Matt

It was a few days shy of the New Year and in an interesting turn of events, Addison announced that since I was no longer speaking to Vanessa, she would do me the honor of filling in as my companion for Friday night binge-fest as long as we only watched horror films. She said that since she wouldn't be forced into suffering through terrible TV shows, she was willing to grace me with her presence. How kind of her.

It was true that I hadn't spoken to Vanessa since the snow day just about a week ago but that didn't mean I didn't miss her like crazy. I was still hurt about her not being there for me when I needed her but if I was being honest with myself, it didn't change the way I felt about her. I was becoming increasingly more aware of the pull she already had on my heart and any anger I had towards the situation had mostly thawed out. I suppose at this point, I was just waiting for her to reach out first to show that she actually cared about me.

However, she hadn't, so now I was stuck watching an unbearably bad movie about an alien species trying to take over Earth. I wasn't sure how Addison thought this was any better than what Vanessa and I liked to usually watch but her attention was glued to the TV as she shoveled handfuls of popcorn into her mouth all the while taking in the scene where the species broke into the main characters' home.

It was more comedy than horror at this point and I couldn't stop myself from laughing uncontrollably when we caught a glimpse of the alien's face for the first time and it looked like a regular human wearing a Halloween mask from the 99 cent store.

Addison shot me a glare as I wiped tears of laughter from my eyes. She reached forward to grab the remote off the coffee table and paused the movie. "Is something funny to you, Matthew," she inquired.

I smirked at her. "I'm just not sure how you can watch this crap and actually find it to be enjoyable."

She punched me in the shoulder. "I've had a lot of practice subjecting myself to insufferable things just by being your friend."

I gestured at the TV. "That alien's face is about as believable as yours. Do you honestly think anyone is really fooled into thinking your lips are naturally that red or your eyelashes really that long?"

She narrowed her eyes at me before grabbing a fistful of my hair in her hands and tugging. "Who are you to lecture me on the natural look when you've got a pound of gel in your hair?"

"Ow, Addie," I said unfurling her fingers and the grip she had on me. "Didn't I already tell you that I don't like it rough?" I grinned at her as she just rolled her eyes at me.

"Actually, speaking of relationships," she said settling back into the couch cushions and hugging a throw pillow to her chest, "Do you think it's weird that Vanessa doesn't have a boyfriend?"

Ok, that's random. I arched an eyebrow at her wondering what she was trying to get at. With Addison, she was most definitely building up to something. "I hadn't really thought about it to be honest." Not true. I had thought about it plenty of times but she didn't need to know that. Some of the other guys had definitely noticed Vanessa too and I even heard a rumor that Kurt Whitman had asked her out and she didn't accept. I was dying to know why but I wasn't about to admit that to Addison.

She leaned in towards me, studying my face and I could feel my heart rate begin to increase. "I mean she's gorgeous, right?' Her questioning eyes were only about six inches away from my face and I was convinced she could read my thoughts.

I nudged her away gently as I nodded nonchalantly. "Sure." She really needed to stop asking me that question.

She gave me a long look, chewing on her lip the whole time and I held her gaze, unwilling to crack under pressure. "A total catch if you ask me," she pressed on.

I shrugged. "I suppose." My palms were beginning to sweat and I tried to discreetly wipe them on my jeans. A small chuckle escaped my mouth and I inwardly cringed at how awkward and suspicious I was appearing right now.

Addison continued to eye me and I let out another laugh. "Hmm," she said.

"Hmm, what," I asked, my voice cracking slightly. I mentally smacked myself on the forehead, envisioning getting off the couch and banging my head against the wall about twenty times. Damn it, Matt. Why did you give her that opening? The girl was too good when it came to prying for information and she was likely to have all of my deepest secrets laid out in only a matter of minutes if she kept going like this.

"Oh, nothing." She started inspecting her nails before suddenly whipping her head up at me. "Don't you think it's odd that I'm the only one of us three that ever actually dates?"

It was true that I hadn't been on any dates myself yet. Some of the girls had already tried talking to me, nervously giggling before running away which made it quite apparent that they were into me but I just wasn't interested in them back because obviously, I had it bad for someone else.

I shrugged helplessly, trying to think of a believable lie that would fend off further questioning from Addison but before I had a chance to do so, she blurted out, "Why don't you have a girlfriend, Matt? You're hot if I do say so myself. The other girls drool over you. You definitely have opportunities that you could pursue if you wanted."

I looked up at the ceiling knowing that if I dared meet her eye, she would be able to see right through my dishonesty. "Oh, I had no idea. That's good to know. Maybe I'll ask one of them out then-"

"Cut the crap, Matthew," she interrupted, folding her arms across her chest. "I know you're pretty clueless when it comes to signals from the opposite sex but I've been around you when Kelly Morrison flat out said she liked you. I know you aren't that dense to not pick up on that one." She sighed as she settled into the cushions once more, crossing one leg over the other. "I just wonder why two people who could both so easily get someone have held back on dating. It's almost as if those two people might have feel-" She waved her hand. "Nah, it's just too crazy."

