Perfect Match

by Monica Miller

  It was almost 10 o’clock PM and the only light was coming from his nightstand, where he still had the frame I got him from Christmas with our picture. Matt’s room hasn’t changed a bit since he first arrived here, four years ago. There was nothing particular about his room; it had a twin sized bed, two wooden nightstands, with our picture, a desk on the corner that was always full of bills and newspapers and a closet that matched the bed.

  “Let’s see…” I started, sarcastically coming to sit next to him. “I finished college about 6 months ago, I’m unemployed. Everyone I know has a really great job and they all love what they’re doing. I don’t know what I like and especially I have this interview tomorrow and I…”

  “You know, your boss is gonna love you, I can say that,” Matt said with a smile, taking my hand in his.

  I sighed and smiled back at him. It was so easy for him to comfort me. I moved closer to him and he put his arm around me.

  “And you’ll be great at it. I promise. They’d be crazy not to like you.”

  “Thank you for doing this for me.”

  Matt had been listening to me complaining about this since I finished college. Or more than that, I guess. It was not as I expected, that’s for sure. Monica had found a job at this design company before she finished college and she loved it there. She had almost two years now since she started working there, and of course, everyone loves her and she was promoted to Manager of New Employees. After fourteen months.

  Gabrielle was actually working in PR, a job Shia recommended her. And she got to spend time with Jensen Ackles, since she was now in his team. I knew Monica secretly hated her, I hated that I didn’t even get the chance to meet him, because there was nothing between them and she was still dating Shia. Yes, that’s weird. They’ve been on and off for too long, but it seemed she liked that.

  Even Marshall and Craig worked at some company and they were pleased about it.

  And I was the only one who didn’t get a job anywhere, because every offer didn’t seem to “right” for me and I didn’t like anything. I started to freak out, because I had liked college, but real life actually sucked. So Matt helped me get an interview at the company he’s been working at for a couple of years. He was manager of something… I never understand when he starts talking about his job because he gets crazy excited about this and it is hard to actually pay attention to him. It is hard to not stare at him.

  “You can stay here tonight. We can watch some lame movies and let me make fun of them.”

  “And yes, of course, I couldn’t go back to my room because it’s… so far away. 10 feet away means… Pff, the world,” I said sarcastically and he laughed.

  “Just shut up, you love staying here with me,” Matt said wrapping his arms around me. “It’s hard not to, I don’t blame you,” he continued with his cocky voice. “If I were you… Gosh, I’d totally be crazy for myself. I mean, you know… Me not you… Okay, I’ll just shut up.”

  I punched him in his shoulder and he laughed. It was really easy for me to stay around him.

  I moved with Matt about six months ago, by the time I finished college, because Monica wanted to take the next step with Ben and of course, there wouldn’t be a better place for me other than Matt’s. I was happy for Monica, because they were still the greatest couple I’ve ever seen. They completed each other.

  And living with Matt wasn’t that bad. What am I saying? It’s not bad at all. I have the best view in the world every morning when he comes to the kitchen shirtless and he’s all adorable and grumpy.

  “I think I should get some sleep,” I told him as I climbed out of the bed. “Seriously. I told you I’m freaked out about this. It’s like seeing a freaking spider!” I said and felt my body shaking.

  “There is one behind you!” Matt said pointing behind me and I turned around and screamed. Then he burst out laughing. “It was so easy!” he said between laughs.

  “Jerk,” I told him turning around and slamming his door as I headed to my doom.

  *

  I heard a knock on my door and it was getting really annoying. There was a single knock. And then it got followed by another one. And another one. Again. And again. And again.

  I opened my eyes and looked at my phone. 7:15. WHAT?! I should have been up for almost an hour! I had to straighten my hair, work on my makeup, try not to wrinkle my clothes and look calm on the interview. I needed time to freak out!

  Storming out my room, I bumped into Matt who had a cup of coffee in his hand and it spread all over his white shirt, and he looked at me terrified as I ran my hand through my hair. Oh, fuck!

