She said, "what good is tomorrow without a guarantee?"

Toni and I talked for a little bit longer, just going over details of the move. Then I got off the phone and headed home. Matt was out front with the dog.

“Hey.” He said, standing up off the stoop.

“Hey. Why are you out here? It’s cold.” I said, shutting the door and heading for the house.

“I miss being outside. I’m starting to get a little bit of cabin fever.”

I nodded. I knew how that felt. Plus we were slated to get him with some snow storms, which would probably trap us inside for a few days.

“Wanna help me clean up the upstairs for Toni?” I asked.

He nodded and followed me inside and upstairs.

We cleaned in quiet for a few moments.

“So.” He said, breaking the calm. “What happened with Drew?”

“I don’t know.” I said, sighing and packing up the stuff for the pool table. “He’s having issues with his parent’s divorce and says he just wants some time on his own.” I shrugged. “He says if it’s meant to be, it’ll happen.”

“Serendipity.” Matt said.

“What?” I asked, confused.

“It was this movie, a chick flick Kellie made me watch. These people meet and the guy asks the girl for her number and she writes it in a book and says she’s going to sell it to a used bookstore, and if it’s meant to be, he’ll find it and contact her. Serendipity.”

“Hmmm.” I said. “Sounds like a load of crap to me.”

“What? I thought you’d think it was all romantic.” Matt said, smiling at me.

“I think it’s a cop out. If he really wanted to be with me, then he’d do it.” I shrugged again. “Then again, I don’t know what he’s going through. I know I miss him though.”

We were quiet again. Matt helped me move the pool table off to the side of the room. I tried to section it off so Izzy would have her own little space, maybe it would help her get to sleep easier.

“Who was that guy today?” Matt asked.

“What guy?” I asked, confused.

“He was with your kids in the gym. The dancer guy. I went up to ask you something in your room after work and I saw you talking to him.”

“Oh. That’s Seth. He’s just a breakdancer… Cora from hunger alliance hooked us up with him to teach the kids some dance stuff. I’m sure he could teach your kids too, if you wanted to join…” I trailed off.

Matt shook his head. “I just saw him give you his number. What are you two going to do, go shopping together?”

“What?” I asked, confused.

“I mean, he’s gay, right?”

“Why would you say that?”

“I mean… He’s a dancer…”

“Oh Matt.” I said, laughing, but a little angry at his assumption. “I mean he may be gay. I didn’t ask. But just because a guy does something that might be considered more feminine, like dancing, doesn’t make you gay.” I answered, rolling my eyes.

“So why’d he give you his number then?”

“We started talking about sports, I mentioned that I liked hockey, he said he had never watched it, I told him he needed to go to a game, so he asked me to go with him to one.”

“But you just broke up with Drew. And now you’re already on a date?” He asked, raising his eyebrow.

I was getting annoyed. I didn’t see why it was his business, nor why it mattered.

“It’s not a date. I’m just going to a hockey game.” I was unable to keep the edge out of my voice.

Now it was Matt’s turn to shrug. “If you say so.”

“Why does it matter?” I asked turning to him.

“I just…” He trailed off. “It doesn’t. Look, I think we’re done here, so I’m going to head out to the grocery. You want anything?”

I shook my head no, and collapsed on the couch as soon as he left. Boys were so weird.

I decided to text Seth and tell him my schedule was pretty open. Normally I wouldn’t call or text a guy so soon, but what Toni said was right. I should just go with the flow.

Me: Hey Seth – it’s Ella. Didn’t want 2 call, don’t know when u get out of class, but wanted 2 let u know my schedule’s pretty open, so just pick a date and let me know!

I hit send, and threw my phone aside. I didn’t think he’d text back so soon. I was right, but a few minutes later my phone rang.

“Hello?” I answered.

“Hey, Ella, it’s Seth. I just got your text. I’m driving so I couldn’t text back, but I wanted to set some plans up. Are you near a computer?”

“No… But I can be.” I said, heading downstairs.

“Can you just look up game dates? That way we can set something in stone.”

“Sure.” I replied, waking my laptop up from sleep mode. “What are you in school for?”

“Sports Medicine. Though, now I’m kind of wishing I had taken teaching instead. I’d like to be a coach somewhere.”

“Well, you could always go back.” I offered.

He laughed. “Maybe. But I won’t be going back for a little while. School is hard.”

“Yeah.” I agreed.

I pulled up the dates and read them off to him. We decided Sunday would work best.

“When I get home I’ll buy tickets. Give me your address and I’ll come pick you up. That way we don’t both have to pay for parking.” He said.

“OK, well. I’ll give you the money for my ticket on Sunday.”

“No. You’re doing me a favor by educating me. Least I can do is buy your ticket.”

“Well.” I said, smiling, “then let me pay for parking then.”

“Deal.”

I thought maybe that would be the end of the conversation, but Seth kept me on the phone a little longer. He asked me how long I had been working at the agency, and told me it really seemed like I loved those kids, which I did. I asked him about his family. He was very close to them, his Mother and Father were still married, he had an older brother and a younger sister, and he called both of them his best friends. I went out on a limb and asked him if he had ever done modeling. He laughed a huge laugh, and said he had been asked before, but had never done it. He said he didn’t think he was all that good looking, and I believed that he really thought that. He went on to tell me that his little sister had done some modeling, that she was the beauty in their family, but she had mainly only done small time stuff in order to get money to go through school.

We talked for close to a hour, and I realized… Seth was not only cute, but his personality seemed to be amazing.

After I hung up, I started to freak out a little. Seth was really good looking, he seemed really nice, what happened if I did fall for him? Did I want that? What about Drew? He said I could see other people, but did he mean it? Did I care if he meant it or not? After all, he didn’t want me. Why should I want him?

I reached for the phone, to call Toni again, to have her help me sort it all out, but I stopped myself. I knew what she would say, that I was over thinking things. And I was. Seth was amazing, but I didn’t know him well enough to know if I liked him more than Drew, and I didn’t even know if he liked me. Maybe Seth and I would get into a relationship, and I found out that I actually liked him better than Drew. Maybe not. But Drew had said we should see where things took us, and I think I needed to do that. To relax, and see where life took me.

I set down the phone and went into the kitchen to make dinner.