Mathew pedaled hard against the warm Los Angeles sun, the late afternoon light casting long shadows across the pavement as he rode his trusty bike down Santa Monica Boulevard.
The familiar sights zipped past him—vibrant murals splashed across the walls, the smell of street tacos wafting through the air, and the distant sounds of laughter coming from a nearby playground.
He maneuvered through the bustling streets, dodging cars and weaving between pedestrians. He took a deep breath as he approached Santa Monica Place—a popular shopping mall in Los Angeles. Finding a bike rack, he slowed down, letting the wheels roll to a stop so he could lock up his bike.
Walking through the busy walkways, Mathew's eyes eagerly scanned the crowd for his friends. "Where are these guys?" He asked himself, reaching for his phone. Before he could text one of them, he heard Jess's unmistakable, happy, high-pitched voice over the crowds.
"Matt! Matt, over here!" Jess smiled as she skipped over to him. Without warning, she enveloped him in one of her hugs. "You made it!"
"Yup. It took me a while to get here on my bike, but it beats the traffic," Mathew grinned as she stepped back. Looking around, he looked for the rest of the crew. "Where is everyone? I thought we were supposed to meet at 1 pm?"
Jess squeaked in surprise and quickly averted her gaze, a guilty expression crossing her face as she instinctively sought somewhere to hide. "Oh! Well, you see," she stammered, her voice a little shaky as she began to explain. "Cece ended up having to meet her mom to help out with some last-minute chores. Apparently, her mom needed some extra hands around the house, so Cece couldn't make it. As for Nick and Schmidt, they had to cancel their plans too, but I'm not entirely sure why—something about 'unforeseen circumstances,' I think?" she added, rolling her eyes slightly. "And then there's Winston and Coach. They had to take Ferguson to the groomers because, let's say, he was in desperate need of a haircut!"
"Really?" Mathew asked with faux shock. "Well, ain't that an unfortunate series of events."
"Yup! Looks like it'll just be us two today!" Jess beamed before looking around at the shopping mall. "So, what should we do first?"
Mathew rolled his eyes with a hint of exasperation as he observed Jess's obvious attempts to secure some one-on-one time with him. It was a classic move. A move that would have generally worked on any other hormonal teenager. But he wasn't like most teenagers.
Still, that didn't change the fact that he could see what Jess was up to. He was well aware of Jess's crush—after all, it was hard to overlook the way she burst into laughter at his jokes, often more emphatically than warranted, or how her gaze lingered a little too long, her eyes sparkling with a mix of hope and affection.
Despite the undeniable attraction she felt for him, Mathew had no interest in dating at the moment. His mind was preoccupied with his own personal ambitions, leaving little room for romance.
However, he wasn't entirely dismissive of the idea of spending time with her. He found Jess to be engaging and fun; he enjoyed the camaraderie in their friendship.
So, with a sigh that mingled resignation and mild amusement, he decided to set aside any hesitation and embrace the prospect of hanging out with her for the day.
"Let's see... how about we go here first?" Mathew said with a smile as he pointed to a cozy-looking pizza shop. "I could use some lunch."
"Oh my god! Me too! Let's go!" Jess smiled and grabbed his arm. She always seemed to enjoy dragging him with her.
Mathew and Jess made their way into a comfortable pizza restaurant. The warm aroma of freshly baked dough and melting cheese filled their noses. Making their stomachs growl in hunger. They were quickly seated at a small table by the window, and Jess eagerly plopped down, her excitement infectious.
"I can't believe we're finally hanging out, just the two of us! This is going to be great," she chirped, scanning the menu with wide eyes.
Mathew chuckled. "Yeah, it's nice to take a break from the usual gang. How about we get a large pepperoni to share?"
"Absolutely! And maybe some garlic knots?" Jess suggested, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she leaned forward, conspiratorially whispering, "I heard they're super tasty here!"
He agreed, and soon enough, they were munching on their pizza, animatedly swapping stories from school.
Mathew found himself laughing more than he expected, especially as Jess regaled him with a story about her and Cece accidentally causing their science teacher to slip on a banana peel.
Her animated gestures and silly impressions made each new story come alive, from the time she accidentally wore two different shoes while messing up a math test where she mixed up the equations.
