Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Summer Love
PART XIV
"Your dad's in the hospital?" Matt asked, stunned.
"Stroke," replied Alyson quietly. She sipped from her can of soda, her hazel eyes downcast.
He swallowed, somewhat guiltily. How can Alyson handle all this? He, on the hand, was concerned over the simplest things. "I—"
"Don't say you're sorry," Alyson quickly stated, shaking her head vigorously. "Please don't. It's not your fault."
Matt bit the inside of his cheek. "Okay—I hope he recovers quickly."
Alyson gave him a tiny grateful smile behind her burger. "Thanks. But yeah, that's why I'm managing the bar."
"That's why you act as if you own it." He was trying to steer their conversation to the easiness from earlier. Luckily, his statement worked as a leeway.
"It's because I do own it," Alyson rolled her eyes, chewing on her burger. "Haven't you been listening to anything I've said?"
The vent above them made some noise, and they both looked up, just as the chilly air blew through it. Alyson visibly shuddered whereas Matt repressed his shivers. She took a napkin and wiped her lips. "So, Honeycutt, what else do you want to catch up with?"
"Well . . . I just came from some football camp," he said slowly. "If that helps contribute to this discussion."
"Big words, Matt. I never thought I'd see the day," joked Alyson. "How was football camp?"
"Very manly," he answered. "The coach was awesome, and so were all the players—"
"But there were no girls huh?" Alyson teased. "No wonder why you're all—" She stopped, blushed, and chugged down half of her soda.
"What?" he persisted, raising his eyebrow.
"Nothing," Alyson squeaked, hiding her mouth behind her burger. She opted for a change of subject. "So, about tomorrow night . . . I'd say you guys swing by around eight o'clock in the evening. Phase One of Wooing Bonnie will begin once we get together." Alyson noticed her choice of words at the end, but hoped that he wouldn't notice. And he didn't.
Matt drank from his soda. "Alright. And then what?"
"We pretend to be together." He could hear the silent duh at the end of her sentence.
"How?"
"Are you seriously asking me that?" questioned Alyson, amused disbelief mixing with her words. A waitress passed by, glanced at them inquiringly, and continued on with her work. "We pretend as if we really are together. You know, with the hugs and kisses. Except," she paused and stared at him evenly, "we don't have to do the kisses unless you want to."
"And pet names?"
"You want one?" It never struck Alyson that Matt was the type to have pet names for his girlfriends . . .
"Not really, but Damon has pet names for Bonnie. So I figured . . ."
"Fighting fire with fire," Alyson observed. When Matt stared at her weirdly, she shrugged bashfully. "Sorry, I've always wanted to say that. But there wasn't any right time or event to say it, until now—oh, right. Pet names."
"Alligator?" he suggested. Alyson glared at him.
"It's as if I'm a horrendous monster."
"Ali-Ali?"
"Don't even . . ." She finished her burger moments after him, and drank some more of her soda.
"Son?"
"No."
Matt brushed his hair out of his blue eyes, thinking. What could he call her? He made a face. "It's not that important; we'll think of something later. Now what else do we do? What if she asks how I met you or how long we've been dating?"
"Tell her how we really met! When you and Tyler hit me with that damned football after I just got my ice cream," she said.
"And about how long we've been dating?"
"Then tell her it's none of her business," Alyson replied, noting the way he cringed. She raised an eyebrow. "Hey, I can't think of any lie at the moment. And if you don't want to say that, I can."
"We're just doing this once right?"
"To see if she has feelings for you, yeah," Alyson nodded. She really tried to keep the hollowness out of her voice.
"Sounds good," Matt said. Then he placed his elbows on the table, leaning forward all of a sudden. Alyson lifted her eyebrows. "What if she asks me what's going on between us? When you're not around?"
"Is she really that curious? Because if she is, then she's totally into you."
"Then she probably won't," Matt mused aloud.
