Perfect Match (22 page)

*

“Matt. Hey, wake up.”

I opened my eyes and realized my back hurt like hell. I was lying on the couch and Emma’s arms were wrapped around my waist. And Katerine was in front of us. Crap. I knew this day was awful since I’ve woken up at 4 in the morning.

She smiled sweetly and gave me a cup of coffee as I got up of the couch, trying not to wake Emma.

“I’m sorry, we just…”

“Oh, no problem,” she said reassuringly, shrugging her shoulders.

I looked at her in disbelief, considering that she was my girlfriend and I just slept on the couch with my best friend. Who was hot as hell in her tight t-shirt.

“You know, Emma and you would make a great couple.”

“Are you joking?” I asked as I opened the closet to take a shirt. “Is this some kind of test you girls do?”

“Nope. I’m just stating the obvious.”

“Katerine… What kind of girlfriend tells his boyfriend that?”

“I do. I mean, it’s what I think. And I’m not jealous about it, it’s just like you guys…”

“Just stop it, okay?” I cut her as I walked towards the bathroom. “Hey, wanna join me?” I asked as I came back in the room.

“Nope, I’m good,” she replied as my eyes went wide. “I took a shower earlier, Mr. Huge-Ego.”

“That’s not the only thing I have huge…”

“Just go, we’ll be late,” Kate said rolling her eyes, but her red lips turned into a genuine smile.

I entered in the shower and let the water take away all my worries. It was good to feel the sensation of hot water falling down on my body.

But everything was just weird. And awkward. The fact that I wanted to wake up next to Emma. And then I spend the night with her on the couch, watching
The Dark Knight
while my girlfriend was in my room. I have serious issues. Then Katerine decided that Emma and I should be together? What kind of girlfriend does that?

Maybe it is true Emma and I could be a good couple, but that’s not happening. She made herself pretty clear. I understood, and learned to live with it. And now I’m dating Katerine, and she is one of the greatest people I’ve ever met. And I like her very much. It is easy to date her, because she always said what she wanted pretty clear, unlike other girls. Yeah, I’m thinking about my hot roommate.

It’s not normal, Matt,
my subconscious scolded me.

I know it’s not normal,
I argued back.

It’s also not normal waking up next to the person you totally lust for, because let’s face it, I do, and the fact that we were so close on that couch and I couldn’t have a normal morning and I had to wake up with a boner and her thigh being so close to it make me cringe inside. And I was with Katerine now!

All because I couldn’t sleep last night. Thanks to Emma, for haunting my dreams and memories. She’s not such a nice person.

She doesn’t have anything to do with it, you’re the problem.

Sure, the “it’s not me, it’s you” thing. Nice! You’re so smart.

You’re being sarcastic with yourself. Don’t you think you really have a problem?

Shut up.

“Could you hurry, Nicholls?” I heard Emma’s voice outside the bathroom, and then she laughed something maybe with Katerine. God I really hope Kate won’t stop telling Emma those kinds of things.

I got out of the shower and dressed as fast as I could, and bumped into Emma right when I went to the kitchen for coffee. She said good morning and went into the shower and I tried not to think about it while I drank the coffee.

“So Emma is always that late?” Kate asked entering the kitchen all dressed up and ready to go.

“Um, yeah. I’m used to that though,” I replied laughing. It was normal for me to wait for Emma. I didn’t even bother rushing in the morning.

“I’m proud of you though. You’re always on time and also look hot,” she said wrapping her arms around me and I smirked.

“Of course. I’m Matt Nicholls, babe,” I replied and kissed her cheek. “But man, you really look beautiful,” I told Kate and she smiled as she kissed me softly.

Despite everything I thought about when I woke up in the middle of the night and spent the rest of it with Emma, I enjoyed every minute with Katerine. She was the kind of person that made you like her immediately and I was irremediably attracted to her. Maybe because she was one of the girls I actually tried to get to know just like I did with Emma.

“God, have you seen how late it is? Stop acting like teenagers and let’s go!” Emma complained opening the front door.

“Sure, mom,” Kate said and I laughed as she followed Emma down the stairs.

