Since that day I made it my life-long mission to avoid Henry and Ashley. That resulted in me spending a lot of my time at Maya's, her mom gave me my room there and since then I am hardly ever at home. I forgot one tiny little detail. Timmy is older than me by 3 years. Henry was cheating on mom way before they got married.
Those bastards can rot in hell for all I care!!!
I and Maya have become much closer now, we almost can't breathe without each other. We spend a lot of time doing so many things together like right now, we're going to the mall. We both decided that we needed to up our fashion game to match the confidence we managed to build in each other over the months.
We headed straight for the clothing stores and began to browse the racks, at some point we became separated as I wanted to try new stuff like dresses. I found a few that I think would look good on me and I wanted to try it out for Maya.
Maya wasn't exactly disposed of as I found her surrounded by Astrid and her minions. They had pushed her to the ground and managed to put a few punches in and Maya had blood coming out from the side of her mouth.
"Where is your little protector now?"
They began laughing at her. What shocked me was she just lay there and took it. This was not part of the training!!!
'Why wasn't she fighting back?"
"Astrid, what did I tell you about Maya?"
Astrid froze and turned slowly to face me.
"Oh, Amanda. Didn't see you there..."
"Of course you didn't. You can't see anything through your fake lashes and miserable life."
Astrid made the mistake of charging at me first, swinging her arm. I deflected the blow with my left and delivered one of my own with my right, she landed on the floor holding her broken nose or maybe just shifted.
Astrid stood back up and retreated, tagging her minions with her and staining the pretty mall floors with her blood.
I helped Maya stand but she refuses to look at me.
"Why Maya... why didn't you fight back?"
"I'm sorry, I just couldn't do it... I am weak."
"No, you're not Maya. Everyone gets scared at least once in their lives. There was a time I was like you."
"You were bullied?"
"Yeah, and lot. Back when I was a junior."
"Why do I find it hard to believe?"
"Because now I'm some tough shit?"
"That's probably it."
"Anyways, I got beaten up so bad. There was no one to talk to, there was no one to help me so I learned how to kick ass right back."
"Wow..."
"You just need to let go of the fear and the rest will fall into place. Just imagine them as your punching bag, okay?"
I helped Maya clean up and then we continued with our shopping as if nothing happened.
Astrid might be thinking she will get away with what she did today. She will pay!!!
When we got to the house, we saw an unfamiliar car in the driveway. At least it was unfamiliar to me, Maya seemed to know exactly who it was because she almost crashed my car into their mailbox in her excitement and screamed louder than Astrid.
"So I'm guessing you know who that is?"
"Of course I do, that's Matteo. My brother!"
I'm pretty sure my mouth is hanging open and I doubt if it will ever be closed again.
"We've been hanging out all this time and you didn't deem it fit for me to be privy to that tiny bit of information?"
At least she had the decency to look guilty and ashamed at this omission of very vital information. I began to feel anxious afresh, what if he didn't like me?
Mrs. Santiago was a total sweetheart. That doesn't mean her first offspring will be as nice. He might be a dork.
The moment Maya parked decently, she ran out of the car leaving me to tend to our bags. I heard screaming and smooching noises coming from the open door.
I got out of the car and struggled with carrying ten bags which turned out to be a bad idea because when I crossed the threshold, I fell face first and ungracefully on the floor, the bags, of course, coming down with me.
"Oh, dear. Matteo helps her up now."
I groaned and looked up from my embarrassing position on the floor and my eyes met with the most beautiful pair of browns I have ever seen. He had a scar that ran down the left side of his eye down to his cheek and another one under his left eye, he also had a scowl on his face.
"You going to stare all day or you going to take my hand and get up?"
Then and only then did I realize that I had been gawking like a fool.
"Yeah sure."
I took his hand and got up, dusting off imaginary dust off my clothes. I caught Maya and her mother staring at me with this weird goofy grin on their faces, I was scared to know what it meant.
After Matteo picked up all ten bags (like they weighed a feather) and deposited them on the kitchen counter, Mrs. Santiago bustled over.
"Darling, meet my jellybean, Matteo. Matteo, this is Amanda. She's a real sweetheart."
"Hi, nice to meet you."
I waved a little at him. He looked at me- more like scrutinized me- from my head to my toes and then wrinkled his nose a little. Like he wasn't exactly satisfied with what he saw.
Well, fuck him.
I stood one hand akimbo and bent my head a little to the side, drawing his eyes up to mine. I held his gaze, I wanted to make sure he knew I was no pushover and if he was looking for trouble, I sure as hell will give it to him and let him keep the spare change.
"Let's go have lunch everyone. Maya and Amanda, you take your bags upstairs, freshen up, and come down for lunch. We're bringing out the bubbly, it's a celebration!!!"
We cheered. Mrs. Santiago is kind of cool with us drinking alcohol as long as we're supervised, preferably by her.
I showered and decided I'd try one of the dresses I bought from the mall today. I emptied my bags in the bed, creating a massive mess of clothes, shoes, and accessories. I opted for the black leather fitted mini skirt with a black leather crop top, I had bought the red of this same outfit because I couldn't make a decision and I had honestly considered wearing the red but I felt I would be making too much of a statement to Matteo. Plus it made my ass look hot, and my figure fuller. For the first time I liked my full body, I wasn't Khloe Kardashian thick, I was more Kylie Jenner thick but still, I wanted to be a fighter and a thick fighter... well...
I wanted him to know that I'm not a girl who he can walk all over or who he could just call out whenever it suits him. I wanted him to know that I would clap back!!!
I made my hair up into a simple bun and let loose tendrils fall. I love putting my hair up in this style because it made me look like my mother. I smiled a watery smile as I continued to put myself together, today was not going to be a sad day for me, for anyone. So I sent the bad feelings on their way.
I completed my look with silver loop earrings and black ankle heeled boots. I was never one for makeup but we are bringing out the bubbly, are we not?
So I wore a deep red lipstick and winged eyeliner. I gave myself a once over in the full-length mirror and I have to say this, I would fuck me if I wasn't straight. Not that I'm been cocky or anything... just saying.
Let me see Matteo try to resist this.
Hold on!!!
Why was I thinking about Matteo just now?
His opinion on how I look shouldn't matter at all. It's not like I've ever needed or considered any other person's opinion but mine anyway.
I shrugged and made my way downstairs and it looked like I wasn't the only one who thought to dress in their Sunday best. Mrs. Santiago was dressed in an evening dress complete with heels and full makeup, Maya wasn't far from her mother either. She wore a knee-length off white gown that made her brown eyes pop and she let her wavy hair flow.
"Tonight we party, we celebrate my son who's been gone for so long but has finally found his way home."
And then the party started, I ate so much food I knew if I didn't want to become a whale, I was going to work out twice as much and jog twice the miles. But it was a fun day, a day to party. I danced so much salsa, I felt like my feet would fall off if I dared take another step. All in all, tonight was a good night but what baffled me the most was that the person whom this celebration was thrown for just sat in a corner and I could feel his eyes boring holes in my body.