“Why do you have an umbrella?” Tori asks Thursday morning.

I’m awkwardly waiting outside the class we share with Matt. He said he’d be here today, although, if I were him I wouldn’t come. There’s still gossip. I’ve already heard some today, people whispering, making bets on whether Matt shows up or not.

I doubt he cares about this stupid umbrella anyways, or if he even remembers, but I need to give it back. So my only option is to wait outside until he gets here in hopes to return it before the mob forms. Today will likely be worse than usual, or maybe people will leave him alone so they can whisper about him. Who knows!

“I have to give this back. I borrowed it,” I explain, hoping that Tori won’t ask, but obviously he does because he’s Tori.

“From who?”

“Someone.”

“The fact that you won’t say who is very suspicious.”

“Maybe you’re just too nosy.”

“I am very nosy, but that doesn’t make your reactions any less sus—” Tori suddenly starts to grin from ear to ear. “It’s Matt’s, isn’t it?”

“No!”

“When did he give you an umbrella? You two are getting chummy.”

“I said no!”

Tori gives me a once over of obvious disbelief. “You answered it too quickly. We share a class today and you brought it so it’s Matt’s. Since you two are getting close, where the hell is my autograph?”

“You’re just going to sell it.”

“Obviously.”

“And we aren’t chummy!”

Tori snorts. “I don’t see him giving an umbrella to anyone else.”

“Please, it’s not that big of a deal.”

Except we both know it is considering how antisocial Matt has been up to this point. Not that I blame him, nor can I say much considering I’m not the most social of beings either. The texts we have shared, especially last night, have proved as much. Still, Tori looks way too pleased and he even tries to stick around in order to see the so-called “golden interaction” between Matt and me.

I start beating him with the umbrella so he gets the picture to leave. After a few more acts of abuse, Tori runs into class cackling while I wait patiently with my back against the wall. Students walk into class one after the other. Some are quiet, others are mentioning Matt. I frown when one guy in particular snickers about how he hopes the rumors help “put that snob in his place.”

Snob? The only snobby one here is you! If only I had the guts to say that.

“Dana, what are you doing?”

I jump and spin on my heel to find Matt standing right next to me with Joey a few steps behind. Matt’s phone is in his hand. The usual headphones around his neck. Those thin blue eyes of his, that I swore were always cold and glaring before, somehow appear warm and comforting now. Is something wrong with me for thinking that way? Absolutely.

But I don’t even have time to panic about my own thoughts when I hear someone in class start to say, “I wonder if anyone is going to ask Matt about the art—”

“Thank you!” I scream so loud that it actually hurts me a bit to do so. Even Matt jumps in shock.

“Thanks for the umbrella is what I wanted to say, y’know, from the other day.” I hold out said umbrella, which Matt hesitantly takes.

The girls are no longer talking but I’m not risking it.

“Now, you should put your headphones back on.” I grab the headphones around his neck and have to lean up on my tiptoes to place them back over his ears. Surprisingly, Matt lets me, but he’s definitely staring in utter confusion. That’s fine. I am very confused too. We can be confused together! “Ok, that’s better, that’s good, uh...thanks, thanks again.”

Before Matt can say a word about whatever the hell that was, I’m rushing into class to sit next to Tori.

“I didn’t know you could move that fast,” Tori whispers, watching me with amusement then looking to Matt standing outside the door with his umbrella. When he peers into the room, the same confusion remains etched into his features, but I choose to ignore it.

Listen, spending the least amount of time with Matt is for my own safety. The best option was to give the umbrella back and bolt, especially when I know many students would kill to have been given the same opportunity, even with that stupid article. I rather not have those students actually kill me though, thanks.

And let’s not even talk about the headphones thing. What an idiot, I’m getting worse by the day.

Sighing, I lean onto my desk. Why did he come today? He should at least stay home until Monday, give the school a few days to forget about the article and move on. I don’t know how he can show his face during a time like this. Guess it goes to show our differences. I’d be on the floor practically dead after only a smidge of the attention he gets.

