When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong.

Of course I stayed and chatted with Josh. After all, dating someone he's best friends with for 3 years gave us a lot to talk about but once he said Matt's name I looked around forgetting that I had walked in with him.

"He's at the bar." Josh said pointing in the direction of where Matt sat.

"Oh..." I said softly as I studied Matt from where I stood.

"so I'll just go find the others. You clearly would rather be talking to Matt." he said with a grin and I felt my cheeks redden instantly.

"Would not."

He shrugged as if he didn't believe me, "He's a nice lad Madelynn, give it a go. What do you have to lose?" He asked giving my arm a squeeze before leaving me standing there alone.

He as well must assume I like Matt. Then again, it can't be an assumption when it in fact is true...no one just knew it yet.

I sighed and walked the short distance to where Matt was sitting.

"What's wrong?" I asked wrapping my arms around his neck from behind.

"Nuffin." he mumbled as he twirled his cup around on the table.

"Something is. You're sitting by yourself."

"I'm fine. Juss exhausted."

"Ok. If you say so." I said softly knowing he was lying. If there was one person in this world I could read better than themselves it was Matt.

I removed my arms from him and he turned in his seat to face me, "So yeh goin' afta Josh for some sick Dan revenge?" He asked with a grin and I frowned.

If he thought that, he was stupid. First off, I wouldn't do that because it isn't like me and secondly, could he not see that the only person I wouldn't mind being with at the moment was him? was he really that stupid?

"Um, no."

He ran his hand through his hair causing it to fall rather messily. I oddly found it pretty sexy if I do say so myself. I crossed my arms to hold back from touching his hair like I so badly wanted to at the moment.

"maybe yeh should, yeh know. I mean, Josh is a good lad. If yeh like him yeh should try it out." He said which eerily sounded like what Josh had just said seconds ago.

"...but I don't like him." I said boringly. This was starting really to get to me. I guess after admitting to myself that I in fact do like Matt it was hard to ignore it and him saying this just moved me the wrong way.

"Why not?" he asked cocking his head to the side like he was genuinely intrigued as to why I didn't in the least bit like Josh.

Oh my gosh. I like an idiot...

"Seriously Matt?" I asked.

"um, no?"

I groaned in frustration, "You are stupid."

"I didn't do anyfing!"

"Yes you did!" I said throwing my hands up and just walking away. I didn't know what else to do at this point.

"Maddie! Get yeh arse back here!" He said loudly and I knew he was only steps behind me so I quickened my pace and reached the table the guys and Sarah were at. I fell into Oli's lap and he looked at me confusingly as Matt reached the table. Surely he would drop it if they were all around.

Wrong.

How I was so wrong. Of course Matt wouldn't drop something so easily. Arguing was our second nature after all. Especially petty things like this...

"Maddie, what the fuck?" He asked crossing his arms as he sent me a look clearly asking me if I was insane.

I buried my face into the crook of Oli's neck and he rubbed my back lightly.

"what did yeh do ta her?" Oli asked defensively. No matter how much he complained about me or said that he didn't really like me. I knew he was lying when times like these happened.

"Nuffin! she bloody called me stupid and I said I didn't do anyfing and then she walked away yellin that I did! But I didn't do anyfing!" He said throwing up his hands in defeat.

"What did he do Madelynn?" Oli asked softly stroking my hair. I knew between the music playing and how close we were only he would be able to hear me.

"He asked me if I liked Josh." I mumbled.

"well, do yeh?"

"Of course not."

"well, love how would he know that wifout askin'?"

I shrugged and he chuckled, "Yeh fink he should be able to tell that yeh love him. huh?" He asked softly and I just decided to just let it be known. I was sick of pretending.

"Yeah."

"well maybe he finks yeh should be able ta tell that he loves yeh love." he whispered and I closed my eyes tightly.

"well?!" Matty asked growing more frustrated by the moment.

"He doesn't though." I said sitting up and Oli gave me look as if he was waiting for me to say just kidding.

"I don't what?! How can yeh bloody talk bout meh when I'm right here?!" Matty asked.

"Maybe yeh should ask him."

I shook my head no as Matty sighed in frustration, "Ask meh what! Yeh two reallah gettin' on my nerves!"

"Fine I will." Oli said and I quickly covered his mouth with my hand.

"Madelynn!" Matty said loudly and I looked over at him, "Yes?"

"ugh! Yeh make me so bloody angry some times!"

I couldn't help but start laughing at how flustered this had made him.

"Matty..." I said with a grin and he glared at me from where he was standing.

'You're so cute."

His cheeks turned light red and he rubbed his arm nervously, "Shut up. yeh not gonna make this betta by complimentin' meh." He mumbled.

