Getting Over Matt

16 - "He was lucky to have you."

Chapter 16 - "He was lucky to have you."

I didn't notice it had started to go dark until my phone began to ring, distracting me from my train of thought. For a second, I thought it might be Matt trying to get in touch with me, but then I didn't think he'd have the courage to phone me so early on.

Although I wasn't in the mood for polite phone etiquette, I knew I'd been gone a while and I wasn't selfish enough to ignore the call.  

"Where are you?" Nathan asked. 

After spending the last several hours by myself with my thoughts eating away at me, I suddenly realised how much I wanted Nathan's company. He always seemed so wise, and if nothing else he'd be able to reassure me and distract me.  

"You know where the park is? I'm a bit beyond there, sulking under the big tree." 

"Park? Big tree? I should have no trouble finding you." And he put the phone down.

I didn't know whether he was being sarcastic but since he didn't ask for more directions, I left him to it. I shouldn't have doubted his ability to find me. He turned up less than five minutes later and sat down beside me. Before he'd even said a word, his arm immediately went around my shoulders, pulling me closer. It was comforting, and there was no doubt I needed the comfort, but it only made me start crying again as I nuzzled my head into his chest.  

"You know, I could tell you a number of things. I could say he's not worth it. That both of them aren't worth it. I could say you're better off knowing now so you don't give him the pleasure of your companionship for another year, since he doesn't deserve that. I could say this is the out you needed from a messed up relationship, a relationship where you valued him more than he valued you. But it's pointless saying those things. Because they won't make it hurt any less." 

I wiped my eyes and looked at him. "You're right. Yet that's what everyone will be saying in the next few days. Or weeks. Or months." 

"Yeah, because people will think that'll make you feel better. It only makes you feel better about breaking up, though. It doesn't ease the pain." 

"You knew. How long did you know for?" 

He sighed. "I suspected something at that first party. I saw the way Katrina was watching the two of you. She literally looked like she was in pain. Obviously she thought nobody had noticed her watching you, and I came to the conclusion that she didn't like the two of you together. I didn't know whether it was because she fancied Matt or for some other reason." 

"So, you asked her and she just confessed?" I frowned, finding that very hard to believe.  

"Eventually." 

"Eventually?" 

"Well, when the two of you left, she kind of shook her head to herself and went to get another drink. I asked her what was up and she just made some comment about how you deserved better than Matt. She was getting gradually drunker, and ten minutes later she confessed everything. I think she'd been waiting a long time to get it off her chest. What she did was wrong—there's no denying it—but she feels so guilty. Of course, I had no sympathy whatsoever." 

"Did you just leave?" I asked, wiping away some tears with the back of my left hand. 

"Pretty much, yeah," he replied with a big sigh. Then he took another deep breath before continuing. "You know, it was at that party that I realised I cared about you more than I should have done. I didn't know you that well, and I admit that part of the initial attraction was the fact you blew me off so easily, but once I'd found out that your boyfriend had cheated on you...it made me so angry that someone would do that to you...treat you in that way..."