Sell Your Soul

Charlie immediately bought four beers and passed then out among the group. Maria looked grimly at hers, while Cali took heavy drinks of hers. Matt played with his a bit, wondering why Maria wasn't drinking. She scooted as far away from Matt as possible, not wanting to sit by him in the first place. Looking at Charlie and Cali, she wondered if the people around them thought they were on a double date.

"I have a fun idea," said Charlie. "I think we should all go dance!"

"No, that's fine," said Maria. She pushed her beer away.

"Ah, come on, Maria!" said Cali. "You never want to have fun!"

"Cali, you party too much," sighed Maria.

"I do not," protested Cali. "You just don't party enough."

Charlie took Cali's hand and said, "We'll just dance by ourselves."

Cali giggled and followed him out to the dance floor. Maria wrung her hands together and casually glanced at Matt. His eyes were on her, and she quickly looked away. He slid a little closer to her and smiled.

"You don't drink?" he asked.

"No," replied Maria.

"Why not?"

"My dad was kind of an alcoholic. Not that it's your business."

"You didn't have to answer if you didn't want to."

"I know." Maria looked up at him. His brown eyes held her gray ones immobilized.

Matt touched her hair, but she pulled away from him.

"What's your problem?" said Maria.

"Mine? What's yours?" replied Matt.

"Look, asshole, you're the one who dumped water on me."

"Wow, get over it. They wanted you to wake up, and I woke you up. You're not permanently hurt, and you aren't still dripping wet, so get over it."

"You're such a douche! I can't believe I ever thought I liked-" She stopped herself. Quickly avoiding his eyes, she took a drink from her untouched bottle of beer. She made a sour face and swallowed.

"You liked me?" said Matt.

"Momentarily," replied Maria. "When I first got into you guys."

"Well, who do you like now?"

"None of your business! Fuck off!"

"Oh come on, I'm pretty sure I can narrow it down. It can't be Charlie, you wouldn't do that to your friend. Is it J3T? What about Jay?"

"Shut up."

"It's gotta be Dillon."

Maria looked down at the table.

"Unless...unless it's still me," said Matt. "It is! It's gotta be me!"

Maria leaned forward and pressed her lips to Matt's. She felt his hand make its way around her waist, and the other rested at the bottom of her head. She attempted to push him off, but in her attempt, she had pushed herself back into the corner of the booth with Matt on top of her. His tongue slipped into her mouth, and she smiled a little. He bit her lip, and she groaned. He pulled away.

"Let's go," he said. He stood and took her hand.

"Where?" said Maria.

"Your car," replied Matt in such a way that sounded almost as if he was saying, "Duh."

"My car?"

"Where else do you go to have sex?" He winked at her, and they left.

From the dance floor, Cali caught a glimpse of Matt leading Maria out of the bar. She grinned up at Charlie and said, "It worked."