Oliver was now laughing from underneath my hand and before I knew what was happening I felt him lick my palm which caused me to squeal, "Ewww!" I said jumping up from his lap and wiping my hand repeatedly onto his shirt.

He was in a fit of laughter along with Jona and I glared at him, "that's so gross! No one knows where your tongue as been."

"True but, I'll let yeh find out where it should beh." He said with a wink and Matty placed his arm around my waist defensively, "Oye! Don't talk ta her like that yeh perv."

"Thought yeh were mad at her mate?" Oli asked with an amused grin.

"Fuck." Matty said quickly removing his arms from me.

I laughed and turned to face him, "See, you can even be pretend mad at me."

"Thought that was already known." he mumbled.

I took the few steps between us and wrapped my arms around his torso and pressed myself against his chest. Why did this feel so, right and why couldn't I stop myself?

He sighed in defeat and wrapped his arms around me burying his face into my hair. I needed to be the mature one and just tell him. Tell him that I honestly wanted to be with him that in the short amount of time with him I realized how wrong Dan was for me all along and in fact how perfect he was for me. How we sort of completed each other in an odd way.

"Maddie...come outside wif meh for a moment." He said taking away my thoughts I had almost turned into actions.

I nodded and he linked his hand with mine, pulling through people until we reached the sidewalk outside the pub.

"What is it?" I asked crossing my arms to prevent the wind from hitting me. Like that would help.

"I love yeh." He said so bluntly I knew I had a confused look on my face for a good two minutes.

"Wait, what?"

"I love yeh and I wanna be wif yeh and I'm sorry I said I didn't feel anyfing when we kissed cause in fact it was the opposite of that. I felt so much for yeh but I know yeh don't feel that way bout meh so I lied and now I'm ruinin' everyfing..." he rambled as he was pacing in front of me in true Matt fashion.

I couldn't help but grin as his words sunk in, "You want to be with me?"

"I know, it's stupid and i'm sorrah I shouldn't have said anyfing. I mean, we're friends and friends don't do this and..." He mumbled his hand now covering his face as he walked back and forth quickly.

"Matty." I finally said as I grabbed his arm causing him to come to a halt.

He sighed and removed his hand to look at me.

"first of all, shut up. You're rambling again." I said with a grin and he frowned clearly not finding any of this amusing, "this isn't funny Maddie. Not at all. I didn't mean for this ta happen. It juss did. I would have neva asked yeh ta move in wif meh if I knew I would start fallin' for yeh so quickly. Yeh juss...yeh..." he fumbled and I brushed his hair with my fingers.

"You know...I didn't think I'd be in this situation...without Dan, living with you but everything happens for a reason ya know? And I'm glad it did really..."

"Why is that?" He asked softly his dark eyes locking with mine.

"Because if none of that happened I wouldn't be here with you."

"Yes yeh would Maddie, juss not here with me confessin' that I feel fings for yeh I shouldn't..."

"Why shouldn't you?"

"Is that a trick question?" He asked, his eyebrows narrowing together in seriousness.

I chuckled, "No."

"What do yeh feel for meh Madelynn?" He asked his hand sliding to my waist.

Now it was my turn to be in the hot seat and I could see why he didn't like it so much. I looked down at my feet as he pulled me closer to him.

"Maddie..." he said softly as he placed his free hand under my chin making me look up at him.

"I don't want you to think that I'm like rebounding with you..."

he sighed, "I don't fink that."

"I really like you Matty." I whispered and he gave me a grin, "Yeah?"

I nodded, "yeah...I'm just nervous."

"Why? Yeh know meh betta than anyone."

"Yeah, I use to be that way with Dan too."

He sighed and cupped my face, "Madelynn, I am not Dan nor do I ever plan to be remotely like him. I mean, there are countless fings that make meh betta than him. Like how I don't drink often and when I do I don't get piss drunk. So ok, his mistake will already neva happen and two, yeh know very well I'd ratha stay in then go out every night with my mates anyways."

I bit my lip and he brushed my cheek lightly, "I love yeh Maddie. I'm not gonna hurt yeh in any way. I mean, if anyfing yeh should believe that because I was always there for yeh when Dan did somefin stupid."

"I know." I whispered and he kissed my forehead.

"So be with me. Forget bout tha past. There's a reason why it's there and not here. Right here, right now is juss meh and yeh. No one else." He whispered,

I knew he was right about everything. He isn't Dan at all. Nothing about him resembles what Dan is and maybe that's part of the reason I like Matt. But no matter how you look at it, I Like him and I was maybe a bit stupidly, but none the less, wanting to give this a try.

"Ok, Matt. Let's see where this goes."

Here goes nothing.