Page 59 of The Golden Scoop

“Maybe if you didn’t jump to conclusions⁠—”

“What conclusions?” I ask. I literally never know what he’s thinking, even less what he wants. “You said no. You showed up. Matt, you stayed. Made it weird for everyone, including your own date.”

“Yeah, well maybe I had a reason for it,” he snaps.

“Tell me then. What’s the reason?”

He hesitates, long enough to make me think he’s going to say something real, meaningful, but then he shakes his head.

“Nothing.”

“No, don’t do that,” I say, closing the distance between us, my pointer finger aimed at his chest. “You don’t get to drop something like that and then back out.”

“It doesn’t matter,” he mutters.

“It matters to me,” I fire back. “It shouldn’t—and I wish it didn’t—but congratulations. You got to me.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Neither was last night.”

Silence stretches between us, thick and uncomfortable. Too loud for how quiet the room is. I signed up for an article. Not… whatever this is.

Matt looks away first, pacing the living room. “Look, I said I didn’t plan it, and I meant it. I won’t get in the way of you and Tom.”

I study him, the tension in his back. But he won’t meet my eyes anymore.

“Right,” I say finally. Quieter now. Colder. “Good. Because I’m not doing this with you.”

He turns and nods, like that settles it. “Yeah. Okay.”

Another pause.

A small, disbelieving laugh escapes me. I expect him to say more, but when he doesn’t, I shake my head and head for the door. Deep in my mind I’m thinking: Say something. Stop me. Do literally anything. Nothing happens.

“You’re unbelievable.”

“Yeah,” Matt says, a little too flat. “I’ve heard that before.”

I linger for a second, the door handle cold against my palm. Matt doesn’t make a move.

So, without another look back, I leave.

M. Hunt Feature Notes: Life Notes:

Matt’s being irrationally jealous and yet saying nothing at the same time.

What does losing one’s mind feel like?

He crashed my date!!!!!! And doesn’t even regret it. Sure, I was trying to distract myself from thinking about him, but still… I could’ve grown to like Tom.

He’s so arrogant, knowing all those things about me, making MY date look bad.

I don’t know what to write anymore.

This stopped feeling like an assignment a while ago.

FIFTEEN