Burn the light

Chapter 20

Hello... It's been a while... I am so so sorry for this late update! 
I think my professional life became too much at one point and it made any attempt toward creativity difficult. I was unable to write anything for weeks. But now, this issue is behind me so please forgive me. ♡

 ☆ ☆ ☆

Stars are shining in the dark sky and I wonder if Hayes is also looking at them at that moment. 

He loves the universe. 

It's strange how knowing something about someone make you look differently at the world. I have always thought that the sky was beautiful. The same way you would be amazed by a rainbow. Looking at it in awe before letting your gaze slips away and forget about it in the next moment. But now... Now when I am looking at a night sky, my gaze lingers a bit longer and my thoughts go to him. As they're doing at that exact moment.

Hayes has been away on a business trip, for more than a week now. He left a day after my night out with Alessio and my semi-love declaration to Eiran. I shouldn't be thinking about him right now. I am on my way to meet with my friends but here I am, looking at the stars and wondering if he is looking at them too.

"Hey." A voice cuts me from my admiration.

I turn to look at Matthew, standing just next to me, his hands in his pockets. His tone is light, quiet as if it has been too long since we have seen each other and we don't know how to act in front of another.

"Hey." I say, forcing my lips to curl up.

We haven't talked since we all met at the cafe. Last time my friends discovered I had no more money to pay rent and was now living with a man they didn't know. They were mistaken. It were actually three men but something I didn't dare admit. Matthew has reacted bad enough at the news of me living with a man. He had let me know that he would prefer I live in his apartment instead of living at a man's place he didn't know the existence of. He said he will call and we could talk about it but he never did. A part of me was relieved, relieved that I wouldn't be a burden to my friend. Another part was sadden at the confirmation, since he never called, that I would indeed have been one.

There is a moment of silent and I hate it. For as long as I remember, it has always feel natural between Matthew, Sam and me. It was the only relationship where I didn't feel like I needed to hide myself more than I normally would.

A shiver runs down my body and I shift from one feet to another to try to warm myself from the cold night. For once, I am not the one late. Samuel is. If I had come here by my own means, I would have probably been late. The car drive had been filled with the sound of old music.

A jacket is put on top of my shoulders and I look up at Matthew.

"I'm sorry I didn't call." He says with sincerity.

"It's fine." I quickly shrug it off.

"It's not. I said I would call and I didn't." His body tenses up. I don't know if it's from the cold or from the guilt of not calling. "I had an emergency and... I had to be out of the country."

"Is everything ok?" I ask, concerned.

Matthew isn't originally from England but from Ireland. And when he visits his family it is always planned weeks beforehand.

"My grandfather died. That's why I didn't call. I was with family and we were grieving and I couldn't think about anything else but the loss.

"I am sorry about your grandfather." I say, sadly. I know how difficult it is to lose a loved one.