There were several outcomes from the gorilla-dog incident, as it came to be called. One, Karen got detention for a week for breaking school rules bringing her mutt to school and causing a student serious injury. She also was tasked with clearing out all the junk from the auditorium all by herself for Homecoming. She was in a bad mood for the rest of the week. Two, Shane got detention and had to do a hundred push-ups while reciting 'I will not break school rules again'. Poor guy. Three, thanks to Matteo's testimony, I got off without any punishment at all—and the coach actually sympathized with me about the dog phobia (she was a cat person too). Four, everyone started rapping the song 'who let the dogs out?' until Homecoming. I would never live it down.

A few of the guys who had witnessed what happened even started barking whenever they saw me to tease me. But Pierce stuck up for me, threatening them with a beatdown if they didn't shut up. Shocking. Oh, and I learned he was a black belt in judo. He's been learning it for a decade and suddenly decided to use it to defend me. Was it just me, or was Pierce Hartman more protective of me than before?

"You know you gotta be careful. Sterling's got the perfect opportunity to milk the situation," Jules told me the weekend after the accident. We were sprawled on my bedroom floor, doing our weekly manicures. Amber had also joined us because she was bored.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"He can make lemonade out of the lemon you handed him," Amber piped up.

"Amber!" I said sharply.

"It's true! It's what boys do if you owe them! Especially the mean ones. I went through the same thing last year with Jack Mackley. That sasquatch made me his slave carrying his books for him everywhere just because I—" She suddenly stopped, going red in the face.

"What, Amber? Go on. What did you do?" I asked in suspicion, catching on to her.

"Never mind. We were talking about you!" She retorted evasively. Jules snorted.

"Sounds like you did something to deserve it, ya little rascal. All the same, Thea," she turned to me, looking serious, "she's right. As the prince of Bellfort, he can really come down hard on you."

"Matteo's not like that!" I said fervently. "He would never do that."

"Then why are the golden boys, especially Matteo, so keen to hang around you these days?" Jules asked, narrowing her eyes. "Are they blackmailing you or something?"

"No! Not at all!" I said hurriedly. I never told Jules about the deal I made with the golden boys (or rather the deal they made with me) or why they took such an interest in me—first of all, it made me seem like a weakling who needed three boy bodyguards. Second, it was embarrassing! And third, it was sort of unexplainable why the golden boys took an interest in me in the first place. Even I didn't know why myself.

"Careful, Thea. The prince might just make you pay for that broken arm—and he's capable of doing it in the sweetest way," Jules said with a sly smile. A slight doubt crept to my mind. I know I was indebted to him for breaking his arm but—he wouldn't do something like that, would he?

~

Turns out, he would, on Monday though not voluntarily or intentionally. I arrived with Jules at school and was not too surprised to see Matteo coming out of Pierce's jaguar. Naturally, he couldn't drive with that broken arm and Shane must've come separately. Nothing unusual there. The trouble didn't start till lunch.

I walked into the cafeteria with Jules after we got our trays (it was spaghetti today) and I almost followed her to our table when someone appeared behind me, tapping my shoulder. I turned around to see Pierce.

"Whoa, aren't you forgetting something?" He asked me with raised eyebrows. "You're sitting with us."

"Yeah, and Matteo will need your help today," Shane said, appearing beside him with two trays in his hands.

"Do I have to sit every—wait what? Help?" I asked, confused. Pierce merely guided me to the golden table where Matteo was sitting with his casted arm, putting me down on the chair next to him. Shane dropped a tray of food in front of him.

"You're going to help him eat his lunch of course!" Shane said, looking far too chirpy as he spoke.

"What?!" I asked, horrified. Did they really expect me to feed him?

"Let me break it down for you, babycakes," Pierce began, explaining with a smug face. "He's left-handed, his arm is broken, it looks kinky if one of us helps him out so you've been elected the perfect candidate for the role of official spoon-feeder. Or in this case, fork-feeder." Good grief. I stared at Matteo incredulously.

"I'm sorry, Thea, but I really didn't have any other choice," he said with an apologetic smile. I sighed. Given the choice, I was sure any girl in school would fall head over heels to feed him—they'd even dream of being the spoon that fed him. But for me, I've never been in a more awkward position in my life! Of course, I did owe him for breaking his arm in the first place...

"You really can't eat with your right hand?" I asked hopefully.

"Not any more than you can with your left," he said, shaking his head. I refrained from saying I was ambidextrous—who knows what they'd make me do if they knew that bit of information.

"It had to be spaghetti... It couldn't have been a sandwich..." I grumbled in an undertone. Necks craned from every table and girls buzzed with envy as I began to feed Matteo the spaghetti with his fork. Pierce and Shane snorted with muted, amused laughter but tried to hide it when I glared at them.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" I said, narrowing my eyes on them.

