My Teacher and I

Chapter Twenty-Three

Atticus POV

I woke up early, feeling unusually energized. The memories of the night before—falling asleep in Mathew's arms—made me smile as I slipped quietly out of bed. I figured I'd surprise him with breakfast, something simple but thoughtful.Padding softly to the kitchen, I started prepping. The sizzle of eggs on the pan filled the air, and the scent of coffee brewing began to spread through the space. I smiled, imagining Mathew's reaction when he woke up. I wanted to do something special for him after how amazing this past week had been.Lost in my thoughts, I didn't hear Mathew coming up behind me. I was focused on flipping the eggs when I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around my waist from behind, making me jump a little."Good morning," he whispered in my ear, his voice low and soft, still a little sleepy. "Mathew! You scared me," I laughed, leaning back into his embrace."I couldn't help it," he chuckled, tightening his arms around me.

 "I woke up and noticed you were gone. Had to make sure you weren't sneaking off somewhere."

I turned my head slightly to catch a glimpse of his face, smiling.

 "I was just trying to make you breakfast."

"Well, it smells incredible. But you being here when I wake up is the best part," he said, his lips brushing lightly against my temple. I turned back to the stove, trying to focus on not burning the eggs, but his presence made it difficult. "You're distracting me, Mathew.""Good," he teased, resting his chin on my shoulder as he watched me cook. After a few minutes, I plated the food and handed him a mug of coffee. 

"Here you go," I said, proud of my little breakfast surprise.

Mathew smiled down at the plate and then at me. "You're full of surprises, aren't you?" He kissed my cheek gently before we sat down to enjoy the breakfast together, the morning feeling perfect, just like everything had been lately.As I stood at the sink, rinsing the dishes, I felt Mathew's presence behind me again. Before I could react, he gently spun me around, his hands resting on my waist. His lips met mine in a soft but urgent kiss, and for a moment, I got lost in it. But then, something inside me pushed me to stop."Mathew, wait," I said, pulling back slightly, my heart pounding. 

"I love you."

The words came out naturally, like I'd been holding them in for too long. But the moment they left my lips, I noticed his expression change. He froze, his eyes searching mine, but he didn't say anything. Not a word. The silence stretched between us, growing heavier with each passing second.I could feel my chest tighten. My heart was practically in my throat as I waited for him to say something, anything. But instead, he slowly stepped back, his hands slipping away from me. The warmth that had been there just moments ago was gone, replaced by a cold distance that hurt more than I expected.My stomach sank. "Mathew?" I whispered, my voice breaking. His silence stung, and it felt like my heart was cracking under the weight of the unspoken words. I didn't know what to say, what to do. All I could feel was this sudden wall between us, one I wasn't sure how to get past.Without another word, Mathew turned and walked away, leaving me standing there alone, the sound of running water filling the empty space between us.Tears streamed down my face as I bolted out of Mathew's house, my heart feeling like it was being crushed in my chest. I didn't care about anything else—just the pain and the need to get away. My legs moved on autopilot, and before I knew it, I was running down the street toward Toby's house, the one place I knew I'd feel safe.When I finally reached his door, I didn't even knock—I just rushed inside. Toby was in the living room, and the moment he saw me, his face filled with concern. Without a word, I ran to him, throwing myself into his arms. He hugged me tightly, and I broke down, sobbing against his shoulder."I—I don't know what happened," I managed to choke out between tears, my voice trembling. "He just... he didn't say anything, Toby. He didn't say anything..."Toby held me even tighter, his hand gently rubbing my back in comfort. "Shh, it's okay, Atticus. I'm here. I've got you."I clung to him, the weight of everything crashing down on me. The heartbreak, the confusion, the love I thought I had with Mathew—it all felt like too much. Toby didn't ask any questions, didn't push for details. He just let me cry, offering the one thing I needed most in that moment—his presence and his comfort. I stirred in bed, groggy and disoriented, my mind still fuzzy from the hours of crying and sleeping. I could hear muffled shouting coming from downstairs, but I was too drained to care. I knew it had to be Toby and someone else, but I couldn't make out the words.Exhaustion pulled at me, making my limbs feel heavy. I didn't have the energy to get up or deal with whatever was happening. All I wanted was to retreat back into sleep, away from the mess of emotions I was feeling.I turned over in bed, burying my face in the pillow, hoping to block out the noise and escape back into unconsciousness. Whatever was going on downstairs could wait—everything could wait. I just needed more time to process, to heal, and to figure out what to do next.