Chapter Nineteen - The Avocado Toast Trade

The purple hearts floating upwards out of the frame looked nice. Now they were slowly transforming into circles and before I knew it, it was a round symmetrical pattern of multicoloured aces. And it was all spinning.

Hmm! It looks nice.

And suddenly, the patterns disappeared and I was on the edge of a cliff.

I looked down at my sandals. Then, for some deranged reason, I jumped.

My eyes snapped opened and I looked around frantically, still feeling the jittery aftershocks of that jump in the pit of my stomach.

Beside me, my enemy was watching me with raised brows before he shook his head to himself and looked ahead at the road. He was driving. I was in his car. My head turned sideways to find my house coming into view.

"How long was I out?"

"Five minutes." He pulled up in front of my house, averting his eyes to me. "A very good and calm five minutes."

"We were talking about rockets and then I..." I trailed off pensively.

"You were talking about rockets."

I sat up straighter in my seat.

"As I was saying," I started, earning a sigh from him. "They should be available to everyone like cars and motorcycles. Why do I have to become an astronaut to go to space? What if I don't wanna study all that and still wanna go to space? That's not fair. Don't you agree?"

"Actually, you—" he started but stopped himself for some reason as if thinking better of it.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing. Your house is here."

"So?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose before motioning towards my house with a jerk of his hand. "So go."

"Wait! What happened to Baby Shark? Did you turn it off?" I spat in disbelief, pointing to the radio.

"I was never playing it. It was just you singing at the top of your lungs." He sneered.

With a little frown, I started bobbing my head to the tune of Baby Shark playing in my head. Then I looked down at my hands and my clothes.

"Matt?"

After about five seconds, he asked in a monotone, "what now?"

"Why are my clothes wet?"

He glared at me.

"Wait." I blinked. "Your clothes are wet, too. What happened? Did we...did we do something?"

"Define something."

"Something..." I cleared my throat and leaned over to him to whisper, "we shouldn't have done."

He remained silent, looking on the verge of losing his shit. Then something shifted in his eyes as he considered me for a moment and leaned in with sudden interest.

"You don't remember?"

"No." I gasped slightly. "What happened?"

"Then I shouldn't tell you."

"Oh no!" My jaw dropped. "I need to know."

"What do you think could make our clothes wet?" He raised a suggestive brow and I started to panic.

I licked my lips. "I don't know."

"Why don't you think about it? Really reflect on it while you..." He leaned over me to push my door open before unbuckling my seatbelt. "...walk up to your house."

"Okay." I nodded and jumped out, baffled. I'd just taken a step forward when I remembered something and turned around to wave him bye with a smile.

The scornful look on his face wore off while his furrowed brows eased up, but he didn't return my wave or my smile. So, with a shrug, I started making my way towards the front porch.

Something on the side of the driveway caught my attention and I gasped. It was a red rose. Me and Mrs. Brooke had been waiting for it to blossom since forever and here it was.

"Hello there!" I whispered with wonder, crouching down in front of it. "You're finally here. Mrs. Brooke will be so happy to meet you."

I touched its petals and chuckled, then leaned over it to take a whiff. "And you smell so good. You've made us wait for quite a while, you know?"

Something behind it caught my attention and I gasped louder, completely in awe. "You brought your friends, too!" The other three roses looked just as pretty. "Hey, guys!"

I heard something very similar to somebody clearing their throat behind me but I was too invested in gazing at my new rose friends and I would've stayed there all night, most likely once I passed out right there, if something didn't curl around my arm and pull me up to my feet.

A little confused, I turned around to find Matt, who looked so done with me.

"What are you doing?" I slurred.

"What you're not in your senses to do right now. I'm walking you to your house. Apparently, just dropping you in front of it wasn't enough."

"Wait, but I'm talking to them."

His eyes narrowed and searched behind me. "Talking to whom?"

"Roses!" I pointed to the rose bush excitedly. "They've just arrived. Aren't they pretty?"

He looked equally incredulous and pissed as he eyed me skeptically. "You're doing this all on purpose, aren't you?"

