"Mall after class to go Halloween shopping?" Julia asks as we all walk into Home Ec. It is Thursday and I still have no idea what to wear Saturday, only slightly beginning to panic.

"I have work, sorry guys," Amanda says before sitting in her seat a row in front of us. I take my seat, Julia at the table to my left looking at me for an answer. I hold up a finger before looking at Matt.

"You get out of practice at 5 today, right?"

"Yeah, we still on for training after?" he asks, rubbing his face. He has been so busy lately I know he is exhausted. Between wrestling, training at the gym, training me, working there a few nights a week, and school, I am not really sure when he sleeps anymore. They just started two a day so he is here in the morning an hour before school starts for cardio and the two hours after school for practice.

"If you're up to it, if you aren't I totally understand." He tries to hide a yawn and shakes his head no.

"No I am fine, 5:30 training got it." I sigh, wishing he would take some time for himself but also selfishly wanting to spend time with him too. We haven't really hung out since I studied at his house last week and Friday at the party before Asher ruined it. I know once the season starts things are going to be even busier and I already miss hanging out multiple times a week.

"J, I am down to shop after school but I need to be at the gym by 5:30." She gives me a thumbs up and we turn our attention to Mrs. Wright. I play with Matt's hand under the table, something that has become a new habit this week. I wonder if the table behind us can see it? Probably not;  we sit nearly shoulder to shoulder, our chairs basically touching.

When the bell rings, Matt groans and leans on the table. "I just want to fucking relax, God dammit," he complains. He finally stands up and tries to fake a smile for me. "Stop looking worried, I am fine, just need to get back into the routine of it all."

"How about we train a different day," I suggest, wishing he would stop being so stubborn.

"No stop, walk with me to my locker?" I roll my eyes but walk with him anyways. We talk about what homework is due for tomorrow and I offer to send him the answers for Physics but he declines saying he will be lost in class if he just copies. "Sorry, I am holding you up," he says when we get to his locker. I watch what books he grabs, making sure he grabs the right ones and not the wrong one like he did Monday.

"It is all good, Julia likes to walk Kyle to practice anyways." He nods and shuts his locker, both of us walking down the nearly empty halls to the locker room. The stares are still pretty noticeable, but we definitely attract less attention when we walk together now than we did in the beginning.

Before we turn the corner to the locker rooms, Matt stops me making sure no one is coming before kissing me quickly. "I don't care how tired I am, please sleepover Friday?" I want to say yes so badly, but he needs to sleep. "Stop, I know that look. Don't do this, just say yes. I promise as soon as you come over I will sleep but I miss just hanging out together."

I look up at him and he sticks out his bottom lip and gives me the sad puppy eyes. I sigh before finally caving, "Fine, on two conditions. One, we go to bed super early, and two I get to cook you dinner."

His entire face lights up when I agree, kissing me again. "Deal, as long as I get to pick dessert."

"Which will be?"

"You." My heart rate immediately speeds up as his eyes trail from my face down my body. I swallow and nod my head, not able to find my voice to speak. "Perfect," he whispers, snaking his arm around my waist and grabbing my ass. If anyone was ever wondering, Matt Dean is 100% an ass guy.

I hear Julia coming down the hall complaining, I think to herself, about how I am always missing. Matt pulls away and walks toward the locker room giving her a quick head nod as they pass in the hallway. "Oh? What were you two talking about?"

"Just training stuff. I was wondering what we were going to do tonight and he was going over a few different options. Pretty boring stuff."

Julia rolls her eyes as we walk out the building. "I can't believe you haven't hooked up with him yet, girl if I was you I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off." I nod, feeling guilty that she doesn't know. I want so badly to tell her about us but besides Sasha no one knows. For right now it is just better that way.

We drive to the mall and head to Urban Outfitters first. As soon as I walk in a pair of black ripped jean shorts catches my eye and I pick them up. I walk around looking at a few other things with Julia before we head to the fitting room. I pull on the shorts and look at myself in the mirror. Wow, they're...short.

"J, come here, what do you think?" I call to her and she comes into the fitting room with me. "Oh wait, that is so fucking cute!" She is wearing a tight red dress that hits all the right curves. She is going to be the hottest devil at this party for sure. Kyle is being an angel, it is actually really cute.

"You have to get those shorts Syd, holy shit!" She turns me around to look in the mirror and I try and pull them down a little realizing my ass is nearly out. "Stop! Show your ass, it is great! You look so hot!" I blush as she hypes me up. I agree to buy the shorts and she leaves me to change.

I pay for the shorts and a black bandana I am not quite sure what I am doing with yet, but it looked cute. "Where next?" I ask Julia as we walk out.

"Ok, well I found my dress and I have everything else, so what do you need for your prisoner outfit?" We walk into Starbucks and grab coffees while I think.

"I need a black and white striped shirt and I am thinking fishnet tights? To wear with the shorts?"

