Braver Than I Used to Be

Chapter Ten

"Was everything okay with your mom?" I asked Matthew when we met in the parking lot.

"Yeah, she was fine, just had a lot of questions about you and why I wasn't home. She of course was asking about what we were talking about the other day when we were over there. Don't worry I didn't tell her. She just asks about every little detail."

"I see, do you think you should tell her?"

Matthew thought for a minute. "I don't think so, it's personal and I don't know how she would feel about it. My mom is great, and very understanding, but I know she still feels a way about me being around Ray even though she won't say it, and us spending so much time together."

"The fight?"

"Yeah, I mean she is glad we aren't fighting, but I know she feels some sort of way about the years of hate and all that nonsense. She'll live. I just don't want to tell her too much until she has fully accepted how things are right now."

"What do you mean? What is she having a problem with? Aside from Ray."

He sighed, "Well, despite what you may think, I actually haven't dated much. So, she thinks that because I haven't dated much, I am latching on to you and moving things too fast. I also think she is concerned about the fact your parents aren't as active as they should be."

"Pretty much two teenagers raising themselves." Ray said.

"Guess so. I tried telling her that if she didn't hear you guys talking about it, she would have never guessed. But she is more of a see it to believe it type. And that fact I wasn't there for five days freaked her out. But that one she will get over easier. I actually never stay out all night, but she was okay when I told her where I was."

"Do you think we are moving too fast?" That was the one thing that stuck out to me, everything else I understood.

Matthew thought for a second, "Nope. I think we go at a pace we are comfortable with. She is just old fashioned."

School was better today, since no one was asking us questions. We still got some looks, but not as much as yesterday. The only part of the day that annoyed me was Anita.

She was pretty, but very obnoxious from what I have heard. She seemed to think her looks meant she could get whatever she wanted. I get it, your typical popular girl begging for attention and adoration from everyone. She had long, straight black hair, some days it was curly, light brown skin and way too much makeup, in my opinion. I was pretty sure she was Hispanic, or mixed, I never asked. She was one of the girls that didn't like me because of how close Ray and I were. I think it was a girl thing, I don't know, but she looked at me wrong, according to Ray, and he wouldn't give her the time of day. Matthew was her next best choice in the school and she had been trying hard to land him. Don't know why, I mean she already knew it wasn't going to happen, but I guess she wasn't a quitter.

"I'm having a party Friday." Anita said when Matthew and I took our seats. "I'd love if you could come, and since you and Ray are friends now, maybe you can bring him too."

Matthew looked at her and was silent for a minute. "Oh cool, can I bring my girlfriend?"

Anita didn't bother to look at me. "I thought that was a joke."

"You're right, I walk around with her and kiss her all day just to fuck with people at school." Matthew sounded so sincere, as if he was being serious. I held in a laugh and she finally looked at me.

"You guys are actually dating?" The rest of the class was paying attention now.

"Yeah, why wouldn't we be? What do you think the fight was about on Friday?" He said condescendingly, like she should have known better.