"You bet we are, babycakes," Pierce said jauntily. Oh, what I'd give for lunch to end...

I wasn't cornered again until after school. Okay, maybe cornered is too strong a word this time. It was more of a chance meeting. Jules had cheer practice so I decided to wait for her until she finished since she was my ride home. I watched the cheerleaders dolefully as I made my way to the bleachers, wishing I was one of them. No surprise, Matteo was there. A broken arm meant no football practice.

"Hey, Thea," he greeted me with a bright smile on seeing me. "Come sit with me." He patted the bench beside him. I hesitated for a second before joining him, keeping an inch of distance between us.

"So this is what it feels like being on the other side," he said, gazing wistfully out to the field where the other boys were playing.

"You've never been a spectator before?" I asked.

"No. It's kind of sad," he replied, evident disappointment in his eyes. I bit my lip, a pang of guilt weighing in my chest since I knew it was because of me that he couldn't play.

"Why didn't you go home?" I asked. He nodded to the field.

"Pierce is my ride." He pointed to Pierce who was doing laps around the field. I nodded, realizing we had something in common.

"Do you regret it?" He suddenly turned and asked me. "Not being a cheerleader?"

"Yeah..." I replied quietly with a sigh.

"You don't have to cheer for the team from down there, you know. You could still cheer from up here," he said leaning back.

"It's not really the same..." I said looking awry, turning to him.

"No, but it sure would mean a lot to me if you did." His words suddenly sounded like they were filled with a meaning I couldn't decipher. His voice was soft and lulling. I gazed into his melty brown eyes, mesmerized. It was happening again. We were having that moment again. My heartbeat climbed. The memory of our kiss flashed in my mind and I looked away, feeling warmth in my cheeks.

"I'm sorry you can't play for a while because of me," I said changing the subject.

"Hey, at least I get to spend time with you, Thea," he said brightly. Why did it sound so different when he said my name?

"Do you mind if I lean on you? I'm getting kind of tired not doing anything," he said.

"Not at all," I replied immediately. I guess he was entitled to use me while he could. And oddly, I didn't find it unpleasant. He rested his head on my shoulder. He did look tired.

"That's not very comfortable. You should lie down," I suggested. I patted my skirt. "Put your head here." He smiled softly at me.

"Thanks," he said, stretching out carefully to avoid knocking his arm. It felt nice, the weight of his head on my lap. He closed his eyes and I studied his features for a moment, enthralled. He really was attractive, no wonder girls fell at his feet. He could charm the female populace just with his innocent, endearing face. I couldn't stop myself from stroking his hair—lightly, so he wouldn't feel it. When I realized what I was doing, I stopped, my hand freezing in midair. I felt my mouth dry up. Holy smokes, was I petting him?!

I quickly looked up to break the spell he had over me. I saw Karen stop her routine and stare at me, venom in her eyes. Dang, seeing Matteo on my lap must've been killing her. Ashley, one of the girls dancing next to her, knocked her head with her hand because she was out of place. Karen fell flat on her face with a squeal and I bit back a laugh not to wake Matteo. Well, that was one way to spend the afternoon.

~

The one thing I noticed about the golden boys is that they really were girl magnets. Maybe it was their flirty behavior or rugged rakish good looks or honeyed words but girls would fall over themselves to do things for them. This was especially true with Matteo. Why was Matteo Sterling labeled the prince charming of Bellfort? Why was he the number one golden boy? Slowly, I came to discover that—it was his personality that made him the most sought after boy at Bellfort. He was the nicest, especially with his words; he rarely offended anyone.

Since he broke his arm, there was no shortage of doormats for him. Girls would volunteer to carry his books, open doors for him and even—give me dirty looks. Probably because I was the reason he broke his arm and because I was the only girl he'd allow by his side despite the fact. But that didn't stop girls from swooning over him. I wondered why; that puzzled me. Why hang around a guy who didn't really care to have you around?

"So anyway, Greg asked me out and we're going on a date! Can you believe I got a date already?" Jules was saying excitedly in my ear. We were walking through the parking lot after school about to head home. Tom was walking behind us, glued to his phone.

"Uh-huh. That's great Jules," I said distractedly, watching Matteo walking through the parking lot a little way off. I saw Karen strut up and talk to him but he didn't seem very receptive. He suddenly turned and saw me.

"Thea, what's got you so fazed today?" Jules asked me. "Did you even hear what I said?"

"Yeah, yeah, you have a date," I said vaguely, feeling nervous as Matteo started walking towards me. Jules gave a huge sigh, obviously disappointed that I didn't give her my full attention. It couldn't be helped, my field of vision was engulfed by a golden boy.

