Fools in Love

10. The Danger of Eye Smiles

"Why do you have an umbrella?" Tori asks Thursday morning.

I'm awkwardly waiting outside the class we share with Matt. He said he'd be here today, although if I were him I wouldn't come. There's still gossip. I've already heard some today, people whispering, making bets on whether Matt shows up or not.

I doubt he cares about this stupid umbrella anyways, or if he even remembers, but I need to give it back. So my only option is to wait outside until he gets here in hopes to return it before the mob forms. Today will likely be worse than usual, or maybe people will leave him alone so they can whisper about him. Who knows!

"I have to give this back. I borrowed it," I explain, hoping that Tori won't ask, but obviously he does because he's Tori.

"From who?"

"Someone."

"The fact that you won't say who is very suspicious."

"Maybe you're just too nosy."

"I am very nosy, but that doesn't make your reactions any less sus—" Tori suddenly starts to grin from ear to ear. "It's Matt's, isn't it?"

"No!"

"When did he give you an umbrella? You two are getting chummy."

"I said no!"

Tori gives me a once over of obvious disbelief. "You answered it too quickly. We share a class today and you brought it so it's Matt's. Since you two are getting close, where the hell is my autograph?"

"You're just going to sell it."

"Obviously."

"And we aren't chummy!"

Tori snorts. "I don't see him giving an umbrella to anyone else."

"Please, it's not that big of a deal."

Except we both know it is considering how antisocial Matt has been up to this point. Not that I blame him, nor can I say much considering I'm not the most social of beings either. The texts we have shared, especially last night, have proved as much. Still, Tori looks way too pleased and he even tries to stick around in order to see the so called "golden interaction" between Matt and me.

I start beating him with the umbrella so he gets the picture to leave. After a few more acts of abuse, Tori runs into class cackling while I wait patiently with my back against the wall. Students walk into class one after the other. Some are quiet, others are mentioning Matt. I frown when one guy in particular snickers about how he hopes the rumors help "put that snob in his place."

Snob? The only snobby one here is you! If only I had the guts to say that.

"Dana, what are you doing?"

I jump and spin on my heel to find Matt standing right next to me with Joey a few steps behind. Matt's phone is in his hand and headphones around his neck. Those thin blue eyes of his, that I swore were always cold and glaring before, somehow appear warm and comforting now. Is something wrong with me for thinking that way? Absolutely.

But I don't even have time to panic about my own thoughts when I hear someone in class start to say, "I wonder if anyone is going to ask Matt about the art—"

"Thank you!" I scream so loud that it actually hurts me a bit to do so. Even Matt jumps in shock.

"Thanks for the umbrella is what I wanted to say, y'know, from the other day." I hold out said umbrella, which Matt hesitantly takes.

The girls are no longer talking but I'm not risking it.

"Now, you should put your headphones back on." I grab the headphones around his neck and have to lean up on my tiptoes to place them back over his ears. Surprisingly, Matt lets me, but he's definitely staring in utter confusion. That's fine. I am very confused too. We can be confused together! "Ok, that's better, that's good, uh...thanks, thanks again."