"What?"

"That's it." He started dragging me up the porch steps by my arm, saying something under his breath that went along the lines of 'handles her liquor just fine, my ass'.

He let go of my arm once we were on the porch, and I leaned against the wall beside the door, staring back at the roses sadly.

"In the morning," I whispered to them.

The door opened after a moment and I heard Mrs. Brooke's voice. "Rebekah?"

Uh oh! She sounded mad.

So, I stepped in the doorway with a nervous smile. "Hey, Mrs. Brooke."

"Your curfew was 9." She shook her head, then looked at Matt with a grateful smile. "Thank you for bringing her home again, Matt."

He nodded. "It's fine."

Something behind Mrs. Brooke caught my attention. It was the little furball curled up on the couch, playing with a rubber duck.

"Hey there, kitty!" I cooed and made a beeline for him, picking his tiny self in my hands and raining kisses on his head.

Mrs. Brooke shut the front door after Matt and I felt her walk up to me. I stared at her feet, watching her hands lift to her hips.

I slowly moved my eyes up to her face, meeting the frown I was expecting, and gave her a lopsided smile. "Sorry. It won't happen again. I'm really really sorry. Please don't tell mom and dad. Pretty please."

Her glare didn't last long and she let out a sigh before walking towards the kitchen, saying, "I'll bring you some lemon juice."

"Great!"

I kicked off my sandals and propped my feet up on the table, caressing Cheeto's face with my thumb, watching him try to bite it desperately.

"Oh, I don't think so, little mister." I chuckled.

The doorbell rang.

"Come on." With a groan, I put Cheeto down on the couch and got up to answer the door.

Matt stood there, arms beside him on the door frame as he narrowed his eyes at me. "Did you mention a cat earlier?"

"No, a kitten."

Something dawned on him and he marched right past me into the house, freezing when his eyes fell on the couch. Then he lifted Cheeto up as if to examine him.

"Oh, please do come in and pick up my cat," I said sarcastically.

He slowly turned to me, a look of disbelief sitting in his eyes. "This is my cat."

I gasped, snatching Cheeto back. Matt let go of him without a struggle and looked like he almost blurted a 'careful' as eyed the cat in my hands with caution. I put Cheeto against my chest and shielded him, giving my enemy the shoulder. "No, mine."

He scoffed. "So, you're not just a thief, but also a querulous liar? What is this, some ploy to get me to train you? Are you trying to use my cat as leverage? Just when I thought you couldn't get any more childish."

"Wait. You mean this is really your cat?"

"Tell me what language you're fluent in and I'll translate it for you."

I blinked, staring down at Cheeto. "No wonder he's always ready for a fight. It makes sense now."

"Come again?"

I sighed. "This is a misunderstanding. I didn't steal him. I found him in my garden after school this afternoon."

He still looked a little skeptical as he extended his hand forward. "Okay then. I'm taking it back now."

"Cheeto is a he," I snapped defensively, holding him tightly to my chest.

"Cheeto?" he spat, almost like I'd violated him in some way.

I looked down at the cat with half a smile while stroking his back. "He responds well to it. So, I guess he likes it."

"You've had him for like six hours." He raised one side of his mouth with distaste.

"Fine. What's his name?"

Caught a little off guard, he looked down at the cat, then back into my eyes. "I haven't thought of one yet."

"Then it's Cheeto now," I declared.

"Yeah, right." He reached for him. No, please don't take him away from me. I wanted to cry as I held him close to my chest but I reminded myself he had to go at some point. I knew someone was going to show up for him eventually. So, I held him out reluctantly. I was going to miss him a lot.

But Matt didn't take him right away, so I looked up and found his eyes running across my face. Then he blinked and finally took hold of Cheeto, but not as exultantly as I'd imagined he would.

"Will you be able to remember his gender?" I smiled sarcastically.

He rolled his eyes. "It's hard to keep track of all of them."

"There's more?" I asked with bright eyes, hoping that I could keep this one but immediately realized that first, Matt wouldn't let me and second, even if by some miracle he did, I wouldn't want to separate Cheeto from his family.

