Perfect Match

by Monica Miller

  The thought of losing Matt forever was insupportable. I always thought maybe it was just a phase or that he’ll break up soon enough with her, and he said that he was dating her because she was emotionally instable because of Ben’s moving to New York. But maybe he was too, and I had no idea. Maybe it affected him just as much it affected her. Ben was his best friend and they were like brothers. He even moved to Los Angeles so they could be close again like they were in high school. And I understood that, I had the same feeling towards him. He was my best friend before he was my teenage dream. And I knew I should be mature now and the teenage dream was long gone.

  But a girl can dream right?

  No, she shouldn’t when she is so aware of how much that would hurt her, my brain scolded me.

  I was getting super excited and thinking way too much so I knocked again on Gabrielle’s door. Two seconds ago I heard footsteps coming and I heard the door unlocking and it revealed an almost naked Gabrielle with messy bed-hair who was trying to button her shirt as she flashed me a smile.

  “Emma!” she said with a guilty smile. “It’s not a…”

  I didn’t hear what she said as I stormed into her apartment only to find an almost naked Jensen Ackles on her couch. I didn’t even have the shame to look away and I kept staring at him. I mean, do you know that moment when you meet your celebrity crush? Yeah, me neither. And there he was, almost naked, rocking a pair of black Calvin Klein boxers and… nothing else.

  “Emma. It’s rude,” Gabrielle whispered to me as she looked over at Jensen. “Sorry.”

  Jensen nodded and put his pants on and sat on the couch and Gabrielle raised an eyebrow, while he was standing there like it was the most normal thing in the world.

  “What?” he asked raising an eyebrow, too. Dude, the man is so hot! “I’m not planning on leaving soon, Gabrielle. Plus, you said you’ll attend the People’s Choice Awards with me and the date is not over,” he told her as he looked at his watch. “You must be Emma, right?”

  “It’s not a date!” Gabrielle hissed and looked at me. “I’m so sorry, I’ll…”

  “I-I can go if you want to,” I said quickly still staring at Jensen who flashed me a warm smile.

  “Of course it’s a date, anyone knows that. You were my date at the Awards, so…”

  “Just because Danneel didn’t show! And I don’t do this at first date, anyway…” Gabrielle said. “It’s nothing personal! I’m supposed to…”

  “Yeah, yeah… Then what does it take to take you on a date? What do you usually do on a date? And would you make something to eat till I get to know Emma a little?”

  “I usually go to dinner and you don’t get to meet…”

  “Okay, if that’s what it takes. Now shut up and go,” I told her with a smile as I pushed her towards the kitchen then returned to the couch and sat next to Jensen, but far enough so Gabrielle wouldn’t be bothered about it. Oh my god, I was sitting next to Jensen Ackles! Matt would totally laugh about… Yeah, and that leads me to the reason why I’m here.

  “So Emma…” Jensen started stopping my mind to wander around. “Gabs talks a lot about you, you know? She said you’re the greatest friend anyone could have.”

  “Did she?” I asked with my eyes wide open. I knew she appreciated my friendship, but she talked about me with Jensen Ackles?

  “Yeah. But she doesn’t want me to meet her friends. She’s weird, isn’t she?” he asked and I nodded. He was still shirtless a seat away from me. How could he be so manly, hot and cool about it in the same time?

  “There you go. I know what you like, so just shut up,” Gabrielle told him as he gave him a sandwich and sat next to me. “What’s wrong, Emma?”

  I took a deep breath and looked at Jensen who was oblivious to us, enjoying his sandwich like they were the only people in the world. Then the thought of “actor being his character” crossed my mind. I smiled and Gabrielle rolled her eyes, but I knew she enjoyed him being there. Although she was still dating Shia. And that reminded me of why I came here in the first place.

  “Matt and Monica are getting married.”

