...I Need New Friends...
They had been in the store an hour already and Matt's basket only had one item. A block of cheese.
Eli
Will you hurry up? We'll miss lunch at this pace!
Matt ignored his bodyguard and only friend simply looking down the lane.
Matt Muttered to himself under his breath. Reaching for a can of beans. He hated beans.
He glanced back over at the lane.
He whispered about to give up.
She showed up. An hour and ten minutes late. But she was there.
Eli looked over at the girl feeling flustered.
They'd been doing this everyday for a month now and she still hadn't noticed them. He was ready to report all of this back to Matt's father so he'd ban him from ever entering the store.
Eli
Can we please hurry up and go?
He looked on as Matt stood entranced.
Eli
What a stupid muse....
Eli could never understand it.
Unexpectedly, the girl made her way closer to them for the first time.
Not looking around, her eyes on the shelves, she walks into Matt, knocking his almost empty basket to the ground.
Eli huffed from where he was standing and chose to back away slightly.
AJ
I'm so sorry! I should have been more careful!
Matt sat ....half lay....there. Still unmoving.
She got his basket and brought it to him.
She extended her hand to him but he still ....didn't move.
AJ
I didn't push you that bad...
Without thinking too much, she slapped him back to his senses.
He took her hand still rubbing his cheek.
She looked at his reddened cheek, her face turning red.
AJ
I'm sorry...I've been having a bad day...
AJ
My mind was somewhere else.....
Matt looked at her surprised that he was even talking.
Talking to a human being who wasn't Eli!
He held out his hand but this time, she was stunned.
The businessman's son...?
Heir to a massive fortune?
The loner who used to give her creepy glances from over the playground when they were kids?
The kid who thought collecting bugs would make him normal?
AJ didn't know what to do or say.
Matt
Polard. But Pol works too.
Eli
Matt. Your parents are calling.
Eli's presence seemed to shake her.
Matt felt his stomach pit. She didn't want to be his friend. No one called her by her full name.
AJ looked over at Eli already leaving and back at Matt who seemed distracted.
His feet were moving, so he would be going, she noticed.
Matt
It's nice to meet you, Alexa Jon.
Matt gave her a half smile but she still didn't know if she should be talking to the guy.
She already had enough problems.
Matt turned and left the aisle with his shoulders sagging.
Eli
I'm guessing THAT didn't go as planned?
Eli sat staring out the window of the car.
Matt stared down at his hands.
The driver was already turning onto his street.
Eli
How about we go back to spending our Saturdays with just the two of us in the game room?
Eli
It's less embarrassing...
Eli muttered the last statement.
Matt looked over at him in shock
Matt
I wanted to meet her.
Matt felt flustered and a little angry.
Matt
How could you say that?
Matt
You don't even know her!
Eli
Yet I'm forced to stand there and watch you make a fool of yourself.
Eli
And you still weren't the first one to make contact with her.
Eli's calm state and deep tone seemed to be more infuriating than relaxing.
Eli
Why do you need to interact with them?
Matt was sure it would hurt Eli...so he stopped himself.
He knew Eli was supposed to be his bodyguard but he had turned into his best friend.
How could he hurt the one person who held no grudges against him or his family..?
Matt
...because ...I need new friends....
Matt whispered to the window as the car stopped in front of his home.
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