt. No dust. No scratches. Pristine as pristine can be. There’s beige seats with black linings and one of those screens that lets you see when you back up. An obviously purchased and custom radio with even Matt’s initials engraved into the center of the steering wheel, which has me chuckling because his initials are “MJ.”

“What?” Matt asks curiously.

“Y-Your initials.”

“Ah.” Seems he is aware. “Michael Jackson.”

I nod vigorously and am very shocked to see Matt’s lips twitch back into that faint smile again. Please don’t do that.

Ah, his hair is different today too. Normally it has an almost tousled look, but today he hasn't put anything in it, I think. Seems his hair is naturally straight since it’s brushing over his eyes and the tips of his ears. Not that I care about his hair or anything...

“You’re heading back to the dorms, right?” Matt inquires making me realize that he offered me a ride without knowing where I was heading.

“O-Oh, yeah...but what would you have done if I wasn’t?”

“I would have taken you anyway.”

“What if it was super far?”

“Then we’d have a long drive.”

I tilt my head to the side in confusion while Matt doesn’t seem to see the issue with what he said. He’s already pulling back onto the road, driving around the block again to head in the opposite direction towards the dorms. He really isn’t what I expected. Then again, I’m not sure what I was expecting seeing as I never expected to be in this situation.

Because of that, the ride is silent. The thing is though, I wouldn’t call it awkward. Matt looks relaxed beside me even if his expression sort of says otherwise. I’m starting to think that Matt has two modes; resting bitch face and bored. Maybe he’s expressionless to save it all for the big screen, who knows! But his body language states he’s fine. He isn’t tense like he was at the movies. And, looking to the hands in my lap, I’m not tense either.

The only thing that bothers me is the knowledge that I won’t ever see the inside of a nice car like this again. That lucky bastard owns it. Some people make me so mad!

Matt pulls up to the dorms moments later. In my case I still have to run a bit through the rain since my dorm hall is behind the one at the front. It won’t take long but, just as I’m about to say my goodbye, Matt suddenly reaches into the back. I watch curiously when he hands me a red umbrella.

“Here,” he says while sitting it in my lap.

He’s just giving it to me?

“It’s ok! I can run. I won’t get that wet.” I shake my hands through the air. Grabbing the umbrella, I try to hand it back, but like the time with the envelope, Matt won’t even move to take it.

“Why would you do that when I’m offering you an umbrella?”

“Because you need it?”

“I have a car.”

“But you said you were getting food so you have to get out.”

“For a second. Just use that. It’s fine.”

I would argue, but I get the feeling Matt won’t let me say no even if I really tried. I’ve never been good at persuasion. So, with a nervous nod, I say, “Ok...I’ll give it back?”

“Ok.”

Nodding again, I push open the car door and open the umbrella before stepping out. My stomach is squirming nervously. Just when I’m about to shut the door, Matt calls, “Dana!”

I lean over to peer back in, flushing furiously when I see Matt giving me a teasing smile.

“You’re right though.”

“H-Huh?” I ask.

“Subway’s backroom smells awful.”

I lower my head in embarrassment while Matt chuckles. The sound tickles my ears and I’m ok with the light joke simply because I heard him chuckle, which makes me feel like an idiot, but hey, that’s nothing new!

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he says.

“S-See you tomorrow.”

Quickly, I shut the door and speed off towards the dorms, looking back only once to see Matt’s car still sitting there. I hesitate, watching the black car waiting in the rain with Matt likely watching quietly behind the tinted window. There goes my heart again, skipping a beat. To make matters worse, Matt doesn’t leave until I’ve disappeared behind the building to get to my own.

The moment I’m inside and the umbrella is down, I press my back to the nearest wall and slide to the floor. Who cares who sees me, I’m having a crisis!

What the hell just happened?

I’ve been asking that far too much lately. And it usually always has to do with Matt, which makes it worse because...what the hell just happened?!

Seeing the red umbrella in my grasp suddenly makes my heart flutter. How can such a simple gesture make me act like this? What an idiot! Matt’s probably just being nice since I haven’t given out his number or tried to jump him like other people, right?

Except my heart is screaming at me that it wouldn't mind jumping him. Well fuck you, that isn’t ok and we aren’t going through with it so step back.

Whatever, doesn’t matter. I’ll give this stupid umbrella back tomorrow and that’ll be the end of it. I will purchase one of those little compacting umbrellas immediately and store it in my backpack at all times to avoid this type of situation again. Although I doubt it will happen again. Once in a lifetime is enough and, well, we aren’t friends so he wouldn’t offer this regularly, right?

Right. Obviously.