  “What?!” she yelled as I heard Jensen choke with his sandwich. “So that’s why she’s been calling me? Because she’s… what? Getting married? To Matt? That…”

  “It’s silly. It won’t last,” Jensen said and came back to enjoy his sandwich.

  “Why are you saying that? They are… you know…”

  “Doesn’t matter. Matt doesn’t love her like he should, right?” He took another huge bite of his sandwich and looked at Gabrielle who was staring at him in shock. “What? I actually listen to what you say. And you’ve been talking about it in the last five to eight months so I can’t be that stupid and not understand who is who and stuff.”

  “I love this guy,” I muttered to her and she nodded so slowly I barely realized she moved. “Matt seemed sure about it and I just… Can’t…” I sighed. “I’m happy for him.”

  “Lie,” Jensen said and smirked at me.

  “What are you, Ackles: a lie detector?” Gabrielle scolded him. “And Emma, you’re not. You would’ve been… crazy and stupid if you were happy for him. I know how much you…”

  “There is no need to remind me. I know it too well.”

  “Then why are you waiting? Go get him back,” Jensen told me with a shrug. “It wouldn’t be too hard looking like that,” he added checking me out. I blushed and looked away.

  “Not that simple. He decided that, no matter what happened between us. Or could have happened.”

  “That guy is stupid if you ask me,” Jensen said.

  “We didn’t,” Gabrielle said with a sigh. “So Rick’s not at home, right?”

  “Nope, he has this important game with his team and I didn’t wanna bother him… And I bothered you instead.”

  “No trouble, Em,” Jensen said and winked at me.

  “Yes, he’s right. I’m here for you, okay?” Gabrielle told me and hugged me. “He’s so stupid, god!” she whispered and Jensen smiled.

  I ended up watching an episode of Supernatural with Jensen’s commentaries all over the episode, that he wanted to do I don’t know what scene and they didn’t allow him so that’s why he started directing the episodes and got to do whatever he wanted. He also scolded Gabrielle for not letting him meet her friends, because he said he had introduced her to Jared and Misha and it wasn’t fair.

  Gabrielle didn’t talk too much and I knew she wasn’t paying attention to the episode and her mind seemed to wonder. She surely was thinking about the fact that she was still dating Shia, but she appeared with Jensen on the red carpet because she was working with him and he needed a date since he replied “RSPV +1” and he suggested her and she had to accept. Then she had him at home and I interrupted them, a thing I didn’t like too much, it was pretty embarrassing, and Jensen was acting way cooler than Shia. I never had a normal conversation with Shia, not because he was an arrogant superstar, but because I felt pretty uncomfortable around him, but Jensen was cool and he didn’t seem to take himself too seriously. We joked all over and laughed as he tried to keep my mind off Matt and his fiancée.

  At midnight Jensen agreed it was way too late and he offered to give me a ride home and Gabrielle seemed a little disappointed and happy in the same time that he didn’t stay and he told her good bye and he kissed her on the cheek, but she grabbed his collar and kissed him and I turned away and tried to hide a smile. Oh, Gabrielle!

  We talked all the way to my apartment and he listened to the same music Dean did in Supernatural, only that he was funnier singing along and not caring about the fact that the volume was so loud and every car looked at his Impala. I could bet it was the same car Dean had in Supernatural, since I read somewhere he wanted that car, but I wasn’t going to ask him about it and sound like a complete fangirl… Although I was one. God, driving with Jensen Ackles!

  “It was a pleasure meeting you, Emma,” he said when the car sto
pped. “Listen I know Gabrielle is dating Shia and I, myself, am dating Danneel for now, but you know… Do they get along really well or…?”

  “You should try your luck you know. Things aren’t as perfect as she wants everyone to think.”

  “You should try your luck too, kid. Don’t let him go away, okay?”

  I nodded even though I knew I wouldn’t do anything.

