"let me tell you something, darling. you've unlocked a side of me, even I fear. but since you want to keep me up all night, challenging me, he's gonna show up at some point." Mateo whispers, huskily into my ear, gripping my neck.
"what are you talki...
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please remember that Mateo has severe mental disorders and sometimes he can react differently to certain things!!!!
I sit at Nyla's desk, solving a Rubix cube.
my mind can't stop running. not sure if it's my anxiety or my insomnia or both.
I wanna know how Malik's doing, but at the facility, he's at we only get weekly updates. unless we fly out there and see him. my mom said not until Christmas should we go out there. but now that she just revealed to us that she's pregnant my dad doesn't want to fly around too much. we already have to go to New York for the Gala and he doesn't want to risk anything.
but I need to make sure he's ok. maybe I'll fly out and see him, without my parents. but then that would break my mom's heart and I don't wanna do that.
a stupid email will not assure me that my little brother is ok. I need to talk to him, tell him everything will be ok and that he'll be home soon.
"Teo?"
"go back to sleep, baby." I don't turn around and continue to solve and then scramble my cube.
"are you ok?" I hear the sheets shuffle before I feel her hands on my shoulders
"I'm ok. just my insomnia." I somewhat lie.
"I'll stay up with you," she says, sitting down on my lap, straddling me.
"you don't have to do that. I don't want to ruin your sleep." I rest my head on top of hers when she rests her's on my shoulder.
"I'll ruin my sleep if it means you don't have to go through something alone," she whispers
I place my cube down on the desk and wrap my arms around her waist.
"I don't deserve you. never did and I'm forever grateful for you. . . I promise to keep you happy, to show you the world, to make your dreams come true. you're the only one for me and even if you leave me... I'll never find another like you." I tell her.
"I'll never leave you. as long as you never leave me," she whispers.
"never." we look at each other. her brown eyes looking deep into my grey ones. "Nyla i-"
"Nyla are you awake?" her Grandma calls.
"yeah"
"The hospital called. Maria. she's gone."
_________________
"Why do you keep looking into the mirror?"
"We were the last ones to leave, right?" I ask
"Yeah, why?" Nyla asks
"that car has been tailgating since we left the neighbourhood. if they wanted to they could pass us, there are two other lanes." I say looking up into the rearview mirror. the bright lights blinding my vision.
