After | Matt Daddario

Chapter 29

Enjoy! Enjoy!
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A couple of days went by since I had left England again and got back to America. It has been a couple of days since that accident... Or let's say murder...

Everyone went back to their old lives. Like nothing happened, including me. I went to college, found a job and actually somehow ended up talking to Alberto again.

There wasn't any incident placed. No one came for me and neither did I feel like I was being followed. Matthew was still the same. He was a jerk in college and still hung out with Katherine.

I mean, duh she is beautiful. Why wouldn't he?

I was jealous of her but somehow, I thought I was lucky too. Imagine being wrapped together to a boy that has death following his footsteps every single second.

I don't think I could bare that... Any of it... I don't think that I would be able to live with the fact that the boy that I loved could die any second because of his job but was I not in that position already?

Didn't I love Matthew?

"Make sure to read through page 67 carefully and do your research before you give your essay in!" I heard one of my teachers shout.

It was as if I had waken up from a nightmare. I looked around and saw everyone packing up to leave for home or for their other class. Alberto who was sitting next to me, looked at me thoroughly.

"Are you okay, Lau?" He asked carefully as if he was afraid that I would hurt him for asking me.

Alberto and I talked but nothing felt same as it was before. The trust wasn't there anymore. I did not trust a word anymore that came out of his mouth. Not that he was lying all the time but that he only told me half of the truth.

I just nodded as I packed up and left the class with Alberto following me. I keep on zoning out since the murder of David. I would just think and think and somehow, my subconscious would leave the world and the immediately return.

It was weird.

"Can I talk to you?" Alberto asked as he looked at me. He sounded more sure now than he did before. I nodded my head again without saying anything to him.

Alberto sighed and nervously looked at his hand before he faced me again. His eyes were staring into mine and he took a deep breath before speaking.

"I am sorry that I didn't tell you about it before. I just didn't wanted you to be in danger." Alberto said softly. I looked around to see if someone was looking at us or eavesdropping.

I sighed and looked at Alberto again. I was annoyed because everyone probably knew that I was already in danger. How worse could it get?

"For your benefit, Alberto. I was already put in danger many times and if you guys would have told me, I could have protected myself better or my family." I said and Alberto just looked down at his hands.

He clearly didn't wanted to look me into my eyes and if I were him, I wouldn't want that too. One of the worse things for me is, looking into the eyes of a friend I have lied too. Not that I have ever done but the guilt would have probably eaten me inside out. I couldn't bare it.

Maybe the same thing was for Alberto too. God knew it better than me.

"Telling you wouldn't have changed anything. It could have made it worse. You don't understand how dangerous this is..." Alberto said and I sighed.

"This time it was only David. Sometimes a group of people could come for you. What would you do then? No matter what I would say or do. It wouldn't change anything." He said and I shook my head as I angrily looked at Alberto.

"It would have changed something!" I shouted at him. I had enough of his bullshit. You don't lie to your friends and then make up an excuse of protecting them.

"I would have still trust you and now there is nothing. You broke this friendship." I said and I saw from the corner of my eyes that some people would turn around and see what was going on.

"Stop being dramatic." Alberto said and I scoffed.

"Dramatic?" I asked annoyed. I wanted to raise my voice. Hell, I wanted to slap him but what difference would it make? Alberto thought he made the right decision when he didn't.

"Nothing about this job of yours is normal. So lying to me about it means that you are defying me from the knowledge of danger that could be caused by it! That's not protecting. That's putting my life in danger." I said throughout my teeth. I saw something snap in his eyes and I truly couldn't care less if I had hurt his feelings.

"So no, I am not dramatic when I tell you that you have damaged this friendship." I said angrily and walked off from him. I saw confused people looking at us but I couldn't care less.

"Can you get your curious eyes of me?!" I asked loudly. The anger was boiling inside of me and I seriously could hit someone right now.

I walked outside and saw Matthew walking. I immediately stopped and rolled my eyes. I quickly turned myself around so I could walk another way because I just couldn't come face to face with him now.

"Lauren!" I heard Matthew call out for me and I closed my eyes out of annoyance. I let out a deep breathe before turning myself around to look at Matthew. When I faced him, I put the fakest smile around my lips.

"Matthew." I said as he was walking towards me. He had sly smirk on his face and I knew that he was probably going to do something that would annoy me. He always does.

Maybe he won't this time my subconscious reminded me. I wanted to roll my eyes because we were literally talking about Matthew here.

"I would almost say that you were avoiding me." Matthew said and I smiled.

"Oh, I am." I said and I saw Matthew's smile fading away. He kind of looked annoyed. His eyes hardened and the same pride wasn't there anymore.

"Why?" He asked and his voice was demanding.

"Because of everything." I said and I wanted to walk away again but he held me from my arm and jerked me back. I flinched and looked at Matthew with fear in my eyes.

"I saved your life." He said as if he did me a favour.

"Let me go, Matthew. You are hurting me." I said and I tried him to lose his grip around my arm but he tightened it even more.

"M-Matthew." I stuttered when the pain was almost getting unbearable. It felt like he was squeezing the blood out of my arm. Almost, like countless needles in my arm.

"Let her go." I heard Alberto say behind me. He pushed Matthew away which made him let go of me.

I immediately looked down and saw a massive bruise around my arm. My pale skin was reddish purple. I looked up and saw Matthew's eyes focused on my arm.

"I hate you." I said out of anger. My voice was breaking and tears were streaming down my cheeks. Matthew looked at me but there was no emotion whatsoever.

I was a fool to love him. I was a fool to fall for a guy like Matthew.

I was a goddamn fool.