I take a risk and peer up from my buried position only to find Matt glancing at me over his shoulder. His eyes widen, so do mine, then I look away, unsure if Matt did too. Ok, so I risk checking to see he isn’t looking, which has Tori whistling again.

“You two are being very weird,” he says, swinging his head from side to side.

I smack him upside his swinging head. “What do you mean?”

“You keep looking at each other. Is something going on that I have not been informed of?”

“Stop asking.”

“I can’t. I must know. I hate not knowing everything.”

“And that is going to get you into a lot of trouble one day.”

“But all that I know will get me right back out of it.” Tori pokes me teasingly, grinning from ear to ear. I can’t help but smile back. He’s contagious like that.

Sadly, the smile doesn’t last long. When class ends and we’re all leaving, I hear the same whispers start right back up. Only this time my eyes fixate on Matt, who stiffens in his seat. His headphones are around his neck. He can clearly hear people mumbling, trying to get their friends to interrogate Matt about whatever they’re curious about. It has me narrowing my eyes.

Then Matt abruptly stands. The desk scrapes against the floor. He swings his bag over his shoulder but doesn’t leave. For a moment, he looks back and I think he’s looking at someone behind me, but turning around I don’t see anyone there. When I face him again, Matt is already gone, waltzing out the door with his headphones on and phone in hand. The crew follows, scurrying to pursue their idol. It’s actually sad.

“Like I said, weird,” Tori sings next to me, earning himself a glare.

Except I’m about to believe him since only a second later my phone buzzes. I pull it out, thinking it’s a group text or something only to find it’s from Matt. My eyes widen.

Matt: Want to skip?

Huh, and a who, and a what now? Skip? As in skip class...together?

I get why he wants to leave, but why me? I scratch at the back of my neck. This is a conundrum. I was just thinking the best thing to do was to not associate with Matt. He’s always in the spotlight and I can’t handle the spotlight. That one week after the cafeteria incident was enough attention to last me a lifetime!

Another text comes in.

Matt: We can catch a movie or something, my treat

Now he’s throwing a free movie into the deal? That’s cheating. But the more I stare at the text, the more I feel like it’d be rude or make me seem like a jackass if I say no. He’s asking for a reason. I’m not sure why it’s me, but if I were him I’d feel like such an idiot if he said no. Then again, I would be too nervous to ask. Why am I like this? Why can’t I be a jerk and say no? Come on, it’s so easy. It is two letters, type N then O and send.

Which is not what I do, obviously.

Me: Sure. I’m paying for myself though lol

Matt: Ok lol meet me in the parking garage by the elevator, third floor

At least I don’t have Tori in my next class, it makes skipping easier. He’ll probably message me around lunch when he realizes I’m not there, but that’s fine. I can easily lie. As if I’d tell that nosy bastard I’m about to go see a movie with the campus heartthrob. Even I don’t think it’s real. Something is going to happen, like the apocalypse. Is a meteor about to hit? Maybe I’m dead, or this is a coma?

Who knows for sure. Whatever kind of weird reality this is, it doesn’t end. I get to the parking garage to find Matt waiting. He has a hat on again, tipped down to hide his face with his hands in his pockets. Joey is nowhere to be seen. Must have left already? I almost wish he was here because now we’re actually alone. It’s just the two of us. Why?

Too late to ask now. Matt spots me and offers up a smile that I can’t help but smile back at. Oh no. That’s not good. Smiling because he’s smiling, this is dangerous territory.

“Are you really ok with skipping?” Matt asks as I follow him to his car.

“Yeah, I-I don’t really have much to worry about today.”

“Hmm.”

“W-What about you?” That wasn’t phrased well, it’s like half my question.

“What about me?”

Matt unlocks the doors. We both slip in. I sit my backpack in the backseat. He starts the car just as I ask, “Uh, asking to skip, does it have to do with the article?”

“Yeah. People are annoying.”

I snort, which has Matt cocking a brow then I full on laugh and he starts to stare at me like I’m crazy.

“What’s so funny?” He asks.

