Unforgivable

Chapter 12

The bus pulled up to the curb, and I stepped out, rubbing my hands together after the breeze hit me. I took a deep breath before approaching the hospital’s automatic doors. I love him, I assured myself quietly, I love Matt.

A nurse handed me a blue ballpoint pen, and I signed my name on a clipboard.

“So you’re Rhea,” she spoke as she led me down a familiar hallway.

“How did you know my name?”

“He talks about you a lot,” she replied, stopping at a door and taking glances between her clipboard and the room number.

“T-this is it,” I announced, stepping in front of her, gripping the door handle.

“Oh,” she replied, the surprise in her voice evident, “o-okay.” 

She nodded, and turned, walking back down the hallway. I waited until she was out of sight, and turned the handle.

As I entered the room, Matt sat up, his eyes growing wide at the sight of me.

“You’re back,” he spoke, frowning, “I hope you left your attitude behind, along my idiotic brother.”

I sighed, and walked over to his bed, running my fingers through his hair. As we made eye contact, his frown turning into a smile.

“I can’t hate you forever,” he laughed, grabbing my hand, “I’m sorry.”

I looked down to see how his fingers were tangled in mine, and my heart fluttered. I leaned down and the fluttery feeling intensified as our lips touched.

“I’m sorry too,” I mumbled through the kiss, “I wasn’t thinking right.”

He pulled away from my lips, and looked deep into my eyes. He bit his lip as my left hand moved across his body, grazing his hip and landing on his thigh. He shook his head, and I sighed. 

“Still nothing,” he spoke, his voice shaking, “it’s strange.” 

I nodded, and took a deep breath. I pulled his sweater off over my head, and placed it on the edge of his bed.

“I stayed with Booker last night,” I confessed.

“Y-you stayed with-”

“Yeah.”

Matt shook his head, and buried his face in his hands. He took gripped a fistful of his dark brown hair, and then looked up and stared into my eyes.

“Rhea, I told you he’s-”

“You also told me to leave.”

Matt sighed, and chewed at his bottom lip.

“A-are you okay?” he asked, folding his arms over his chest, “did he hurt you?”

My heart dropped, and I shot him an angry glance. 

“Hurt me? Booker saved me a lot of trouble,” I snapped.

Matt’s eyes widened.

“Trouble?!” Matt spoke, his voice raising to a shout.

“Yeah, I ran into one of his perverted friends, Nico,” I rambled, “but Booker made him stop, I swear, Booker’s not as horrible as you think.”

Matt grabbed my hand, and squeezed it as he took a deep breath. I could tell he was disappointed in me. I closed my eyes, trying to calm down.

“Rhea please,” he spoke, his voice breaking, “promise me you won’t talk to him again.”

“I-I-” My words caught in my throat.

“Please, just promise me. He’s dangerous, I told you!”

“I can’t, Matt, Booker is just,” I held my tongue.

“Rhea, you have to promise me. Please.” 

I felt tears brimming over my eyes, and I bit my lip. Hearing the hurt in his voice broke my heart. You have to promise him, I thought, or you’ll lose him.

“I promise,” I finally replied, sighing, “for you, Matt.”

“I love you so much, Rhea.” 

I opened my mouth to say the words back, but I couldn’t. Somewhere deep inside, I had the feeling I didn’t love him. I loved the old Matt, the Matt I could tell anything, the Matt that was understanding. Now I’m faced with an overprotective Matt who hated his brother.

I looked over to find his eyes wide, and his lips shaped into a pout. I had always given in to his puppy dog faces ever since he asked me for a lollipop in first grade.

“I love you too,” I sighed, faking a smile.

He smiled, and placed a kiss on the top of my hand. I nodded, and headed towards the door.

“School tomorrow?” he spoke, sitting up in his bed.

“Yeah, unfortunately.”

“I’ll be out of here in a few days,” Matt replied, shrugging his shoulders. The amount of muscles in his back still seemed to leave me speechless.

“Really?” I replied, shooting him a quick smile. He grinned back, his straight teeth peeking through his lips.

“I can’t wait to see you,” he spoke, biting his bottom lip,“the way you get frustrated in math class is extremely cute.”

I blushed, rolling my eyes. I missed the way Matt would tease me in math, from throwing paper at the back of my neck to laughing at my sloppy handwriting. I grabbed the handle, and turned it, looking back at his pouty lips.

“I’ll see you soon,” I giggled.

“Bye, beautiful.”