More Than This

1 -Amber

Song of the chapter- Words by Missing Persons

"Let go of my arm!" I whispered. Even though no one was around, I knew if I yelled that Matt would just grab me harder. I already had permanent bruises on my arm from the daily physical assaults.

"Not until you figure it out," he growled at me with his face a mere inch from mine.

"Matt, please. It was nothing! He just asked for my notes." I tried to control the emotion in my voice.

"Amber, I know what you were doing. I saw how you flirted with him. You're such a liar!"

That was when I had to tread lightly. The wrong response would set him off more than he already was. "I'm sorry you thought I was flirting. I would never do that to you. I don't even like him, really he just wanted my notes. You know Willy, he's a loser. I have you, that's all I need."

I hated having to apologize even when I hadn't done a thing wrong. But that was just an insignificant detail for Matt. And throwing Willy under the bus left a bad taste in my mouth. He was a little strange, but calling him a loser was harsh. I just needed Matt to cool down.

It wasn't always like this. We started out as a fairy tale, like Cinderella. I was the typical brainy student, always with my nose in a book or doing homework. Matt was the star football player that all the girls were after. His smile was enough to convince anyone to do practically anything. He was the complete package.

The truth was, Matt was a charmer. He was smooth, incredibly attractive, and he knew it. I had known him since seventh grade, but now that I really knew him, I realized I didn't have a clue about who he really was.

Our relationship started the way most fairy tales begin, an unlikely pairing. He needed an English tutor and asked me to help him out. I admit I was star struck to be asked by the Matt McKinley to help him with his school work. For a few weeks, that's all it was.

Then as the assignment we were working on was completed, he looked me right in the eyes, grabbed my hands and said, "Amber, I don't want this to end."

I was shocked, "What do you mean?" I didn't want to assume that he was interested but that's what I had hoped for.

"Please, go out with me. I can't get you out of my head. You're different than any girl I've dated. Please don't say no." Matt pleaded with me! I couldn't believe what he was saying.

I said yes and we haven't been apart since then. He was so sweet and loving. He would compliment me all the time, telling me I was the best thing that had ever happened to him. How could I not get swept off my feet?

The rest of the girls started giving me dirty looks. I had taken Matt off the market and they were not happy. His friends suddenly noticed me too and some of them did flirt. But I always ignored it. Why would I want them? I had Matt.

After the first month, which was like a dream come true, things changed. It was gradual so I didn't notice it until it was too late. He became jealous, which turned into controlling, and then became full on abusive.

I didn't know what to do. No one knew this side of him. Everyone loved him. I couldn't break up with him no matter how much I wanted to. If this was how he acted while we were together, how much worse would it be if we were apart?

I was scared. That afternoon's confrontation was just one in a long string of the same thing. It had become a daily routine, he got jealous or mad, pulled me behind the cafeteria at lunch and yelled at me. I apologized and then, when he calmed down, he would hug me and say it was because he loved me so much.

"I should have known you would be such a flirt. Look at how you dress, like a slut. How do your parents even let you out of the house looking like that?" Matt said, bringing my attention back to the present.

There was no need to reply to that. Now he was just spewing venom.

"You know, you're lucky to even have me."

"Yeah, she's real lucky alright."

The voice came from the side of the building. Both Matt and I looked towards the person speaking. I thought I was scared before but when I saw who it was, my heart practically stopped.

"Scar, get the hell out of here. This has nothing to do with you." Matt referred to the school bad boy loner, Garrett, by his nickname. Everyone called him Scar behind his back, but only Matt would be bold enough to say it to his face.

"You're in my territory, you made it my business." Garrett didn't back down.

No one knew much about him other than he had a scar running from his eyebrow to who knew where after it disappeared down his neck. He always wore a dark hoodie with the hood up, most likely to cover the scar. Even the teachers let him keep it on in class, probably feeling sorry for him. Or scared of him.

"I said get lost, either willingly or I have no problem forcing you."

"Matt," I whispered. He shouldn't get in a fight with this guy. He was bad news.

"You need to take your hands off of her. Didn't anyone ever teach you how to treat a woman?" Garrett challenged Matt, getting in his face.

Matt finally let go of my arm, pulling his own back in an attempt to lay a right hook square on Garrett's jaw. Before he could even get his fist near him, Garrett's foot connected with Matt's stomach, knocking him back. Then Garrett decked him.

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I've added a lyric video for "Words"