I was finally back home which was a relief. I fell dramatically on my bed, dropping my bags in the corner. I sighed deeply taking in the fresh vanilla scented air. My contract had come through the mail, and since I'm 18 I can now legally sign it without parent permission.

I heard my phone ding with multiple alerts popping up. It was all about Nate. He had been taken into custody. Jim had also called me.

"Hello Sky-Blu, are you alright? I heard about your ex-trainer. I can't apologize enough." He said sounding remorseful. I felt bad because it was truly not Jim's fault.

"It's fine. I'm okay, I never knew he was like that." I said telling a hard lie. Jim sighed.

"I hope you sign that contract that's in your house. I would love to see you back here with us. A new trainer and all." He spoke over the phone making me chuckle.

"I'll consider it." I replied sweetly. I hung up and to my surprise Matthew stood in front of my bedroom doorframe.

"Playing hard to get, huh? That's my girl." He said with a little smirk.

"I mean it's risky business." I shot back smiling whilst biting my tongue.

"Your mom still isn't back." He said changing the subject and lying on the bed beside me. I sighed heavily.

"No, but I'm not even worried. She'll show up. I guess she's just acting out like a teenager." I said and he laughed.

"She's almost 50, Blu. This could be serious. Call her." He suggested and I groaned harshly at him.

"Why do you always have to give your input on my family life? I never ask about your father or your mother. I never pressure you about your past at least I try not to, but all you do is constantly nag me about my life. You hate my parents almost as much as I do, yet you still surprise me at how much you never want me to lose contact with them. No matter how much they judged you. You forgave them in your own way." I said shocked at all the words flying from my mouth. His happy expression was gone. It was the Matthew I met months ago. The one who didn't open up from time to time. The heartless, cold Matthew Summers.

"It's different. We are different. We come from two different places. I worked for mine. My parents don't give a damn about me. Your's do in their own fucking way. At least your mother does." He spoke eyeing my ceiling instead of me.

"It's not different, Matthew. Are you trying to say I've been handed my whole life? You just don't tell me anything about yourself. I'm not going to judge you. Why won't you tell me anything? Do you not trust me with your past? What's up with your mother? Why can't I meet your friends?" I asked softly.

"If you wanted my whole life story. You could've simply spoken up earlier. Seems like you've been holding this in. Everything's not easy to just come out and say, Blu."  He said emotionless grabbing his jacket and walking away.

"Matthew! Come back." I called after him. I knew he wouldn't turn around though. He's just not that type of guy.

"If you love me you'll come back." I yelled down the long hallway at his back walking away from me.

"Don't even Blu." He said gritting his teeth, as he turned to face me. I felt sick to my stomach, but I held the tears down until I heard my front door slam.

Matthew

I jumped in my car and drove as far as possible. I came up outside my mother's house with red knuckles from griping my steering wheel. Her porch lights were still on. I knocked on the door uneasy and feeling slightly dizzy. She opened it up looking a mess like the last time I found her slipping into her old habits.

I pushed past her as she tried to hug me. The house was clear. My dad's been MIA for a long time, longer than usual.

"Matt, baby. What are you doing here?" She asked slurring her words and falling into me.

"Sit down Theresa." I said holding her upright. I put her in a seat and I sat across from her. "What is this?" She asked and I let a tear roll down my cheek. She'd never seen any emotion from me other than anger since we left Australia.

"I need to forgive you. For bringing me here against my will. Abandoning me and making me grow up alone and independent just so you could drink and get...high. I'm fucked up because of you, Theresa. You and my father did this. I can't even love this beautiful, wonderful girl I met because I don't want to tell her my past. I'm scared to lose her, but by not telling her about how fucked up I am. I'm losing her. She even wants to meet you. You aren't worth her time though, look at you. I tried to help you. You threw my hard earned money away for booze and drugs. My mothers a junkie and my dad's a town whore. You and my father are the worst thing to have ever happened to me. You should've gotten a fucking abortion like you did to my brother." I yelled, with tears streaming my face.

She cried softly. This woman has the audacity to cry.

"No Theresa, it's too late for feelings. You did this. I'm this way because of you. Are you happy? Does it make you feel good to see tears streaming down your son's face because he wishes he had different parents?" I asked and she smacked me across my left cheek. She looked stunned at herself. I smirked.

"Theresa, I also want to thank you. For at least showing me I haven't hit rock bottom because I've never looked as bad as you." I said to her, heading back to my car.

Two more weeks Summer's and you'll be done. You don't even have to go back to school after Winter Break. You are going back to Australia. You never have to see those pretty little eyes of Blu's again. I told myself.

Blu

School. A hell hole that consumes 7 hours of your valuable day that could be spent watching Netflix and avoiding your ex-boyfriend.

I groaned internally as my alarm went off. I haven't left the house all weekend. It's been my only friend.

I miss Matthew, but maybe I needed to be set free for good. This time it seems final. If he can't open up then we can't be together. I'm not going to lie. It hurts because I honestly love....loved that boy with all my heart.

I got dressed, curled my hair and grabbed a granola bar paired with a bottle of water for breakfast. Paparazzi already lined up to catch Sky-Blu Waters on the way to school. They're so fucking annoying, like give me privacy.

I drove all the way to the high school that I didn't miss an ounce while I was away training for the fashion show. I was greeted by millions of girls who wanted all the details of the show. I walked calmly through the school, ignoring most questions as politely as possible.

