42

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

Nadia's POV

The past three weeks have been heaven on earth.

Mateo has been the best boyfriend and friend in general. Flowers, gifts, kisses, dates. You name it, he's done it. It might be weird to some but I could see he's trying his best with past trauma in relationships.

We were currently having our friends over for lunch at Mateo's. Joshua, Grace, Jess, Chris, Isabel and Nathan, Isabel's beau, arrived in pairs at 12. 

I briefly remembered Nathan from the club when we went out as a group. Mateo told me he was the bouncer that took Isabel home after we got wasted. Of course, he threatened to end Nathan's existence if he hurt Isabel but he doesn't seem like the type.

I made mac and cheese with grilled chicken, caesar salad and cornbread. We had oreo lava cake for dessert. Safe to say that no one was hungry.

We were now talking about life in the lounge. I was leaning into Mateo's side while we faced Grace and Joshua. Isabel was next to us with Nathan by her side and Jess next to them on a separate loveseat.

"So, are you guys dating yet?" Josh asked staring at Mateo and I.

We looked at each other and Mateo raised his eyebrow at me to tell them.

He wanted to do it when we returned from Italy but knew I didn't want it to get out so soon. Not because I was ashamed of being with him but because I wanted to give my brain time to get used to being with someone.

I just nodded and the girls shot up in excitement.

"Pay up," Grace told Josh and held her hand out.

Mateo and I watched in confusion when Josh, Chris and even Nathan took out their wallets. They handed the girls five one hundred bills with annoyed looks.

"You guys bet on us?" I asked in disbelief but I wanted to laugh my ass off.

"Yup. Easy money too. The boys said after Christmas, we said before," Jess replied and stuffed the money into her jogger pocket.

"Couldn't you just wait for one more week bro?" Chris asked Mateo slouching over in defeat.

"Sorry man but the past three weeks has been bliss," Mateo answered and placed a kiss on my forehead.

"Three weeks and you didn't tell us?" Isabel asked in mock horror.

I offered an apology through my smile and they began badgering us on how it happened. I told them about that night but I skipped the sex part for obvious reasons. They congratulated us and we decided to play games for the next few hours. 

What was supposed to be lunch turned into ordering pizza and wings for dinner. They all finally left at 11 and we could go to bed.

I rubbed my cleanser in my fingers before applying it to my wet face. Mateo was brushing his teeth at the second sink next to me. We were doing our night routine in silence, as usual.

"I think I'm going to finish packing tomorrow," I spoke breaking the silence.

I had gradually started to pack the house, as my therapist had advised. It has been difficult for me to live alone in my family's house, and Mikaela advised me to let go and move on. I can't just up and leave that house because I've lived there all my life. She came up with the idea of doing it slowly.

I've been packing piece by piece. I packed up my room, first seeing as I basically live with Mateo now, then I did the sitting room, and then the kitchen and tomorrow I'll be tackling the hardest room. Cassandra's room.

"Do you want me to come with you?" He asked like he has been for the past few weeks.

"Nope, I'll be okay and I'll call if I'm not," I replied and he nodded.

