I wish I were a better liar, I text Billie.
Keep digging yourself deeper in this hole. I’m just dying to see the live show at the convention.
I grumble and shove my phone in my pocket. Billie’s made it clear she thinks this is a horrible idea, which it pretty much is. I could just eat shit and say I broke up with my boyfriend. Sure, Jeremiah would be ruthless about it, but he’s going to act like an ass regardless of what I do.
I tell myself I’m doing this because Caesar ordered me to bring a date. Not only will he decide my future career, he’s a legendary talent, and the artist in me wants nothing more than to please him. He’s going to win some award at the convention, and if he needs a crowd to show up with his shop, I can do that for him.
But I wonder if I would have backed out already if it weren’t so nice to hang out with Matty. He’s sweet and warm and funny in a way that disarms me, but I guess I like it, too.
He kind of reminds me of the women I date. I’ve always liked women who hit this combination of feisty and sweet that catches me off guard. It pulls me out of my shell a little bit, which I can use.
“Hey, boyfriend,” he calls from down the street, his warm voice lilting up into a laugh. When I turn, he’s walking my way with the sun setting behind him and casting a purple glow. Matty is in the black Converse and tight jeans he always wears, but he’s popped on a light teal sweater.
Fuck, he looks cute again.
It’s that smile, like he’s getting up to something, and how soft his lips are. I keep thinking about that smile and his long eyelashes and the way his jeans hug his hips.
I keep thinking about how cute Matty is, and a guy can really only think that so many times before he has to take notice.
As though to remind me, my cock swells in my jeans, and I have to adjust myself while he approaches.
“You ready to meet a bunch of geeks?” he asks as he takes me into a hug, pressing his tight little body against mine.
“Don’t call your friends geeks,” I grunt as I step back, hiding my erection. “That’s mean.”
Matty rolls his eyes. “It is not. Wearegeeks. Hello, stop motion animation much?”
He jerks his arms around, imitating the movement of a figure in a film like he does, and I burst out laughing.
“Okay, you’re a geek,” I agree.
“And so are all my friends.” Matty starts walking, and I follow along, close by his side. “You’ll see. The Good-Bad Book and Movie Club is prime geek time.”
“And the point is to decide how good or bad the book or movie is?” I ask, still not sure I understand.
“The point is to hang out and laugh a lot. But the goal is to figure out what book or movie is the most good-bad. The best-worst.”
“Meaning it’s good and bad at the same time?”
“Exactly,” Matty laughs as he takes my elbow. “You’ll be a hit, I’m sure.”
A few of his friends live in a squat brick house with a massive living room where they get together on nights like this one to project movies and all hang out. The second we walk through the door, laughter pours out to greet us. It looks like the same group I saw at the park, six people who are all pulling off some strong fashion statements and who all look our way at once.
“Matty!” his friend Ayla announces, cutting through the sudden silence. “And Stone made it.”
Instantly, everyone starts talking again, although I can see all the eyes darting my way. I linger back while Matty makes introductions. Two of the guys are dressed in matching blazers in complimenting colors, and from the way they hold each other’s hands, I assume they’re boyfriends. A woman named Tonya sports long hair as green as Matty’s is blue, and this Milo guy somehow pulls off a pair of pink jeans with a neon green T-shirt.
And I suddenly realize how totally out of place I am.
“You should have told me not to wear black,” I whisper to Matty when I get a chance.
“It’s fine,” he assures me with a pat on the arm. “Anyway, you’d look weird in bright colors.”
I think about it and chuckle. “Yeah, you’re right. I would.”
Still, though, I stand back behind Matty, not saying much except to laugh at his jokes and smile when he smiles.
It’s not even faking, really. Matty’s funny, and just lively enough to keep me on my toes.
