Tina 4: It Only Takes A Moment - By Id (~BBW, Romance)

[The Id]

~BBW, Romance - Tina and Matt begin to try again

Tina 4: It Only Takes A Moment
By Id

(Click here for the previous installment)​

It was a Wednesday, a rather ordinary day that was special for nothing other than getting you more than halfway through the school week when it was over, so naturally everyone—teachers and students alike—just wanted to get Wednesday over and done with for their own sakes. As such, nobody ever really paid much attention to Wednesday. Nobody, that is, but Tina Westley and Matt Sutherby.

Wednesday was a day of great agitation and anticipation for each. It had only been the day before that they’d finally gotten help from their respective counsels, but neither was still entirely sure of how to proceed, though for different reasons. For Matt, the concept that Tina might actually like him, despite the fact she’d declined to go on a date with him, was a thought that still took quite a bit of getting used to. Tina, though she’d received help from Tara in trying to figure out the best way to handle the situation, was finding herself getting more and more nervous as US History approached. She didn’t exactly know how she was going to get Matt interested in her after she’d so blatantly turned him down. Though Tara had assured her that she hadn’t made a fatal mistake in dating, Tina still felt that her chances of recapturing Matt’s affections were dim, especially considering their terse greetings in the hall. Still, she had to try.

So when US History rolled around, both came into class with racing hearts. Both tried to exercise some restraint, avoiding looking at the other. They busied themselves in taking out their books, getting ready for class, engaging in chit chat with their neighbors, but when that was said and done, when they’d both settled into their seats, the itch was only stronger.

Matt looked at his blonde beauty’s back and then looked down. Though Penny had told him to not give up on Tina, Matt found it easier said than done. His old habits kicked in and now that he was once again in the same room with Tina, he didn’t want to look at her. Perhaps it was fear of further rejection from Tina if he pursued things further, or perhaps it was really fear of what happened after this point in a relationship. After all, Matt was just like Tina in that he’d never really dated anyone before. He’d never gotten that far. Perhaps he was too scared to follow through on it because it meant venturing into some unknown space. Whatever the reason was, Matt still looked away.

A couple seconds later, Tina did something she had never dreamed of before. She casually turned, though not overly slowly, as if surveying the room and looked behind her at Matt. She found him looking away, and promptly turned back around, perhaps a shade faster than she would have liked. Tina felt embarrassed, but wasn’t sure what she’d wanted to find. Would she have liked it if she’d found Matt looking at her? Had that been the point? It seemed like it, but that also felt so obvious, so blatant. But how else was she supposed to get started? Regardless of the answers to all of these questions, Tina still turned back around.

Tina mulled this over for a few seconds while Matt tried to fight the urge to look up at Tina again, if perhaps just for the pleasure of looking at her long flaxen hair. He failed. Just as Matt looked up, Tina turned around again and their eyes met for just a second. For a moment they froze, surprised to actually lock eyes for the first time in over a month (for their assorted hallway meetings always came with averted eyes). Both turned away, feeling horribly embarrassed…and yet also tickled to a certain degree.

The wheels in Matt’s head were now beginning to turn. It had probably been just a coincidence that Tina had been looking at him. She was probably just stretching out her back or something like that. Then again, she’d never done anything like that before, for he would have noticed. In fact, the only thing he ever seemed to see of Tina in class was her back, almost as if she made it a point not to turn around and look at him. But now she had. Matt tried not to make mountains out of molehills…but he always did when he had a crush on a girl, so that was precisely what he was doing now. Could it be that maybe Tina looked back just to see him? That she couldn’t help looking, just as he couldn’t help looking? The idea was tantalizing.

For her part, Tina found that the experience as a whole hadn’t been nearly as traumatic as she’d expected. It was even sort of exhilarating. After all, they’d sort of had a moment together. Maybe. Tina wasn’t sure she knew what a moment would be like, but that seemed like a likely candidate for one. Of course, she didn’t know if that meant anything, but it felt like it meant something. Like maybe Matt wasn’t horribly mad about being turned down, that maybe he might still go out with her if she didn’t screw things up again.

For Matt and Tina, that look had spawned endless possibilities.

***

US History felt just a tad longer than it usually did. Perhaps it was because the Presidents from John Tyler to James Buchanan were particularly unproductive and inept as politicians, or perhaps it was because Tina and Matt’s minds were elsewhere for the course of the class. Both were thinking about what to do at the end of class when lunch would begin, whether or not they should try to approach the other, and if so what they’d say. Both Tina and Matt changed their minds on this score at least four times during the course of the class. Matt wasn’t sure if he was just taking an inference too far, while Tina didn’t want to either offend an already uninterested Matt or scare off him by being “too forward”.

