Perfect Match (17 page)

“Can I take you home, Ems?” I asked her when I noticed she wanted to leave. I heard Ben sighing next to me and I just ignored him.

She looked surprised for a second, then nodded.

“I have a new car,” I bragged while lead her to my car. “What do you think? Ben likes it more than my other car.”

“You know, it’s… a normal, classy car,” she said with a shy smile.

“My Porsche was classy and normal! What was wrong with her? But she decided to break up with me,” I sighed. “It wasn’t my fault. I treated her good.”

“I know you did,” Emma laughed and I felt the tension disappearing between us.

“What do you think about an ice cream?” I asked opening her door.

“It would be nice, thank you. But why do I keep feeling this is just like the first night when you came here?”

“I don’t know. Listen, are you mad at me, Ems?” I asked looking at her.

“N-no. No. No, don’t be silly, why would I be mad?” she laughed and shifted in her seat.

“Have no idea. You stormed out that way a few days ago from Destiny’s, and I thought I did something or… I don’t know. So we’re cool, right?”

“Yes, sure,” she answered in an instant.

I nodded and I haven’t said anything until we got our ice cream and ate it in my car. It was somehow weird that we didn’t talk like we use to. And I hated that now things were a little unusual for us.

“So how’s your new girlfriend?” Emma suddenly asked with an odd tone.

I looked back at her and I thought about this for a second. If she was bothered by the fact that I’m dating, she wouldn’t have asked, right?

“You know, she’s… I don’t know.” I shrugged and looked again at her and she smiled. “It’s not… Really big deal, you know? Oh, and she’s blonde,” Why would I wanna add that? Why would she care?

“Really?” Emma asked, raising an eyebrow. “Blonde?” she repeated, completely stunned.

“Yeah. What? Why?”

“Are you into blondes?”

“Um… No… Yeah. I don’t know. You could say that. Yeah, I’d prefer blondes, why?”

“They’re just… stupid,” Emma blurted out.

“What?” I asked laughing. “Do you realize your roommate is blonde, right? And Anne.”

“Yeah, well, they’re… not stupid.” she whispered.

“And Stacy is stupid, although you don’t know her?”

“Her name is Stacy?” she asked. “And what, did you have the right of not liking Morgan, but I don’t?”

“Wait, wait. This is all about? Morgan?” I asked completely caught off guard.

“No, it’s not about Morgan, Matthew!” she complained.

Why was she bothered by this? And she was using my entire name. That always meant trouble.

“Then what is it? I mean, you said we’re cool. And now you’re all against me.”

“No, I’m not. You know we’re cool,” she said and looked away.

I sighed and looked away. I tried to think this through. She was right, I hated Morgan, because somehow I wanted her, but Ben was also right because when I had the opportunity I backed out and dated someone else. And that’s so unfair.

Emma was sitting next to me, on the passenger seat of my new car, with a chocolate ice cream almost melting in her hand, and she was upset. I hated that. I never wanted to see her upset.

“Anyway. So how’s work?” she asked a couple of minutes later.

“It’s really great. My boss really trusts me, although I have no idea why. Most of the time I have no idea what should I do or… I don’t know, it’s confusing. But I like it. It’s not the kind of job you would usually hate, and… It’s awesome,” she smiled and nodded. “Hey, you have something there…” I said, reaching up my hand and touching her lip with my thumb.

I stopped when I did that and then her eyes met mine and we stood like that for what seemed like an eternity, with me having my hand on her burning cheek. I was so aware I shouldn’t do that. But all those things just… happened. It was involuntarily. Emma and I always do seem to find ourselves in situations like this one.

She shifted in her seat, and looked away on the window. I sighed and I knew there is something I did wrong. Completely wrong.

“We should go home,” Emma whispered and I didn’t argue.

I started the engine and drove in silence until we arrived at her apartment. Somehow, everything that happened this night felt like a déjà vu. Like my first night here, the way the tension felt in the air. The drive to her house resembled so much the one when I took her home after Prom. But this time I didn’t understand what was wrong. Because she was acting like she was jealous, but yet she wasn’t. Or at least she wouldn’t admit it. And I didn’t want to allow myself to believe it.

