Getting Over Matt

12 - "Being gorgeous isn't always an advantage."

Chapter 12 - "Being gorgeous isn't always an advantage."

Matt was already at school, talking with a bunch of friends, when I arrived. He noticed my arrival and seconds later was heading over. I came to the conclusion that he'd had a personality transplant overnight, because he never usually paid so much attention to me.  

"Morning." His lips stretched into a grin as he slipped his hand into mine and interlocked our fingers. "Again." 

"Happy birthday. Again." 

"Matthew!"  

We both turned to see where the voice had come from. Jimmy, a close friend of Matt's, was heading our way. I got on with Jimmy, but I didn't particularly like him. I couldn't deny that Matt had changed slightly over the past year, which was probably part of the reason breaking up would be so hard, because I was still infatuated with the caring guy he'd first been. I blamed Jimmy for that change. Jimmy had introduced Matt to alcohol and night life. Several times a week they went out to a local pub which, despite only being seventeen, Matt had got served at since Jimmy knew the owner. There'd been several occasions when Matt had cancelled plans with me because he was going out with Jimmy.  

"Jimmy." Matt greeted him with one of those guy nods. "How's it going?" 

"Not bad, Mate. Happy birthday and all that. Are we going out to celebrate tonight?" 

"Can't, sorry," Matt said. "Already got plans."  

And he draped an arm around my shoulder. A smug rush of satisfaction rolled through me to see Matt turning down Jimmy for me when it was usually the other way round.  

Jimmy hadn't missed the gesture, and winked knowingly at me. "Well, I can't deprive you of that. What kind of man would I be? I hope you guys have...fun...tonight." 

"Oh we will," I assured him.  

He smirked at me. "And remember, Isobel, double Dutch is always best...we don't want any mistakes now, do we?" 

"Don't be so patronising, Jimmy." 

Jimmy chuckled, slapped Matt on the back, and then headed off. 

"Why is Jimmy the only one you make references about our sex life to?" I asked Matt curiously.  

"Because he's the only one who pisses me off about it. He's always making inappropriate comments so I can't help but back-chat him."  

"I see." 

"I know you don't like him. You don't have to pretend. I can read you like a book, Isobel." 

"It's not that I don't like him. I just find him harder to tolerate than most people." 

"Speaking of tolerating people..." Matt murmured, looking into the distance.  

I followed his eyes and noticed Kat approaching, wearing skinny jeans with over-the-knee boots and an off-the-shoulder jumper. She caught the attention of every guy she passed -- even the ones with girlfriends stole a quick glance. 

It was the same every day. If Matt hadn't been my best friend before dating, and therefore hadn't known me well enough to want to date me, I doubted I'd have a boyfriend right now. I'd always been in Kat's shadow; guys never looked at me because Kat was always right there, more beautiful, more charismatic and more confident.  

"She looks like she should be on a catwalk," I said.

"She's not as beautiful as you," Matt told me, sliding his arm from my shoulder to around my waist and then pulling me closer.