"My cat laid out four last month. Three survived and it would've been two if I hadn't found this one today," his tone was slightly scolding and I realized he wasn't even in the conversation anymore as he scratched his cat's ears.

Cheeto purred in response, rolling his tiny form in Matt's arms and I felt a twinge of jealousy. If Matt hadn't shown up, Cheeto could have been my cat long enough to get used to me.

"Well, what are you planning to do with them? Sell them?" I narrowed my eyes.

"Nice try but you're not getting your hands on any of them."

"Whatever. You better not lose him again, Williams."

"You don't have to tell me that, Andrews. And for your information, I was worried sick looking for him."

I raised a brow. "Yeah. So worried you decided to go out and party when you couldn't find him."

His eye twitched. "Not like I owe you an explanation but I searched everywhere, okay? What was I supposed to do, throw him a funeral?"

I gasped loudly and covered Cheeto's ears. "What is wrong with you?"

He looked down at his cat, then back up at me, rolled his eyes and took a step back. "I'm gonna go."

"Okay." I nodded. "Take care of him and the others."

He walked out of the house and I shut the door after him. Then I sauntered back to the couch and picked up the rubber duck with a sigh. My little Cheeto.

Mrs. Brooke appeared in the room with a glass of lemon juice and looked down at the couch, then around the room with searching eyes. "Where did he go now?"

"Too soon, Mrs. Brooke. My heart hasn't recovered yet."

After having the lemon juice and then, dinner while explaining to Mrs. Brooke why Cheeto was gone all of a sudden, I went to bed.

Got home okay?

I texted Mack and Cheryl and within a minute, their replies popped up. They were fine.

I shut the lights off and went to sleep.

*****

Ah! The hangover!

"Hey, babe. Are you feeling okay?"

I peeked my eyes open to find Sean sitting on the edge of my bed, giving me his best smile.

"I am, now." I blushed, holding out my hand for him. "Come here."

He shifted closer to me.

And right before my eyes, the warm smile on his lips changed into an impish little smirk while his bright blue eyes turned into a brooding shade of brown.

And before I knew what was happening, it was my enemy hovering over me, his arms on either side of me to keep me trapped to the bed, not like I was planning to escape anyway.

"Matt?" I breathed.

"Becks?" he whispered, his eyes holding a spark that gave me freakish flutters in my stomach. "I just saved your life and I don't even get rewarded?"

"What...what do you want?"

He stooped his head lower and nuzzled his nose against my cheek, saying in a husky voice, "you tell me. You told me to come here."

I sucked in a breath as he pulled back. His eyes had a sensual edge to them as a sexy smirk curled across those perfect lips of his. I lifted my fingers to them, wanting to touch but for some reason, I couldn't.

I blinked. What was I doing?

"No, I didn't say that to you. I said it to—" I stopped talking when he tilted his head to the side as if telling me to not finish that.

"What was that?" He ran the back of his hand down my cheek.

"Never mind. Come here."

I grabbed his shirt and pulled him down.

"Rebekah?"

I blinked up at Sean. "Sean? When did you come here?"

"I never left."

"No! Where's..." I trailed off, looking around. He wasn't there.

Sean had my attention again when he touched my cheek so gently, so calmly. "Can I get you something?"

I finally managed to smile at him.

"Just your love. Lots of it," I replied cheesily with a wink.

With a little smile, he leaned down. I started to lift my head and he—

Licked my face.

I pulled back in confusion, then shrugged before leaning up again and he licked my face again.

"Why do you keep licking my face?"

"I-I don't know."

His eyes were wide and he leaned down, licking again.

I woke up to something licking my face. I see whiskers and a tongue keeps sticking out. Hmm is that a cat?

I sat up on the bed with a gasp and Cheeto fell on the covers. He didn't seem to mind as he started kneading them and rolling over.

"What the..." I trailed off.

"Finally. I thought you were dead," came a bored voice and I snapped my head up to find a figure sitting in my study chair, his eyes fixed at me.

