How We Became Us

Chapter 29

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Cassie and Robert were cleaning Matt's mess in the kitchen when Matt came walking in with a pinched expression.

"Hey, where were you?" Cassie asked softly, not wanting to startle Matt, but the blond jumped at the sudden voice.

"You should sit down," Matt said instead and quickly grabbed a garbage bag and helped pick up all the big pieces of glass.

"Stop," Robert said softly and placed a hand over Matt's arm. "Why don't you go into the living room with Cassie?" he suggested, but Matt shook his head and continued cleaning.

"I'm sorry I made the mess. I should clean it. Neither of you is supposed to be working, and hell, neither of you works here anymore," Matt mumbled, not looking at either of them.

"What?" Robert asked, blinking, and Matt froze.

"Shit," he said, realizing what he said. "I saw Gregory was going to promote someone else and fire you. I think it'll be good to get yourself, Cassie and your unborn child as far away from this fucked up family as possible."

"Matt, we aren't going to just leave you here," Cassie said, carefully walking over to Matt. "Come on, let's go into the living room." She tried coaxing Matt out of the kitchen, but Matt shook his head profusely and shuffled away from Cassie. Cassie and Robert looked at each other worriedly.

"You didn't break the kettle," Robert chirped, and Matt grunted. Cassie quickly made her way over to the kettle and stove, where the damage was the most minor. She started making tea while watching a distressed Matt angrily pick up a glass.

"Okay, okay, giggles," she said, using his nickname to try and calm him. "You can clean later if you want, but I need you to breathe right now. You are working yourself up too much, and we don't need any more scars on your body." Matt sighed and placed his garbage bag down. He carefully approached the kitchen island and climbed on top of it, where the surface was cleaned. He sat on a crossed leg and stared down at his lap while fiddling with his fingers and taking deep breaths.

Both adults worked silently around Matt, letting the teen calm down and giving him the space to think and formulate his thoughts.

It was silent until Cassie pushed a mug of tea in front of Matt and—with the help of Robert—got onto the island and sat in front of him.

"I'm sorry," Matt said brokenly. He sniffled, and Cassie grabbed the box of tissues and handed it to him. "I-I... I tried, I tried," he cried, looking up with tears rolling down his face. Cassie placed a hand on his knee, silently encouraging him. "Why can't I leave?"

"Because," she said, moving to sit beside him. She pulled Matt in for a side hug, letting the blond drop his head on her shoulder. "They are your parents. The people who are supposed to love and protect you. It's confusing when parents do not do that and even more confusing when the child realizes what is happening. Your memories of your childhood aren't even fully back. Your soulmate has entered your life, and now you see your life from an outside perspective. Matthew Casey has two lives, one where you lived your entire life and the one that outsiders see. You are beginning to see the second one for yourself, and now you are confused because it doesn't match the reality you knew."

"B-but I knew!" He wailed, sitting and sniffling. "I-I knew who they were. I just ignore it," he said quietly, reaching for a tissue. "I defended them when I was little; I believed everything they said. I played their good, strong son and looked where that got me. A confused teenager who pushes away his friends and boyfriend when they want to help. I got two people killed, and who knows how many more. Many people lost their houses and all their stuff because of my father, and now I find out that my father let a murderer walk away and helped put an innocent man in prison. How much more blood has been spilled?