"Idiot, have a little faith!" exclaimed Alyson. She sank down in her chair. "If you don't, then nothing would happen."
"Ali, I've had faith when I got here a few days ago, but then Damon appeared out of nowhere," Matt paused, "And my faith went out the window."
"Well, if you really like her—you know what, whatever. Let's just see how it goes tomorrow night."
"So where were you today, huh Matt?" Elena asked, poking her friend.
Matt placed his feet over the coffee table and leaned heavily on the cushions. Should he start the Phase One of Wooing Bonnie now? Alyson would be proud, wouldn't she? Although . . . Bonnie's not even in the room. "With Alyson."
"Oooh," Elena giggled, nudging Matt with her elbow. "She's not exactly a place but . . . who's she? Your girlfriend?"
"Exactly," Matt remarked, nodding his head. "My long lost girlfriend."
"Wait—did you just say 'my long lost girlfriend'?" Elena asked, raising her eyebrows.
"It's an inside joke," Matt hastily said, smiling.
"Oooh," Elena squealed. "Are we ever going to meet her? How come you didn't bring her here? Bonnie!" the blonde girl called, cupping her hands around her mouth. "Get your cute little butt in here! Matt has a girlfriend!"
Almost right away, they heard the water from the faucet stop and the running footsteps of Bonnie McCullough. Her hair was tied up in a teeny ponytail to the side, and her eyes were wide with excitement. "Did you say just say that—"
"Matt has a girlfriend," Elena squealed, nodding her head and pinching Matt's cheeks as if he was her sibling.
"Oh my gosh," Bonnie jumped up and down on the balls of her feet and tackled the empty on the couch beside them. "Details Matt. We need details."
Does that mean she's interested? Matt wondered in his head, and thought that maybe she is interested in him. A part of him was saying that she's only interested in the relationship he's in, but the stubborn part in his head was telling him that she is interested. "Well, she's been my friend ever since we had a beach house here."
"And?" prodded Bonnie, wagging her eyebrows.
"And—where are the Italian bros; Mario and Luigi?" Matt asked, raising his head from the cushions to look around the living room. Both girls hit him on the arm simultaneously. He made a face. "What?"
"Don't call them that. We both know that you and Damon aren't on good terms, but don't drag Stefan into it," Elena scolded, but snuggled back into the cushions.
Bonnie pinched Matt's arm. "For your information, Damon and Stefan are out getting some food for us."
"That reminds me," he started, looking at his friends, "did you girls enjoy my omelets?"
"They were alright," Elena said, laughing as Matt sighed dramatically.
"Oil-tastic," Bonnie added with a giggle. She sent Matt a sly look. "You're totally avoiding the question. What else did you do with your girlfriend today?"
"We just caught up, and stuff," Matt said, waving his hand dismissively. He glanced at Elena and Bonnie, his eyes lingering on the redhead. "Do you guys want to meet her?"
"Sure!" Bonnie exclaimed. The girls, Matt thought amusedly, are more excited of the idea of me having a girlfriend than myself . . .
"Well, she runs the bar two blocks down."
"Hensen's?" asked Elena.
"What have you been doing?" Bonnie teased her best friend, and Elena blushed, rolling her eyes.
"Yeah that. I've told her about you guys and she wanted to meet you two," Matt said. "So how about tomorrow night?"
"We don't really—"
Elena cut off Bonnie and winked at her. "Sure. The beach is right behind it, isn't it? We could all just take a long, romantic walk with our lovers."
Bonnie flushed, the preoccupied look entering her facial expression. She's thinking about Damon again, Matt thought with a downhearted sigh. And the little faith that Alyson drilled into him leaped out of the window once again.
"Exactly," Matt repeated, yet he didn't know why his heart fluttered at the idea.
A/N: Fridays, Fridays! :) I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I'm sorry if it's fast-paced, I'm kind of rushing right now. But thank you so much for the reviews! :D I really appreciate them! :D