define love; matthew espinosa

twenty one

it's the last day of school and i wake up to the sound of my phone ringing, i grab my phone seeing the number appear, it was a text from matt. i smiled at the thought of him and opened the text reading it with a wide smile.

matt💚; good morning my princess, i can't wait to see you at school today. i have some things to talk to you about, love you so much it hurts. baby girl we are forever and always don't ever forget that. see you at school, i'll be waiting.

reading that text made me tear up, i got out of my bed picking out an outfit i went through my drawers when i found my jean shorts that are ripped along the edges of the shorts, for my top i chose a black halter top.

for shoes i chose my pair of white high top converse. i threw my outfit on and quickly did my makeup. i let my hair fall along my shoulders and brushed it out.

grabbing the keys to my car i walked downstairs running to my car with a wide smile on my face. when i got to school i ran to my locker seeing austin leaning against my locker with a depressed smile, austin never really looks happy unless he's around my parents or his parents like he's putting on a show.

i take a small deep breath walking to him i was so close when i felt pushed away, i looked up to see matt with a mad expression.

"what are you doing?" he asked me with some aggression to his voice.

"i just wanted to talk to him matthew, he needs to know how i feel."

"i don't know about that steph, he'll get the message sooner or later..."

"just let me talk to him, i promise nothing is going to happen. trust me please." he looks into my eyes softly and kisses my temple softly before waking away.

i saw austin still waiting at my locker eyes locked on me. i walked up to him confidently with a smile.

"hi stephanie," he had a soft expression and he had a smile that concerned me a bit.

"look austin i just wanted to talk to you about something...."

"no please stephanie let me talk first i got more explaining than you do, let me set myself straight." i kept my mouth shut listening to his words closely.

"when my dad told me i had to date you, not gonna lie i was pissed as hell....but i never really had a serious relationship before so i was kinda excited at the same time.

let me just say i'm sorry for everything for hurting you the way i did and for punishing you the way i have, you don't have to forgive me but can you just try. i know this wont matter after graduation because we will end up going to college.

i don't even know if i want to go to college steph. the reason i hurt you so much is because i was raised in an abusive relationship family, my dad abused my mother and i guess i learned from the worst.

i never wanted to hurt you and seeing you with matt and happy made me jealous, because i realized i can never be that happy again.

but honestly i know were good friends and i'm just rather a protective brother to you that really has hurt you but that's all over now i want you to go live your life be with matthew, your made for each other i can tell.

me on the other hand have my eye on a girl but we will see how well that goes. now i gotta go but ill see you at prom tomorrow, if you want my opinion go be with matthew and tell your dad, be confident and don't let him beat you down your stronger than that, i know trust me.

goodbye if you ever need anything call me please." he was walking past my shoulder when i grabbed his wrist. he turned to me with a sad expression.

i pulled him into a hug and i felt his arms wrap around me.

"thank you." he let go of our hug and began to walk away and to his class when i suddenly called for him.

"oh and austin!" he turned and stared at me.

"try to smile more, you got a nice one." his sad expression turned into a bright smile. he walked away as well as i did with a smile knowing that my life is going to get better.

[after school]

i was metting up with matthew after school to talk but for some reason i couldn't find matt but i did find angie by my car.

"hey ang what are you doing?"

"oh nothing but i need to take you somewhere so get in." i looked her weirdly and got in the passenger seat giving her my car keys.

"oh steph i forgot um i gotta blindfold you....."

"are you kidding me ang? where the hell could you possibly be taking me that requires a blindfold?"

"that's the thing its a secret..."

"but wait i have to meet up with matthew,"

"oh don't worry you'll see him later like you always do." she took a bandanna out of her pocket and wrapped it around my head tying it.

"alright this is gonna be a bumpy ride so hold on."

"hey angie,"

"yes stephanie?"

"please don't kill me or this car..."

"yes mom," i can tell she was rolling her eyes by her tone of voice. suddenly i felt the car moving and driving out in the open where i can possibly die, the thoughts ran through my head causing my eyes to carry me into a deep sleep.