  “I’m so… sorry!” I said feeling even worse.

  “Just go get ready,” Matt said between his clenched teeth.

  I sighed and went to the bathroom. I took the shortest shower ever and I dressed in two minutes. Seriously. My shirt was perfect and so was my black skirt and I started applying mascara and eye liner like a mad woman.

  “You really want to impress your boss, right?” Matt asked popping his head in my room as he buttoned his shirt.

  “It’s not that… It would be good, though. I have no idea what I should do as a secretary.”

  “Just look hot. That’s always good for a secretary,” he smirked. “And unbutton a few buttons on your shirt,” he added and started laughing. Like he actually thought I’d do that. “And be cool about it. Although… Sorry I haven’t told you yet, but the boss is a pain in the ass. Have I told you how many times we had argued? He never likes anything.”

  “What?!” I asked turning to face him with a shocked expression. “Matthew! I am so not prepared for this. Please, just… say I’m sick or that I disappeared.”

  “I know he’ll like you. C’mon, I’ll get you a coffee on the way. We have Starbucks next to the building. Awesome, right?”

  “I haven’t straightened my hair!” I complained, looking at the clock. It was 7:32.

  “You look better with curls,” Matt said crossing his arms. “Don’t try too hard, okay? Be your awesome, natural self. He’ll like you, I promise.”

  “I’ll kill you in your sleep if he doesn’t like me. Or worse, if I don’t like him!”

  “You better like him,” Matt muttered as we headed for his car.

  All the way to his company I kept talking about how unprepared I felt and I scolded Matt for offering an interview as a secretary. I knew just as much about being a secretary as I knew about One Direction’s songs. Meaning… nada! I knew nothing about it. I couldn’t be good at it, because I was so frightened now I couldn’t say a complete sentence without swearing. I’m dead. Doomed. Why was I even trying?

  “We’re here. I’ll get your coffee after the interview, it’s 8:01,” he said, opening my door.

  “So that means I’m late?” I asked with my eyes opened.

  “Yeah, don’t worry, he’s always late too,” he said and I saw a sparkle in his eyes. He took my hand and I felt my body relaxing. It was so easy to be myself with him. Then we entered his building, and went for the elevator and as he pressed five I felt a nod in my throat.

  “Just relax, Ems,” he said and laughed. I punched him in the shoulder and he hugged me. “I have to check my office, but I’ll see you after your interview, okay? I owe you that coffee,” he said and winked as he walked away.

  I nodded and watched him walk away. Okay, I wasn’t so sure of myself now.

  I sat on a chair, all shaking. A blonde girl asked for my name and said I had to wait a few minutes and noticed other girls next to me. So there was competition. Of course there was. I was screwed. I think Matt was actually making fun of me for making me go to an interview I had no chance at.

  Before me they called a couple of blondes who didn’t look that smart, but I tried not to be judgmental. I wasn’t smart myself. At least not at this secretary thing. All I could do is bring coffee and carry documents around. Can I even say that at my interview?

  “Emma West? You�
�re next,” the blonde girl told me with a rehearsed smile.

  I sighed and walked slowly behind her. Just before I entered my possible boss’ office I stumbled and almost fell on my feet. Oh, Matt would laugh so badly about it. I hated he wasn’t here to see me. He’d be practically rolling on the floor.

  I entered the office the blonde girl pointed and when I looked at the desk, there was standing, in all his glory… Matt.

  “What the hell?!” I asked almost yelling.

  “You know, Miss…” he looked through some papers and finally said “West… You usually start a conversation with “Hello, mister, I’m Emma West and I’m here for the secretary job”, but I think that’d be just too mainstream, isn’t it?”

  “You’re a jerk!” I complained running a hand through my hair.

  “Now that would be a really bad thing to say to your future boss, isn’t it, Miss West?” he said and he seemed just so amused by this.

  “I’m sorry, sir,” I played along, glaring at him, and he started laughing. “I was told my boss would be a pain in the ass, I guess that’s just an understatement,” I told him crossing my arms over my chest.