  *

  I entered the dark room and sighed because Rick wasn’t home yet. I wasn’t in the mood to sleep and I wanted to spend the night talking to Rick, because I didn’t want to think about that Matt and Monica were getting married. I could easily get over that fact while hanging with Jensen and Gabrielle, mostly thanks to Jensen. Seriously, he has all style and everything, but his features are carefully made, his jawline so perfectly shaped and he looked like a Greek God. Just like a man should be.

  Then I realized I was daydreaming about the guy Gabrielle likes. Because after all the hours I spent with them today, there was no doubt she was indeed crazy about him. She and half of this planet. Me included.

  So I took my jacket off and threw it on the bed and opened my laptop. I couldn’t be alone right now, but there was no one else to call, so I sat on the chair while opening the buttons of my shirt and running a hand through my hair. I opened my e-mail account and stared at my last e-mails, from and to Matt. I sighed and got up from the chair and went to the bathroom and opened the water.

  I spent almost half an hour under the amazing feeling the water has streaming down my body and which made me forget about everything. I let myself relax for a while then got of the shower and wrapped myself in a towel and headed to my bedroom. I hated Rick wasn’t home yet. Maybe he had a great match and he was celebrating or… anything. I can’t think of my brother being with a girl so…

  I ran my hand through my wet hair, took a deep breath and started typing.

  To: Katerine Daniels

  From: Emma West

  Subject: Marriage (!)

  Hello, Kate!

  How’s everything going in our rainy London? I hope you’re doing better than last time we walked. I always thought you work too much.

  So… Look, you know I’m not good at small talk so I’ll go straight to the point. Matt and Monica are getting married. I don’t know why you thought things could eventually work out between me and that… nice friend of mine, but right now… Not even meeting Jensen made it better. I think I wasn’t good enough. And now I can’t stay there and watch them all happy and… Could you, please, tell me what do you think?

  Miss you,

  Emma.

  I wiped away a tear from my cheek and dressed in the purple satin Victoria’s Secret pajama Gabrielle gifted me a few weeks ago and sat on my bed with my laptop on my top.

  After surfing on the internet for a few minutes, I noticed a new e-mail on my account.

  To: Emma West

  From: Katerine Daniels

  Subject: Are you bloody mad?

  GO GET MATT BACK!

  Are you honestly gonna let that bloody bleach blonde steal your Matt? No, no. They are dreadful together, even though maybe when they are together they just… brag about how great they look or something.

  Look if you want something, you have to fight for it, Emma. And you have to fight for Matt. You can’t, you mustn’t let her get him. Okay?

  And have you met Jensen?!

  Your surprised friend,

  Kate.

  Just when I was about to reply I heard the doorbell. I sighed and thought maybe my amazing brother was too wasted to use his key and ran to the door. I ran my hand before opening the door and my jaw nearly dropped on the floor when I noticed Matt standing leaning against the door’s frame with a grin on his face.

  “Hey, Ems,” he said like it was so usual for him to come and see me past midnight.

  “Is… Everything alright?” I asked as I took a step back and let him inside.

  “Yep. I just needed… some time,” Matt smiled and shrugged as he ruffled my hair. “Monica’s out for the weekend again… So I came here to see you.”

  “You know that’s not … normal, right?”

  “Why not? We lived together for a long time. And we’re friends, so it’s understandable. Man, you look amazing,” he said with a smirk as he looked at my almost bare body.

  Thank you, Gabrielle!

  “Yeah…”

  “Did I bother you or something?” he asked as he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “I thought we could see a movie or something. Like old times,” he added with a weak smile.

  I raised my head and looked at him, into his deep blue eyes, the eyes I thought I knew better than anyone’s, but who totally deceived me… I noticed his perfectly shaped lips, which I recalled that tasted heavenly, and my eyes followed his raw jawline, and noticed he was almost growing a beard. He took a step closer, and I could feel his breath on my cheek as my heart started racing. I wanted him to realize the effect he had on me, but that would make me vulnerable again, and I certainly didn’t want that.

  “Sure,” I finally replied. “You order pizza!” I said before he opened his mouth.

