Unloved (The Undone, #2)

by Peyton Corinne

“Hey,” he stutters. “You look so beautiful.” I blush under his attention, feeling beautiful beneath his gaze. “Thank you.” “I’m sorry, I know I’m early—” Shaking my head, I try to cut him off. “Matt—” “—and it’s fine if you want me to wait out here, you can take your time, but I…” He pauses, shaking his head and smiling, looking as dazed and dopey as I feel. “I was too excited to wait any longer, so I came over. And I got these for you, but I— There’s something on there. I had the girl at the store write it for me because no way you’d be able to read my handwriting, and my hands were shaking, honestly—” “I’ve been reading your handwriting since the beginning of the semester, Matty.” I laugh, taking the flowers from his outstretched hand. He blushes and scratches the back of his head. “Right. Of course.” He sounds distracted, and it takes me a minute, as I step into the kitchen and pull the flowers back from where I had the petals shoved under my nose, before I see it. Will you be my girlfriend? —Matty Signed Matty—not Freddy. He’s mine, in that way. To everyone else he might be Freddy, smiling and joking at his own expense. To me, he is Matty, or Matt—walls down, the real him.