Kavinsky > Matthew

[carcrashes]

The stalking was going well. Matthew seemed pretty obviously to his surroundings so the only time Kavinsky had to worry himself about anything was when the middle Lynch would show up to ruin his fun. He wondered if it was possible to dream up something that would keep Ronan busy enough so he could have a little chat with Matthew.

Or maybe a little fun.

With his glovebox full of candy, Kavinsky saw Matthew at one of the few coffee shops in Henrietta. He wondered if he was waiting for Ronan - it was impossible to tell as Matthew reminded him of a golden retriever puppy. Parking, Kavinsky got out and let his door close easily. He walked up to Matthew and tapped the empty chair across from him.

"Anyone sitting here, champ?"

Comments

[dreamkid]

Matthew was not waiting for Ronan, not today. Today he had plans with a few other Aglionby boys, a small part of his nearly endless supply of friends. They'd already texted to let him know they were running late and he wasn't worried.

At the question he blinked and looked Kavinsky up and down, not rudely, just questioning as he took in the appearance of the older teen. He seemed familiar but Matthew couldn't place him, aside from the passing thought that he was another student. Any other person might have also noticed there was something wrong with him, something unsettling. Declan would have known him right away; too bad Declan had impressed all his warnings on the wrong brother.

But who would've ever expected Matthew Lynch to cross paths with Henrietta's most up-and-coming drug pusher?

"Nope, not yet."

[carcrashes]

The thought of getting Matthew a sugary beverage or a scone or something crossed Kavinsky mind, but he figured that might be moving too fast. This teen might not be Ronan, but he was related - in a round-about away, Kavinsky could tell, but not pin it down - and probably had some of Ronan's caution built in.

Instead, Kavinksy took the seat and leaned back, scratching his left arm with his right hand. Once done, he slid the glasses off and set them on the table, curious if Matthew would reach for them. "Then I hope you don't mind if I join you, keep you company, keep the seat warm for whoever comes by next."

Fingertips tapped on the table for several seconds before he brought the hand back to his lap. "I'm Joseph. I think I know your brother. Declan, right?"

[dreamkid]

"I don't mind," Matthew told him, giving a shrug and a flash of his dimpled smile. And he didn't, really. Maybe it was a little weird that the guy had picked this seat over any of the others but that didn't make Matthew uncomfortable.

The introduction, however, put a slightly doubtful shadow over his face.

"You know Declan?" It was less caution and more that the pieces just didn't fit altogether right in his mind. Joseph did not seem like one of Declan's friends, who tended to be polished, ambitious young men trying their hardest to look like polished, ambitious, slightly older men. They were more likely to be seen in expensive, perfectly knotted ties than designer sunglasses.

[carcrashes]

He'd overstepped. In all Kavinsky's haste to not mention Ronan but to create even the slightest tendril of connection between Matthew and himself, Kavinsky had phrased it wrong. His recovery had to be swift and definite. "Who doesn't know Declan?" He asked with what he hoped looked like an honest grin. "I suppose I should say know of, since he and I have met at Aglionby events but I know that everyone meets everyone at those things. I said 'think' I do because I don't like to declare I know everything about everyone, especially when we'd only spoke in passing." Then Kavinsky realized that Matthew hadn't introduced himself yet and he was about ready to smash his own face against the tabletop.

Hopefully the Lynch name was just so widely-known that it could be forgiven, or Matthew might not even notice. No need to bring up how he'd seen them walk into the church together. Not yet.

Kavinsky pulled out a pack of gum - a real pack, something he'd bought at the gas station and he loathed it because he could imagine a thousand better flavors than Bubble Gum, but hoped it might prove a distraction. He pulled out a piece for himself and set it beside the sunglasses, nudging it toward Matthew. "You can have a piece if you like." He pulled the foil off his own and folded the gum against his tongue.

[dreamkid]

Matthew wasn't a boy prone to suspicion. The clarification was plenty, and the confirmation that Joseph was indeed another student at Aglionby as he'd thought cemented his reassurance.

Sure, thanks," he said with another smile--hope Kavinsky didn't mind seeing those perfect Lynch teeth again--as he innocently took a piece of gum for himself. After popping the stick in his mouth he drew out his phone for another quick glance to see if his friends had texted again (they hadn't) before replacing the cell in his pocket and picking up the conversation again as though there'd been no interruption.

"Yeah, Declan is way better at remembering everybody from those things than I am." He laughed a little as he said it.

[carcrashes]

The gum was clean, and while it didn't seem like something Matthew would consider, Kavinsky wondered if such a thing was possible. He smiled, thought not from Matthew's comment about his brother but at the realization that yes, indeed, such things were possible and all he needed to do was dream it.

Oh, the fun he and Ronan could have when that Lynch brother comes to his side. "But I don't think you're easy to forget, either," Kavinsky stated, the sunglasses picked up and slid onto his head, but not over his eyes. Matthew had a way of lighting up a room that was both Lynch-like and not at the same time.

Matthew was the golden boy among the shadows of his family. "I hope I don't embarrass you, but even the teachers point you out to one another. You're well-liked at school, and at those events, too." A part of Kavinsky wanted to crush Matthew under his boot.