Both hearts beat fast when the bell for lunch rang and neither was entirely sure what they were going to do as they packed their things up and got ready to leave. In the end, Matt never decided what he was going to do (which would have resulted in a decision to do nothing at all, just leaving to go to lunch as if it was any other day). Tina, on the other hand, did make a decision, and that was to make sure that she timed her movements just right so as not to leave before Matt, but rather with him. She did just this and came up next to Matt as he started to head out.

“Hi Matt,” Tina said with as large a smile as she could muster, despite the fact she was so nervous that she felt like her heart was going to leap out of her chest.

“Oh, hi,” Matt said, slightly surprised that Tina had actually come over to talk with him. It wasn’t a bad surprise, but rather a sort of a pleasant, how-nice-to-see-you surprise. Still, it was a surprise.

“So…” Tina realized she hadn’t really thought much father than this as they filed out of the classroom. “How are you?”

“I’m all right. You?”

“Good, good.” Tina tried to think of something to say that wouldn’t be incredibly awkward, though she already felt like they were slipping into that territory. Suddenly three different things popped into Tina’s head.

“Look Matt, I’m sorry for turning you down the other day. I wasn’t thinking straight and I really shouldn’t have just dismissed you out of hand like that. That wasn’t very fair of me at all. Can you give me another chance?”

But that’s not what Tina said, though she wanted to.

“I’ve been thinking…you know, about going out to dinner? If you’d still like to, I think that’d actually be sort of nice. We could get to know each other better that way. I mean, there’s no better way, is there?”

But Tina didn’t say that, though later she’d think she should have.

“You know, I haven’t seen you at any of the water polo games recently.”

That’s what Tina said, and she realized as soon as it came out of her mouth that sounded so stupid.

“Oh, yeah, I’ve just sort of been busy,” Matt said, not really expecting the question. He didn’t think that Tina would have expected to see him there after what had passed between them. Besides, he hadn’t been to a game in like a month and a half ago.

“Oh. Okay. Yeah, I know how that is,” Tina said. Now she had completely run out of things to say, and she’d made a total idiot of herself. Tina felt like she’d shot to bits any chance she had of getting Matt interested in her.

And then, just when all hope for Tina seemed lost, Matt realized that if there was an opportune moment, this would be it. “You know, considering there weren’t many people at the game, I guess you kind of would miss it if there was someone there cheering for you,” Matt said, “Sorry for letting you down like that.”

“Oh no, that’s okay. You weren’t letting me down or anything. I guess I just missed you. I mean, seeing you, that is,” Tina said, trying to cover a bit of a Freudian slip.

“Well it’s nice to be missed,” Matt said with a bit of a smile. If he’d thought about it, this probably would qualify for what Penny considered flirting, but Matt wasn’t thinking about that. To him, it just seemed like a nice conversation.

“You know, if you’re not still busy or anything like that, there is a game tomorrow again,” Tina said, letting the invitation dangle now that she could sense Matt had taken up the conversation in earnest.

“Don’t suppose your cheering section’s going to be full is it?” Matt replied.

“Horribly. Best get there early to make sure you have a seat,” Tina said with mock seriousness.

“I’ll leave two hours ahead of time in case there’ll be traffic,” Matt said. They both knew it would only take twenty minutes on a bad day to get to the pool.

“See you tomorrow then,” Tina said, feeling like the conversation had come to its natural conclusion.

“See you then,” Matt said.

As Tina and Matt parted, Tina beamed with happiness. Though she wasn’t going on a date with Matt, Tina felt so wonderful that she might as well have been. After all, Matt was still interested in her, Tina was sure of it, and now things were on the right track. Of course, Tina didn’t know what the next step in all of this was, but she figured that she’d think of something soon enough.

For his part, Matt just couldn’t believe that Penny was right.

***

“Tina still likes you!” Penny exclaimed, “I’m so happy Matt! If I was over there I’d poke you right now.”

“Why would you poke me?” Matt asked from his window.

“I don’t know. It just seems appropriate,” Penny replied, “But this is wonderful news! So you’re going to the water polo game tomorrow then?”

“Yeah. I want you to come with me,” Matt said.

“What?” Penny said with surprise, “You want me to come with you? And ruin the wonderful opportunity you have to go out after the game for dinner or something like that? Why on earth would you want me to go with you?”

“I don’t know! It seems like it would be awkward!” Matt said.

“But you were flirting with her today! You don’t need to worry about being alone with her,” Penny said, “I mean, if she was your ex-girlfriend then you might want to worry about being alone with her…but that’s beside the point.”

