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“Do it,” Veronica says, looking over my shoulder at my phone again.
“You guys, this is more complicated than it seems.” I clench my jaw. Be cool, Izzy. You can’t tell them anything.
“Complicated?” Cindy laughs. “Izzy, he’s basically asking you to Netflix and chill. Matt Hillard is asking you to Netf–”
“He’s not asking me that.” I give her a stern look. I look back at my phone, second guessing myself. Is he asking me that?
“Give me that.” Veronica yanks my phone out of my hand.
“Hey—” I protest, albeit without much vigor, and watch as she types on my phone.
“Okay, here you go.”
I take the phone back and read the message she sent.
Me: Okay. Your place, not mine. My dad is always home.
“Yeah, subtle much?” I give her a sideways glance.
“What? Your dad is always home.”
“Yes, because he works from home. You guys—” I drop my head to the table. “This is just a school assignment. I think you’re reading way too much into this.”
“And you’re not reading into it enough.” Veronica giggles.
“Come on, Izzy.” Cindy nods her head. “Prom is coming up. Maybe he likes you and will ask you out.”
I lift my head up, just enough to stare at her. I can’t stop the butterflies that start to form inside. What if Matt does ask me to the prom? I’d be crazy to say no. So what that he doesn’t want people knowing how big of a nerd he is. I’d still be going to prom with one of the hottest guys in school.
Matt sends me his address by the time school ends, so I make my way over to his house. I park in front and walk up to the door, a ball of nerves settling in my stomach.
It’s a nice two-story house, that doesn’t look much different on the outside than the other houses in the neighborhood, which is definitely upper-class. Pristine yards, spotless driveways. Fancy might not be the right word for the neighborhood, but Matt’s family definitely isn’t slumming it.
“Hey.” He smiles at the door. “Come on in.”
As soon as I walk inside, I notice how immaculate everything is. It’s almost like a model home; everything in its proper place. The room I walk into is a living room, and I notice an elaborate entertainment system, with a huge big screen TV and two large, black leather sofas. There’s a large painting of a sunset on the wall, and a glass cabinet that looks like it holds a few pictures, surrounded by crystal sculptures. I shouldn’t be surprised, remembering the car Matt has, but the elegance of everything catches me off guard. Especially since at school, Matt never comes off as one of the ‘richies’.
“Wow, very not bad.” I look around.
“Yeah, well …” He looks around. “When your father’s a big shot lawyer, who charges an arm and a leg as his fee, I guess he can spend his money on whatever he wants.”
Matt talking about his father makes me stop and look around, listening for anyone else in the house. He must notice my face because he lets out a chuckle.
“He’s not here. Usually gets home late and leaves early. Debbie is out running errands and then picking up Isaac.”
“Debbie?”
“Our housekeeper.”
Something in his last sentence shifts his demeanor. It’s defeat mixed with something else. Acceptance? I want to know what it is, but don’t want to press. Instead, I take another look around and breathe deeply, trying to forget what Cindy and Veronica were talking about at lunch. This isn’t a hook-up meeting. He invited me to work on the assignment. Then I remember the convention. If he’s a big enough nerd to cosplay, I wonder what his room’s like.
“So, we can go over stuff here or if you want, in the dining room.” He motions behind me and starts walking. “You want something to drink?”
“What about your room?”
He stops and turns around to face me. As soon as he raises an eyebrow, I realize how my question could suggest an ulterior meaning.
I clear my throat, feeling my face heat up. “I mean … not that I want to see your room.” Take a deep breath, Izzy. “No, you know what? I do.” His brow is still raised, and he smiles, but now I know how to diffuse this situation. “I need to see the nerd lair.”
