Dinner with the girls is chaotic to say the least. They aren’t like Matt, that’s for sure. While Mandy is more quiet than Marcy and Michelle, all three are more talkative than their rather antisocial brother. He does seem to speak more around them, but their boisterous nature cancels us out so Matt and I end up sitting around most of the evening listening.

They go on about school and ask about our own classes. Michelle is a senior and already accepted into college. Mandy is thinking of going here when she’s older and Marcy has joined the band. She plays the flute and is already planning to give Matt his own mini-concert. I’m invited too with an innocent smile that I can’t say no to.

Once again, I’ve made a promise to spend more time with Matt. I get the feeling Marcy did that on purpose. She’s more conniving than she appears!

But it’s getting late and Matt announces, “I should take Dana back to the dorms.”

“Huh? Why?” Michelle pouts, having dragged me to the couch to sit between her and Mandy. Marcy has been all over Matt, following him around like a lost puppy so I can see who her favorite sibling is, but there’s no denying how cute that is or how cute Matt is with her.

Wait.

Uh, I mean...well…

“It’s only, like, nine!” Michelle adds. Matt is already up with car keys in hand. He glances at me, almost asking with his eyes to follow so we can escape easily.

“Ah, the dorms close at ten,” I lie, seeing as they actually lock up at midnight since it’s the weekend. I scurry around the coffee table to follow Matt to the door.

“It was nice meeting you!” Michelle calls, waving from the couch with Mandy giving a half wave and Marcy nearly throwing her arm out of it’s socket.

“Make sure to come over for my concert!” says Marcy with a bright smile that I easily return.

“I will.” With another wave, I follow Matt out the door. I swear he power walks to the elevator, limbs stiff as boards until we’re “safe” in said elevator. When the doors close, he faces me.

“Sorry about them,” he says.

I’m confused enough to ask, “What do you mean?”

“They’re...a lot.”

I snort. “No argument there, but it was fun.” I shrug at the raised brow and twisted upper lip that he gives in response, as if to say I’m crazy. “They were nice and they love you a lot, especially Marcy.”

Matt nods. His sudden silence has me curious. The elevator doors open and that silence follows us to the car. I’d say there’s a frown on his face, but I can’t say for certain.

“Something wrong?” I ask. His wanting us to leave and demeanor now is making me nervous. I worry that he really didn’t want me to tag along.

“Hmm?” He shakes his head when pulling out of the parking lot. “No.”

“Did...did you not want me to meet them?”

“Huh?” Matt whips his head to the side until he remembers he’s driving. Stiffening, he focuses completely on the road when answering, “I would have told you if I didn’t want you to come.”

True. Matt can be very blunt.

Nodding, I lean back into my seat, but a new sort of tension builds. Matt’s quiet. I’m quiet. The radio plays a song I vaguely recognize, but the music seems quiet too. Matt’s knuckles are white on the steering wheel then they relax. He sighs. The sound actually makes me flinch, although I don’t know why. Because I’m an anxious wreck, I guess?

“Marcy doesn’t like that I moved out,” Matt speaks, bringing my attention to him. I tilt my head in question.

“Ah, I get that. My family didn’t like that I moved all the way to the dorms either.” And if Marcy is as attached as she seems to be, she must have really hated that her big brother isn’t at home anymore. She’s not old enough to drive. I imagine she can’t jump on a bus by herself yet either, especially when her face may be known. It wouldn’t be safe.

“Must be tough. She’s really attached to you,” I add, watching Matt give a slow nod. “Why did you move out then?” I realize afterwards that it may have been too personal of a question. Quickly, I wave my hands about to explain, “Ah, I’m sorry, t-that was too personal! I s-shouldn’t have asked.”

“It’s fine. I know you are asking with good intentions.” He shrugs like his words are no big deal. Maybe not to him, but they are to me.

Matt is someone whose life is exploited for clicks. A rare few are truly interested. Most want in on the gossip; claiming the attention and heat comes with the territory as if that is any excuse towards the cruel actions towards anyone in the spotlight. Matt knows this most of all and keeps to himself because of it, so to be able to not only take me to his apartment, let me meet his family, and even imply that he’s willing to talk about that home life while trusting me to keep it secret? It’s an amazing feeling; the feeling of being trusted.

“It’s complicated,” he says, which I could already guess. “Do you know who my mom is?”

“Uh…she has a beauty company, right?” I recall that being a part of the gossip that Rose was talking about.

Matt nods. Complicated may not be able to describe the relationship though as Matt’s face contorts into one of obvious frustration. His jaw grinds when he explains, “She’s a strong business woman, no one can argue with that, but she’s also anal as hell with an obsessive need to be in control of everything, including her own children. I got into acting because of her.”