  “Would you like to sit there, Miss West?” Matt just ignored me. “I have this awesome Starbucks coffee.” he smirked. “We could actually do the entire Christian-Anastasia thing if you want to.”

  “Don’t you think it would be inappropriate, sir, to ask me to sleep with you during the interview?”

  He looked shocked and burst out laughing and he gave me the cup of coffee and I just relaxed on the leather chair in front of his mahogany desk.

  “How have you thought of it?” I asked sipping on the coffee. “Dude, it’s so good! Thank you.”

  “I’ll keep the money from your first salary, just so you know,” Matt told me laughing. “I don’t know, I got this promotion last week and I’ve been told I can get a secretary and I thought of you. But I knew you wouldn’t accept, because you’re too damn proud, woman, so I told you it was just an interview and played along. It was deathly funny to see you actually struggling for this.”

  “Why are there other girls for the post?”

  “How do you want me to know? The company said would help me find one. So… Anyway, you know you’re the one I want,” he said and my heart stopped. He actually realized how that sounded and looked away.

  “So I’m getting the job, after all?”

  “I have to think about it. The two blondes before you were hot, too. Told you, you should’ve unbuttoned your shirt,” he smirked and started laughing again.

  “I would have done that if my boss was hot. But there again, there is no challenge for me,” I replied, sticking my tongue at him.

  “Oh, I would totally kill you right now. But I’m stuck with you, Miss West.”

  “You know, you never should combine business with pleasure,” I said taking a cookie from the plastic plate in front of him.

  “When have I ever said it’s a pleasure to be around you?” he laughed and I glared at him. “You should seriously be nicer to your boss. And wear a shorter skirt. And unbutton this shirt, of course.”

  “Never,” I told him and he laughed. “Hey, Matthew…” I whispered. “Thank you. Seriously. For doing this. We both know I’m gonna suck as a secretary.”

  “Maybe we’ll both suck at our new jobs. We should go celebrate tonight, with Monica and Ben. And of course, Ems. I wouldn’t let you suffer and kill me in the process,” he said putting his hand on mine. “You’re my best friend, okay? You would’ve done it for me, too. Right?”

  “Certainly, Matt,” I said smiling. His “you’re my best friend” words were echoing in my mind. Of course I was.

  *

  Clearly it was pretty difficult at first, because in the first week I did nothing else than bring Matt the coffee we actually bought together in the mornings at Starbucks, and deliver some documents from and to him. Oh, answering the phone… I hated that one! I always felt uncomfortable talking on the phone. I was like a teenager when I talked on the phone with an unknown person.

  Matt usually made fun of me and called me every two hours, just to check I can answer the phone politely. And I did. Then I called him a “jerk” for making me going through that awkward moment of picking up the phone.

  It wasn’t weird working with Matt. I knew most of the times what he wanted and he never was angry at me when I switched our coffee because I hated cinnamon, or when I mixed his documents for an important meeting. He was patient. And he promised me when we started working together that work won’t come between us.

  We actually spent all the time together. Like… All the time! When I get up in the morning, he’s there, because we’re living together. In the same apartment, I mean. When I go to work, he’s there, because he’s my boss, and he usually drives me to work. I still don’t own a car, and I still can’t drive.

  “We have to teach you to drive someday, Miss West,” Matt told me one day when we were driving to work. At work he always told me “Miss West”. I never called him “sir”, though. Only made fun of him.

  And when I got back from work, of course, Matt was there, because just like I previously said, we live in the same apartment. And when we do go out with our friends, we go together, because we know the same people. It’s kind of weird and you would have thought that you’d just get bored of the same person, but there was always something to say to Matt, or something interesting to talk about.

  When we were at home we used to play on his PlayStation. It took him a while to convince me to try it, because I hated the idea of spending time in front of the TV with a joystick in my hand. But he got me into it, so I got better and better and I used to beat the crap out of him at Call of Duty. Maybe he just lets me win, but… It’s still fun to make fun of him because he loses.