There it was. What did she know? Had I made it a bit too obvious how I felt about Vanessa? I tried thinking back on all of my interactions with her. Did I stare at her a moment too long? Sit too close next to her, perhaps? Had Addison actually picked up on me almost kissing Vanessa?

Feeling like my chest was constricting and not being able to breathe at the thought that Addison was on to me, I tried to do damage control. I could not let Vanessa know how I felt about her until I was absolutely sure I was ready to risk it all. That is why I chose my next words carefully. "I can't speak for Vanessa but I'm just not into anyone right now. None of the girls in the junior class do it for me, no offense."

Addison stared at me, searching my face for any clues that I was being dishonest but my poker face was just too good. Well, done Matt. Unless she whips out a lie detector right now, I think you've managed to convince her. She sighed. "So there's really no one then that you would want to date?"

" 'Fraid not," I replied settling back into the cushions, the tension in my shoulders finally beginning to ease up some.

"Ok." She grabbed the remote, pressing the play button and I was once again treated to watching her awful film. Phew. I'll take it. It was better than being grilled by the top detective at Avery High School.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I returned my focus to the movie, laughing once more at that dumb-looking alien. I was just starting to relax when Addison abruptly paused the film again and glanced over at me. "You see Matt, I would like to believe you. However, there's just this one tiny, little, minuscule detail that I can't quite shake and it's really nagging at me. "She looked me dead in the eye. "I know you called Vanessa really pretty." Uh-oh.

My straight-faced look wavered for a fraction of a second but I held on strong. Damn. Addison was way too blunt. I had made a grave error in believing that she was going to let me off the hook with just a beat around the bush.

I laughed as I waved her off. "Oh, that? That was nothing."

She arched an eyebrow as she studied my face again. If her goal was to get me to crack by making me highly uncomfortable, she was damn near succeeding. I was sweating profusely and dying to take off my hoodie.

I cleared my throat as my eyes darted around the room so I wouldn't be subjected to her accusing stares. Pulling on the front of my sweatshirt, I fanned myself with it. "Man, it's hot in here. Do you want me to open a window?"

"I think you know what I want, Matt," she said evenly.

I couldn't take it anymore. I had held on for as long as I could but I was beginning to cave. I let out a sigh. "Alright, so maybe I did call her that but it doesn't mean anything. I also think your mom's really pretty. That doesn't indicate I have an interest in dating her."

Addison momentarily lost her edge as she gave me a disgusted look. "Ew. Gross. I don't want to know what kinds of fantasies you have about my mom."

I beamed as I realized that I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. There it is, Matt. You found your way out of this conversation. Just keep talking about her mom and you're golden. I began humming the tune to Stacey's Mom which really seemed to rile her as she huffed at me loudly.

She curled her lip up. "You're disgusting. I've had it. You are so not allowed over my house ever again."

I chuckled as I propped my chin in my hand and leaned in towards her. Time to go in for the kill shot. "What? It's not my fault that your mom's a total MILF."

She shrieked as she smacked me in the face with a pillow. "I hate you, Matthew Caleb Jones."

"You love me though, Addison...Addison...wait what is your middle name?"

She pouted as she crossed her arms and kicked at the edge of the coffee table. "It's Gladys," she mumbled.

I covered my mouth, trying to stifle a laugh. "Gladys? I hadn't realized you were an eighty-year-old woman."

She sat up abruptly, swiftly grabbing my arm and twisting it before I even saw it coming. "Yea," she said through clenched teeth. "The same way you didn't realize that you are about to get your ass beat?"

"Chill number six. No need to choose violence. It's all love here," I said as I shook my arm loose from her death grasp.

She let out a long breath, resting her elbow on the back of the couch as she turned to face me. "So, you really don't like her then?"

Smirking, I shifted to face her as well. "Your mom? No. I mean she's a nice lady, don't get me wrong but she's a little too old for me and-"

Addison swatted my leg. "Not her. You know who I'm talking about."

I sighed. "Vanessa, I suppose? Yea, ok, look. I do think she's attractive but I only think of her as just a friend. I swear." I held up my hands to her. "See? No fingers crossed."

She frowned at me and I thought for a minute that she was going to accept that as the truthful answer but she whispered, "So, why did you hold her hand then?" Shit. I should have known that would come back to bite me in the ass.

Thankfully, multiple unwanted interactions with Aimee had proven that I was quick on my feet. I raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh? Is that the standard for crushing on somebody these days? Addie, you and I do that kind of thing all of the time. You lay your head on my chest when we're all at your house studying." I grinned. "Well, when Vanessa's studying and you're looking at a magazine and I'm reading a book."

I shifted closer to her on the couch, slipping my arm around her and watching as her gaze dropped to my fingers skimming the top of her shoulders. I brushed her hair away from her neck so I could murmur into her ear, "Ooh...look, Addie. I'm touching you. Does this mean I like you?"