“You’re really blunt.”

“It’s the truth.”

“Yeah, but most people at least try to sugarcoat it.”

“That’s stupid.”

I laugh even harder. “That makes you funnier.”

Matt must not take offense seeing as he smiles while pulling out of the garage.

“Do you want to go to the movies, or is there something else you’d rather do?” Matt asks. We’re still on campus so it’d be easy to make different plans, but I shake my head.

“A movie is fine. Is there one you haven’t seen though?”

Matt shakes his head.

“Why go if you’ve seen them all?”

“I like movies. I can watch them again.”

I hum in response, the both of us falling silent immediately afterwards. I don’t know if I’d call the atmosphere awkward, but it’s not overly friendly either. The sort of silence that happens with strangers on a bus or a train. They’re there. You don’t speak. You’re just co-existing in the same space for the time being.

Except in this case, Matt asked me to come. He’s not a stranger on a bus or train. He’s a guy sitting next to me, taking us both to the movies because he wanted to skip and that confuses me. Not the skipping part, but the skipping with me part. I want to ask. The question is tickling the back of my throat, but whenever I glance at Matt out of the corner of my eye, I get nervous.

He really does have a resting bitch face. There’s certain features that naturally give off intimidating vibes. Matt has eyes that could freeze the ocean and his jawline is sharp, like you’d cut yourself if you attempted even a hit. Although he doesn’t give off an air of annoyance or discomfort, the look is certainly there.

“Want to listen to music?” He asks, breaking the silence.

“Uh, sure.”

“What do you like?”

“Anything other than country.”

Matt smirks. “Good to know.”

His car has the radio options on his steering wheel so he turns it on with ease. Then his phone lights up from the grip it’s sitting in and he puts on an alternative playlist. I recognize the first song immediately, bobbing my head along to the song Tip Toes by half•alive.

“You know them?” Matt asks.

“Yeah, I pre-ordered their new album.”

“Same. What’s your favorite song?”

“This one.” I laugh, still swaying to the beat. Maybe it’s the music, or maybe it’s the sudden comfort in the air, but I find myself saying, “Hey, can I ask you something?”

“You just did.”

I roll my eyes.

“Shoot,” he says.

“Why did you ask me to skip with you?”

Matt looks confused.

“I know why you wanted to skip, but why with me?” I point to myself nervously. “You have a lot of friends.”

“Do I?” Matt snorts. “I have a lot of followers, you mean.”

That’s true and I know that, but I was kind of hoping Matt had at least someone among them that he considered a friend.

“I asked you because you’re not annoying,” he says like that explains anything.

“That is a low standard to have. I don’t know if it’s a compliment.”

“It is. You see how people act around me. They smile at my face and talk behind my back. Some may actually want to be friends, but that’s because they have an idea of me already in their heads that they want me to live up to. When I don’t, they’ll be disappointed and I’ll be the bad guy. It happens all the time.”

My stomach drops. That’s the most Matt has ever said to me and it ends up being super depressing.

“We met on accident. You offered to pay me back because you wanted to, not because you wanted my attention. You have my number but never bother me; you haven’t even given it out.” He glances at me with a soft smile. “At least I’m assuming you haven’t. There’s been no odd messages lately.”

“I haven’t. I would never!”

“That’s why I asked you.” Matt nods then starts to frown. “Ah, did I bother you?”

“No!” I shout, earning a surprised expression from Matt that then turns into a smile when I wave my hand frantically in the air. “That’s not—I was just curious. I’m fine with us hanging out—oh, not because of the you being an actor thing, just, in general. I-It’s—I’m fine with it.”

What the hell was that? Someone, please end me.

Matt laughs, nothing like a bent over in tears sort of vibe, just a simple warmth that tickles the ears to hear. And when he smiles like that, his eyes kind of smile too.

“Happy to hear it,” he says between his laughter. “Now, what movie do you want to watch?”

Right...the movie. I really don’t know. It’s hard to think with my heart beat ringing in my ears. Oh no, I think I’m in serious trouble.