“Why would I worry about that?”

“It’s just better not to know until you’ve got an ex to worry about,” Penny said with a wave of her hand, as if to dismiss the matter entirely, “But that’s not the point right now. The point is that you should be so excited about tomorrow that you won’t be able to sleep tonight.”

“I don’t think I’ll sleep tonight out of nervousness, not excitement,” Matt said.

“Same thing,” Penny replied.

“No they’re not. Being excited is a good thing. Being nervous is a…well, not a nervous thing, but a rather unhappy thing,” Matt said.

“But you’re always nervous when you’re dating. You’re even nervous when you’re in a relationship because you’re always thinking, ‘Is this the right guy for me? I mean, what if there’s somebody better?’”

“No you’re not.”

“And which one of us is in a relationship right now?” Penny challenged.

“Fine, but that’s just you,” Matt said.

“Well the point is that of course you’re nervous, even though you and Tina were getting along just fine earlier,” Penny said, “You’ll really be better off if I don’t go with you.”

Matt thought for a moment, and then lit upon the only sure way to get Penny to go with him. “I think I might chicken out if you’re not there to stop me.”

“Matt Sutherby, I swear to God I will personally kill you if you chicken out tomorrow,” Penny said seriously.

“No, I’m already feeling the urge. I just might not wait for her to change after the game, maybe even leave early,” Matt said.

“Matthew,” Penny growled.

“But if you were there, why I couldn’t leave early. I mean, we’d go together and I couldn’t strand you,” Matt said, as if reasoning it out.

“I will go on one condition.”

“That being?”

“That you tell me why you want me there. Honestly.”

“Because…” Matt paused, “Because I’d just feel better. It wouldn’t be so much a thing of me and her and all of the awkwardness involved in trying to figure out the right thing to say as it would be getting to know each other in a conversation between friends. It’ll just be easier for me that way. Besides, she won’t be freaked out and think that we’re dating or anything because everyone knows you and Aaron are going out. Anyways, this way when I do ask her out again, it’ll be easier because we’ve had a few good interactions between us and…well and we can sort of forget about…you know…her turning me down earlier.”

“All right. Though I don’t agree with your tactics, that’s your decision and not mine. This had better be one awesome game of water polo,” Penny said.

***

“Okay, this is pretty awesome,” Penny admitted during the game.

Robert F. Kennedy High School looked like they were putting on a clinic against Mark Hopkins High School as the players splashed about, going up and down the length of the pool. It was a wild game, but one that RFK was winning because, frankly, of better athleticism. So what if the RFK girls were stouter than their opponents? That wasn’t hindering their playing at all. In fact, perhaps it was just Penny and Matt’s imagination but it seemed like their larger physical presence might have given them an edge when it came to physical play, which opened up plenty of scoring opportunities.

Regardless of whether it was true or not, RFK won the day handily. It was a sunny afternoon, even if the breeze made things a little chilly. Penny for her part imagined that the girls must have been freezing as they went down the handshake line after the game, wet and wearing nothing but their single piece swimsuits. She shivered at the very thought of it.

As the girls filed into the locker room and the JV squad began warming up, Penny immediately turned to Matt. “Do you have a plan?”

Matt looked at Penny as if she was crazy. “What do you mean a plan? Am I supposed to have a plan?”

“No, just asking. It makes it easier if you have a plan and I know about it than if you have one and I don’t,” Penny said. She paused. “Actually, it’s a good idea to have something like a plan. Do you have an outline?”

“No.”

“Do you have any idea what you’re going to do?”

“Not really. I sort of thought that I’d see how Tina led off.”

“Oh. Okay. No plan is good too.”

The pair loitered around for a while, watching the beginning of the JV game (which wasn’t nearly as good in either’s opinion). Matt kept an eye on the door to the locker room and watched as the varsity players started coming out. Finally Tina came out with wet hair, dressed in comfortable and warm sweats.

“There she is, let’s go!” Penny said, beating Matt to it.

The pair got down from the stands and started heading over. Right as they were doing so, Jenna Shcherbatsky came out and almost immediately started talking to Tina. Jenna was now definitely larger than she had been at the beginning of the year, he thighs filling out the legs of her sweats rather completely, her belly pressing against the bottom of her top. Of course her breasts looked large—but that was a constant state of being for Jenna Shcherbatsky.

Before Matt could even open his mouth, he felt Penny’s hand pushing the small of his back. “Oh no you don’t. We are joining that conversation right now,” Penny said quietly under her breath.

In six seconds Matt and Penny had reached the pair and Tina had already turned to greet them warmly. “Hi Matt!” she said.