When I stopped the engine, I closed my eyes and thought about this. It was a really difficult situation. Everything could be ruined.

It really surprised me that Emma didn’t storm out of the car the way she had at Destiny’s a few days ago. She was still there, looking at her hands, out of the window, biting her lip, everything but looking at me. Still, she seemed so tired and it was annoying that we had to argue like that. It wasn’t like “us” at all.

“Ems…” I started, shifting on my seat to face her. She lifted her head and looked at me with her big, brown eyes and I realized she was disappointed. I hated that. I never wanted to disappoint her. That was the last thing I wanted.

“What, Matt?” she asked looking out of the window again, and her voice was a little harsh.

“Do you think we should be together?” I asked her out of the blue.

Chapter 15

My boss is a jerk

~*~
E
mma
W
est
~*~

“I’m totally freaking out,” I said as I paced around the room.

“What? Why would you freak out?”

I ran my hand through my curly hair, and sighed. I was walking around Matt’s room, and he sat in his bed, with his laptop aside and he was listening to me interested. I loved this detail about him, that no matter how stupid and childish I would be, he always listens to me.

It was almost 10 o’clock PM and the only light was coming from his nightstand, where he still had the frame I got him from Christmas with our picture. Matt’s room hasn’t changed a bit since he first arrived here, four years ago. There was nothing particular about his room; it had a twin sized bed, two wooden nightstands, with our picture, a desk on the corner that was always full of bills and newspapers and a closet that matched the bed.

“Let’s see…” I started, sarcastically coming to sit next to him. “I finished college about 6 months ago, I’m unemployed. Everyone I know has a really great job and they all love what they’re doing. I don’t know what I like and especially I have this interview tomorrow and I…”

“You know, your boss is gonna love you, I can say that,” Matt said with a smile, taking my hand in his.

I sighed and smiled back at him. It was so easy for him to comfort me. I moved closer to him and he put his arm around me.

“And you’ll be great at it. I promise. They’d be crazy not to like you.”

“Thank you for doing this for me.”

Matt had been listening to me complaining about this since I finished college. Or more than that, I guess. It was not as I expected, that’s for sure. Monica had found a job at this design company before she finished college and she loved it there. She had almost two years now since she started working there, and of course, everyone loves her and she was promoted to Manager of New Employees. After fourteen months.

Gabrielle was actually working in PR, a job Shia recommended her. And she got to spend time with Jensen Ackles, since she was now in his team. I knew Monica secretly hated her, I hated that I didn’t even get the chance to meet him, because there was nothing between them and she was still dating Shia. Yes, that’s weird. They’ve been on and off for too long, but it seemed she liked that.

Even Marshall and Craig worked at some company and they were pleased about it.

And I was the only one who didn’t get a job anywhere, because every offer didn’t seem to “right” for me and I didn’t like anything. I sta
rted to freak out, because I had liked college, but real life actually sucked. So Matt helped me get an interview at the company he’s been working at for a couple of years. He was manager of something… I never understand when he starts talking about his job because he gets crazy excited about this and it is hard to actually pay attention to him. It is hard to not stare at him.

“You can stay here tonight. We can watch some lame movies and let me make fun of them.”

“And yes, of course, I couldn’t go back to my room because it’s… so far away. 10 feet away means… Pff, the world,” I said sarcastically and he laughed.

“Just shut up, you love staying here with me,” Matt said wrapping his arms around me. “It’s hard not to, I don’t blame you,” he continued with his cocky voice. “If I were you… Gosh, I’d totally be crazy for myself. I mean, you know… Me not you… Okay, I’ll just shut up.”

I punched him in his shoulder and he laughed. It was really easy for me to stay around him.

I moved with Matt about six months ago, by the time I finished college, because Monica wanted to take the next step with Ben and of course, there wouldn’t be a better place for me other than Matt’s. I was happy for Monica, because they were still the greatest couple I’ve ever seen. They completed each other.

And living with Matt wasn’t that bad. What am I saying? It’s not bad at all. I have the best view in the world every morning when he comes to the kitchen shirtless and he’s all adorable and grumpy.

