''Hey Alex, where's Valencia?'' Matia gripped her shoulder causing the girl to jump in shock. Alex was Valencia's best friend.

'' Why do you care, about her ?'' She looked annoyed at him, but from inside she was really worried because she didn't even know what was going on with her bestie.

Valencia texted her at the beginning of the week to inform her that she was going to take online classes for a while.

Since then Val had never responded to her calls, causing Alex to send her more than 100 voicemails, but even to them Valencia never responded.

''You are bored and searching for someone to bully and of course, the first person in your mind had been my friend!'' the girl almost yelled at Mattia.

Alex knew how much his words hurt her friend sometimes because she was always the one to calm her down.

Valencia was almost never sad, but full of rage after another conflict with Mattia.

'' Geez, I was just asking," he rolled his eyes and looked at the empty seat next to Alex. The spot where Valencia was always sitting at lunchtime.

"Never mind!'' Mattia turned around to the table where all of the boys of his team were.

''Mat, bro come here we need to discuss our tactics for tomorrow!'' one of his teammates said with a hand on his chin, while Matia was making himself sit on the chair next to him.

''Tomorrow?'' Mattia raised his eyebrows in confusion.

''Um yes, did the team captain forget about the big game?'' Tomas, one of the boys said, causing all of his teammates to start laughing.

''Enough'' Matia punched the table furiously, causing the boys to fall silent.

''Of course not, I was just messing with you people'' Mattia said with a wide smile. He wasn't. He had really forgotten about the match because the only thoughts occupying his mind were about Val and why she wasn't going to school for the last week since that day.

***

"Mom, dad I'm home'' Matia shouted entering his big, almost as much as a palace house, and threw his backpack on the couch.

"Hello Matia, how was school?'' The maid approached the boy.

"Nothing special'' Matia yawned, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.

"They aren't at home again, are they?'' He asked although he already knew the answer. His parents were always working or celebrating their hard work, of course never with their son. They have never brought him with them to those parties because he had 'a bad attitude' like they always were saying even though he hasn't done anything illegal. He was just the normal teenage boy, who wanted at least a little attention and love from his parents.

"No, you are right, they had an emergency meeting and needed to fly to Madrid this morning'' The maid gave him an apologetic smile.

"Oh, what perfect timing, just for my birthday'' Matia scoffed.

"You know that it isn't until next week and they said that will come before it-" she tried comforting the mad boy when he interrupted her.

"They will try to come before it, but it's this Sunday and I know that something will happen and they won't be able to'' he felt the anger building in his throat, but he simply swallowed it.

"I just know them and their WORK really well'' He rolled his eyes, their job was just to check if the others were working and to scold them anytime they wanted. They were good bosses as they were parents.

'' Oh sweetie don't be mad at them, they are just working'' Matia glared at the housemaid because of her words.

"Yeah, they do and this is the problem they always work and think only for themselves'' Matia's anger was coming back, but this time in a form of tears. Yes, he was able to cry for things like this. He was a boy, not a rock. He was a kid who desired love, who was yearning to be loved by someone.

"They didn't even care that tomorrow is the cup tournament, but I know the job is more important than their useless son'' He clenched his wrist, building straight, not showing his weakness.

"You know they would never say that'' The woman's eyes widened at the words of the boy. She has witnessed the not pleasant talks the parents had with their son, but she was scared that if she showed her empathy for Matia and the disgust she had gained for his parents, she would be fired.

"Do I know that Marlene even after I heard them, saying it?'' It wasn't new for the family to talk to the staff using their first names, but Matia was the kindest one of all.

"I'm going upstairs'' Mattia shouted walking out of the hall.

"Good, I will call you when the dinner is ready!" he heard her say at the time Matita was opening the door of his room.

He plopped himself on his bed and brushed one hand on his face. 'God I need a distraction, why hasn't she been in school this week?' He said to himself, thinking about Valencia.

..................

Finally decided to post this, what do you think?

Words: 846

Posted: 12.05.2022