𝓼𝓬𝓻𝓲𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓭 | mattheo riddle

18 | what do I want

The evening arrives and I decide to finally get out of my room and stop being a wimp. I enter the common room and find Blaise, Enzo and Theo all sat on the couches by the fire place.

As soon as they see me, they smile and call me over and I take a seat beside Blaise with a huff.

"You alright now Camila?" Blaise asks and I nod.

"Mhm. I'm fine thanks."

"Wait what happened, are you okay angel?" Theo asks me.

"Uhm well, I had a fat argument with your best friend."

"Enzo?" He asks confused.

"Nah, the other one." I laugh a little.

"Oh. Your husband." Enzo says. "What over?"

"Definitely not my husband Enzo." I sigh. "Apparently he overheard Josh saying to me that our mum wants us to stay away from him. And he's angry that I didn't tell him."

"Oh. Angry enough to argue with you about it?" Theo asks.

"Angry enough to shout at me." I tell them and Enzo eyes widen.

"He shouted at you?"

"Yep."

"You know Camila..." Theo starts. "I'm not sure that's the real reason he's angry. He wouldn't get angry over a tiny thing like that. He knows literally everyone's parents have told their kids to stay away from him, so your mum saying the same isn't a shocker to him."

"So why did he shout at me? I'm so confused."

"Well what's the last thing you said to him before he shouted at you?" Theo asks.

We agreed none of this is real.

"I can't remember. It all happened too fast."

"Well whatever it was, it's probably the thing that set him off. Not your fault tho, don't worry, he's just like that." He shrugs and I think about it for a second.

How could me telling him it's not real be the thing that set him off tho... it doesn't make sense.

"Speaking of Riddle," Enzo starts, "Have you seen him at all today Camila?"

"What? You haven't been with him? I haven't seen him all day either." I tell the boys and they sigh.

"That's weird." Blaise adds. "He's never really disappeared without context."

"Oh well. His problem." I sigh, but deep down I am slightly curious... and maybe worried as to where he might be.

***

Later that evening, when it hits midnight, I head to the Astronomy Tower for my astronomy class. For obvious reasons, to view the stars in the night sky, it has to be night, which is why the classes are allowed to be held so late.

Astronomy is probably one of my most favourite lessons. Even though every one's tired as shit, the vibe in the dark room with the moonlight shining on us is quiet and calm. Peaceful almost.

I'm chatting a load of shit.

I've only had one other astronomy class. But it was like that.

But anyway, once I'm there the professor gives us a talk and everyone gets busy, taking their telescopes and looking out into the sky. There's quiet chatter, but it's not too loud.

There's quite a lot of students, but the one I'm most shocked about, is the one who approaches me from behind as I'm looking out into the sky.

I don't turn around.

"Camila..."

I can't do this.

"I'm sorry." He takes a step closer to me, only centimetres away from me, his voice sending vibrations into my ear. "I just... I don't know how to react to certain situations sometimes."

I don't respond. I don't know how to. I don't know what I want.

"You don't have to forgive me straight away, but at least talk to me Camila." He says and I finally buck up the courage to turn and look him in the eye.

But when I do face him, I gasp at the purple bruises across his face, and the fresh cut across his cheek bone.

I gasp and cover my mouth, as my eyes wander across his skin. His eyes darken and he frustratingly looks away, but I hold his face and turn it back to look at me.

"Mattheo." I say. "What happened to you?"

"Never mind that." He looks down and puts his hands in his pockets. "So, are you okay with me?"

"That's a question for later. The question right now is are you okay?" I say alarmed but also greatly concerned.

He takes his hand out of his pocket and takes hold of mine. Without warning, he pulls me out of the Astronomy tower and down the stairs, into an empty hallway.

"Mattheo, stop for a second." I say to him, a little out of breath with how quickly we rushed out. "What happened to you?"

"Camila, I'm surprised you care so much." Is the only thing he says and I look at him as if he's yet again said a load of bullshit.

"Of course I care dumbass."

"Right." He sighs, and scrunches his eyes.

"So are you going to tell me what happened to you?"

"Somethings are just better kept to myself." He shrugs. "Don't worry love," he smiles a little. "You have nothing to worry about, okay?"

"Okay but... we seriously need to talk." I tell him and he takes a step closer to me and takes hold of my other hand aswell.

"I know we do, but please could you just help me out and we can deal with that later?"

"Fine by me. You're not stable enough right now to possibly end up arguing again."

"I won't argue with you Camila. I was in the wrong." He says and I look at him slightly surprised.

"Hmm, okay. Let's get you to your dorm."