I rinsed my face and moisturised it before putting on my satin scarf. I joined Mateo in bed and snuggled my back into his chest. He wrapped his arm around my waist and soon drifted off to sleep after saying goodnight to Mateo.

~~~~~~

I woke up early and took a shower before throwing on a grey sweatsuit and ugg boots. I picked comfort over style today and it was a bit cold.

"Good morning," Mateo greeted me and pressed a kiss on my cheek. He hugged me from behind and I hugged his arms back.

I greeted him back and smiled through the mirror.

"I made you oats and coffee. Eat up before you leave, okay," he stated and smacked my butt when he moved to turn on the shower.

"Thank you,"

I went downstairs and finished the coffee and peanut butter oats in just under fifteen minutes. I loaded the dishes into the dishwasher before returning to the bathroom to brush my teeth.

"I'm leaving," I shouted while collecting my bundle of keys and the key to Mateo's Audi.

"No kiss?" Mateo asked walking out of the closet with his jeans still open.

I rolled my eyes but walked up to him to plant a kiss on his cheek. He however pulled me back to give me a proper kiss on the lips.

"Now you can go. Call me if you need me. I'll be there in minutes, okay?" 

I nodded and placed a peck on his lips before pulling away completely. 

The drive to my house was therapeutic. Jhene Aiko's frequency played on repeat until I arrived and it brought peace to my being.

I sighed as I locked the car and walked up the driveway to unlock the door. The air in the house was dense due to the fact that there were no windows open for ventilation. 

I locked the door and opened up windows in the sitting room before I moved to Cassandra's room. This is the first time I'll be entering her room since I broke down. I was gathering the courage to open her door with my hand on the handle. 

"Come on Nadia, we can do this," I told myself and exhaled.

I finally opened her door and all the memories flooded back to me in seconds. It's like I was reliving all the moments with her in this room. Making it her own when I moved to my parents' old room. Helping her do her hair for school. Setting up IVs when she was bedridden for a few days. Storytime with her on her study chair and me on her bed.

I sighed and came back to reality. The reality without her. The reality where I wasn't here to wake her up for school but here to pack up her belongings.

I pulled in storage containers and boxes from the sitting room. All the things I'd be donating would be going into boxes and the ones I'm keeping, into the storage boxes. Any expired products would be trashed. I started with her closet and sorted out each item from there.

I took a break for lunch, which was Chipotle, and continued packing after that. I now had most of her room done. Clothes, trophies, shoes and artwork now sat in boxes alongside her room wall. I just had to pack up her study table.

A sparkly blue book caught my eye from under a pile of papers. I picked it up and looked at the cloud design cover. I paged through it to see if it was empty and it was a makeshift sketchbook and journal. Drawings and writing pieces filled the pages of the small journal and one piece caught my eye.

A piece with Mateo's name as the starter.

Mateo knows. He knows we don't have much time left. I begged not to tell Dia. I really hope he doesn't. I want her to be happy. She needs to be happy...

I stopped reading right there and slowly closed the book. I was trying my hardest to process what I read while I packed up the last of her items. The journal sat on top of the clear table and I carried it with me when I left.

My heart broke as I thought about everything. So everything between Mateo and I was fake. He promised my dying sister to not leave me alone and he did just that. I was dumb enough to let my guard down and it was all an act. 

I felt used, lied to and cheated.

Entering the apartment was another stab in the chest. This place was starting to feel like home and now I realised that I don't have a home anymore. 

"You're back- Are you okay?" Mateo asked looking at me from the couch.

I walked to him and handed him the diary with the entry open.

He took it from me and read the entry. The colour drained from his face and he looked like he was about to be sick.

"Nadia, I-" he started but I stopped him immediately.

"You knew. You knew my fucking sister was dying and you didn't tell me. You knew how much it gutted me to not be there for her last days and you didn't tell me. Instead, you decide to play house with me and my feelings. Make me trust you. Make me open up and bare all. Make me believe that I'm something to you-" I spoke in a deathly calm manner and tears threatened to poor out of my eyes.

"Nadia, listen-" 

"I'm not going to listen to more lies from you Mateo. I'm done with you and your games. I quit and I'm leaving you," I screamed with tears fully streaming down my cheeks.

I got up and walked to the door. I can't be here anymore.

"Nadia, wait. Listen," Mateo chased after me but I didn't turn around.

I fished out my phone and tried my best to type in Grace's contact. I pressed the elevator's call button and it finally opened.

"Nadia, please come back so we talk about this," Mateo pleaded but it fell on deaf ears.

The elevator opens and I stepped in before turning to face Mateo.

I threw him his keys and pressed the ground floor button.

"There's nothing to talk about. Goodbye Mateo,"

I looked down at my feet as the elevator closed. My tears wetted the floor in small drops. I got off in the lobby and walked out of the main door.

Today must be my lucky day because it was now snowing. The cold flakes fell on my tear-stained face and dampened my clothes. I hauled a cab to the one place I knew I'd be welcomed. 

Grace's apartment.

I called her to make sure she was home and let her know that I'm coming to spend the night. Of course, my voice was tear filled and she was asking me what happened but I told her that I'd explain when I arrived.

I paid for the cab and walked into the complex using the spare keycard Grace gave me. I reached her floor and found her door in minutes. I knocked and she opened the door for me.

"It's okay babe, let it out," she embraced me and I cried into her shoulder before moving into the apartment.






You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net