  “Fine,” he muttered as he pulled out his phone. “But you stay dressed like that!” he shouted when I entered my bedroom and took a black fluffy robe. “You’re not fun,” he complained when I returned in the living room. “Where’s Ricky?”

  “I don’t know,” I said as I carefully sat next to him. "Plus you really want Rick here since he can't even stand the thought of you?" I said with a laugh and then realized just how cruel that sounded. “So… what shall we see?”

  “Hmm… You pick, Ems,” he said with a smirk and I felt my heart froze.

  This was definitely going to be a long night.

  Chapter 31

  Arrogance

  ~ Matt Nicholls ~

  I heard a strange noise then felt that my body hurts. My back especially ached, and I couldn’t open my eyes. I felt so tired! I tried to move a little bit and then felt a warm body next to mine and someone’s hand on my chest. I, myself, had my hand around someone. Oh, Monica. I smiled to myself and slowly let my hand caress her back while I felt my entire body coming to life. I opened my eyes and leaned to her just when my hand caught her butt and then realized it wasn’t Monica and Emma opened her eyes and pushed me so fast I fell on the floor, with Emma on top of me.

  “Ouch! What’s the matter with you?” Emma yelled at me as she got to her feet and ran a hand through her messy hair.

  “What?” I asked and looked around and remembered I stayed overnight at Emma’s and we fell asleep on the couch while watching Les Miserables.

  “Nothing!” she screamed and hurried to the bathroom.

  Fuck! Why did I have to come here? I knew it would be a bad idea, but would that stop me? Obviously not.

  I leaned onto the couch still on the floor and supported my head in my hands and sighed. This thing with Emma - us being friends again wasn’t going to well. I was trying to act as normal as I could around her, even though I always had this awful urge to push her on a wall and kiss her until I forget my fucking name, but I couldn’t do that, right?

  “Hey… I’m sorry I overreacted,” Emma said when she returned in the living room completely dressed.

  I looked at her and realized her hair looked so good and her short black dress was so tight on her tiny body that it made her curves seem even more appealing. I slowly nodded and she gave me a smile as she came to sit next to me on the couch.

  “I think I should go and… change? And I’ll… see you at work.”

  “I can come with you now and then we could go together,” Emma suggested with a shrug.

  Wow. I never would’ve thought I would hear her say something like this so casually. The truth is it was pretty uncomfortable sometimes between us because I had no idea how to fight the urge of kissing her until both of us forget everything.

  “That would be… perf
ection.”

  “Okay, Chandler,” she joked and for a moment I couldn’t understand her Friends reference. “What? You know? When Chandler got stuck with Jill Goodacre and … Oh, forget it.”

  “No, I get it,” I said and she laughed.

  “We should go,” she said with a smile. “You’re good for nothing anyways.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Always,” she replied as she looked me in the eyes and I felt my heart racing in my chest.

  I followed her outside the building trying not to stare at her long, perfect legs or the way her ass looked in that tight black dress. This was wrong. Monica would kill me. Emma would definitely kill me.

  “So is Rick seeing someone?” I asked hurrying to open the door for her and she smiled at me like she usually did.

  “Nope, why?” Emma asked as she ran her hand through her hair while looking at her reflection in the mirror.

  “Cause he wasn’t there last night? He does that often?”

  “No… But he had this… championship, I guess, at work and maybe he went to celebrate and we both know how Rick gets after a few drinks,” Emma joked and I nodded, remembering the night when he started singing “Happy Birthday” on Christmas, a few years ago.

  “Yeah, that’s true,” I replied starting the engine with a smile on my face.

  “What? What are you thinking of?”

  “Nothing,” I said as my smile grew bigger.

  “Christmas, a few years ago,” she replied like she was reading my mind. I never get used to the fact that we know each other so well. “Yeah, that’s weird too. The fact that I know what you’re thinking,” she continued and I stared at her.

  “Weird would be the right word.”