All the way Emma and Kate laughed because of something I couldn’t understand, but it was relaxing and also distracting to listen to their whispering. I was happy that for once Emma accepted one of my girlfriends. I had to admit, Kate was better than all my girlfriends so far. It wasn’t like I loved her or anything because I didn’t, but it was something that made me really care about her and like spending time with her. It wasn’t that weird when we spend time at the office and also at home or with my friends… But Emma and Kate went out a lot together. I have no idea where, but Kate always told me she has a lot of fun with Emma. And I’m sure Emma feels likewise, since they seem really close.

I knew I have to give up thinking I’ll end up dating Emma, because that’s just not how it works. We are perfect as friends, we get along so well and we’d just mess it up. I know most of the time I wish there was more than friendship between us, but I’m a guy and Emma is smocking hot, beautiful, smart, but that doesn’t actually mean I wanna marry her or anything. I’d mess it up first thing.

With Kate, on the other hand it was different. It was this mutual understanding between us and she made me feel more mature than I really was. It felt like a normal relationship, something I never had. I can’t call my other… relationships, um… relationships. They were just a thing or… Something.

But no matter how long my relationship with Kate would last, I know I’d enjoyed every moment of it.

*

I think it’s been about five months since I started dating Kate and I could say this was the longest relationship I’ve ever had. And the best, so far. It was safe and nice, especially since Kate was never jealous, mean or selfish, like most girls. The more I got to know her the more I liked her. Plus, she had a great friendship with Emma and usually they ignored me when Kate came to my place. Monica didn’t like her though and Ben couldn’t tell me the reason, but he said there was something about me and Emma. I didn’t care at the time. I knew Emma and I were friends and that’s it and she liked Katerine.

So that’s why her decision to go back to London had really struck me.

Everything was going great and well, our companies were going great too, since that was the reason why Katerine was in Los Angeles in the first place. And that’s why they decided to get her back after they finish with their assignment to merge the two companies.

“But why don’t you stay here?” I complained running a hand through my hair. I was sitting on my leather chair and she was on my lap with a hand wrapper around my neck, looking as stunning as always.

“Because I can’t,” she said and her accent seemed more prominent now. I guess I never cared about her accent, even thought that was the only thing Emma talked about. Everything Kate said Emma would try to repeat in a British accent and she was actually cute, because her accent was actually terrible.

“You can ask them for a job here or you can find something else to do,” I told her while I ran my hand through her brown hair.

“Matthew…” Kate started and I sighed.

“I’m not ready to lose you yet,” I whispered and she gave me a shy smile.

“You know I really like you, Matthew?”

“Yeah, I do know,” I admitted and she laughed. “I like you too. For real. And I don’t want you to go back to rainy London and be there and I’ll be here and…”

“Matt, c’mon, don’t be like that…” she cut me as her hand slowly caressed my cheek. “It’ll be okay, my family is there and well… You know what I think about it.”

“About what?”

“About you and Emma.”

“Kate, do we really have to talk about this? Now?” I asked and laughed.

“We don’t if you don’t want to. But that’s what I think. That you guys would be so great together I can almost ship you two.”

“Do what?”

“Oh, Matt you’re so innocent. You don’t know what it’s like being a part of a fandom, don’t you?”

“Barely… Wait, what? I do like Harry Potter though.”

“It’s like Dramione, you know? Draco and Hermione. You’re… Emmatt.”

“Kate, c’mon!” I said and she laughed. “Only you could say something like that! Tell me I should date my friend while you’re breaking up with me.”

“I’m not breaking up with you. It’s just that we can’t work on long term. But you and Emma…”

“Look, she doesn’t like me, Kate. Not like that. We’ve been through things before, but it’s not like we could work as a couple because we’re…”

“Friends and know everything about each other and stupid enough not to use that as an advantage?” Kate finished my sentence.

“Um… No, but because…”

“You’re so blind that you can’t see she’s crazy about you and likewise? You’re stupid even though it’s hard to accept that. You guys could be perfect together. You’re like perfect match. Made for each other, but you keep avoiding that.”

“She’s not crazy about me.”

“Oh no and I’m J.K Rowling! C’mon, Matt, she’s definitely into you. How could she not be? Please, tell me you won’t find a stupid bitch again and that you’ll try with Emma. Please?”

