Starting from Scratch

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER THREE

Alicia

There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be....

~John Lennon

            "Matt, wait,"  I pleaded as he stormed outside of the flat down the hallway. "I didn't mean to-"

            "To what; to what, Alicia? You didn't mean to hide the fact that you know this band? You didn't mean to hide the fact that you've been friends with these people for however long and you never even thought to tell me?!" I looked at him with hurt as he glared down at me angrily.

            "Why would it be important for you to know??" I weakly fought.

            He let out an exasperated breath, "Oh, I don't know, maybe because we've known each other for months and now that we're dating, I find out that you have an entire history I don't even know about?! Is that a good enough reason???" I went quiet. I didn't have a defense when I knew that that was reasonable knowledge to want. "It's not the fact that they're famous, Alicia. It's not the fact that you thought I would like you for that reason alone, because I know you better than that and if you had even the slightest inkling of me being anything like that, you would've ditched me long ago."

            "I know," I nearly whispered.

            "So, why didn't you tell me?"

            "I-I don't know...." I stuttered out.

            He let out a frustrated breath as he paced for a split second. "No, no; you kn-you have a reason, but for some reason you just don't want to tell me, right?" I didn't reply. "Right." He turned and proceeded to walk down the hall again.

            "Matt, stop," I demanded. He tensed as he did so.

            "I don't want-I can't be around you right now, okay? I can't-" He shook his head, "You lied to me."

            "I didn't-"

            "No, this big secret just happened to slip from your mind," he snapped, turning to face me. I stopped and swallowed. "I'm going for a walk." I stared at him as he turned the corner of the hall. My lips trembled, but I knew I couldn't stop him.

            When I got back to the flat, I checked to see if Arden was still on the other line. He was waiting as I placed it back to my ear and sniffled in the slightest. "He sounded angry." Arden spoke first. I stopped and felt my heart fall into my stomach. "Who was that?"

            I swallowed, "Matt," I whispered out; "my boyfriend. He-What did you hear?" I asked.

            "I didn't really hear that much, but it's hard to miss when someone's yelling." I closed my eyes, tears falling. I wiped them away angrily. I was angry at him for not understanding, for not hearing me out. Neither of us knew so much about one another that I was obligated to tell him about Jason or Untied Laces. "Love, what happened?"

            I wiped my nose, "What do you mean what happened?"

            "Matt; who the Hell is Matt?"

            "What are you talking about?" I breathed out desperately. He was quiet. I narrowed my eyes. "Arden-"

            "I understand if you've changed your mind now -- about Bordeaux."

            "I haven't changed my mind." I said. My brows furrowed. "Matt doesn't-He doesn't control my decisions. I control what I think is right. He doesn't understand right now. He doesn't even know what all of you mean to me. He doesn't know what you've done for me."