just_1_word | 26.10. Door
26.10. Door
[Follows THIS and THIS]
"What is wrong with you?"
Matt was slumped down in his booth at the diner, chewing distractedly on the end of his straw. His eyes flicked momentarily to Landry, but they went back to staring at the ice cubes in his glass of Coke. "Nothin'," he said, which came out more like a dismissive grunt. He kept looking at the swinging glass doors every time someone entered, though he still couldn't decide whether he was hoping for someone to come, or hoping for them not to.
"Is this something to do with your Dad?" Landry pushed and shoved a pile of fries into his mouth. "You aren't much fun when you're like this, man."
Matt stifled the urge to roll his eyes (or perhaps get up and walk out in a huff). Why the hell was Landry so aggravating tonight? Matt didn't want to be here; that's why he was no fun. He didn't say anything in response. He just veered back into his own little world of confusing thoughts, the ice cubes bouncing off the side of the glass only affording him something to look at and stop him staring stupidly at a wall or out the window. The thing was, it wasn't actually Landry's fault he was aggravating. He was aggravating because of who he was and who he used to date.
Tyra Collette, to be exact.
And it was guilt that was making Matt feel Landry was irritating him. Really, really heavy guilt. His mind inevitably turned back to that night Matt and Tyra had somehow ended up in a night of laughs and drinking at Riggins and Street's place. It followed a strange, but nice, conversation with Tyra online where Matt ended up telling her - for some reason - that she shouldn't be a stranger to Dillon. He hadn't been sure why she had bothered speaking to him in the first place, let alone take the time to carry on a conversation with him. It wasn't like they really talked much when they were in school together. He hardly knew her. Or, more accurately, he knew her reputation and knew she had hurt his best friend.
And Landry was still his best friend, and Tyra was still Landry's ex. Why the hell had Matt kissed her?! Of all the stupid damn things to do! There couldn't be a more stupider thing to do than kiss a mate's ex. It was, like, almost against the law or something! At least, it should be. Matt shifted uncomfortably in his seat as the situation make him squirm guiltily again. He didn't even know if he was supposed to be getting back together with Julie. It didn't feel like he should. They had their thing and now just friends was much better. No pressure. Matt had other things on his plate lately, like his Grandma and deciding to stay in Dillon to take care of her rather than going away to college and leaving her in home. It had a been a big decision and he had been really confused for awhile there. That had to be it, right? The reason he kissed Tyra Collete right there.
What a damn cop out. There was no reason why. He still didn't even know who technically kissed who first. What he did know, though, was that both kissed back. Momentarily. Until Tyra pulled away and ran away as fast as she could. Matt frowned at the memory. Of course she ran. She ran from Landry and pushed him away. Why would Matt Saracen be any better? He wasn't. That was the thing. Unless a guy was built like Tim Riggins with a reputation to match, why should she bother with them? The only reason she probably even spoke to him in the first place was because she had no one else in Austin. Tim Riggins was off the market again and Landry likely wouldn't go back for her to stomp all over his heart for a third time. He might've really loved her but he wasn't stupid. The kiss was a stupid mistake and the evidence of that was how she couldn't get away from him quick enough. She just up and left without a word.
Almost as if on cue, and like some bad nightmare, Matt's eyes turned to the door again when it opened and admitted Tyra to the diner. He felt his face flush and he tried to look away, but their eyes met. He sat up abruptly in the booth, clearing his throat. "I-I'm gonna go home, Landry. I don't feel good," he lied, trying to keep his eyes averted from both Landry and Tyra as he stood up, his food untouched.
"Want me to come with?" Landry asked, looking at his friend in concern over the top of his half-eaten burger.
"No!" Matt jumped in. "Nah, I'll be alright. See ya'." He moved up the aisle between the tables and his path had to intercept Tyra's for him to get out. He just glanced at her without saying a word, hesitating just for a moment before he left, pushing a little too roughly out of the doors and into the cool night.
Tyra Collette is wannabeimprtant, Tim Riggins is texas33forever and Jason Street is itwontstopme; all referenced with permission. Not binding on any Landry muses in existence.