"So anyways, think you can get home alright?" She asked me. "I gotta hit the dentist."

"Yeah, sure," I said, barely listening.

"Great. I'll see you Monday then," she said and skipped off. Tom suddenly looked up, startled.

"Wait, is Jules leaving already?" He asked. "I needed to ask her something! Wait up, Jules!" He ran after her, his bag swinging wildly behind him. My attention got diverted just then as Matteo appeared in front of me and gave me his usual bright smile.

"Hey, Thea. Would you like to take a walk with me?" He asked.

"Um, sure?" I replied. What brought this on?

"Good. Let's get away from here," he said, taking my hand and leading me very purposefully away from the front gate. Boy, that made my pulse speed up. My fingers between Matteo's felt like they were getting electrically charged up. I noticed Karen glaring after us and could almost swear I heard her growl.

"So, what's this all about?" I asked Matteo when we reached the back gate.

"I just needed some help getting away from Karen," he said candidly. We stopped under the shade of an oak tree.

"So—you used me?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. He looked contrite.

"Oh, I didn't mean it like that, Thea. I just—you're the only girl I can be around without feeling like Elvis Presley," he said. I giggled a little, feeling better about him. I continued to walk and talk with him.

"Won't Pierce be waiting for you?" I asked.

"No, I'm taking a cab," he said. "Pierce has martial arts classes today." What a coincidence—I don't have a ride either...

"Oh. What about Shane?" I asked. It didn't seem right that he should go home in a cab alone with a broken arm.

"Babysitting his younger siblings," Matteo replied. Suddenly his eyes lit up.

"Do you—would you like to come over, Thea?" He asked me. If I had water in my mouth, it definitely would have gone up my nose.

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked, wondering if I misheard him.

"I was asking if you'd like to come over to my place," he repeated earnestly. I blinked at him. Matteo Sterling has never invited a girl to his house before. I know because it was every girl's dream to visit his place and they wouldn't stop talking about it.

"Um... Okay," I answered unsurely. Wait, that didn't sound polite. I cleared my throat.

"Sure," I said more strongly. He smiled with enthusiasm.

"Great. I'll call the cab," he said. Holy smokes, did I really just agree to go to Matteo Sterling's house?

~

The Sterling house turned out to be a mansion—a huge one. I was sure I could get lost inside.

"So, what do you think?" Matteo asked when we entered.

"I think I just stepped into Buckingham Palace," I said, craning my neck just to see the ceiling with my mouth half open. Matteo laughed.

"It is pretty big," he replied. No surprise, his dad was rich enough to own the city.

"How many rooms are there?" I asked.

"Twenty in all," Matteo said. I blinked.

"Apart from school, I don't think I've been anywhere this big—save the mall. Or the museum," I said in awe. Matteo laughed.

"Would you like a tour?" He asked me.

"Do I have to pay an entry fee?" I asked cautiously. He burst out in more laughter.

"No, no fee. Come on, we'll start with the ballroom."

"You have a ballroom?" I asked incredulously.

"The pinnacle of Sterling mansion. My father likes to have parties there to entertain his—the people in his circles." I noticed Matteo tripped over the words a little.

"Is your dad here?" I asked, thinking I should probably meet him since I walked into his place.

"No, he's out of the country. He's—hardly ever home," Matteo said, the sparkle leaving his eyes.

"Oh." I felt awkward.

"Master Matteo, welcome back. And I see you've brought a guest." A man's voice made us turn around.

"Ah, Milford. This is Thea Gardener, a friend from school," Matteo said. "Thea, this our butler, Milford."

"How do you do, Miss Gardener?" He said graciously. He spoke with a British accent.

"I'm fine, thank you, it's nice to meet you," I said with a polite smile which he returned before turning to Matteo.

"Shall I prepare sandwiches and tea in the greenhouse for you, sir?" Milford asked.

"Yes, thank you Milford," Matteo replied. He bowed and left.

"You have a greenhouse. And a butler," I stated in awe.

"You're not intimidated, are you?" He asked me.

"No, no. I've just never met a real live butler. British and all," I said honestly. He chuckled.

"Come on, let's continue the tour." He led me through the house, taking his time in showing me each room. The house was well decorated and beautiful, all done in a French style. There were long old fashioned davenports, exquisitely carved tables and pedestals and flowers on every table top. Not to mention luxurious carpets. It was like a palace from a movie.

"Last of all, my room," Matteo said, stopping in front of the door at the end of the first floor hallway. He opened the double doors revealing a master bedroom, complete with a huge, luxuriously draped bed with gold and white linen. There were few personal articles that kept the room from looking like a five-star hotel suite—the basketball hoop nailed on a wall, the untidy study desk, a skateboard in the corner, and the framed pictures of Matteo and his family.