She glanced at me from the corner of her eye. "You are such a jerk," she seethed. Balling her hand into a fist, she held it up to my face. "Ooh...look, Mattie. I'm going to punch you. Does that mean I hate you?"

I moved in even closer, lowering her hand down to her lap and pressing my lips softly against her cheek as I gave her multiple kisses right before pulling away. "Ooh...look," I whispered. "I'm kissing you. Does that mean I love you?"

She swallowed before elbowing me hard in the ribs, causing me to wince and gasp in pain. "Get off my shit dude," she yelled. "Before you end up losing your most valuable body part."

I slid away from her towards the other end of the couch as I laughed obnoxiously loud. Good. Let her feel uncomfortable for a change. I couldn't resist giving her a smirk. "And this part that you speak of would be valuable to whom exactly? To me? Or to you?"

She scoffed at me but I continued. "Do you have the feels for me, Addie? Is that why you're always so eager to pry into my love life? Or does it drive you mad at the possibility that you might not be at the center of somebody's universe?" I tapped my chin with my finger. "Perhaps, it may even bother you that for once, you don't have a guy wrapped around your finger." I wasn't sure if I actually believed any of that to be true or not but it was high time the tables started being turned here and I asked her some invasive questions of my own so she would know what it felt like to be flustered.

She bit her lip as she smoothed out the velvet red skirt she was wearing. "Just forget it, Matt. I should have known you weren't going to be anything except a pain in the ass about this whole thing."

I gave her a pat on the head, feeling a little bit cocky now that I had the upper hand. "There there, Gladys. You tried." I sighed. "Honestly, you females read way too much into every little look or touch. Sometimes things are just as simple as they seem."

She nodded. "Now see, I would believe that except for the fact that you're so inexperienced with females that for you, some baby hand-holding is the equivalent of what an elementary student does when they are making the moves on their first crush." Yup, definitely should have stopped while I was ahead.

Scoffing, I rolled my eyes. "Give me a break. I have plenty of experience with the opposite sex. Something like that is nothing new to me. Do I need to remind you of Aimee?"

The corner of her mouth lifted as she smirked at me. "Matt, getting your neck sucked on one time over a bowl of spoiled, warm potato salad by a lunatic is not the same kind of experience as taking a girl out to the movies or the diner."

She sucked on other things too but whatever. "I have more experience than you could possibly even know about." I began biting my thumbnail as I looked away from her. "For all you know, I might not even be a virgin," I muttered.

She arched an eyebrow at me. "Are you?"

"It doesn't matter," I exclaimed. "The point is you don't know the things I've done that I haven't told you about. I'm not V, who runs and gossips with you about every little comment or gesture that she misconstrues to be something more."

She clasped my shoulder. "Ok, calm down, Virgin. No need to get your never-before-glimpsed at by a female panties in a twist. I didn't mean to offend you." A smile slowly spread across her evil face. "You're right, though. You do have experience with the ladies. I apologize. I completely forgot about the time that Mindy Stirling abruptly bent over in the school hallway to tie her shoe and you bumped into her ass with your crotch because you weren't paying attention to where you were walking. That was definitely an almost orgasm moment."

"Addison, stop," I muttered, the tips of my ears burning and feeling like I was about to have a panic attack. Did she really have to know everything about me?

"No," she said firmly. "Not until you start giving me answers on why none of the females in our class interest you."

"Because of shit like this," I exploded as I gestured at her. "Because of the need to know every little thing about what I'm doing or thinking. Because I don't want the Aimee's of the world chasing me down in school after one time of fooling around." Because I don't want to ruin one of the first real friendships I've ever had. I raked my hands through my hair. "If I'm going to involve myself in a relationship, I want it to be with somebody who's laid back, chill, and doesn't get all up in my business."

Addison gently placed her hand on my thigh as she leaned in to look me in the eye. "So you mean somebody like Vanessa?"

"For fuck's sake," I shouted, pointing at the door. "Get out!"

Addison recoiled away from me, a look of hurt instantly shining in her bright green eyes. She moved her sights off of me as she tucked a lock of her long raven hair behind her ear. She haughtily grabbed her purse from the coffee table and stood up. "I thought friends shared things with each other, Matt."

She stormed over to the front door, yanking her red wool jacket off the coat hook and shrugging it on over her shoulders, glaring at me the whole time. "I guess we aren't as good of friends as I thought." With that, she slammed the door behind her as she made her way out into the dark, winter night.

Groaning loudly, I leaned my head back against the couch and dragged my hands down my face. I knew it. I knew ever since day one of meeting Addison and Vanessa that it would only be a matter of time before I lost them both after they slowly began uncovering all the damaged layers that proved just how broken I really was.

***

A/N Next update 02/08 (most likely as I'm trying to move things along.) Get ready because there's a new year's party and I can confirm the chapter title will be called Midnight Kiss. 

I'm so excited for this portion of the story as I feel this is where things really begin picking up speed.