Right Place Wrong Time

chapter 13

I didn’t want to go home straight away; I couldn’t deal with all the tears and the sadness. If there’s one thing I’ve always hated its being around sad people.

I didn’t think where I was going, I just found myself outside the door of Matt’s flat. Matt only stayed in his flat occasionally, when his mum was at work and he knew she was safe. I knocked of the door and took a step back.

“Tia?” Matt said, slightly confused. He stood in the doorway topless, with his joggers slung loosely around his hips. He looked so good, “what are you doing here?”

“I was just passing by,” I said timidly, “I’m sorry I haven’t been in contact much, I”

A noise from upstairs stopped me in the middle of my sentence, it was a squeak.

“What was that?” I asked.

“Oh, I must have left the TV on up there.”

“DON’T WORRY, IM OK!” came a shrill voice, bouncing off the walls as it rang through the house.

I looked at Matt, his face was ridden with guilt, I turned and started for the stairs, but he grabbed my arm and spun me round.

“Tia, don’t.”

I ignored him, holding his pleading gaze for a minute before shaking my arm loose from his grip. As I reached his bedroom, I opened the door to see a stunning blonde perched on the end of his bed, her hair cascaded over one shoulder, her body covered by one of his baggy t shirts. I couldn’t believe it; a tear escaped my eye and fell onto my cheek. She looked just as shocked as me. The silence in the room lasted for what seemed like forever.

“Tia, let me explain.”

“Don’t touch me.”

I turned, pushing Matt’s strong body away from me. I ran down the stairs and out of the house, wiping the tears from my face with my sleeve. My heart was thumping. I got to the street outside his house and crumpled over, my arms folded across my body and I bent my knees to stop them from giving way beneath me. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t think straight and the tears clouded my vision.

“Tia, please,” the voice came from behind me. I lifted myself up and brushed the hair off my face.

“Please what, Matt?” I spat, “please wait so I can explain to you why there’s a half-naked slut in my bedroom?”

“Hey!” he warned.

“You’re defending her?!” I yelled, “Do you want to know why I came here today?”

Matt nodded silently.

“Today was the one year anniversary of my dad’s death.” I sobbed.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” He said quietly, gently taking hold of my arm.

“And that makes this ok?!” I shook my arm loose, taking another step away from him.

“No, of course not, I-I just,” Matt stuttered.

“I looked around at everyone, standing around my dad’s grave,” I wiped a falling tear from my chin, “and do you know the only face I wanted to see, was yours.”

“If you’d told me I would have been there.”

“BUT YOU WEREN’T” I screamed, I couldn’t control it anymore, “you were in there doing god knows what with that girl.”

“Nothing happened!” he protested, “all I could think about was you!”

“And that’s supposed to make me feel better?” I spat. I calmed my voice down and prepared to admit to him what I would never tell any other person, “Matt, today was the first time I cried for him.”

Matt stood, speechless. I turned slowly and walked away, the tears continuing to run down my face as I ignored the calls from behind me. He didn’t deserve my reply.