Understanding You

Chapter 8

" We know that its been hard for you Zara but you can't escape this. You refusing to come over your brother's death anniversary is just ridiculous. Why is it so hard for you anyway? ", my mother scolded at me from the other end of the line. If she only knew. But really she was never the one who understood me. Even when I was a girl she never seemed to get my problems. She would start off with her own bunch of problems regarding her advertisement business. I was not ready for this conversation but now that it has come out in the open I just can't avoid it. My mother would further push the topic which would leave me in shutting her out and never talking to her again, like back when I was in highschool. I wouldn't have spoken to her so easily if it had not been for Jared.

" Now are you going to come or not? ", I stayed quite. I didn't wanna answer her question yet. I could hear her sigh.
" See Zara I know its been hard for the past one year for us. For all of us. You lost your brother and we lost our son. Don't you think it was hard for us? You think that it is only you who got hurt. ", she was crying now.
" Stop crying mom. You don't have to do this. I will come. Not for you but for my brother. ", I hung up before she could say any other word.

Matty's mother was visiting him today so he wanted to spent some time with her. He had promised to take me out on a date but when his mother decided to visit him he couldn't. He later called me and told that he would take me out tonight. I was really happy about it when this situation cropped up. It was already 11 : 30 on the clock. The drive to my house would take only half an hour.

I stepped inside the living room and my brother's best mates were sitting on the sofa talking to each other. I looked at them and smiled. My mother was talking to her friends. The day was extremely hot today so I had decided to go with a simple hat to cover my head. She walked over to me and pulled me in for a hug.
" Glad you could make it. You look good. ", she commented.
" Well looks are the least of my worries right now. ", I said. She lost her smile.
" Come over to meet my friends. They want to look at you. ", she said and pulled me to her group of butterflies.

I sometimes hated her friends. They were just a bunch of woman who knew nothing except gossip. It was ridiculous. They were not here to mourn over the demise of my brother but to catch up on the latest gossip. My mother had a lot of celebrity friends and well I had no likes for any of them. If I were my mother I would never invite them. There were four ladies standing with a glass of champagne except one who had a pixie hair cut. She looked familiar. I had recently seen her somewhere. She caught me staring at her and smiled at me. I smiled back at her realising that I had been staring the whole time.

" Ladies, this is my daughter Zara. ", my mother introduced me to her group of friends. I smiled at them not once making an eye contact. I didn't want to look at any of them.
" She's grown up quite a looker. I must say. ", one of her friends said.
" Yes she's beautiful, Magda. ", another one replied.
" Here you go mother, champagne for you. ", I heard someone say but I didn't bother to look up. I just hated this atmosphere. It felt like I have been deprived of the oxygen in my lungs.
" Ooh. Who is this handsome young man? ", one of them asked, fascination cousring in her voice.
" This is my son, Matty. ", I shot my head up and  found Matty staring at me. He had a smirk on his lips. Honestly i had never felt happier before on seeing anyone but this feeling right now was just extraordinary. I felt saved. Thank god he was here.

" Hi Zara. ", Matty said.
" Hi Matty. ", I smiled at him. I couldn't believe it.
" You two know each other? ", Matty's mother asked her son.
" Yeah. We're friends. ", he smirked. I smiled just at the way he said friends. It was our secret at how better  friends we were.
" Thats great, isn't it Denise? ", my mother sounded chirpy.

Right Denise Welch. Her name had appeared when I had googled Matty a few days ago. Denise nodded in return and had her eyes on Matty who was still looking at me.

                                          ***

After the ceremonial speech dedicated to my brother we all decided to sit down for lunch. Matty and Denise were seated across from me. I was sitting between my mother and father. Everything was going good until one of mom's friend decided on giving a sympathetic speech.
" I was so saddened on hearing about Jared's demise. Was such a good boy. Always helped. I can't imagine what you all must have gone through. I mean I don't know what I would do. Really once again I'm so sorry for your loss, Magda. ", my mother caught my hand from under the table for she knew how much I hated people expressing sympathy towards my family over Jared's death. Yes, his death took us all by surprise. But they didn't have to constantly remind us by repeating how sorry they were. In fact I had gotten so tired of all their fake sympathy that I had stopped coming over to all the family occasions. This was the first time in a while when I had visited my house.

" I'm so sorry John. Really I personally feel that if I don't express my sympathy I am missing out on something. Or is it just me? ", she looked around and started laughing. Few people laughed at her stupid joke but most of them didn't say anything.
" Zara darling you've been awfully quiet the whole day. The death of Jared must have completely shook you since you both were inseparable. But darling I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm so sorry. ", she said wiping her mouth with a napkin. Everybody's eyes were on me now.
" Zara darling? ", she called out my name. I looked up at her.
" Seriously? ", I asked her. I couldn't believe her.
She looked around for help. She looked at my mother who had her eyes glued on her empty plate.
" Do shut up sometimes. ", I remarked and
stood up from the table. I couldn't stand her anymore. I walked away from them.

I tried to contain my hat in place when the wind tried to blow it from all the directions.

" Hey. ", I turned around to find Matty leaning against the door. He had a concerned look on his face. I turned towards him and wiped my tears.
" Come here. "
I walked towards him where he hugged me tightly. I breathed in his original musk. I cupped my head on his shoulders. He kissed my head. I pulled back from him and smiled. He kissed my tears away and smiled at me.
" Do you wanna go back inside? ", he asked.
" Never in a million years. ", I replied. He chuckled softly.
" So let's get away from all this craziness. Don't forget about our date. ", he said.
He put his arms around my shoulders and kissed the side of my head.
" Get ready for our date. ", he kissed me softly. I could never get enough of this man.