  “I don’t lose, I like to think of myself that I just let you win, because I’m a gentleman and you’re a girl.”

  “Sure,” I always say, laughing.

  “Stop laughing. How could I ever kill you?” he looked at me and had a sweet smile on his beautiful face.

  “If you were a vampire, would you kill me?” I asked, taking a step closer to him.

  “Ems, if I were a vampire, Edward would be in great danger. I’d rip his head off, you know? And of course I wouldn’t kill you.”

  “Even if I lived here, with you and my blood tasted so…” I took another step towards him and now I was standing face to face with him, our bodies almost touching. I could feel his cool breath on my cheek. “Desirable?”

  He sighed and closed his eyes for a second and I held my breath.

  “My last offer, I’d turn you into a vampire,” he said, taking a step back and smirking.

  “Okay, I agree. Just do that! I would totally kill you if you didn’t turn me.”

  “I’d be stronger than you, Ems,” he said, laughing. “But thanks for the try.”

  I shook my head and a smiled appeared on my face when I remembered that day.

  Then the phone rang. Nice one! That’s what I call synchronization! I took a deep breath and ran my hand through my hair. They can’t see you, Emma! I told myself. I shook my head and picked up the phone.

  “Good morning, McAdams Enterprises, Matt Nicholls’ office. How can I help you?” Crap, I said it really fast again. I always say those ones like someone’s going to kill me in the next second.

  “Hello, can I talk to Matt?” an irritable voice asked.

  “I’m sorry Mr. Nicholls is in a meeting,” I said, sweetly. God, he’d love to hear me calling him ‘Mr. Nicholls’. “Is this important, or do you wish to leave a message?”

  “Of course this is important, and why would I leave a message to you? How can I know you’ll send it to him?”

  “Because… somehow I’m his secretary and I’m supposed to give Mr. Nicholls every message he receives?” I want to kill someone. Mr. Nicholls most likely.

  “I need to talk to Matt
now. It’s an emergency.”

  “Is it so urgent that I should bother Mr. Nicholls in a meeting?” I asked, half curious and half annoyed. I wouldn’t dare to bother Matt in a meeting. Not that he would be bothered, but I’m terrified of having to enter in the conference room and interrupt them and have all their eyes on me. Nothing can make me go in there.

  “Of course it’s urgent. What kind of secretary are you? I will complain about you, you know.”

  “Why would you? I’ve been nice!” I said, almost yelling. Stupid bitch!

  “It doesn’t matter just get Matt on the phone. Now!”

  “I won’t,” I told her shortly. Matt will kill me. God, he seriously will. What if she’s an important investor or something? Maybe rich people just act that way. And maybe he knows how to handle her.

  “How dare you talk to me that way?” She yelled in my ear.

  “There is no need in yelling, Miss… What did you say your name was?”

  “You’re so impertinent!” she yelled back. “I won’t be wasting any time with you anymore. Just tell Matt his girlfriend called.” she said and hung up.

  What?

  *

  I tried to concentrate on the rest of the paperwork I had on my desk, but I couldn’t. I hated when he did that. I really did. Why couldn’t he act like a normal person and give his hos his personal number? Poor things. Sometimes I actually felt bad for them.

  “So concentrated on anything but work…” I heard his voice and lifted my head just to see him leaning on my desk with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. “But Miss West, that’s why I hired you?”

  “No. You hired me to get rid of all your… surprisingly nice girlfriends,” I said with a harsh tone.

  “Oh. That one…” He said and ran his hand through his messy hair.

  “Yes, that one, Matthew,” I complained and rose to my feet and I was standing right in front of him, with my arm crossed across my chest as well.

  He raised an eyebrow and suddenly I felt uncomfortable. Not because I was a few inches apart from him, because I did that all the time. I knew Matt for 4 years. We were… friends. But because we act this way at… work. It’s weird, but I wouldn’t like anyone to think he hired me because we have some romantic interest or something. We don’t.