Impress Me Not: Neon Underground

Chapter 43

He didn't want to wake up. He didn't want to accept that it was a new day. If he were being honest with himself, he really just wanted to lie there in his own dreams for the rest of his life. Sure, there were some bad ones, but most of his dreams that night consisted of being somewhere comfortable, with soft words that soothed him.

Mateo eventually opened up his eyes. It was night time again. He must have slept the entire day away. It made sense, considering he had bawled his eyes out the night before. He was surprised that he could even drive home after that. At least his beach house wasn't too far away from that club. It wasn't as close as the motel had been, but it wasn't a long drive at all.

It felt like he was in shock now. There were so many emotions that came pouring out of him that night. It was hard to remember them all. So many memories came to the surface. He remembered telling Melvin all of them. All the ones of his parents and all the crap they told him. The expectations. The hypocrisy. He unloaded his whole life to a man that he hadn't even known for that long.

They had eventually moved to his office, away from the private room that he was in. Melvin told him to take his time, and Mateo did. He had wanted to fight it at first, but it was hard to fight soft words and strong arms. Especially when he felt like complete shit.

He was so weak for letting that happen. He was weak for listening to someone and whining to them about his whole childhood. It wasn't like it was that bad. Mateo never grew up poor, after all. That's what everyone always told him. At least he had money growing up. New clothes, the latest technology.

Money is all they would give him growing up. That was why he wanted none of it from them. It was the coldest gift he had ever been given. It was an excuse to treat him like absolute shit. He wasn't a human to them, just another collectible. Another trophy to add to their mantle.

Mateo got off from his bed, moving towards the kitchen. The first thing he did was down as much water as he could. Then, he grabbed his phone and headed outside. The sand was soft against his bare feet. He was sure he could get cut by a shell or something, but he didn't care. He just wanted to sit on the sand and enjoy the ocean for once.

So what, if he was weak? Being strong didn't seem to get him anywhere. All it got him was fake friendships and fuck buddies. Mateo never really had anyone who cared about him. Not even his sister cared that much for him. All she had ever called for was to ask for money. She was on her third husband already, and enjoyed sucking them dry. He hated it.

At least if he was weak, he didn't have to hide everything behind a smile. Mateo was tired of pretending to be happy when he wasn't. It was exhausting. The worst part was that no one cared if he was upset. That was why he didn't bother to show it in the first place. The first person who really cared that he was upset was the same man that tied him to a metal X and beat him.

He couldn't tell if it was toxic, or just extremely ironic at this point.

His phone rang as he searched for his soul in the waves of the ocean. Mateo answered it without thinking. He wasn't sure what he was hoping for with that phone call. It could have been the worst person trying to call him right then.

Or it could be just the man he was thinking about.

"Did I wake you up?" Melvin asked. It was the first time that he actually called Mateo rather than the other way around.

"No," Mateo yawned. "I'm just sitting on the beach right now, enjoying the waves."

"Do you want some coffee and pizza?" Melvin asked. His voice was quiet and calm. He didn't have that annoyed sound in his tone anymore. It was a little weird for him, but Mateo actually enjoyed it. "Or would you rather be left alone?"