The Assistant (Matt Sturniolo)

14

My email dinged and the phone rang at the same time. I sighed and put my head in my hands.

"You should answer that" a voice said and I found Matt walking by, smirking.

I gave him the finger and reached over to pick up the phone, muttering the usual greeting. He walked closer and sat on the edge of my desk, blowing a bubble with him gum.

"Let me transfer you. Yeah, you're welcome. Have a good day. Thank you" My voice was fake and my face was drained of colour. All while Matt was watching, only looking away to pick up the pictures around my computer.

I pressed hold and transferred the call. I set the phone down and watched as Matt picked up a picture of Robert and I as kids, pretending to like each other for the picture.

"Are these new?" He asked and I glare at him as he laughed. "I never would've pegged you two for blondes, you know?"

"I grew out of it" I said, opening a new tab and opening my email.

"You were cute kids" he commented and I found it hard to hold back my smile, it was rare to get a compliment from him. I looked at him as he set it down gently and picked up another one.

"What year is this from? You look like a cute teenager- are those braces? And blue eyeliner?" He exclaimed and I reached out to grab it, but he was too quick and he pressed it to his chest.

"Matt!" I whined as he pulled it away from his chest.

"Give me a hint"

"No!" I nearly yelled and he laughed, as I thought about pushing him off the desk.

"Let me think...2007 or something? Here's a date, I think"

"I hate you" I spat as he laughed, reading the date.

"What was on August 22nd, 2009, that you decided to wear a pink dress?"

"Maybe it was a wedding, okay? Give it back" I groaned and reached out for it and he held it back. He laughed and I begged for them back, but he didn't.

"Matt, stop" I sighed and looked back to my email. It dinged when the page loaded and I looked at the little blue dot with no hesitation.

"What's wrong with you, today?"

"I have a lot to do and you aren't helping" I answered, opening the email. Another person wanting Matt to represent them.

"You don't have to be crabby, Y/N" he sighed, poking my cheek before putting the picture down. I watched him pick the last one up, it was Holly and I at our graduation. He smiled and I wanted to forget the emails and apologise about my mood.

"Why don't you come with me to lunch? I heard there's a new place around the corner, it's supposed to be busy but I'm sure I could get us a nice table"

I forgot all about the email once I got halfway in before losing interest. I blame it on Matt. "Y/N?" He mumbled a few minutes later. Maybe it had been longer than I thought when I looked over to find him staring at me.

"What?"

"Anyone in there?" He teased, gently tapping my head. I rolled my eyes and listened to him laugh. "I was asking you to come to lunch with me? We can order a lot of food and share them like we did the other day when we got the Mexican. It was fun"

"Uh.." I started and my head whipped around when I think I saw someone. When I looked, it was just one of the interns.

"What are you looking at? Is there something I'm missing?"

"No, I thought I saw something, but..it's nothing" I mumbled and turned back to my computer. Matt chewed his gum and tapped his pencil on the top of the computer. It still bothered me how he defended Chloe and brushed it away, like I was lying. I thought we trusted each other, but not anymore.