The moment I stepped foot in school, I knew I had made a mistake. Everyone was staring at me. Mostly with scared or hateful expressions. I was so used to being invisible, I wished to be ignored again. Even the teachers were acting strangely. They spoke to me in high pitched, drawn out voices they saved for students with injuries. I sat in the front of class, and felt stares in the back of my head for the whole day. It was like they all knew what I did. I couldn't take it anymore. Right when the bell rang, I bolted for the student parking lot, and into my car. I fished my cell phone from my backpack and tried to remember Matthew's number. After a few failed attempts and wrong numbers, I begrudgingly tried again. He answered on the second ring. "Hello?" a groggy voice answered. Was it him? "Matthew?" "Rose? Oh, hi." Matthew's voice instantly cleared, any signs of being tired dissapeared. "Well, I was thinking, maybe we could get some coffee now?" I looked at the dashboard clock. It was a bit late for coffee, instead of the early morning cups I was used to drinking. "I know it's a bit late for coffee, but"- Without hesitation, Matthew answered. "It's never too late for coffee." I could hear the smile in his voice. ~ The smell of coffee beans and small pastries hit my nose as I entered the cafe. Matthew told me about this place before I came, it was doing well for a family owned business. Especially with a Starbucks across the street. Matthew met my eyes as I drew closer, and he grinned, revealing perfect white teeth. "Hey." I casually said. He stood so I could sit in the booth, and I carefully slid past him, our shoulders brushing at the last second. I lowered myself into the seat as Matthew settled in himself. "Shouldn't you be in school?" he teased. "I have straight A's, I don't think one day will cause any harm. Besides, seniors get to do practically everything." I shot back. I hoped Matthew would see me as mature. "Seniors can barely do anything compared to juniors in college." he said amusedly. So he was in college. An older guy? What would my mother think if I had a college kid in the house? She'd probably not even let Matthew in, or let me leave. A waitress sashayed over, and pulled a notepad from her apron pocket. She smiled at Matthew and took the pen from behind her ear, poised to write anything he desired down. I could tell she wanted to write his number down. The thought made me silently roll my eyes. "Can I get you anything?" "Just a cup of black coffee. And what about you, Rose?" The waitress reluctantly turned to me. I looked her straight in the eye. "I'll have what he's having." I smugly said. I threw in a smirk to piss her off more. She scribbled the order down and hurriedly shuffled away, her face red. Matthew turned to me, he looked amused. "I wonder what that was about." he raised an eyebrow at me. I put my hands up in a surrender position and feigned innocence. "I have no idea what you're talking about." Matthew laughed. I made a guy laugh? That never happened before. They haven't spoken to me much either. "So you're the jealous type, huh? I'll keep that in mind." "That you made me jealous?" "Not to make you jealous again." Matthew's words buzzed in my head. He was actually flirting with me. What was it about me that Matthew saw? I was the same to everyone else, what was different to him? I couldn't see what was so special. Matthew lifted his chin off of his knuckles, and rested his hand on mine. His skin on mine sent a shock through my hand, and left an overly hot feeling behind. The waitress suddenly returned with our coffee, and interrupted the moment. Matthew took the other mug and set it in front of me. He used his other hand to take the coffee, and kept my hand in place. The waitress noticed this, and with a strained smile she walked to another table. I felt a growing heat at my face, and to my relief my cell rang. It was my mom. I took my hand away from Matthew's to answer. "Hello?" "Rose, I got a call from the school saying you just walked out and left?! What has gotten into you?" "Mom, I can explain"- "You can explain in person. Come home NOW." I sighed and hung up. Matthew kept his eyes on mine while he drank his coffee. "What's wrong?" "I have to go… but we should do this again sometime." "Of course." I strode out of the cafe and into my car. I had some explaining to do when I got home. …well, more like lying.