True Loves Challenge

Chapter 1

Boys are never what you expect them to be. They can change in an instant and can love you for the rest of your life. There are boys that have started loving you a very long time ago and never knew how to express it. Then there are the boys that never knew that you would ever love him. You would want him for a very long time. Then there is a single moment when you are in serious need and you get him unexpectedly. That was my Matthew.

We met in middle school. We became friends by sitting next to each other in one of our extra classes. The first impression he gave me is that he's a smarty pants. I bet the first impression I gave him is that I am really dumb, but we became friends fast. We played a game pretty much throughout all of middle school. We poked each other every day and played a game of hooding. Hooding is when someone wears a hoodie to school and then you grab the hood and pull it onto their head. This happened all through middle school and all through high school, until the beginning of senior year.

It was the last night before school started. I was getting ready for bed as I usually do, when out of nowhere, he came in through my window. He is Steve. He abused me. He was there all night. Once my alarm went off, he left saying to not tell a soul that he was there all night.

I went to school scared and in pain. Matthew saw me that morning and played our game, he poked my sides really hard. I practically yelled in pain almost falling. Matthew catches me just in time to balance me. "Are you okay?" asked Matthew.

Should I lie? What would Steve do if I told Matthew? I decided to tell Matthew. He is the only one I could trust at the moment. Even though, for a long time, it has been really hard to trust him with anything. Especially since I have had a crush on him for years and he has been hurting me and he doesn't even know it. "No. I'm not okay, not at all."

"What happened?" asked Matthew. This is one of the first times I have seen him being serious. All of my life I have known him as the joker, the teaser. He is never serious.

"He came and ... and" I started to say.

"And what, who's 'He'?" asked Matthew. I can tell that he's starting to get worried which has never happened before.

"Steve" I said. Matthew then cringed to that name.

Matthew and Steve were once best friends. It was when they were in elementary school together. They stopped being friends when Steve ditched him for being popular. Matthew was then bullied by him until middle school, when he met me. Matthew has been trying to spare me the reason of why Steve stopped. But one day I found out myself, because one day, Steve spanked me. I slapped him in the face. That felt good. But the main thing is, Steve has had a thing for me ever since he saw me but he only had a thing for my body. I thought he got over it... but apparently, he didn't.

"What did he do?" asked Matthew.

"He ... He a ..." I started to say. I was having a really hard time telling him. I know that I can tell him anything, even though it was been hard to do that for all of these years that I have known him.

"What did he do?" asked Matthew again becoming impatient.

"He abused me" I finally said. Matthew looked furious.

"He can't hurt you anymore. I promise." He pulls me into him. "I promise."                                       

That same day at lunch, I sat next to Matthew, like I always do. Steve comes over to where we sit with all of our friends and sits next to me before my friend Sophia does. "Well hey! What's going on?" asked Steve.

"Leave her alone!" said Matthew. Steve got that kind of look on his face that looked innocent.

"Whoa there, calm down rookie!" said Steve.

Matthew stood up towards Steve. He then gently pushes me to the side away from Steve so than I could get away. "I said, leave her alone!" This time he was quieter. I have never heard him be so threatening before.

"Fine." He walks towards me getting ready to leave. "I told you not to tell anyone whore. Thanks a lot for telling my worst enemy. Well, at least I will be able to do it again soon." He kisses my ear. I shiver to his lips on me. Matthew looks at me worriedly. Steve left to his own crowd of people.

"I finally know why you came to me instead of anyone else" said Matthew.

"Why?" I asked.

"You need my help" said Matthew.

"I need help period. You know that" I said.

"Of course, but I think it's a good thing you need me because this way, I will be able to get over my past" said Matthew. I went back to my seat so that Matthew can sit down again. He does so. "Well, I would love to help you. I will help you in every way you need. I will give you anything you want, anything."

I then kissed him. I kissed Matthew. It was only a peck though. I then just realized what I did. "Uh... I'm sorry. I didn't... I just..." I was cut off by Matthew grabbing my cheeks and kissing me harder and longer.

"I knew that would happen! I don't care when or why, but it happened" yelled Sammie in excitement. We snapped out of day dreaming love and went back to reality.

Our friends talked pretty much the rest of lunch, and we listened. We held hands for the rest of lunch.

Once my last class was over, I started to walk out of my class room. "Thank you Mrs. Lockwood!" I said to my teacher.

"You're welcome! Have a good evening" said Mrs. Lockwood.

I kept walking and went to my locker to get my backpack. Once I get there, I rub my knee, but immediately draw my hand away. I can't let anyone else know what happened, because if anyone asked, I would have to lie. I want to make sure that Matthew is the only one who knows. Guess lunch didn't really help.

"Hey! I am so glad that I saw what I saw at lunch! I'm so happy for you girl! Love you! See you tomorrow" said Sammie quickly as she ran by me from her locker.

"Love you too!" I yell as she runs past me to catch her bus.

I get to Dad's car and get in. I am just about to start the engine when I am stopped by someone yelling my name. I look out my window and see that it is Matthew.

I get out of the car to talk to him. "Is everything okay?" I ask.

"Our kiss at lunch today and the hand hold. What do they mean? Are they an act of love or something else?" asked Matthew. He is huffing and puffing for air. He must have run after me.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Did you kiss me because I stood up for you or because you have feelings for me?"

At first I didn't know how to respond. But my heart did. So, I said what my heart told me to say. "Both. You protected me."

Matthew smiled. I love his smile. "Something I hope I can keep doing."

I blushed. He wants to protect me. I suddenly feel like I matter to Matthew. And it's more than just friends.

Matthew walks closer to me. "Do you want to go on a date with me?"

My heart starts saying yes, but my mind starts saying no. I started to think of the consequences of having a boyfriend. The last one I had, it turned out horribly. I don't want that to happen again. But if I rely on my feelings for him that have lasted for a very long time, then I would say yes. I went with what I wanted more and what seems right. "I'd love to."

Matthew's smile grows bigger. He pulls me in for a hug. I hold him a tight as I possibly can. Once we pull away, he pulls me in for a gentle kiss. I kiss him back with that strong feeling of love in my heart. "I love you" I say without thinking once the kiss was over. I again regret what I have done.

Matthew looks at me in a dreamy loving way which breaks my regret. He says quietly, "I love you too. I always have."