Although that’s a common occurrence among childhood actors, I’m still surprised to hear it. Matt has an obvious love for movies, for storytelling and characters. This isn’t an interest merely because it’s his job. He’s earnestly involved and interested in movies as a whole. I thought he was always interested and jumped at an opportunity as a kid. I’ve been proven wrong.

“She was always in charge of everything, which isn’t always a bad thing considering what happens to some in the industry. As I got older though, she became suffocating. She’s not as bad with the girls, especially now that Michelle and Mandy are old enough to stand up to her together. I have no issue with them moving in with me once they get out of high school,” he rambles on and I wonder if he’s talked to anyone about this before. His lips move as if on autopilot.

“Mom got a lot worse when--” Then Matt stops. His knuckles grow white as sheets of paper while his gaze only darkens.

I’m reminded of the rumors, what the reporter and Rose said;

“Everyone has a lot of questions about your sudden absence. Is it true you went to rehab?”

“Matt got busted with some other young and upcoming celebs at a huge party with lots and lots of drugs and alcohol, and probably unprotected sex.”

Unfortunately, I can’t remember all that Rose said, but something tells me Matt’s mom got worse after whatever happened two years ago. The rumors are only that though, rumors. The only one that knows the true story are those directly involved. I can’t ask Matt about that though, or rather, I don’t want to. That’s definitely personal and obviously an event that strongly affected him. He disappeared for two years because of the incident from his past.

I’m not surprised he doesn’t go into specifics. Whatever else he had to say goes to the back of his mind. He waves the thoughts off. “She just got worse. I needed to leave so I did. I feel bad for the girls, but my door is open so they can come whenever they want, even if I act like they can’t.”

“I’m sorry, Matt. It’s not right for anyone to control you so much. I’m sure the girls understand,” I say with a reassuring smile when he glances my way. I’m relieved to see a small smile tug at his lips.

“Yeah, I know they do, so what’s your story then?” he asks.

“Story?”

“Yeah, why this college? Why move out?” He blinks rapidly then asks, “What even is your major?”

I laugh at that because, yeah, I never told him. “I’m an English major. I want to be a literary agent or an editor for novels, but uh...honestly, I just wanted to get away from my small town.” The nerves are back so I’m picking at the ends of my t-shirt. “I was always a quiet and scrawny kid in a small town. I was teased a lot. I wanted to move somewhere new and fresh, start over, make some friends...and yet I’m too nervous to do most of that.”

“Are you though?” Matt asks. He pulls up to the dorms. When he parks, he looks at me and says almost proudly, “You moved away from a place you’ve always known to work hard at getting an education. You even work part time while doing so. You’ve made friends. Just because you aren’t surrounded by people or going to parties every night doesn’t mean you didn’t already accomplish exactly what you set out to do.”

There are no words, at least not any that I can come up with. Something like thank you doesn’t quite fit, although I want to thank him for stating it so confidently that even I can’t deny that he’s right.

Matt is right.

I moved. I made a few friends, ones that are honestly fun to hang out with, treat me well and don’t tease me, at least not like back home. I’m not living on my own, but I’m at the dorms, away from the family I’ve always known. I’m going to work hard to graduate and I’m working.

“You’re pretty amazing, Dana,” he says with a smile.

“W-What?” I sputter, feeling my cheeks rise in temperature in less than a second. I’m reaching for the handle of the door. My hands are shaking so I slip and nearly whack my face against the glass because I was already leaning in hopes to escape.

Matt chuckles. The seat squeaks when he leans over to ask, “Are you ok?”

“A-Are you?” I respond, earning a raised eyebrow. “C-Calling me amazing.”

He shrugs. “It’s true.”

I need to leave. I need to run and hide so I’m about to do that, swinging the door open to step out. The air outside of the car is so much cooler, although I’m fairly certain that’s my imagination.

“Dana,” Matt calls, successfully warming me right back up. Slowly, I face him, leaning over to see his smirk peering back at me. “I had fun today, but next time, it’ll be just the two of us. Promise.”

My heart skips to the tune of every romance song ever played.

“O-Ok.” I curse myself for stuttering, but it’s hard not to when Matt is looking at me like that. “I, uh, I’ll see you later then.”

He waves goodbye. The door shuts. I round the car, rushing for the dorms only to glance back to find Matt’s car still there. I’m reminded of the other day when he gave me the umbrella. He waits until I’m out of sight to drive away. Although he’s gone, my heart continues to run a mile a minute. My cheeks are on fire. There’s no way I can be anywhere near Tori. He’ll know something is up!

I pace outside of the dorms, thinking over what happened today. Meeting Matt’s sisters and hearing more about his home life, there’s no denying I’m curious. I want to know more and...and it seems Matt does too. Why else would he ask about my home life?

The thought of that only makes me worse. The hope continues to build until it’s bubbling over. I need to put a lid on these feelings. They aren’t going to lead anywhere.

Someone like me with someone like Matt? That’d never happen, not in a million years!