“Hi there Tina,” Matt replied warmly, “Do you know Penny Smart?”

“Hi,” Penny said, “Matt told me he was coming to the game today and it sounded like it could be fun, so I made him bring me too.”

“We always appreciate having some more fans,” Tina said.

“There have been more lately, so someone must be spreading the word,” Jenna said.

“You guys know Jenna, right?” Tina said, by way of introduction.

“Not personally, but it’s nice to meet you in person,” Matt said.

“Nice to meet you too,” Jenna replied.

“So, since I’m the girl who’s never been to a game before, that means I’m the one who asks stupid questions like is it always this violent?” Penny said.

“Oh, well it’s usually rough, but that’s just the way it is,” Tina said.

“She’s too modest,” Jenna said, putting an arm around Tina’s shoulder, “Why, this girl takes more abuse than a tank and she keeps on ticking. Did you know that people regularly try to drown Tina? Obviously they fail, but I’ve heard that Central is considering putting a bounty on her in the playoffs, just to give their offense a fighting chance.”

Tina gave Jenna a playful shove. “She’s exaggerating, really. Did I mention Jenna’s our leading scorer this season?”

“Only because you tie up their defense into knots,” Jenna said, “Seriously folks, we don’t make Chuck Norris jokes on the team. We make Tina Westley jokes.”

“Oh?” Matt said with great interest, “Like what?”

“Well you know the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan?” Jenna asked.

“Yeah.”

“It was loosely based off of a game of dodgeball Tina played in third grade,” Jenna said, now struggling to control her laughter.

“Sounds about right. I think I was there,” Matt said, stifling laughter himself as Penny chuckled and Tina just rolled her eyes.

“Yeah. And did you know that her tears can cure cancer?” Jenna said.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. Too bad she never cries,” Jenna said, who now doubled over laughing.

“Very funny,” Tina said, “You see what I have to endure from these guys?”

“I don’t know,” Matt said, “I wouldn’t mind being substituted in for Chuck Norris jokes. I mean, that’s pretty awesome.”

“Yeah, we get like three new ones a week just to keep things fresh,” Jenna said, having recovered from her laughing fit, “Loads of fun.”

“So how did you start playing?” Penny asked Tina.

“Just sort of started, you know,” Tina said, “Seemed like fun, so I tried it and liked it enough to keep doing it.”

“She just wanted to beat people up,” Jenna whispered loudly behind her hand, as if Tina couldn’t hear her. Tina gave Jenna a look that caused Jenna to break down and say, “All right, I’ll be honest. She’s a sweet girl who plays very well physically and lets people like me do all the fun stuff like score, but we wouldn’t be a team without her. Now I’ve got to run, but nice to meet you both and I hope to see you again at the next game!”

Everyone said goodbye as Jenna scampered off. “You probably wouldn’t believe it, but Jenna’s become so much more sociable this season, it’s incredible. I don’t know what it is, but now it’s a lot more fun to have her around. It’s almost like she’s a different person,” Tina said, “But really, thanks guys for coming. I really appreciate it.”

“Oh, it was great,” Matt said, “I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to come back.”

“Well there’s another game next week, so you can put it on your calendar now if you want,” Tina said, “Now, sorry, but I have to run. I’ve got my shift in like thirty minutes and I have to go. Nice to meet you Penny.”

“Nice meeting you,” Penny said sweetly.

“Bye Matt.”

“Bye,” Matt said as Tina left.

Matt and Penny stood there for a moment, watching the retreating form of Tina as it hurried along, before turning to head for the parking lot to drive back.

“I think that went rather well,” Penny said.

“Not so bad. You were asking a lot of questions,” Matt observed.

“That was me stimulating the conversation so as to allow Tina to talk about herself more,” Penny replied, “Try it sometimes. Girls like to talk about themselves. It’s surprisingly effective.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Matt said.

“So when are you going to ask her out?” Penny asked.

“What do you mean? We’ve barely been talking to one another in earnest for two days and you think I should ask her out again?” Matt said.

“Absolutely. I think she’d say yes,” Penny replied.

“You have no way of knowing that.”

“She looked like she really liked you.”

“Well I don’t want to hurry these things,” Matt said.

“Matt, she looked like she’s just waiting for you to ask her so she can say yes,” Penny said, “Besides, if she likes you that much, she’s not going to say no.”

“And what if she does like me, but doesn’t want to go out with me?”

“Well…I don’t see why she’d want to do that, but you keep thinking up doomsday scenarios to avoid asking her out, all right?” Penny replied, “Come on, I’m hungry. Let’s go get dinner.”

“Sure, why not?” Matt said he got into Penny’s car.

