3) Stay
I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel bad for calling my brother a drug addict to his face. There was never a time I'd lashed out the way I had this night, on Alex. I was sure I hurt him, but I couldn't take it back.
"Matty" I sped after him as he hurried to our guest room.
He came to a full stop right at the door, turning around calmly.
"Your brother has every right to be upset but he's-"
"Completely out of line for judging you, and I'm sorry that happened at all. It's my fault, I should have just not come." I didn't know how to word an apology to save my life, only because in my life time they'd always gone overlooked.
"It's not your fault, whether you would have come or not, Alex thinks lowly of me, and now I know it... look, I'm just gonna get my shit and get out of here."
I sighed, "that's not true, you and Alex have been friends for--"
Genevieve came out of my bedroom in her oversized t-shirt and ratted hair from bed, peering down the hallway and at us.
Both Matty and I looked back at her, she crossed her arms.
"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you." Matty opened the guest room door, grabbing anything of his that was unpacked.
"Sorry Gen," I walked in behind him, closing the door.
His eyes widened, watching me at the door in a sweat.
"What?" I asked.
He pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket and stuck one in his mouth, speaking through his teeth as he scrambled around throwing his things in his bag with so little care it was as if none of it mattered to him in the first place.
"Not to be rude but I'm gonna need you to get out of here." He ran his fingers through his hair. clutching his head and waiting.
"Why?" I asked.
"Elvira, the last thing I need is to be found alone in a room with you after all that out there." He blurted out, catching his cigarette in his hand as it fell from his anxious mouth.
I couldn't help but snicker at how funny his accent was while in such distress. His head fell back at my smirk, hustling to finish gathering his belongings.
"Don't worry, Alex wouldn't come in here and apologize if his life depended on it, I'm positive he's embarrassed." I shook my head, "I won't be in your way long... I just... wanted to apologize for my brother ... you guys have been friends for ever and that was completely unacceptable... and to ask you to please stay... you can leave early in the morning or something. It's late..."
"Look, Elvira..." he took a pause and a few steps closer to me.
"You're a very, very sweet girl-"
"Woman." I corrected him.
"Woman, now..." He repeated, "but I can't stay here after that. I appreciate your offer." He swung his backpack over his shoulder.
I sighed, hearing footsteps in the hallway leading up to the door. I quickly hid in the guest room bathroom as the knock echoed.
Matty opened the door, I could hear Alex's voice.
"I just wanted to apologize, you're my best mate and I think you're amazing... it's just that Elvie is my little sister... you know? I freaked out. I've never seen her smoking before, or anything like that, and that you were the one to get her like that--"
"She came to me. If it's not me it's gonna be someone else and are we sure someone else would have the best intentions with her? Because I think we both know I do. She's just as much a little sister to me as she really is to you," my heart sank, this was the least of what I wanted to hear, "I've known both of you half my life and watched her grow up from a kid to a woman just as much as you have--"
"No you haven't--" Alex cut in.
"Yes I have, Alex. You act like you were always home with her and your mum and you weren't, each visit I tagged along with you because you were too stoned to face them yourself by yourself--"
"Don't bring that shit up I was going through some shit." Alex snapped.
"The difference is, I'm not bringing it up to judge you like you just did to me out there. I'm bringing it up to say that love Elvie too," my heart skipped, "and I would never let anything happen to her, with or without you involved, Alex. For that... I just wonder what do you think of me really?" Matty's voice was so calm, I couldn't understand how he could remain so.
There was silence. I pressed my ear against the door to hear if they were even still there.
"You're right, Matty...." Alex said, shameful in his tone, "put your shit down, I'm an asshole. You're not going to any fucking hotel."
I could hear both of them let out an ironically miserable laugh.
"I'm going to bed then, mate." Matty sighed.
"Me too, night." Alex said, the sound of the door shutting following him.
I gave it a moment before stepping out of the bathroom, looking at Matty, a little disappointed to know he saw me like a little sister, feeling ashamed for thinking there could be more just because he helped me when I had cake thrown in my face earlier that day... like anyone would.
"Well, I didn't expect him to do that." I spoke quietly, "he's..."
"Stubborn as hell, I know." Matty sat at the end of the bed, unbuttoning his black shirt a little, "I'm just going to go to bed." He said tiredly, his entire aura still blackened with disappointment.
"Okay...well... goodnight." I said, understanding there was no more reason to stay.
"Goodnight, Elvie. Happy birthday." He unbuttoned the rest of his shirt and took it off, tossing it aside. I couldn't help but pay attention. There was nothing much going on, if I were to be honest with myself. He looked as though he'd never lifted a single weight in his life, and he had a bird's chest. There was something about him though which forced my eyes to be fixed on him. He unbuttoned his black skinny jeans, pausing as he noticed I wasn't moving.
"Goodnight..." I repeated, backing into the door before finally turning around and opening it.
I walked slowly down the hallway, heading back to my room as I pondered all of what had happend that night.
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