Chapter 38

Matt lay in his bed, staring at his ceiling, which he did half the time. He'd just talked to that girl, Lauren, for over an hour. She was pretty cool, and cute too he supposed. His friends thought she was cute, and were impressed that she seemed to like Matt. They asked if he was "gonna try to get in her pants." He'd just shrugged, but now he was thinking about it.

It's not like he should be keeping himself available for Jen. Jen was fucked up. Everyone said so. Well, he had to admit he was still in love with her. But Lauren, Lauren was pretty cool.

He thought about asking her out. But he didn't have a license, and he didn't want to deal with parents driving them if they went anywhere. That was babyish. He closed his eyes, wishing he had a girl with him. He was sick of being his own damn girlfriend.

Yeah, he was gonna ask Lauren out, he decided.

He was extra nice to her the next day in class. She smiled all the time while he talked to her. He was pretty sure she liked him, and one of her friends asked him if he liked her. He said he didn't know, and asked why. The friend said she was just wondering. Matt changed his mind, and said that he thought he liked her.

And she called him again that night. He asked her straight up if she liked him. She giggled, and wouldn't tell him. She said she'd tell him in five minutes.

So five minutes later he made her tell him. She said she did like him. Duh, thought Matt.

"Will you go out with me?" he asked her.

"Well, yeah! Sure!" she replied.

"Cool. Because I really like you," he told her. "A lot. I've liked you since the beginning of the year."

"Really? Why didn't you ever say anything Matt?"

"Oh, I don't know," he said. "Maybe I was shy?"

"Aww... Wow! Well, thanks! I've liked you a long time too, Matt. Since the beginning of last year."

"Cool. Wow, this is cool."

"Yeah... "

They talked awhile longer. Matt felt good, even though he felt a bit guilty for lying to her. He didn't know why he'd said he'd liked her that long. He supposed it didn't matter now.