Matthew was no where in sight. I don't know, but a little piece of me was hoping to to see him this morning. I guess he'll go to all lows to avoid me.

I headed to my first class where I was greeted with applause. I hate the attention. I bash fully found a seat at the very back. Matthew came rushing in looking a hot mess. Literally hot, but drained and a mess. A beautiful tragedy if I say so.

With my luck the only empty seat was beside myself. It felt just like the first day of school when we had gotten into a fight. He didn't even look at me. I kept glancing at him. His eyes never left Mrs. Monroe's huge mouth.

Stop trying Blu. It's over. My head told me. I sighed and closed my eyes for a millisecond. A white slip of paper was on my desk when I came back to life.

It was a funny doodle of Mrs. Monroe doing something quite inappropriate. I stifled a laugh, glancing at Matthew through the corner of my eye. His lips were turned into a smile, but none of his teeth showed. The bell rang and he dashed for the door before I could say anything.

I grabbed my bags and made it through the day, successfully ignoring him for the most part. I never went to my locker for the sake I didn't want to run into him. I don't know what I would say or if I would say anything.

The last bell rang and I was out like a bullet missing the crowd of kids heading for their cars. I was pulling out the parking lot and my phone went off a million times.

The headline on the emails and texts were about my mother. The first word I saw was heart wrenching, cancer. I dialed her number. It went straight to voicemail. I headed for the nearest hospital.

Traffic is a demon you can't escape. I sat patiently hoping my mother was alive at this moment.

I yelled at the nurse my last name when I arrived. She pointed down the hall. I burst open the door to the room with her name on it.

My mother lay there, motionless. I covered my mouth, letting tears fall letting every emotion I'd ever had go.

"Sky, baby. It's alright. I'm still here." She said softly, grabbing my hand.

"I'm so sorry. I wasn't here for you." I cried looking into her eyes.

"This isn't your fault. I've known for a while. 5 months to be exact...I didn't tell anyone not even your deadbeat father." She coughed.

"How didn't I know this? What if you had died? I've been an awful daughter. Matthew and I broke up, and he told me to call you. I didn't want to because I thought you were off rebelling. You didn't come to my show. I was mad at you, but you've been here, sick and I've been selfish and foolish." I exclaimed sounding extremely stupid.

"You didn't know because wigs have become my best friend to hide my head. Sky, you broke up? He was extremely wonderful." She said and I laughed through my tears.

"I know Mom, I miss him. It was for the best though. He can't even open up to me. I feel like he knows me more than I know me and I just know the parts of Matthew he allows." I said, sighing.

"It'll all come together or completely fall apart in time. Don't worry I'm sure it'll be Option 1." She spoke wisely and I smiled.

"I love you, Mother." I spoke kissing her hand. The nurse walked in.

"I'm here to induce her pain reliever will you wait out in the area assigned and we'll call you." She asked and I obliged. My mother blew me a kiss with a wink.

I sat down and played with my fingers. I felt a presence sit beside me. One so familiar it brought joy to my heart. I looked up and Matthew's eyes beamed into mine.

"I overheard and I thought I should be here for you no matter what's going on between us." He said and turned away quickly.

"Thank you very much." I told him grabbing his hand. He looked shock, but let his hand rest in mine. We didn't talk, but the silence was comfortable and calming.

The nurse finally came back to tell me my mother was sleeping and that I should come back another time. I sighed reluctantly, but told her I'd be back tomorrow. I turned to Matthew.

"Thanks again, for coming and sitting with me. It made me less afraid to have to do this and be here for my mom." I said and he shook his head.

"Not a problem. I love Mrs.W." He happily spoke making me laugh. He mumbled two little words under his breath 'and you'.

"I miss you." I said to quickly. I ran my hand through my hair and he cleared his throat.

"Take care Blu." He said back staring at me. I didn't know what to do so I just reached out and hugged him before he could leave letting the tears poor.

"I'm scared. I can't do this, watch her suffer like this." I said crying against his chest, letting all my stress go.

"It's going to be okay. She'll get better. She can be a fighter. I know because you're just like her in some ways." He said rubbing my back.

"Thanks. I'm a mess. You can go. I don't want you to have to go through this with me. I mean we aren't dating anymore." I commented and he shook his head.

"It's alright, Blu. Call me if you need anything...ever. I have self control when I want too." He said walking off. He's effortlessly perfect.

       Matthew

You don't even know what courage is until you've done what I just did. It felt good having her little hand in mine again, but it can't happen again.

I lied. I have no self control. If I did I wouldn't of come to see her in the first place.

She misses me. I miss her 10x fucking more. I just can't tell her.

A week and 6 days Summer's and you're hauling your ass back to Australia. I reminded myself. I tried the whole forget your past and step into a new lifestyle, but back home is what I am. An addict to partying and just losing myself in anything I can get my hands on.

I can't fight it. I'm not made out to be like Blu. I'm my mother and father combined which ultimately makes me walking death. I'm taking her through that and I won't allow myself to anymore.

I still have the Drake tickets. I wonder if she's even thought about them. The concerts next week the night before I'm headed home...well to my original home.

****

Notes-

why, why, why...they just got back home and boom fight, done, broken up! and Matthew's talk with his mother had me trying to fight her through the screen. poor blu with everything and her mom, but of course he came to be there for her...thats why we love him....but bad news he's running back to Australia and now my heart hurts...what about yall?

vote, like, and comment

-L xo