Caught in a Trap [Bruce Yamada]

7: Yeah. She's My Girlfriend.

"I just don't think I can do this, Matthew. What's Mary gonna think when I show up to school with Moon hanging off my arm?" Bruce worriedly complains into his phone, pacing his bedroom. "Plus...this is starting to feel really wrong. Moon...she's sweet. A really nice girl, really. Not weird like everyone says-"

"Woah, woah, woah. Chill out, Yamada. Don't tell me you're actually falling for that freak?" Matthew chortles on the other line, sounding entertained by the idea.

"I'm not! I just said she's nice," Bruce guiltily insists, feeling wrong about his claim. "Look, you're ignoring the point. If Mary sees me with her and hears we're dating she's gonna move on from liking me at all!"

"Nah, man. Relax. You're not seeing this from the right angle," Matthew insists confidently.

Bruce's face scrunches up in confusion, "what do you mean?"

"Use this as an opportunity to make her want you more. Girls always want what they can't have twenty times more than if it's there for the taking. Those are the facts," Matthew states in a matter of fact tone. "Trust me, Yamada. If you play your cards right, Mary is gonna want you a thousand times more than you want her right now."

Bruce perks up at the idea, "you really thinks so?"

"For sure....and as for the guilt shit...it's high school, man. Shit happens. Moon'll get over it. Hell, it builds character."

Bruce slowly nods, not fully agreeing with that but feeling really conflicted due to his strong feelings towards Mary. "Alright. I guess."

The two say goodbye.

While Bruce calls it a night with a conflicting expression on his face, Matthew stays awake smirking to himself as he ponders his master plan being set into motion.

If things worked the way he wanted them to, Mary would be pissed about Bruce being with another girl and turn to him for comfort- and he would be waiting for her with open arms. For once, he would be getting what he wants and not stupid Bruce. Plus, it gave him an opportunity to get back at that hippie bitch who so harshly turned him down all those years ago.

Putting those two together was the best plan he's ever had.

While he's sleeping on his evil intentions, halfway across town, Moon is laid in bed giggling on the phone to a half asleep Griffin about the happenings of her date.

"Ew. I can't believe you're dating that jerk," Griffin mumbles with a distasteful tone.

Moon squeals, "I can't believe it either! It's so- so....crazy! I'm totally dating the coolest guy in school!"

"Ugh," he groans in annoyance. "I can't believe you woke me up for this. Tell me you didn't kiss him."

"No way," she giggles, throwing herself into her bed and playing with the phone wire. "You know I'm not the type. It's gonna take a lot more than that to get a kiss out of me!"