Obsession

Chapter 40

Leaving his family in the front living room, Matteo scans the couches on the way out for Luca and Sara but comes up short.

He takes this as a great opportunity to throw some more clothes on while checking for the two.

Jogging upstairs, as he's nearing closer to his bedroom the sound of voices heightens. He hears a little bit of bickering, but only enough to make him want to turn around and not get involved.

"You just have to stick your nose into everything, don't you?"

Turning the corner in the hallway, Matteo stops dead in his tracks, almost flattening his cousin. Matteo looks down at David, not even apologising for almost trampling over him.

"What the fuck are you doing up here?" He says in a monotone voice, his eyebrows creasing alongside.

"I think there are far more pressing issues at hand here." David ignores the question, looking back at Aniyah.

Matteo's eyes lock with hers, long enough for it to be noticeable to David. The corner of his mouth tugs upwards in the slightest.

"What's it to you?"

"I can make it my business very quickly. It's clear there business to discover."

"Let someone die and you won't take that as serious, why trouble yourself over a situation that doesn't even effect you?"

David takes a deep breath, wiping off his clothes and putting a concerned face on.

"I don't think you should have to worry about the word getting out."

"I'm gonna kick you out the next time you're up here again." Matteo stands by his door, waiting for David to leave. "Don't threaten me in my own home, that's weird."

"It wasn't a threat." David glances at Aniyah for the last time before disappearing.

"Are you gonna tell me what's going on?" Luca asks Matteo.

"I was hoping you'd be the one to tell me. You're the one who showed up at my doorstep."

"Right." Luca sighs. "Give me 10 minutes."

"I'll be down in 5."

Shutting his bedroom door behind him, he stands still for a few seconds before joining Aniyah on the bed - who had scurried off not long after David left.

Matteo lies with his head on Aniyah's stomach, letting her play with his hair. They lay like this in mutual silence for 10 minutes.

Aniyah has her eyes closed, her hand still running through his hair and fingers scratching his scalp. She rubs his back, giving him a small massage.

"Do you want a joint?" Matteo offers, breaking the silence and reaching into his nightstand.

He leans on his elbows, either side of Aniyah, putting a joint in his mouth and lighting it. He chucks the lighter onto the bed and blows the smoke away from Aniyah's face.

Aniyah opens the window as she's closest and Matteo is already nicely settled with his joint. She takes a joint of her own, glad Matteo already had a couple rolled in the bedroom.

"You're not going back down yet?" Aniyah asks, sparking up her joint.

"Yeah, after we smoke."

"Don't see what I have to do with shit."

"They're finding out about you whether you like it or not. Plus, I can't be arsed hiding you and I'm sure you don't want to hide either."

Aniyah's nerves are beginning to creep up on her, meeting the family of someone she's serious about isn't an event she thought would be sprung up on her in the span of 15 minutes.