I walk to my next class, feeling a little bit nervous knowing that we only have a couple weeks left until finals. I walk into the class and Professor Adams waves me over to his desk. I walk up to him, and he gives me a big smile.
"I'm not sure if you're aware of our first year program where I grant the student with the most promise a chance to write for Cosmopolitan?", I stand in shock, never having heard about this before. Why didn't Nick tell me? I would have worked even harder than I already am. The cosmopolitan is huge! "I had no idea", I say honestly. "Well I've made my decision, and if you would like to, i'd like to give you that opportunity", He says and my hand flies over my mouth.
"Are you serious?!" I exclaim.
"Very. So, interested?" He asks.
"Yes! Absolutely!" I smile.
"Perfect. I'll set it up." He nods and I thank him, walking towards the back of the room. I pull out my phone, and excitedly send a text to Nick.
Iris: I got the cosmo article award!!!
I set my phone down, and groan when I see who's walking into the room. She's not even in this program, let alone this class. So why is she here? I'm guessing for me, based off the look she's giving me. She walks up to me and holds out her phone. "What the fuck is this?" Scarlett asks, a picture of Matt and I kissing displayed on the screen.
"Quite honestly, it's none of your business", I state.
"You're such a whore. You know he's with me and you got with him anyways?!", She exclaims.
"Well first of all, he's not with you. Actually- he doesn't even like you." I laugh.
"I will end you. Do you think I'm kidding? Do I look like I'm fucking kidding?" I roll my eyes at her, which only fuels her anger further.
"Oh fuck off Scarlett. You've been chasing Matthew for years now. He doesn't like you. Get over it", A blonde girl says from a few seats down. "I'm not talking to you Eleanor", Scarlett spits.
"Well you're talking loud enough for me to hear so I suggest you walk away before I beat your ass again just like in high school", The girl smiles, making Scarlett scoff as she turns around, and leaves the room.
I turn to the girl, and give her a smile. "Thanks", I say. "Don't worry about Scarlett. She's all talk. If she gives you a problem, just let me know", She says. "I'm Eleanor by the way." "Iris." I introduce myself.
Class goes by slowly, and at the end I exchange numbers with Eleanor. It'd be nice to make a friend that's female. I walk out to the parking lot, seeing Matt and Nick with a couple other friends hanging around their car. I make my way over, and Nick sees me, a huge smile growing on his face as he opens his arms widely.
"There is my favorite journalist!" He announces and I hug him happily. "I can't believe I actually got it!" I giggle. "What did you get?", Matt questions. "The cosmo article." I answer.
"I just have no clue what to write about." "When I got it last year, I wrote about how hard it is to have a normal life as a celebrity", Nick says.
Of course that's what he would write about.
"Yeah except nothing about my life is interesting." I mutter. "I'll help you." He offers. I see Chris walking up to the group, and Matt jokingly wiggles his brows at me which earns him a glare. "Can I steal Iris for just a second?" He asks. I nod, and walk off with him away from the group. They all go back to talking but I still take notice of Matt's eyes on me the whole time.
"You didn't text me back this morning, is everything okay?" He asks. "Oh sorry about that! Matt took my phone and it was a hassle trying to get it back. By the time I did I had forgotten that you texted me!" I laugh. I notice how Chris' attitude changes immediately when I bring Matt up. Maybe I shouldn't have said that I practically ignored him for Matt.
"I was wondering if maybe you'd want to go get dinner with me tonight?" He asks. "I would but Nick is helping me with a school thing." I say. "Another time?" "Yeah- definitely." He nods. "Cool. See you later!", I walk back over to the group that is now just Matt and Nick, since all of their friends left. They both look at me questioningly then watch as Chris walks off in the other direction.
"What's up with him?", Nick asks. "Oh nothing, he just wanted to go get food." I shrug. "Iris. I think he was asking you on a date...", Nick laughs lightly.
"I don't think so." I shake my head. "If our brother asked you to dinner, it was definitely a date. He doesn't do that with girls", Matt informs me.
Well now I feel bad. If I would've known he was asking me on a date I wouldn't have given such a casual answer.
There is one problem now, and that is that I just don't think I like him in that way. Don't get me wrong, Chris is great, and he's a really good person- but I can't see myself being any more than friends with him.
Especially not after just getting out of a very serious and long relationship. "Does he take rejection very easily?" I ask nervously, and the boys look at me like I'm crazy. "Wait... You don't like Chris?", Nick asks.
"What made you think that I did?" I ask. "We both just kind of assumed... I don't know." He shrugs. "and to answer your question, I have no clue how he takes rejection he's never asked a girl out before", Matt says.
Well great. Just wonderful! I'm the first girl that Christopher has ever asked out and I completely shrugged him off.
I feel so bad.
We head back to their place, and Nick helps me with my article.
Nick sits across the room live-streaming and being so boring and unentertaining. I have no clue how he has so many viewers. I'm pretty sure girls just like him because he's cute, but I guess that's all there is to being an Instagram influencer. Matt looks at his phone, his brows knitting together. He almost looks angry. His eyes then dart up to me and he quickly grabs my arm, making me stand with him and he pulls me back to his room, shutting the door behind us. "So do you have a reason for kidnapping me or?.." I trail off.
"Why didn't you tell me that Scarlett came to talk to you?" He asks. "I didn't know I was supposed to", I answer plainly. "What did she say?" He questions.
"Well.. she threatened me that she was going to end me",I laugh, "Then called me a whore." I can see how angry Matt gets, his jaw clenched and his eyes hard. He's pissed. "She's not going to lay a finger on you", He says lowly.
"Oh I hope she does, my dad taught me how to take girls like her." I say, but Matt finds no amusement in it.
"You are not a fighter darling. Don't participate in her childishness." He says. Both of his hands rest on my arms, gripping my firmly. I look into his bright blue eyes that for some odd reason, I find comfort in.
"I know who you are, and you are not anything that she says you are." He says softly.
"Exactly." I say.
"You know who I am, yet I've barely been able to scratch the surface of who you are.."
"That's because who I am is no good Iris.."
(A/N: fighter/ bad b Iris yay or nay? also protective matthew is something elllsseeee🫣)