"Wait, so you're saying Nick thought 'solve for x' meant finding a treasure map?" Mathew chuckled at Jess's story about Nick during their math class.
"Hey, in his defense, 'X' does sound mysterious!" Jess defended herself faux-seriously, her laughter blending with his.
After finishing the pizza, they decided to explore the mall. Jess dragged Mathew into a quirky, colorful shop filled with all sorts of fun gadgets and games. They played with a handheld arcade console that featured retro games, and Mathew couldn't help but smile at her competitive spirit as she challenged him to beat her high score in a game of Tetris.
"Prepare to be dazzled by my skills!" Jess declared, her face a mask of concentration, cheeks puffed out in determination.
"Sure thing. Bring it on," Mathew replied with a grin.
As they battled pixelated blocks on the screen, Mathew noticed how vibrant Jess's laughter sounded each time she managed to clear a level. Her genuine joy was infectious, and he found himself feeling lighter, the worry about his upcoming spar temporarily forgotten.
Finally, their game ended in a tie, and they declared it a fantastic victory for both. Jess raised her hands in triumph, and they laughed together, the sound echoing off the walls filled with colorful merchandise.
"Okay, victory celebration! Hmm... how about some ice cream?" she suggested, her eyes already trailing to the ice cream stand across the corridor.
"That sounds great. I could use a scoop of chocolate," Mathew said, standing up and nudging her playfully, prompting Jess to blush lightly.
Mathew and Jess strolled side by side, their conversation filled with teasing and laughter. Time slipped away unnoticed as they wandered deeper into the mall.
With each moment they shared, Mathew grew to appreciate Jess's company more and more. He realized that taking a break from his training and studying to enjoy small moments like this wasn't so bad after all.
He was still young, he should enjoy being a real teenager more often.
Turning to Jess, Mathew stuck out his tongue at her choice of flavor. The sounds of rolling waves from the beach filled the air in front of him. "Hold up. You like mint chip? That's gross."
"What! No, it's not! You take that back!"
After a short back and forth over ice cream flavors, the two found a lone bench next to the beach. Taking a seat, Jess and Mathew sat in silence and watched the sparkling ocean under the orange evening sky.
It's time I stop this. Mathew thought with resolution. I won't lead her on.
At the same time, Jess felt her heart begin to beat quickly as she gathered her courage. This was her chance. She had the opportunity to ask Mathew the question that had been on her mind for a long time.
"Um, Matt? I... I really-"
"Jess." Mathew interrupted Jess; his eyes locked on the rolling waves. "I'm glad we're friends. You're one of the most fun people I've ever met."
"Ah, thanks. You're really fun, too." Jess beamed, her face flushed. "We could... we could be more than friends."
"I'm sorry, Jess. But I'm not looking for a relationship right now." Mathew softly said with a tiny smile. "You're great, Jess. Any guy would be ecstatic to be with you. But right now... I don't think I can see you as anything but a good friend."
A tightness filled Jess's chest at his words. Disappointment and heartbreak overcame her, causing her eyes to sting. Blinking quickly, Jess cleared her throat as she shied away from Mathew.
"O-oh... I see," Jess's once bright and cheerful voice turned low and whispered. "Is it because of someone else?"
"No, nothing like that. Right now, I want to focus on myself and my future. But that doesn't mean we can't hang out together like we did today. You're my friend, Jess. It's because of you that I'm not alone at school, and I now have so many more friends. We may not be able to be a couple right now, but I still value you a lot." Mathew said sincerely as he reached out to place his hand over hers. "Is that... okay?"
Jess sniffed and pushed past her aching heart to think. After a moment of silence, she forced herself to smile and gave Mathew a nod.
"Yeah... that's okay." She said with a ghost of her usual bubbly self. "I'd love to continue being your friend."
Mathew smiled in relief, and Jess quickly embraced him with a hug. Feeling her tremble, he sighed and brought her in close.
"Thank you, Matt."
"It's nothing, Jess," Mathew said, pushing Jess away gently. Her eyes were slightly red. "How about this? For making you cry, I'll forget that you have such terrible taste."
Jess blinked in confusion before she turned to her half-eaten mint-chip ice cream. A slow chuckle escaped her chest before she was nothing but giggles.
"You're such an ass."
"Ouch."