I gasped louder, placing a hand over my racing heart, then composing myself to glare at him.

"Matt?" I looked around in confusion. What is he doing in my room? I blinked at him, then looked at Cheeto who was now licking his paws and I remembered how last night had ended with me finding out Cheeto was his cat.

"I'm still dreaming, aren't I? Get out of my head," I groaned, feeling a throbbing pain in my head. I brought my hands up to my temple and started massaging it.

"Are you saying I was in your dream?"

My eyes opened. This feels too real to be a dream.

I stared at him with wide eyes. "Wait. You're actually in my room. What are you doing here?"

"Have you ever considered getting a math tutor?"

"What?"

"You need one." He shut a notebook and placed it on my study table. It was my math notebook.

I shot him a glare, then all the events of last night slowly started coming back to me. "You brought me home."

"You're welcome."

"Did you stay here?" I blinked. "What are you doing here, again?"

He got up and started nearing my bed and I once again considered if this was a dream. He leaned down and I clutched the covers, eyeing him with anticipation until he grabbed Cheeto and took a step back. That's when I released a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

Wait, where was my mind going?

"He sneaked into your house again," he explained. "I'm just here to get him back. Mrs. Brooke let me in."

"I see. And you just decided to let him lick my face like an ice cream as I slept while you judged my math skills in a corner."

He shrugged. "I did."

I pressed my lips together. "You've got him. You can go now."

He stroked the cat's head and a cunning little look flashed in his eyes. "You know, you had a big smile on your face when he was doing that. What exactly were you dreaming about, Andrews?"

I pondered over that dream. Sean...licking my face? And before that, what the hell was I doing with Matt? I blinked back the images I knew I was going to have a hard time forgetting.

"You're looking at me like I was in it." He raised a brow but when I did not say anything, an incredulous look set in his eyes which soon morphed into an arrogant one as he cocked his head to the side.

Realizing that I'd been silent for long enough to give him ideas, I scoffed, "the only way you can ever be in my dream is if I dream about strangling someone. Or inflicting some other kind of torture."

"Don't you wanna wash your face first? You have cat saliva all over it."

"I'm gonna kill you," I snapped and tossed away the covers. Then I ran straight into my bathroom, locked the door behind me and washed my face and brushed my teeth before stomping back out.

It wasn't like I'd expected him to leave but the sight of him sitting on the edge of my bed like he owned it made me a little furious. Or flustered. Same thing. The only good thing was Cheeto next to him, who was on his back and touching his back paws with his front paws.

"I'm gonna ask this one last time before I scream bloody murder. How the fuck did you get into my room? Don't say Mrs. Brooke let you in because I know there's no way she would let you into my room while I was sleeping. Did you sneak in?"

"You're right. She didn't. She just answered the front door. And then, I sneaked into your room because I wanted to watch you sleep." He rolled his eyes sarcastically.

"Just cut the crap—"

"It was your mom who showed me to your room after I told her about my cat."

Wow! Mom didn't even think before sending a guy up to my room while I was sleeping? What if I was sleeping naked? I don't but what if I was?

"M-my mom?" I confirmed. "She's home? What time is it?"

I turned to my nighstand watch. 6 a.m. I can see them before school. I headed for the door to go downstairs but the sound of an engine made me stop and walk over to my window to find my parents' car pulling out of the driveway.

I sighed and turned around to Matt. "Your cat. Right. Of all the people living around us, Cheeto had to be yours."

"Right. He's mine." He got up. I watched as he took long strides towards me, holding my eyes in a smug gaze. "But this is all yours." He tossed something at me and I caught it out of my reflexes.

I eyed the white cloth with a frown. "What is this, a t-shirt?"

"It's still got my cologne." He smirked.

I furrowed my brows in confusion until I started recalling last night, how I'd implied that I loved the way he smelled. Oh God!

And what the hell was that piggyback ride about?

My face heated with embarrassment while my enemy watched me smugly through my realization and nodded. "Yes, all yours. Do whatever you want with it. I'm not gonna judge you. It's the most you're gonna get of me, after all."