“Katerine!”

“Please?” she asked with her eyes big like a puppy’s.

“I’ll… give my best, okay?” I said and she started applauding like a five year old. “God, you’re cute,” I told her and my lips crashed onto hers.

“You know you’re one of the greatest boyfriends in the world?” Kate whispered before kissing me again.

“Of course I know, I’m Matt Nicholls,” I replied with a smirk. “You’re not bad yourself.”

“Very funny,” she said sarcastically and I laughed then I slowly ran my hand through her honey brown hair and smiled. “I think I’ll miss you, Mr. Nicholls.”

I nodded then kissed her softly on the lips. I’ll miss her too, that’s for sure. It was impossible not to, I’ve gotten used to seeing her every day in the company or just hanging around. Of course, I’ll still have Emma, but it seemed selfish to think about it when Kate was still here. After all, I did care for her a lot.

“What is that thing Sabrina told me about you moving to London?” Emma asked slamming my office door to the wall and placing her hands in her hips with a completely confused look on her face.

Katerine looked at me for an advice and I just shrugged. I had no idea how Sabrina found out since Kate has just told me. She got up from my lap and ran a hand through her hair and smiled friendly at Emma, who was looking from Kate at me and from me to Kate and I knew this would affect her a lot. Maybe more than it affected me and that was somehow weird.

“Well, you know, my office decided to finally close the deal and they said I can come back to London and that they actually need me there and… I said yes.”

“How could you?!” Emma asked and I couldn’t suppress a smile when I saw her so angry. “You can’t leave! Why would you leave? You have us here. You can find another job, maybe here! You can’t leave! Matt, say something!”

“I tried, okay?”

“Try harder!” Emma added with a harsh tone then looked again at Kate. “Please?”

“Emma, my family is there. I haven’t seen them in months! I can’t just move here, you know? But… You know, maybe in time?”

“But it’s unfair!” Emma said like a five year old and Kate smiled, turning to look at me.

“I’m sorry…” Kate muttered and hugged Emma who just sighed. “Dude, you’re taking it worse than Matt.”

“What does Matt know?” Emma complained like I wasn’t even there and I laughed.

*

The next few weeks went by really slow. I hated everything recently, since Kate left. I got really used to her and it was hard that the distance was the reason why we broke up. Because there was nothing in the world that could’ve make me break up with her and that was annoying. That I found someone so perfect I really liked and now we had to break up because she moved back to London to be with her family and guys with British accents. I know Emma would’ve died to go there.

And somehow the picture of Emma being surrounded by classy guys with British accents was a little disturbing. Yes, I haven’t gotten over Katerine yet, but I could never stop worrying about Emma.

I knew Katerine was right when she said that we should try. There is nothing in the world that could go wrong after all. Except for the fact that we could totally ruin our friendship and I know for sure that would be my fault.

Even though I knew that I should be the one who does the first step, I didn’t. I avoided Emma for days after Kate left, but she gave me time and I knew she hated the fact that Kate left, too.

I hung out a lot with Ben and Rick in the meantime because they were guys and they knew I didn’t wanna talk about it and we just talked about other things, drink a lot and played video games and we made Emma leave the house about three times because she said we were “annoyingly immature”. Well, I couldn’t agree more. There was nothing more immature than three guys in their twenties playing FIFA and yelling at the TV the whole day. Plus, we kind of made a lot of mess because it was easier to order pizza and drink cans of beers than making actual food. So she went to Monica’s for a few days and Ben stayed in the apartment just like the old times.

Rick told us something about some girl he was hooking up with, but of course he wasn’t that excited about it. I knew Rick’s all time crush was Monica and Ben knew it as well, but he didn’t care. He even thought it was “cute”. At least that’s what he told me when we were alone. I would never be just as calm and classy as he was since Rick wasn’t bad at all and he made Monica laugh all the time. But Ben was mature and sure of his feelings for Monica, so it didn’t bother him. Anyway, I thought it was a good thing that Rick was now dating someone or at least having a connection with someone. I knew he slept with Lucy when he met her and then flirted a lot with Anne and Jane, he still flirts with them
all
the time, it’s annoying at some point really, but he never dated someone.