My Best Friend's Boyfriend | BxB

22. Lost Him?

The next morning, Emily trudged her way to Gale's car alone. Gale was waiting, ready in the driver's seat. He gave her a questioning look as she settled into the passenger seat.

"Where's Matt?"

Emily reached for the seat belt. "He said he would ride with his aunt. He had this idea that you might not be comfortable with him here, and I don't exactly blame him. You have not been the most friendly neighbour, you know."

She sounded glum, and as if she was mad at him. She clicked her belt into place and faced forward, glaring out of the windshield.

Yes, definitely mad at him.

"I didn't do anything wrong, Em!" He claimed.

"And what is it that you did, exactly?" She demanded, facing him. "What's wrong with you? Matt is... Is... Like the easiest person to get along with ever!"

Gale groaned and started the car. They had had that conversation before, and he wasn't going to repeat it.

Without a word, he drove out of his driveway and started on the drive to school.

There wasn't a single word said again until they got to school. Emily grabbed her bag and hopped out of the car. "Laters," she said, then walked off.

Gale sighed and drove into the student parking lot, searching for a spot. He found it soon enough, parked, grabbed his bag and left the car.

He walked back to the entrance, and just before he could turn towards the front doors, a familiar saloon car pulled up to the curb. Before he could react, the door on the driver's side opened and Lucy Miller stepped out. She spotted him right away.

She waved him over. "Hello, Gale. A second, please?"

Gale stood there, slightly perturbed as the passenger door opened, and a pair of clutches appeared. Then, mentally shaking himself up, he clutched onto the strap of his backpack and approached Lucy.

"Good morning, Lucy."

"Morning too, Gale," she greeted back as she walked around the car, a school bag in hand. "Mind helping Matt with this?"

At which point Matt emerged from the passenger side, supporting himself on his clutch. "I'm fine, aunt. It's just a bag, I don't need help."

As Gale looked at him for the first time in very many days, he found himself unable to breath. His hair at the front was longer, and his lips even looked pinker. He was in a pair of jeans that covered his cast, and a black band t shirt.

"You aren't even completely sure with the clutch, you can't go carrying stuff," his aunt contested.

Matt's eyes slid over to Gale, and caught him staring. He blinked, but other than that didn't convey any feelings on his face. Which bothered Gale.

A lot.

Even when Matt had nothing to tell you, a smile never went missing.

Gale pulled his bottom lip into his teeth, looking down at the ground.

He's finally over your drama and general indecision, his subconscious announced. Congrats, you've successfully pushed him away.

"Okay, then, though it's really not necessary," Matt told his aunt.

Lucy turned to Gale and handed him the bag. "Alright, now I have to go lest I'm late for work." She turned back to Matt and gave him a concerned look. "Be careful, Matt."

"I will, aunt."

"You should stay as calm as possible, don't, and I repeat don't put any strain on that leg, you hear?"

Finally, a smile appeared on his face. "I think I've heard that a thousand times already."

She smiled, gave him a pat on his cheek followed by a peck. "I'll be here the moment school lets out, okay?"

Matt nodded. "Thanks, have a nice day."

"You too, thanks Gale, nice day!"

Then she got into the car and drove off. They stared at her disappearing car, then at each other. Matt shifted on his clutch and extended his left hand. "Give me the bag, I can handle it."

Gale stared at the outstretched hand, then shook his head. "It's okay, let me carry it for you."

Then he turned and started for the front doors. He didn't have to look back to see whether Matt had followed, he could hear the click clack of his clutch hitting the concrete side walk.

At the door, he held it open for Matt to go through.

"I can do that, but thanks," Matt said, grouchy.

Gale sighed and led the way through the hallways. They were crowded at the moment, and he slowed down to keep up with Matt. Gale kept expecting him to say something, but he didn't.

Was that it? Were they going to keep this silence between them, forever? The thought bothered him. And the fact that in case that truly happened, it would be his fault, made him regret his selfish decisions.

They finally got to Matt's class. Gale stopped at the door and stretched the bag to Matt. Matt stopped, too, but made no move to take it.

Instead, he looked him straight in the eye. "So this is it, uh?"

Gale's brow bunched up in confusion.

Matt's brow shot up. "No talking? Ignoring me once again? I thought we talked about this."

Yeah, they had...

"I'm not going to bother you about it again, but just stop acting as if I'm a ticking time bomb, okay?" Matt requested, then reached for his bag.

Gale wanted to say so much at that moment.

I'm sorry, we're cool. We are friends. I was just a little confused, sorry for ignoring you.

I'm not going to bother you about it again...

There was the confirmation that Matt was moving on, had moved on from their little incident and didn't care any more what Gale's reaction was.

He said nothing, and dropped the bag in Matt's waiting hand.

The door to Matt's class opened. Emily appeared, and her face broke into a smile when she saw Matt.

"Hi Matt! Finally here, huh?"

By the time that sentence was over, she had already cleared the space between them, and was hugging him, careful not to knock his clutch out of the way. Matt took her into his arms as if it was something they both had grown accustomed to.

Gale stood aside, feeling oddly isolated.

The hug lasted way too long, with Emily's face buried in Matt's shoulder.

Of course they grew even closer during those four weeks you stupidly kept away, his subconscious snapped at him.

With his mood officially ruined for the day, or, possibly, the rest remaining days of the week, Gale turned away and made his way to his own class.

Why did he feel as if he had lost him, when he had never truly had him?