What the hell happened to me last night? My cheeks flushed red and trying my best to keep a straight face, I slammed his t-shirt onto his chest. "I don't want it."

"Are you sure, considering you couldn't stop sniffing me and falling all over me last night?"

I felt a profuse blush redden my ears and neck as well. "I was drunk."

"And maybe you were just doing what you've wanted to do for so long."

"Get over yourself. I only liked your cologne and asked for...someone else." I shrugged, lifting my chin.

"Really?" He crossed his arms, clearly calling my bluff. "Who?"

"That's none of your business." I smiled sweetly just as he picked up Cheeto to leave. The kitten was in play mood again as he bit Matt's hand, who in turn scratched his head, making him let go so he could purr.

I bit back a smile, clearing my throat. "You can take your t-shirt back and in exchange, leave him here. It's a pretty good deal, if you ask me."

"I'll pass."

With that, he made his way out of my room with Cheeto. I waved at the kitten sadly. How could I love someone I'd known for not more than twenty four hours? Maybe that was true love.

I fell back in my bed and just stayed there for a while, playing last night in my head again. Matt had driven me home one more time. He'd saved me from drowning, from having a regretful kiss with Chad and from creepy Steve. Then, he'd fulfilled my absurd demand of a piggyback ride. Since when did enemies do that kind of stuff for each other?

Maybe he was just feeling guilty about not being able to keep his word about training and for implying I was a slut, and was trying to make up for it all. That had to be it.

Shaking my head, I got up to shower and get ready for school. When I was done dressing and brushing my hair, I decided to text Meera to ask how long she was going to take to reach my house.

But there was already a text from her.

Meera: Just letting you know I did try to sneak out after all, fell off my room window and sprained my ankle. Bad. Won't be at school for a couple of days. Call you tomorrow.

My jaw dropped. Why couldn't she just call us for help? Dammit! This girl! I decided to call her later since she wouldn't be up right now if she wasn't going to school.

I glided down the stairs and greeted Mrs. Brooke, "good morning, Mrs. Brooke."

"Morning, Becks. Sleep well?"

"Very well, if you're not counting the rough start to my day thanks to a certain enemy of mine."

"He's driven you home twice when you were vulnerable. You can't call him that anymore, Becks. Those are the rules."

"Where's that rulebook?" I asked while popping a grape in my mouth, eyes falling on the dog door which we had planted in our kitchen door last spring when we were taking care of the neighbour's dog while they were visiting Vermont for a family emergency. "Do you think Cheeto got in through that?"

"Yes. There's no other way. And he headed straight up to your room. How cute is that!"

"I know. I just wanna steal him and keep him with me forever." I brought my hands up to my chest as she placed two avocado toasts in front of me.

Just as I lifted it to my mouth, something caught my attention out of the window. It was Matt, throwing his bag in the backseat of his car.

Since Meera wasn't showing up, I'd decided to wait for the school bus. But if I rode with him, I could watch the football practice and admire my Prince Charming.

"I'll be right back," I told Mrs. Brooke and ran off to the door.

Matt had just started the engine and was beginning to pull out of his driveway when I jumped in front of his car and he hit the brakes immediately.

"What the fuck!" I read his lips as he began to roll his window down and stuck his head out. "Do you have an actual death wish? What is wrong with you?"

"The car had just started to move. Stop overreacting," I said as I made my way over to his side.

"What do you want?"

"If I give you my avocado toast, will you give me a ride to school?"

For a moment, he looked taken aback. Then, his eyes narrowed.

"Mrs. Brooke is an excellent cook. So, think before you give me an answer."

Now he looked kind of baffled. Aggressive bafflement where I could tell he was on the verge of cursing out loud. He opened his mouth to speak but thought better of it as he rolled his eyes and said, "fine!"

I blinked. "Really?"

"Yes. And I'm getting late."

"Right, of course! Just give me two minutes to get my stuff."

"Don't slouch. I'm really getting late."

I started to sprint towards my house but stopped upon realizing something and turned back to him. "You'll stay, right?"

"What?"