"Oh that is a must! Yes ok, let's go to Forever 21, they definitely have the tights and maybe the shirt too." We head across the mall to Forever 21, stopping in some other stores as we go just looking.

"So how are you and Kyle?" I ask and watch her face light up. I am so happy she is happy, she deserves the world.

"Well...I told him I loved him yesterday, so there is that." I stop, dropping the pillow I am holding and look at her.

"Repeat that please." She smiles, blushing a little, and covering her face. "Julia, that is like huge! What did he say!?"

"He said it back, instantly, with so much confidence like not a doubt in his mind that he meant it." I grab her shoulders and shake her a little, so excited.

"Ah! J! I am so happy for you two!" She hugs me and we continue shopping, finally reaching Forever 21.

"So like Matt, do you like him?" she asks, but not in her usual annoying way. She isn't asking to be annoying, she is asking out of pure love for me.

"I don't really know," I answer honestly, grabbing a pair of fishnet tights and walking to find a shirt.

"You don't know?" she asks, looking confused. "How do you not know? I mean, shouldn't it be pretty obvious?"  She pulls a shirt off the rack and shows it to me but I give it a thumbs down and keep moving.

"It is just...complicated. I mean I like him, but how do I know my feelings are something more than just liking to spend time with him?" I pick up a shirt and decide to hold it to try on. Julia makes a face at it but I ignore her.

"Ahh, the 'Is he my Noah or is he my Hardin?' debate. Well when you are together, do you ever just look at him and be like damn I would love to see him naked?" I turn to her and grab her, pulling her away from a crowd of girls looking at us.

"Shut the fuck up, why are you so loud?" I whisper-yell, putting my hand over her mouth.

She pulls it away and says, "Well? Do you?"

"I mean, I've had...dreams about us doing," I look around to make sure no one is looking, "it."

"Oh well then it is settled, he is totally your Hardin. Oh and also try this on," she grabs a shirt off the rack and shoves it into my hand. It is a black and white high neck shirt that is extremely tight and will probably just come below my boobs. I shrug, walking to the fitting room with it and a few other shirts I grabbed.

"I don't know, he doesn't date you know that." I walk into the fitting room and she barges in behind me sitting in the corner watching me. I try on the first shirt and we both hate it.

"He didn't date. He also never hung out with anyone ever and now he literally spends all his free time with you. I heard his friends bitching the other day at his locker that he is always ditching them for the blonde chick."

"That doesn't mean he suddenly dates now, J." I try on two more shirts, both just being ok but nothing special. If the shirt Julia picked doesn't work out I am going to scream since it is already 4pm.

"Just, don't be an idiot Syd. Don't sit here and tell me he doesn't act differently with you. You know it and I know it. I am not saying ask him out tonight, all I am saying is don't bury your head in the sand and accidentally miss your opportunity." I nod and she smiles patting my arm lovingly.

I try the last shirt on and instantly I know it is the one. It is tight and hugs my body like a glove. The shirt comes just below my boobs but also doesn't look trashy. It is the perfect combination of both classy and sexy. When I look at Julia she is freaking out silently. "That one! Yes!"

I change back into my own shirt and go to the register paying for the tights and the shirt. We walk back to my car talking about random things.  "Hey J, do you think it would be weird if I did something for Matt for his birthday?"

"No you two are close, what were you thinking?"

"I am not sure yet, but when I have some ideas I will let you know." I know she wants to make a comment, some crazy suggestions, but she doesn't. I drop her home before heading home to change before the gym.

"Hey Dad," I kiss him on the cheek, "can you make some pizza rolls for me to take to the gym?"

"For you?" he asks, confused why I am taking pizza rolls to the gym.

"Matt. He has had two practices a day and he is going right from practice to the gym to train me, so I figured I'd bring him food." He makes the pizza rolls while I change. I put them in a Ziploc bag before putting them in my bag and leaving again.

When I pull up to the gym I park in my usual spot that everyone has started leaving open specifically for me. Last week Rodney put my name on the spot in chalk but the weekend rain washed it away. When I walk in Chris is up front doing homework. We are friendly now, with no real hard feelings between us. "He in the gym?" I ask, walking toward the office.

"Yeah, Rodney all but carries him back there, he can barely keep himself upright. Apparently they had an especially brutal practice today." I grab the rolly chair from the office and walk to the back where Matt is leaning on the wall while Rodney is talking to him.

"Sydney get him to sit down, will you please," Rodney says, rolling his eyes at Matt like a frustrated Dad. "My 3 year old daughter listens more than he does."

"Already on it," I reply pointing to the chair. Rodney laughs and walks off leaving me to deal with the difficult, stubborn man-child. "Will you pretty please sit in the chair Matt?"

"No I am fine, you all need to stop worrying." I want to say fuck it do whatever you want, but I can see the exhaustion mixed with pain. He isn't taking care of himself and if he won't, then I will.

