Mateo's Pov

"Why in the living fucking hell is he with her?!" I scream, throwing another punch to the punching bag infront of me

I've been alone at my father's gym for the past two hours as it always brought peace to me. It was where I went when I needed to escape and other than the cafe, it's the only place I willingly want to be. It's a place to hide, and I couldn't be more thankful than to finally allow my frustration to surge through me.

As the purple and black bruised bag takes another hit, the hinge swings back and I smirk thinking back to when I punched him right in the nose. Blood seeped out from the impact and I got used to the feeling quickly, being unable to stop.

Throwing another harsh jab at the bag, it swings back vicariously making the stuffing inside fly around forcefully. My nose flare on it's own and when I take a look at my knuckles, I notice they're red, close to bleeding.

"Fuck," I mutter before taking a seat on the bench nearby the lockers and yanking out my earbuds

I take my phone out, hoping she called or sent a text, but all I see is my father asking where I am and two missed calls from Derek.

Sighing heavily, I call him back and on the second ring, he answers.

"I'm telling you man, you need to stop," Derek warns me instantly and I pull the phone from my ear to scoff

We've grown closer over the past couple of weeks. He's been a good ear to open up to and he hasn't done anything I should backhand him for. But I've also kept him around because he knows about Emma's and Nathan's past at the school. And the more information I know, the better.

It'll show me if "this" is really worth fighting for.

"What are you on about now?" I question and he sighs through the phone

"So you haven't heard none of the shit that's been spreading around?" He asks and I lean forward, sharply intrigued

"Nah man. What's up?"

"Bro, Nathan has been rowding up the school saying he's going to fight you when you come back to the cabins. Because you're forcing yourself on Emma," He informs and I purse my lips chuckling at the thought

He really is an idiot.

"Mhm, he still got that black eye?"

"Yep,"

"He still got that bloody nose,"

"Most definitely, the cabins nurse had to give him ice,"

"Uh huh, is he limping?"

"Uhh a little, God damn man how bad did you fuck him up?" He asks laughing and I laugh along remembering the last look I gave him before running to find her

"I just roughed him up a bit. I'm sure he'll be fine by tomorrow. Then I can break his legs," I reply shrugging my arms

"Shit, you really are crazy," He presses and I shake my head through my black hoodie

"Nah, I go by psychopath. Nice to meet you too,"

"Of course, where are my manners?" He asks sarcastically and I chuckle alongside him

"I don't know but bring them next time," I answer and I hear him scoff under his breath

The line goes dead for a bit and I have the sudden urge to hang up, but he clears his throat and my eyebrow rise in suspension.

"What about Emma though?"

Everything in my body tenses at her name and I look back to the punching back grudgingly wishing it could have been Nathan.

"I - I don't know. I honestly don't," I tell him not admitting that I'm slowly falling for her

I don't even want to admit it to myself. She along with my family fucked up love for me. But Emma's slowly changing my mind. And it terrifies me.

"In the long run, it's probably not going to be worth it. It's our last year and I don't want to be in the middle of no shit. I don't want to see you in any shit either," He replies and I look at the floor taking in his words

"Too late for that, I think... I think I'm falling for her," I answer hesitantly after some time and I hear him sigh through the speaker

It's true.

When I found her in that glass room at the cabins, our attraction towards each other intensified. I knew it was only a matter of time before she lashed out. I could see it in her eyes. She was hiding it because she's scared of what other people will say. What other people will do.

Even though she displayed her true emotions through destruction, it took me back. When I'd act like that, it was art in my eyes, but in other's, it was Satan's work.

And now that I've seen her truly vulnerable, she's a hundred times more beautiful in my eyes. Because deep down, under all that polish, she's blank.

Just like me.

"Mateo listen to me clearly, she is taken. By your step brother and Springfield's --,"

"Yeah yeah yeah, I've heard all that before and I still don't give a fuck because she's my bunny and she stole my last piece of cheese so she's mine now," I answer pondering over the memory and I hear him facepalm heavily

"She stole your cheese?"

"Yep,"

"You know what... I'm not even going to ask how or why,"

"Hmm, that's probably for the best. I don't know how she took it, but she did,"

"Ya'know... Talking to you is like talking to a stop light,"

"Talking to you is like talking to a slice of--,"

"God dammit Mateo if you mention cheese one more fucking time I'm gonna lose it!"

The line is silent after the words leaves him and my booming laughter soon starts to echo through the brick walls.

"Ha, good thing I wasn't going to say cheese. I was going to say cake," I reply grabbing my backpack to leave

"Really?" He asks confusingly and I push open the door to make my way to my car

"Hell nah, arguing with you reminds me of arguing with cheese," I respond before abruptly hanging up

The wind pushes against me and I bring my hoodie over my face. Rushing to my car and getting it, I look over to the passenger seat, remembering how we sung together on the highways and our close proximity. It was the closest I've been to a girl since I stopped sleeping around around a year ago and because of it I could smell her addicting scent circulating through the car. I'm convinced I was drugged through it until the time we made it to the cabins before we were separated.

Starting up the engine, I look towards the passage one more time and freeze when I see the small bottle of perfume in the cup holder, lying there helplessly. A grin breaks out across my face and I shake my head chuckling to myself.

Black Raspberry Vanilla, my new favorite.