DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the character of Kelsey.
Jake stood and walked toward him.
"What's up? Kels OK," he asked.
"Yeah. She was telling me the story of her and Matt. Do you know the details," Mark asked.
"Just that Matt left. Don't know the rest. Not my business," Jake said.
"Jake, I'd like to talk to Matt," Mark said, staring at the taller man.
"Sure. Come on Sly, let's get these guys a drink. Kelsey asked for one of those tabloid magazines yesterday so I should probably get that for her," Jake said, dragging Sly toward the elevator.
When the doors had closed, Mark spoke, "How could you do that? Kelsey thinks you never had the intention of telling her you were leaving and just wanted to get her into bed before you took off. Do you know what that's done to her," Mark asked.
"Believe me, that wasn't my intention. I was fully prepared to tell her after I gave her the necklace, but we got caught up in the moment. We'd talked about it, but neither of us thought about it. We figured if it happened, it happened. I never wanted to be a love 'em and leave 'em type," Matt said.
"Kelsey told me that she had slept with you, but I didn't find out until today that it was so close to the time you left. What was it, two days? That was an awful thing to do to Kelsey. You should have told her and if she still wanted to be with you in that way, at least it was an honest experience. Not the tainted one you had with her," Mark said.
"You're right. There's not a day that goes by that I don't regret what happened. I wanted to be with Kelsey so much, but the guilt I felt tainted it for me as well. I'm sorry that she had to go through that and I'd change it if I could. I hope you two have better memories," Matt said.
Mark turned around. He didn't know if he should confess what hadn't happened between him and Kelsey, primarily because of Matt.
"We don't. Kelsey's afraid that if we take our relationship to that level, it will mean the end of us. She thinks sex will doom our relationship. At least the only experience she had proves her theory," Mark said.
Matt was shocked. He had heard from Sly how much Mark and Kelsey loved each other and how both Mark's parents and Jake's parents thought Kelsey and Mark would get married in the future. He figured they would have taken that step.
Matt sat down on the chair and put his head in his hands. He couldn't believe that one act of cowardice on his part had ruined some part of Kelsey's life and was still affecting it. He felt horrible.
He remembered their conversations regarding the subject of sex.
Kelsey and Matt were cuddled on the couch in the Garrison's living room. They'd spent the evening watching movies with his family before everyone went upstairs to bed. Kelsey's curfew wasn't for a few more hours, her aunt and uncle trusted her with Matt because they'd been friends for so long.
"That was a good movie. Thanks for watching it with me. Jake won't watch stuff like that so my aunt and I usually watch it alone," Kelsey said.
"Well, it's not my favorite movie, but I'm spending time with you, so that's all that counts," Matt said.
Kelsey thought Matt had said the cutest thing and kissed him.
Soon they were in full make-out mode. Kelsey pulled away from Matt after a few minutes and looked at him.
"What," he asked, concerned about why his girlfriend had pulled away from him and what was on her mind.
"Do you ever wonder what it would be like if we went all the way," she asked.
Matt nearly choked. "I hadn't thought about it," he croaked out.
"Of course you have. You're a guy. If you haven't thought about it, then there is something wrong with either myself or you," she said, smiling.
"OK, I've thought about it. A lot, but I don't want to put pressure on you," he said.
"I've thought about it, too, but I don't want to pressure ourselves into doing something we might not be ready. I would like to think we could do that someday, but I'm not yet there," she said.
"I'm not either. I like our relationship the way it is. I would like it to be more, but neither of us is ready," Matt said, kissing Kelsey.
Back in make-out mode, the couple forgot about their conversation regarding sex.
After that initial conversation, they had broached the subject several times as if to remind themselves what they had decided. They hadn't crossed the line or put pressure on the other and Matt had thought they had reached a good point in their relationship.
It wasn't until that last week that they had discussed it again, in depth. Again they had agreed not to plan it and delay it for a while, but they also agreed not to stop it if they both wanted it.
That little clause in their verbal contract was a problem and led to what happened before he left. The romantic setting and the gift were too much for them to deny. They gave in that night and to this day, while Matt hadn't regretted being with Kelsey in that special way, he wished things had been different.
Mark left Matt in the waiting room thinking about what he had done.
Mark met Jake and Sly as the elevator doors opened.
"Where are you going," Jake asked. "Whoa, what's wrong?"
"I just found out what happened between Kelsey and Matt before he left," Mark said.
Sly's face paled. Mark looked at his cousin.
"Judging by the look on Sly's face, I'm guessing he knew," Mark said.
"I suspected. I didn't know. No one told me anything," he said.
"You two want to clue me in on what you're talking about," Jake asked, clearly annoyed by the cousin's shared secret.
Mark looked at Jake. "Hold on to your boots, Jake. Two days before Matt left Kelsey without an explanation, they slept together." Without waiting for Jake to respond, Mark got on the elevator and went down to the first floor. He needed some air and distance between him and Matt.
Jake stared at the spot Mark had occupied. Then, Sly noticed his fists ball up and saw him head off toward Matt. Sly rushed behind him, hoping to keep Jake from putting Matt in a bed in the hospital.
"Garrison. What the hell were you thinking? Taking advantage of Kelsey like that. I should seriously kick your ass for what I've just found out," Jake said, anger evident in everything from his speech to his posture.
Matt stood up to defend himself from Jake's rant.
"Look, Jake, I know it sounds bad but I didn't intend for it to happen that way," Matt said.
"So you didn't want to sleep with Kelsey," Jake asked, angry beyond belief.
"I'm a guy. Of course I did, but we had just talked about it. We never thought it would happen. I certainly didn't intend for it to happen that night. I was going to tell her I was leaving, but when 'that' happened, I couldn't do that to her. I didn't want her to think I was just after her for that. I didn't want her to think she had to do that before I left. I couldn't tell her after it happened because it was such a moment between us. I couldn't ruin it," Matt said.
Jake wished he hadn't had this particular conversation with Matt. Thinking about his cousin having sex wasn't something he wanted to think about. It brought out all the protective instincts in him.
"You have sex with her and then leave her behind without telling her a thing. What the hell is she supposed to think, Garrison? Was that supposed to be the greatest memory in her life? How would you have felt if you found out that I did that to Jenny? I warned you when you started dating her that I'd make you cry if you did anything to her," Jake said, advancing on his former best friend.
He had grabbed Matt by his collar when he heard, "Jacob Samuel Sommers, what are you doing," his mother asked.
Jake had been so consumed with his rage against Matt that he hadn't heard his mom and dad return to the hospital.
"Just catching up with Matt," he said, letting go of Matt and facing his mom.
"Matt! It's so good of you to come and help Kelsey. Jake, where's Mark? Kelsey's doctor has some news regarding her transplant," his mom said.
Matt shook Mr. Sommers' hand and accepted a hug from Jake's mom.
"I'll go get him. He said he had to get something to drink," Sly said. He went to the elevator on a mission to find his cousin.
***Is a match found? Who is it?*** -mereditholiver