***

“You look distracted,” Wendy the waitress said as she passed by the hostess station.

“Oh! Sorry. Mind’s somewhere else right now,” Tina said.

“I’ve seen that look before, except there’s something different,” Wendy said putting her finger to her chin, “I know. You’ve got a boy on your mind. And it’s in a good way.”

“Maybe,” Tina said, trying to be enigmatic, but failing miserably as her cheeks colored slightly.

“I knew it! Good for you! He know you like him yet?” Wendy asked conspiratorially.

“I think he might,” Tina said.

“Way to go! Just make sure you run into him a couple times and smile when you do and he’ll be putty in your hands,” Wendy said, “What’s his name?”

“Oh, you wouldn’t know him,” Tina said.

“Well of course I wouldn’t know him!” Wendy said, “But I think I aught to call him by his name.”

“It’s…Matt Sutherby!” Tina exclaimed.

Her sudden emphasis wasn’t because of the question, but because the person in question had just walked through the door. “Tina, you work here?” Matt said in surprise.

Wendy looked from the surprised Matt to the astonished Tina and said, “I think I need to go check on my tables.” With that Wendy whisked off with a wink, leaving the two relatively alone.

“Yeah,” Tina said, too flabbergasted to say anything else.

“Wow, I didn’t even know. Penny just wanted to get something to eat and she had me come in to get a table and…” Matt’s trailed off voice as things fell into place, “…and I have a feeling that she knew you worked here.”

“Yeah, I guess she felt like she was intruding a bit back at the game,” Matt said.

“And what would she have been intruding on?” Tina asked with a small flutter of her eyelashes.

“I dunno. You have any ideas?” Matt asked coyly.

“Well, maybe—” Tina said.

“Hi!” Penny said as she came through the door.

“Hi Penny. What a coincidence you guys should come here,” Tina said.

“Tina! You work here? Why, I had no idea,” Penny said with a bit too much surprise, “It’s great to see you again.”

“Yeah. I’d love to chat, but I should really seat you guys promptly so my manager doesn’t get suspicious,” Tina said with a smile, grabbing a couple menus, “This way please.”

As Tina led them to their table, Matt said softly to Penny, “If you didn’t know Tina worked here, then I’m buying dinner.”

“Guess it’s on me then, isn’t it?” Penny said with a big grin.

***

The mood on a Friday at any school, whether it be an elementary school or a prestigious university, is one of anticipation and exultation. The week is nearly over and two days of rest in sight (discounting, of course, papers to be written or papers that must be graded, depending on who you are). Everyone just wants to punch their card and get out, and unless there’s a good reason, not many people work much harder than they need to with that glorious weekend on the horizon.

Not so for Matt and Tina. For them Friday, brought US History again, and another opportunity to see one another after their encounters the day before. Any anxiety by either party was totally gone. There was only anticipation. It was still maddening, waiting for the moment that they’d see one another again, but it was tolerable for now there was something wonderful at the end of the tunnel now. Of course, neither exactly knew what that was, or when they’d get there, but every meeting had the potential to bring it about, or at least bring it closer.

Matt was already in class when Tina got there, and she gave him a shy little wave when their eyes met. She decided against going over to talk with him before class, even though her heart tugged her in his direction. Besides, Katie Rollins would be a mite suspicious if she made such a sudden deviation from the regular routine. Matt waved back, not making a move right now. He figured that it would be better to talk with Tina after class when he’d have all of lunch, rather than two minutes, to work with.

The class period felt as long as it was, even though on Fridays it was shorter. Though both Tina and Matt wanted the period to pass faster, the class moved at regular speed (admittedly, the events leading up to the outbreak of the Civil War were rather interesting). When the final bell rang, there was only one thought in both minds. This time, it was Matt who took the initiative.

“Hey Tina.”

“Hey Matt,” Tina said.

“We just keep running into one another,” Matt said.

“Yeah, it’s almost like we’ve got class together three times a week or something,” Tina joked.

“I know, it’s crazy,” Matt said, “By the way, thanks for such prompt service last night. Can I give you a note to take to your boss to tell him how good you were?”

“Nah, he wouldn’t care,” Tina said.

“Then can I give you a tip or something? Last I checked they don’t usually cut hostesses in on those,” Matt said.

“They do if they bus tables, which I do when I get bored,” Tina said as they exited the classroom.

“And that would be…?”

“All the time,” Tina said with a roll of her eyes.

“Well, if you won’t take a note, and you already got a tip, then I guess you’ll just have to let me take you to dinner,” Matt said.

“Matt, that sounds absolutely wonderful,” Tina said with a broad smile.

 

[Armadillojellybeans]

 

[The Id]