25. Matt Johnson

                                    

                                          
I couldn’t believe my eyes. We were all standing in the conference room. By we, I meant, Candice, her brother, Matt and myself. I haven’t left his side since he put me on the ground. God, I even cried. Mr. Black and Candice were awaiting explanation but I was too shocked to talk.
                          
We were next-door neighbors and Matt was an ugly baby and an even uglier seven-year-old with a squeaky voice. I was an introvert with a loud family. My demons had started at the age of five so I kept to myself until this ugly little boy hit me with a baseball bat. Life has been good to him because, at fifteen, he broke apart like Cinderella at the stroke of twelve. His voice broke and became husky and deep. He lost the boyish look and became a man but he was no stranger. We stayed together throughout our school years and we made it until he had to leave.
                          
“God, boy, a letter or a phone call would have been nice. What if I wasn’t at work today?” I asked him.
                          
“Your brothers.” two words but words that mean a lot to me and him because we were family. Mine was his and he's were mine.
                          
I smiled. “Sure,” I bit my bottom lip to stop the smile from spreading. “Um, My boss and my best friend's brother.” I pointed to Mr. Black. “And Candice.” I hugged her. “She kept me sane. We haven’t left each other since we met.”
                          
He smiled and shook Mr. Black’s hand. “Please to meet you personally.” Matt was always a polite idiot. “Belle told me a lot about you and I work at your abroad helplines.”
                          
“You’re a doctor,” Candice asked.
                          
“No, I want to help the less fortunate and Belle here didn’t approve of the navy so I went to Africa after high school. My internship opened doors and well it turns out, Ms. Black that I was made to chase fires.” He said with a proud smirk.
                          
“You're a firefighter,” I asked. “And you didn’t tell me.”
                          
“Nice meeting you. A year at your brother's camp and everyone was talking about you being a princess as your brother is king but I can see what they mean, my love.” I smiled. “Beauty such as yours compares to none,” Matt said to Candice.
                          
“Mr. Johnson, I believe my helpline requires doctors, surgeons, people with the needed Ph.D. behind their names.” Mr. Black spoke.
                          
“And you are right, sir.” He smiled. “I don’t have any doctorate qualification but I had one thing your camp lacked and that was the ability to blend in. I spoke the language and I was able to give treatment to many other civilians.”
                          
“I applaud you on your work, Mr. Johnson but what brings you to my city?”
                          
Candice and I were watching this thing unfold. Mr. Black was acting like a father with two precious daughters. “My Belle, of course. I heard of what happened to her boyfriend and I wasn’t going to let my friend suffer alone.”
                          
“She wasn’t alone but she wanted to be alone. Did Rosie tell you she ran to Europe and left all of us for months?” Candice spoke up.
                          
“Her brother informed me, yes. I was in the desert during that time and the sand storm made it impossible to get a flight out.” 
                          
“I’m confused. What do you do?” I asked him.
                          
He smiled. “I am Santa's little helper. I work everywhere that needs help and I have reached the age where I need to settle down. I have been on the battlefield, I have scars to prove it but I want a family and it happens that my family lives in the upper class of Los Angeles just when I wanted to settle. I’ll be running the L.A firehouse.”
                          
Both Candice and I seemed happy at this news. A knock sounded from the door and I knew it was Scarlet. I asked her to bring my bag because I needed my keys. I opened the door and thanked Scarlet for my bag. I took out my apartment keys and car keys and handed it to him. “So I’ll be working late and if it becomes too late, Candice normally gets me home or her place. My car’s GPS contains my home address as well as my brother’s. my work and Candice place is also on there so you can find me anywhere.”
                          
“Thanks.”
                          
“I’ll kill you if you scratch my baby. And snowy likes space and he blends in with the walls so trend careful. I have money in my drawer if you need anything.” I told him
                          
Candice laughed. “I might have used that pay for the delivery. He didn’t take electronic payments.” She shrugged. I rolled my eyes at her. I always had cash in my house in case of emergencies and this flippin’ child couldn’t even tell me she used it.
                          
“I’ll be fine, Belle,” Matt said and hugged me. “Thank you.”
                          
“Mi casa, su casa.” I smiled. “My car’s parked underground.” he nodded and hugged Candice, who turned a different shade of red. He shook Mr. Black’s hand which seemed to be firm as hell.
                          
Candice and I walked him to the elevator. I knew Candice had a thing for my friend and I had no problem but it would become a problem if they had to split. She is my best friend. A friend that supported me unconditionally for the past five years and Matt and I grew up together, he is the only one that knew the demons and stayed by my side and still saw me in the same light. He hasn’t been friends with my brothers since he found out. He knows me inside and out. He could read me like a book and I could read him. He gave us a little salute as the door of the elevator closed.
                          
“Baby, how could you hide a god?” Candice asked turning her attention to me. “Can you spend the night at Lucifer’s place?”
                          
I was shocked. I gasped and looked at her. “How can you ask that of me?”
                          
“I’m not gonna sleep with him. He asked me out for dinner and I told him I’ll check with you. I know you won’t keep me from happiness but do want to sit in an apartment and wait till we come back?” Candice said and she had a point because I wouldn’t be able to sleep.
                          
“Princess.” Both Candice and I turned to look at her brother who had my phone and bag. He was looking pretty emotionless and that worried me. He was never emotionless.
                          
“I’ll stay by my brother’s place,” I told her. “Thank you very much. Can you at least give the spare keys to Matt? The ones with the emoji key ring and the one I gave him is mine, I want it back along with my car keys.”
                          
“Yes ma’am and thank you, Rosie.”
                          
I rolled my eyes at her and hugged her. I walked to Mr. Black’s office. He was on his phone with Christopher’s father. I knew this because he used his name. Mr. Black was explaining the situation to him. I checked my bag for the mirror and luckily my face wasn’t swollen. I didn’t bother with my make-up because did I need it? I already looked like hell.
                          
Mr. Black ended the call but didn’t turn to face me. I sat on his desk, facing out to watch the view. “Mr. Black?” I hated when he was angry at me. I don’t know why but Mr. Black had more control over my emotions than I had over them.
                          
“Princess.”
                          
My heart leaped and I inwardly sigh. My body was sending mix signals, it wants him but then it doesn’t. No wonder my brain can’t comprehend what’s happening. I was confused and a simple word could make me run to him with open arms. I stared at the stain on his shirt. Another reason why we would never work. He wore designer labels and was an A-list man in the business world. I wore designer clothes but only when I must. I will always be looked at. I will always be in the spotlight and many will hate me. I wanted to make love not war but with Mr. Black… war was is inevitable.

It was like fighting an uphill battle, a battle I wanted to win but a battle I didn’t want any part in. I would never survive or I would but I won’t be the same, somehow I would break and when I did, I don’t I could ever be fixed.
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