Page 3 of Breaking Matt

"Hi," I said, giving him a wide smile.

"Hi." His voice was strong and calm. Everything about this guy fit in with what I was looking for.

"Are you new?" I asked as we started to walk out of the class side by side.

"Kind of," he said. "I started a month ago."

"I'm Sarah."

"Matthew Weiss." The fleeting look he gave me was enough to make my stomach dip.

There was no way I wouldn't have noticed him if he'd been in my class for the last month. But I let it go.

"You free on Friday?" I asked as I gave him a sideways look.

"Sure," he said. "What do you have in mind?"

There was a thrill of attraction as his eyes briefly met mine. Oh man, this guy was hot. I didn't want to come on too strong because some guys were intimidated by that, so I decided to make a play but keep it light.

"There's a party on campus on Friday," I said. I told him where it was going to be. He nodded.

"Are you going to be there?" he asked, coming to a stop to give me his full attention.

I faced him. "Probably." The directness of his eyes made me swallow.

He got his phone out of the back pocket of his faded jeans and looked expectantly at me. I gave him my number. His fingers brushed over the keys as he programmed my number in.

"I'll see you there," he said before he walked away, leaving me slightly surprised at his sudden departure. I watched with growing interest as he disappeared down the passageway.

Usually guys gave me their number, not the other way around. This one wasn't needy like Ryan. He was just what I wanted, and he would be enough to drive home to Ryan that I wasn't available anymore. It was a sure thing to get him to back off.

"And?" The voice of my friend brought me back from my thoughts.

"I really like him," I said.

"You and every other girl with a pulse," she remarked.

I shrugged. What I wanted I got—and I wanted Matthew. There wasn't any other option.

"I think he's interested," I said, still remembering the way he had looked at me. It was enough to make me combust on the spot.

"He took your number," she said with a one-armed shrug, like she considered it to be a good sign.

Leaving it at that, we walked out the front entrance.

"Ryan alert," Courtney whispered beside me. It only took me a few moments to find his familiar form on the pathway I usually walked to go home.

"Crap," I mumbled, looking around quickly to find another way home.

"I'll distract him," Courtney said with determination. "You can sneak around to the side."

"I'll call you later," I told her before I slinked away quickly. I wasn't in the mood for another run-in with my ex.

I caught a brief glimpse of Courtney strolling up to him confidently. She flicked her honey-blond hair effortlessly as she focused her hazel eyes on my ex. She had his full attention while I hurried around the side of the building.

By the time I got home I was more than annoyed. Ryan was backing me into a corner and I didn't like it one bit. I couldn't continue like this. Something needed to happen for him to back away.

I rubbed the back of my neck as I kicked off my shoes and sat down on the sofa. I closed my eyes for a moment as I relaxed, putting my feet up on the small coffee table.