"Wow, you have an amazing view," I said, peeking out his windows. His room overlooked the gardens behind the house which had a pebbled path and a fountain at the end.

"I couldn't agree more," he said softly. I turned at his voice and saw his eyes were on me. Crap, he meant that for me!

"Is this you?" I changed the topic, going over to the fireplace shelf where his photo frames were to hide my warm cheeks. Rows of pictures of Matteo at varying ages with his parents lined the shelf.

"Your mom is really pretty," I said, admiring the lone picture of a beautiful brunette woman in a silk dress and pearls. I turned to Matteo. "You look a lot like her," I said shyly. It was obvious where his good looks came from.

"A lot of people say that. My mom loves that I look like her too," Matteo said with a wistful smile. I watched his expression sadden.

"You miss her." I could see it in his eyes.

"I see her on weekends," he replied. I looked inquiringly at him.

"I visit her in New York every weekend," He explained.

"You drive every weekend all the way to New York just to see her?" I asked in surprise. I realized that must've sounded rude.

"Sorry..." I said, covering my mouth.

"No, it's okay," Matteo said, shaking his head. He went over and sat on his bed. "It's the best part of my weekends." I nodded. I felt like I was seeing him with new eyes. I was getting to know the real Matteo Sterling now—the sensitive, vulnerable boy with a soft heart. He patted the bed indicating I should join him.

"It must get pretty lonely staying here," I said, seating myself beside him.

"With dad out of town all the time, it is. But even when he's home..." Matteo seemed to struggle with some emotion. I automatically reached for his hand.

"Hey..." I said gently. He raised his eyes to mine. My heart started to throb. I could feel that mesmerizing reaction starting again.

"Thea... We—we never talked about that kiss..." he uttered softly, his eyes flickering to my lips. I turned pink in my cheeks.

"Matteo, I..." words failed me. Was he really bringing up our kiss now?

"I just wanna know..." His voice was low and tender, "do you wish you could take it back?"

"No..." I said, slowly shaking my head.

"Do you mind if I do it again?" He asked, his brown eyes fiery on me. I took a moment before answering almost inaudibly.

"No," I breathed, swallowing. Before a second passed, his lips were on mine, soft and silky as he explored my mouth. I felt his hand come around my waist, feeling me with need. My skin erupted into flames; I was starting to feel a little dizzy from the sheer effect of him kissing me.

His lips managed to part mine, burrowing deeper. I felt him lean into me and I suddenly fell back on the bed. He didn't break the kiss; his hand came up to my neck and he pushed my hair back. I felt like gravity gave up its course and I was floating; all I could feel was the rhythmic movement of his lips tasting mine. I fell into his rhythm, letting my senses loose. I hummed in contentment. It must've encouraged him because the next minute I felt his tongue against my lips. I willingly opened my mouth a little further, letting my own tongue mingle with his. Oh my gosh, I was losing myself to Matteo Sterling!

"Matteo..." I gasped, feeling a painful weight suddenly. Something hard was pressing on my middle—his cast was wedged in between us, against my stomach.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" He said, realizing it was between us and pulling it away. He suddenly withdrew from me, panting. I sat up, breathless myself.

"I didn't mean to get so carried away... are you alright?" He asked me. I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. We took a minute to regain ourselves.

"Thea I..." He was at a loss for words too.

"Please don't say you're sorry again," I said nervously, surprising even myself. He smiled.

"I won't," he said, helping me off the bed. He didn't let go of my hand though.

"We should go... Milford will be wondering where we are," he said, looking wistful as though he didn't want to leave.

"Yeah, sure." I tried to rearrange my appearance so I didn't look too rumpled like I'd just gotten the best kiss of my life. I tried not to think about the steamy moment we just shared—but what did this mean for us?

~

All sorts of questions ran through my head after Matteo's butler dropped me home later that evening (in a Mercedes Benz, I might add). Did he enjoy it as much as I did? Does he want to do it again? How is he so good at it? Am I the only girl he's ever kissed?

It was only in my room did I let the uncontrollable smile that I'd been holding back break out on my face—Matteo Sterling kissed me. Again. I didn't know what was coming next. But I found myself hoping for more. Because I had fallen irrevocably in love with Matteo Sterling.

🌹

Yeah that just happened. A golden boy gave a golden kiss.😳😲🤯🥵😘💋❤️‍🔥 Lotsa comments expected for this one, how many of y'all have already shipped Matthea (yeah I came up with that ☺️🤭) together and think he's THE ONE?