Fools in Love

15. Car Talks & Heart Skips

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.