The Undoing

Love Looks Different For Everyone?

Mattheo and I sat in chairs across from my Father who was staring daggers into Mattheo. Filch was standing with a sick and un-brushed smile painted on his face, next to Daddy dearest. "It's all true professor," Filch said. "They were causing trouble in the halls and threatening their fellow students." Mattheo looked slightly bored. Oh God, please this cannot be happening.         

"Well, technically, I was the only one doing the actual threatening. Lucia was just an unfortunate." Snape narrowed his eyes at Mattheo who smiled and nodded in return. I sighed.      "Why can't we just say the asshat deserved a good threatening and move on with our lives?" I dared, not hiding my attitude. My father didn't even acknowledge that I said anything. 

"Not to mention Professor," God why couldn't this hobo cat-fucker just SHUT UP? "I walked in on them... canoodling in one of the closets." Mortification. Mattheo and I said in unison, "Oh please." and "Canoodling? EW." Snape huffed. Finally, he spoke. "I don't have time for this. Both of you have a 4-hour detention tomorrow." Ugh. 

"Seriously Dad? But tomorrow's the only day off students get!" Filch smiled wider. 

"It's Professor Snape, and I don't particularly care." I scoffed and rolled my eyes at him. Under my breath, I murmured, "Not caring. That'll be a first." He narrowed his eyes at me. 

"Mr Filch, Mr Riddle, you are excused." Filch left immediately but Mattheo lingered a little longer looking from me to Snape. "I said you are EXCUSED, Mr Riddle." Mattheo stood and walked to the door. I could feel him looking at me one last time before he left. After all but I had departed, my Father stood and turned his back to me to stare out the widow. "What have I told you about talking back to me?" I crossed my arms and sighed. I can't show fear. Ever. 

"I don't know. You've given me all sorts of lectures they kind of start to blur together." Bad move. All of a sudden, he turned and slapped me hard across the face. I could have moved away or block his hand but that always makes it worse. My eyes began to water instantly and the left side of my face stung. It was likely red now. My father grabbed my face hard and leaned in close to me. His eyes were wild with anger but his voice was steady. "If you continue to show me this attitude, you will not get off so easy. You are to do exactly what I say when I say it. Am I clear?" My nostrils flared and I blinked a few times but I did not answer. His grip on my face tightened and his nails dug into me. I fought the urge to yelp. "Am. I. Clear?" 

"Crystal clear." he reluctantly let go of my face. I stayed very still barely breathing. 

"You are not to do ANYTHING with that Riddle boy. I forbid you to form any sort of attachment or relationship. Same rules apply to him as with anyone else. Emotional attachment causes weakness, Lucia." I looked down. The memories of these exact lessons and lectures flooding back to me. I did not realise he was looking at me. He put his fingers under my chin and lifted my eyes to his. The expression on his face had gone from angry to tender. "You realise I am only doing this for your benefit don't you Lucia? I mean, you don't want another 'incident' on our hands do we? You were weak then, you were the cause of your own destruction and who helped you? No one. It was only me who kept you alive despite your repulsive behaviour. That was out of my love for you." His words sounded wrong in parts of my brain. But I had to believe what he was saying. He was my father after all. "Go to class, Lucia. Think about what I have said." I left his office and sped-walked through the halls. "Lucia!" Mattheo began catching up to me. I walked faster, trying to outrun him. I failed. Mattheo grabbed my forearm and twisted me to face him. "Jesus Riddle will you just leave me the fuck alone!" He let go of my arm and did a double take of my face. Something like pain touched his eyes before it disappeared. "What do you want Mattheo?" my voice came out more broken than I would've liked. 
"Revenge." Huh?
"What the fuck are you talking about Riddle?" He stuffed his hands in his pockets and flicked a hair out of his face. That simple move made me want to run my hands in his hair and push him against the wall. "I want revenge on Filch." He said it with such ease as if it were that simple.
"Oh sure Riddle, let's just Waltz around to find Filch's cat to snap it's neck or some shit. Sure that is soooooo simple. Well done. Killer idea." Mattheo looked at me and sighed a chuckle. My god his eyes. Just a few hours ago his hands were on me. His eyes were on me. His lips- 

"Ahem." My fantasy was interrupted by Mattheo clearing his throat. 

"What?" I asked slightly dazed. I tried to ignore the tingling that was running through my body but I grievously failed. 

"You were staring." Shit, was I? "Anyway, no. We are not going to kill Filch's cat. I was thinking something less... subtle." I looked at him with the most unamused expression I could muster.        

"Oh come on Snape. Live a little. Think of what an asshole he is and the look on his stupid fucking face when things don't go his way." To be completely honest, I wasn't listening to a single word he was saying. I was too busy watching his lips move. Watching and imagining. All that imagining must have drove me completely insane considering I said, "Fine. What's the plan, Riddle?" He smiled wide. God I wanted to kiss that stupid smirk into oblivion. 

"Meet me outside the potions room at midnight." I nodded and started to walk away but Mattheo stopped me by touching my chin and guiding my head so we were face to face. Fuck his hand feels amazing on me. We stared at each other a while until he brought his other hand up to cup my face in both hands. He didn't come closer and neither did I but his thumbs caressed either sides of my face. My eyes closed involuntarily. When they opened, that pain I saw before touched his eyes again. He took a deep breath and whispered, "Just- I'll see you later." He walked off leaving me stunned and tingly all over. 

Later when I went back to my dorm and into my bathroom to shower, I noticed small nail shaped cuts on one side of my face. From when my Father grabbed me. Mattheo saw. Mattheo knows.