CHAPTER 4: A Sensitive Side of Lori
"Are we still going bowling dude?" Matt asked.
"Yeah." Greg replied. "You can invite that chic if you wanna."
"I already did, but I didn't really get an answer." Matt admitted.
"So go find her and get an answer from her." Greg advised.
"I would if I knew where she was." Matt said dryly.
"She went outside." Greg laughed. "Go find her."
"Fuck." Matt muttered. He jogged out of the store and looked around. He spotted a blonde girl sitting on a bench with her head in her hands.
When she looked up and saw Matt watching her she looked away and said, "Quit following me. It's getting really annoying. It's cool and all, but still..it's freaking me out."
"Lorr, is this seat taken?" he asked when he got the courage to approach her.
She looked over at the seat and then looked away. Obviously it's not taken if nobody's sitting in it dumbass, she thought to herself. Just kidding.
"You know...you act so tough and everything but I bet there's a sweet side of you in there somewhere." he said looking over at her. He slid his hands in his pockets.
"YOU'LL never know." she told him.
"Why do you act so tough Lorr?" he asked eyeing her. He looked her up and down.
"Because I have to." she said leaning her head against the back of the bench.
"Why do you have to?"
"Because I just do."
"I'm sure there's a reason."
"There is. I just don't want to tell you 'cuz I dunno you." she said simply.
"You don't know me? I'm sure you know some things about me. You used to be a Dream Street fan. Did you forget everything you probably learned about us?"
"No. I didn't say I forgot. I just...sure I know some things about you, but I don't know the REAL you. You know...the guy out of the spotlight." she stated.
"Are you saying that you want to get to know me out of the spotlight?"
"Kinda. Yeah. I am." she confessed.
"Come bowling with me and Greg and we can all get to know each other. We can get to know you and you can get to know us out of the spotlight." Matt said. "You can go home first....we'll give you a ride so you don't have to be alone."
"Matt I've been alone for as long as I can remember." she said sitting up and looking at him. "Believe me...it's nothing new. I can handle being alone."
"Well, I want you to come with us." Matt told her. "And I don't think you can handle being alone. If you could you wouldn't be upset and negative."
"You don't know anything about me Matt." she retorted.
"I know that you don't want to be alone so come with us." he insisted. "I'm sure Greg won't mind."
"How can you give me a ride if you.....?" she asked.
"We'd follow you home." he said.
"Great." She rolled her eyes.
"You want me to come with you?"
"Yeah, I do, but you can't and I can't let you."
"Why not?"
"Because I just can't."
"WHY?"
"Because I just can't Matt. Sorry."
She opened her purse and pulled out a pack of gum, making a keychain with a picture of Dream Street in it fall out. Matt reached down and picked it up in his hand. He looked at it and just smiled. Then he handed it to her. "This dropped out."
Taking it from him she said, "OK. Thanks." She avoided all eye contact. She threw it back in her purse and tossed a piece of gum in her mouth, crumbling up the piece of paper and then tossed it in her purse.
"You look so pissed off." Matt observed. "What's wrong Lori?"
"You're right. I can't handle being alone. I hate it. It fuckin' sucks." She blurted out angrily. Tears fell from her eyes and Matt put his arm around her, trying to calm her down.
"Ssh. It's OK." he repeated. He looked around and she buried her face in her hands as she cried on his shoulder.
"What's wrong with her?" Greg asked walking up to them.
"She's just upset." Matt said simply.
"She should go bowling with us." Greg said. "It'll be fun. It can get her mind off of whatever she's thinking about."
"Did you ask her yet Matt?" Greg asked him.
"I didn't get an answer." Matt told him. He looked down at Lori, who wasn't crying anymore. She was resting her head on his shoulder with her eyes closed.
"Wake her up and ask her." Greg laughed.
Lori opened her eyes and said, "I'm awake. You don't have to wake me up." She lifted her head up off Matt's shoulder and wiped away her tears with the sleeve of her shirt.
"Do you want to go bowling with us for a couple hours?" Matt asked her.
Smiling she said, "Yeah. Sounds like fun."
"About time you smiled." He lightly stroked her cheek and said, "You're prettier when you do."
"Oooh." Greg teased.
"Grow up." Lori said glaring at Greg.
"Oooh. She's a feisty one. You sure you can handle her Matt?" Greg joked.
"Shuddup!" Lori shrieked.
A few people turned their heads in their direction to see what the commotion was, but soon went about their business. Matt looked at her then at Greg. "You still haven't answered my question Matt." Greg told him.
"And I don't plan on answering it so don't get your hopes up too high." Matt shot back.
"Quit arguing you two. If I wanted to listen to people argue I'd watch Jerry Springer." Lori joked.
"Very funny." Greg said sarcastically.
Matt chuckled and said, "OK Lorr. We'll quit arguing."
"Good." was all she said.
* Chapter 5 *