“I think I should get some sleep,” I told him as I climbed out of the bed. “Seriously. I told you I’m freaked out about this. It’s like seeing a freaking spider!” I said and felt my body shaking.

“There is one behind you!” Matt said pointing behind me and I turned around and screamed. Then he burst out laughing. “It was so easy!” he said between laughs.

“Jerk,” I told him turning around and slamming his door as I headed to my doom.

*

I heard a knock on my door and it was getting really annoying. There was a single knock. And then it got followed by another one. And another one. Again. And again. And again.

I opened my eyes and looked at my phone. 7:15. WHAT?! I should have been up for almost an hour! I had to straighten my hair, work on my makeup, try not to wrinkle my clothes and look calm on the interview. I needed time to freak out!

Storming out my room, I bumped into Matt who had a cup of coffee in his hand and it spread all over his white shirt, and he looked at me terrified as I ran my hand through my hair. Oh, fuck!

“I’m so… sorry!” I said feeling even worse.

“Just go get ready,” Matt said between his clenched teeth.

I sighed and went to the bathroom. I took the shortest shower ever and I dressed in two minutes. Seriously. My shirt was perfect and so was my black skirt and I started applying mascara and eye liner like a mad woman.

“You really want to impress your boss, right?” Matt asked popping his head in my room as he buttoned his shirt.

“It’s not that… It would be good, though. I have no idea what I should do as a secretary.”

“Just look hot. That’s always good for a secretary,” he smirked. “And unbutton a few buttons on your shirt,” he added and started laughing. Like he actually thought I’d do that. “And be cool about it. Although… Sorry I haven’t told you yet, but the boss is a pain in the ass. Have I told you how many times we had argued? He never likes anything.”

“What?!” I asked turning to face him with a shocked expression. “Matthew! I am so not prepared for this. Please, just… say I’m sick or that I disappeared.”

“I know he’ll like
you
. C’mon, I’ll get you a coffee on the way. We have Starbucks next to the building. Awesome, right?”

“I haven’t straightened my hair!” I complained, looking at the clock. It was 7:32.

“You look better with curls,” Matt said crossing his arms. “Don’t try too hard, okay? Be your awesome, natural self. He’ll like you, I promise.”

“I’ll kill you in your sleep if he doesn’t like me. Or worse, if I don’t like him!”

“You better like him,” Matt muttered as we headed for his car.

All the way to his company I kept talking about how unprepared I felt and I scolded Matt for offering an interview as a secretary. I knew just as much about being a secretary as I knew about One Direction’s songs. Meaning…
nada
! I knew nothing about it. I couldn’t be good at it, because I was so frightened now I couldn’t say a complete sentence without swearing. I’m dead. Doomed. Why was I even trying?

“We’re here. I’ll get your coffee after the interview, it’s 8:01,” he said, opening my door.

“So that means I’m late?” I asked with my eyes opened.

“Yeah, don’t worry, he’s always late too,” he said and I saw a sparkle in his eyes. He took my hand and I felt my body relaxing. It was so easy to be myself with him. Then we entered his building, and went for the elevator and as he pressed five I felt a nod in my throat.

“Just relax, Ems,” he said and laughed. I punched him in the shoulder and he hugged me. “I have to check my office, but I’ll see you after your interview, okay? I owe you that coffee,” he said and winked as he walked away.

I nodded and watched him walk away. Okay, I wasn’t so sure of myself now.

I sat on a chair, all shaking. A blonde girl asked for my name and said I had to wait a few minutes and noticed other girls next to me. So there was competition. Of course there was. I was screwed. I think Matt was actually making fun of me for making me go to an interview I had no chance at.

Before me they called a couple of blondes who didn’t look that smart, but I tried not to be judgmental. I wasn’t smart myself. At least not at this secretary thing. All I could do is bring coffee and carry documents around. Can I even say that at my interview?

“Emma West? You’re next,” the blonde girl told me with a rehearsed smile.

I sighed and walked slowly behind her. Just before I entered my possible boss’ office I stumbled and almost fell on my feet. Oh, Matt would laugh so badly about it. I hated he wasn’t here to see me. He’d be practically rolling on the floor.