This Is Not an After School Special

I handed Matt a thick stack of papers as soon as I got to his locker the next morning. I'd stayed up later than I should have, but I really wanted to make amends for bailing on him. He grinned.

"I didn't think you were actually going to write it for me."

"I told you I was going to make it up to you," I pointed out.

He accepted the report and flipped through it. "Do you think they'll believe that I actually wrote this?"

"Yeah. I wrote it specifically to sound like you. Read it, and you'll see that I know you better than you seem to think."

"Did you just dumb everything down?" He demanded. "Because I can sound kind of intelligent sometimes."

I laughed. "Just read it, Matt. It's not due for two more days, and just in case you get asked about it, you should probably know what it says."

He tucked it into his locker. "Will do. Thanks, Beck."

"So I'm forgiven?"

He sighed dramatically. "I guess so. But really, it's okay. Just don't forget about me anymore and we'll be fine."

I still felt horrible. Matt was truly the best friend that I'd ever had. I didn't want to be the kind of person that gets into a good relationship and abandons everyone else, yet it seemed that that was exactly what I was doing.

"If it ever seems like I'm doing that, just slap me right in the face and tell me that I'm breaking my promise."

He smiled. "I might enjoy hitting you, actually. Just kidding. I think I would yell at you long before I ever resorted to slapping you."

"That's probably a good thing," I murmured. Matt didn't look overly muscular when he was wearing a hoodie like today, but I knew that he spent a fair amount of time in the gym. He could hold his own in just about any fight, not that he would ever resort to fighting.

"Are you still coming on Sunday?" He checked. "You haven't forgotten, have you?"

I grinned at him. "Thanks for having faith in me. I'll be there. Actually, I guess I'll be at home until you come and pick me up. But I still want to come."

"Good. Of course, I shouldn't count my eggs before they've hatched. You've got an entire week to forget before Sunday rolls around," he teased.

I scowled at him. "You're really not going to forgive and forget very quickly, are you?"

"I've already forgiven you. Now I'm just bugging you."

"Thanks, Emilio."

Matt cocked his head to one side in confusion. "Huh? What did you just call me?"

"Emilio. Me and Josh decided that if we were all in The Breakfast Club, you would be Emilio Estevez."

"The guy from The Mighty Ducks?"

I grinned at him, fighting back laughter. "Quack quack."

"Why am I him? Wait, which ridiculously overused stereotype is he in that movie?"

"The jock."

"Oh, right. Okay, maybe I am him," he agreed, turning away from his locker and starting to walk in the direction of homeroom.

"That's what I thought."

"So what else did the two of you do this weekend?"

My cheeks flushed as I recounted my weekend. I felt a bit self-conscious telling Matt about my romantic life. I still didn't really understand why he cared about the details.

"So what did you do?" I asked him, sliding into my desk in homeroom.

Matt sat down in the desk to my left. "I had a date, too. But mine really didn't go very well. Remember that girl from Jeff's party?"

"The bitchy brunette? I thought I already told you that you were better off without her."

"And you were right, as usual. I should have stayed away. She remembered you. And you don't want to know what she thinks of you."

I snorted. "I really don't care what she thinks, Matt. For all I care, she could be spreading lies about me giving you a blow job. I know the truth, you know the truth, and that's all that matters. One girl's slander hasn't changed your opinion of me, has it?"

Matt's jaw had dropped so low I could clearly see the back of his throat. After a moment, he composed himself. "She didn't change my opinion of you, but you might have just now. Since when does my innocent little Beck say things like that?"

"Since when does my impressionable little Matt go on dates with tramps that I've already warned him about?"

He chuckled. "Fair enough." He brushed his hair off of his forehead, still laughing at me.

"So, we're good, right?" I questioned as the second bell rang through the nearby hallways.

Matt smiled warmly at me, and I knew all was forgiven. "We're good. Same as always."

"Thanks, Matt. You're the best."

"I know."

"And oh so modest," I smirked.

"I know that, too."

I opened my mouth to respond with a smart-ass comeback, but the teacher walked into the room and demanded our attention. I made it through the class by passing notes with Matt and occasionally having whispered conversations with him. I couldn't imagine how things would be for me if I was ever to lose him as a friend. The thought sent a tremor down my spine and gave me more incentive to keep things the way they were. I would find a balance between Matt and Josh.

After class, Josh was leaning against my locker. I couldn't stop the smile that sprung onto my lips as I caught sight of him. He was studying his blackened nails carefully.

"Are they still up to your standards?" I tried to sneak a glimpse of his fingers.

He held a hand out to me, pouting. "They're chipping!"

I shrugged, not showing him any sympathy. "I told you to put on a top coat. But no, you were in too much of a hurry."

"It was going to take forever!" He argued. "Fix them for me?"

I giggled. "Sure. After school?"

He shook his head a bit. "Sorry, I can't. Later tonight?"

I tried to hide my frown. "Yeah. Come over around seven?"

"I'll be there. I've got to run to class. See you at lunch," he smiled at me before hurrying off down the hall.

"Trouble in paradise?" Matt asked, coming up behind me.

My expression must have grown cloudy after Josh's departure. He was never free right after school. I didn't want to bother him with an interrogation about it, mainly because I didn't want to start a fight. But it was strange that he always had other plans. He would drop me off after school, disappear for an hour or two, and then come back. It really didn't make any sense. Why couldn't he just stay with me right after school and then follow through with his other plans later?

"No," I said. "Nothing's wrong. We're doing great. I'm just thinking about something, that's all."

"That's never a good thing. You'd better stop before you hurt yourself."

I punched him on the arm. "Shut up, Matt."

He laughed. "Sorry. I couldn't resist. But really, what's up?"

"It's alright. I'm just a little concerned. I always get the feeling that Josh is hiding something from me."

Matt's face sobered. "Oh. I could talk to him if you want," he offered.

"No," I spoke quickly. "Please don't. I really can't see that making anything better. Thanks, but I'll take this one on my own."

"The offer still stands if you change your mind."

"Thanks," I repeated. "Really, I appreciate it."

"I'll always be around to look out for you Becky. Don't forget that."

"Back at you."