I pull him off the wall causing him to flinch a little. I know his entire body is pretty sore, but a little pain to get him to sit is worth it. I pull him toward the chair forcing him into it. He fights a little but he is too tired to actually win, even against me.

"I have a surprise for you," I say, taking my backpack off.

"I hope it is a bottle of Advil because I could use about three right now." He adjusts in the seat a little but stays there making no attempt to get up.

"Well, then I have two surprises for you." I pull out my bottle of Advil first handing it to him with my bottle of water. He takes three and hands it back to me.

"That is one," he says. I pull out the pizza rolls from my bag and place them in his lap. He laughs a weak little laugh and pops one into his mouth.

"And that is two." I pull his chair closer to where we are working and he teaches the rest of my session from his chair. I am glad he is sort of relaxing though, I just wish he was sleeping since that is what he most desperately needs the most.

When my session is over Matt stands up but almost immediately falls to the ground. I grab him, letting him lean on me as he bites his lip from the pain. "My back hurts so bad," he says, standing very still, still leaning on me for support.

"Please stop being stubborn and let me help you Matt. I can't stand seeing you in pain," I beg, helping him sit back in the chair. He looks at me and doesn't say a word but I know I have won. I smile and push the chair to the front with him still in it. "Keys please."

"Why?" he asks suspiciously, looking at my hand like it is diseased.

"So I can grab your homework and you can work on it while I massage your back and hopefully make it less tight."  He drops his keys into my hand reluctantly and I skip out to his car grabbing his backpack. I come back in and he tries to grab his bag from me but I don't let him have it. "Where do you want to work?"

"Upstairs office has plenty of space." I help him up and we slowly make our way upstairs to the office. When we get inside, I place his bag on the ground before helping him lay down slowly. "Thank you," he says softly, almost so softly I miss it as he pulls books out.

"This is what friends are for. When I sprained my ankle you took care of me and now I get to take care of you." I move his shirt up a little and generally begin massaging his back. He winces a few times when I first start but I slowly work the tightness out. He relaxes the more I massage his back, so much so that when I look up a little bit later he is fast asleep on his textbook.

I get up and grab his homework, moving to the table and working on it on a scrap piece of paper from his bag. I can hear him lightly snoring on the floor and smile as I continue to work. At 8pm Rodney peeks into the room. "How long has he been asleep?"

"Little over an hour," I reply, finishing up all the homework for tomorrow. I take pictures of it before slipping the papers back into Matt's backpack for him. He can catch up on Physics over the weekend instead.

"You gonna wake him up?" I tell him yes and move to the floor to wake Matt up.

I shake him a little but when that doesn't work I decide to give him a little kiss on the cheek. Within seconds his eyes are open and he is looking around confused. "Shit, what time is it?"

"Little after 8," I say moving away so he can sit up. He looks like he is moving a lot more comfortably . He still struggles a little to get up but at least he is in less pain than before. "Also all your work is done, you just need to rewrite it."

"You did all my homework?" he asks, pulling me to him and leaning his forehead against mine.

"I did. Are you feeling better?"

"So much, thank you very very much." I lean up and kiss him and he kisses me back. I pull away before anything can heat up knowing he needs to go home shower and sleep in his comfy bed.

"Dinner tomorrow, how do you feel about chicken and broccoli?" Matt grabs his backpack and I grab my gym bag while we talk.

"Sounds great, do you need me to get anything for you to make it?" he asks, grabbing my hand and walking out of the office. I try to play it cool that we are holding hands figuring he will let go at any second but he doesn't.

"Nope, all I need is you at home in some comfy clothing at around 6pm tomorrow."

"Yes ma'am," he says, swinging our arms a little. We walk out the gym yelling bye to Rodney as we walk out, but not actually seeing him. I have to fight with Matt to not walk me to my car, instead dragging him to his own.

"You are so difficult," I bitch while trying to make him get into his Jeep.

"Well aware. Stiles has sarcasm, I have the world's worst personality. It works." I sigh, giving up fighting with him. He grabs me as I go to storm off. "I am sorry, I am so grateful for everything tonight, I am just not used to someone giving a shit."

I lean up and kiss him softly. His tongue flicks out and runs along my lower lip. I open my mouth letting his tongue dance around exploring my mouth. Instead of fighting for control I let him have it as we kiss slowly up against his Jeep. After a few minutes we both pull away smiling.

"Will you go home and go to bed now?"

"Yes I will, because the quicker I go to bed, the sooner it is tomorrow and you are over in my bed with me." I blush and he pushes a piece of hair out of my face looking me in the eyes. "Text me so I know you're home safe please," he says getting into his car. I nod and walk over to mine. I start it and pull out knowing I have to leave for him to leave.

I drive home in silence thinking about how Matt is my Hardin. I just wonder if I am his Tessa.

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Happy Monday everyone! Hope you all had nice weekends and stayed safe through all this craziness. I did the character chapter and put the outfits at the end of some of the previous chapters (not all but if you want to check them out it is chapters: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 14, 21, and 32). Love you all!