Word Count | 864
[Follows THIS and THIS]
"What is wrong with you?"
Matt was slumped down in his booth at the diner, chewing distractedly on the end of his straw. His eyes flicked momentarily to Landry, but they went back to staring at the ice cubes in his glass of Coke. "Nothin'," he said, which came out more like a dismissive grunt. He kept looking at the swinging glass doors every time someone entered, though he still couldn't decide whether he was hoping for someone to come, or hoping for them not to.
"Is this something to do with your Dad?" Landry pushed and shoved a pile of fries into his mouth. "You aren't much fun when you're like this, man."
Matt stifled the urge to roll his eyes (or perhaps get up and walk out in a huff). Why the hell was Landry so aggravating tonight? Matt didn't want to be here; that's why he was no fun. He didn't say anything in response. He just veered back into his own little world of confusing thoughts, the ice cubes bouncing off the side of the glass only affording him something to look at and stop him staring stupidly at a wall or out the window. The thing was, it wasn't actually Landry's fault he was aggravating. He was aggravating because of who he was and who he used to date.
Tyra Collette, to be exact.
And it was guilt that was making Matt feel Landry was irritating him. Really, really heavy guilt. His mind inevitably turned back to that night Matt and Tyra had somehow ended up in a night of laughs and drinking at Riggins and Street's place. It followed a strange, but nice, conversation with Tyra online where Matt ended up telling her - for some reason - that she shouldn't be a stranger to Dillon. He hadn't been sure why she had bothered speaking to him in the first place, let alone take the time to carry on a conversation with him. It wasn't like they really talked much when they were in school together. He hardly knew her. Or, more accurately, he knew her reputation and knew she had hurt his best friend.
And Landry was still his best friend, and Tyra was still Landry's ex. Why the hell had Matt kissed her?! Of all the stupid damn things to do! There couldn't be a more stupider thing to do than kiss a mate's ex. It was, like, almost against the law or something! At least, it should be. Matt shifted uncomfortably in his seat as the situation make him squirm guiltily again. He didn't even know if he was supposed to be getting back together with Julie. It didn't feel like he should. They had their thing and now just friends was much better. No pressure. Matt had other things on his plate lately, like his Grandma and deciding to stay in Dillon to take care of her rather than going away to college and leaving her in home. It had a been a big decision and he had been really confused for awhile there. That had to be it, right? The reason he kissed Tyra Collete right there.
What a damn cop out. There was no reason why. He still didn't even know who technically kissed who first. What he did know, though, was that both kissed back. Momentarily. Until Tyra pulled away and ran away as fast as she could. Matt frowned at the memory. Of course she ran. She ran from Landry and pushed him away. Why would Matt Saracen be any better? He wasn't. That was the thing. Unless a guy was built like Tim Riggins with a reputation to match, why should she bother with them? The only reason she probably even spoke to him in the first place was because she had no one else in Austin. Tim Riggins was off the market again and Landry likely wouldn't go back for her to stomp all over his heart for a third time. He might've really loved her but he wasn't stupid. The kiss was a stupid mistake and the evidence of that was how she couldn't get away from him quick enough. She just up and left without a word.
Almost as if on cue, and like some bad nightmare, Matt's eyes turned to the door again when it opened and admitted Tyra to the diner. He felt his face flush and he tried to look away, but their eyes met. He sat up abruptly in the booth, clearing his throat. "I-I'm gonna go home, Landry. I don't feel good," he lied, trying to keep his eyes averted from both Landry and Tyra as he stood up, his food untouched.
"Want me to come with?" Landry asked, looking at his friend in concern over the top of his half-eaten burger.
"No!" Matt jumped in. "Nah, I'll be alright. See ya'." He moved up the aisle between the tables and his path had to intercept Tyra's for him to get out. He just glanced at her without saying a word, hesitating just for a moment before he left, pushing a little too roughly out of the doors and into the cool night.
Tyra Collette is wannabeimprtant, Tim Riggins is texas33forever and Jason Street is itwontstopme; all referenced with permission. Not binding on any Landry muses in existence.
Word Count | 864