"I mean, you won't drive off while I'm getting my stuff, will you?"

After a long pause, he sneered, "I will, if you don't come back in two minutes."

"Okay!" I ran off to my house and while gathering my stuff, I kept looking out of the window to make sure he was still there. He was.

I hurriedly shoved my toasts in a lunchbox and grabbed a juice box before running to his car with my backpack flailing behind me.

"Let's go!" I gave him a thumbs up and five minutes into the drive, I opened my lunchbox and offered him the toast.

"I'm good," he said.

My brows pulled together. "What do you want then?"

"What?"

"For driving me to school."

He cut a glance at me. "Do you always think in transactions?"

"That's rich coming from the guy who won't keep his word simply because 'our scores won't tie'."

He cut me another glance and I told myself to shut the hell up if I didn't wanna be stranded on the way to school.

"About that—"

He was cut off by the loud ringing of my phone.

"Just a second," I muttered as I pulled it out of my pocket and looked at the caller ID.

"Hey, Cher," I answered.

"Oh my God, Becks! Did you get Meera's message?"

"Yes. She's so crazy. I can't believe she fell down her window."

"I know, right. We even asked her if she needed help sneaking out."

"I know. We would've done a much better job at it. Idiot." I rolled my eyes. "Have you talked to her yet?"

"No. I figured she'd be sleeping."

"Same. You wanna go to her house after school?"

"Yes. I'll let Mack know too."

"Mack doesn't know? She didn't text him?"

"I haven't talked to him yet." I heard some shuffling in the background. "But tell me, are you going to wait for the school bus or do you want me and Mack to pick you up?"

"Actually, it's fine." I cut a glance at Matt who had his eyes on the road. "I'm already on my way to school."

"With whom?"

"I asked Matt for a ride," I muttered casually. Or at least there was an attempt to be casual about it. It wasn't anything special, right?

There was a pause.

"I see." The smile in her voice became audible. "How's it going?"

"Um great. I'll meet you at school, okay?"

"Sure. Have fun," she sang the last part.

I let out a forced chuckle. "You, too."

I hung up and shook my head, just thinking about how much pain Meera must've been in this whole time with us having no clue. I exhaled. "My friend's an idiot."

"She's your friend, isn't she?"

I turned in my seat to give him a sardonic smile. "You don't even know who I'm talking about. You just never wanna let an opportunity go, do you?"

"It's Meera. And I'm guessing you went to school with her every day, so you had to ask me for a ride today." Matt shrugged.

I raised a brow at him. "How did you know it was her?"

"I figured. It's not like you have a big circle."

I bit into my toast with a grimace at him. "At least I have real friends."

"Right. The rest of us have to settle for imaginary ones."

The way he just sat there so indifferently, eyes fixed on the road, while throwing shade at me, made me want to just do something… violent.

"You know what I meant. We hang out because we want to. We have a real, meaningful bond. Unlike you and your chums, where the size of your friends' group is directly proportional to your popularity."

"It's not my fault I'm good at stuff and people look up to me and want to be my friend for that."

I fake gagged. "You're so full of yourself."

"You sound jealous. But all nobodies are, so I get it."

"And here I was being nice to you, offering you my favourite toast."

"And I'm driving you to school."

I smiled sarcastically even though he didn't see it. I was looking out of the window, enjoying my toast when I felt a fleeting weight on my lap and looked down. My other toast was gone.

"Hey!" My head snapped sideways to find him biting into it.

"I thought it was for me." He raised a brow.

"Yes. Five minutes ago."

"My bad." He took another big bite and half the toast was gone. What is it with guys and their giant-sized bites?

I huffed, pulling out my juice box and drinking from it.

"Are you even supposed to eat before practice?" I asked.

"Don't worry about me, Andrews. The toast was delicious. You tell Mrs. Brooke that."

I was taken aback. Did he actually appreciate it? Then I reminded myself that he was only my enemy and the toast was prepared by Mrs. Brooke.

"Worry about you? Trust me, that's the last thing I do."

He cut his eyes at me and smirked before the rest of the toast was gone.