I've been standing at my door for a while now. Trying to gather the courage to step outside.

To be honest, I'm scared.

I'm scared that Matteo is going to think that, that hug meant something. I'm scared he's going to think I'm falling for him--But I'm not. I just broke, and at the time, I needed someone to fix me, and he just happened to be there.

My stomach growls, pulling me from my thoughts. I'm so hungry. All I need to do is step outside of the room, scurry off to the kitchen and then grab food, running back to my room. It's easy enough. Easier said than done.

I doubt he's even here. He's been so busy, why would he be around?

Yeah, I'm right, totally right. He's not even going to be there. I take a deep breath in and turn the handle.

I'm greeted by the early morning sun which streamlines in through the hallways. I hadn't bothered to open the curtains, so I squint my eyes, waiting to adjust. Looking both ways, like crossing a road, I determine that now is the time, there is no one in sight.

Tip toeing from the room, I make my way towards the kitchen with speed, from all the practice I had sneaking into the kitchen as a child, looking for late night snacks. Mum would always yell at me when she found out, but I never stopped. She soon just let me be.

I enter the large space containing the kitchen, lounge room and dining room. There's no one, just as I had hoped.

Opening the pantry door, I examine all the snacks available, and just to my luck, I spot a large stack of green tea mochi. Hell yes. Looks like I'm going to binge eat some mochi while wallowing in self pity and watching some shitty show on Netflix.

Just as I begin to back out of the pantry, I hear the closing of a door, and footsteps heading my way.

Shit. I freeze in my position, and slowly close the pantry door so that no one can see me. Thankfully it doesn't make a sound, and whoever it is, is still a fair distance not to notice.

The person's phone abruptly begins to ring, and I almost drop one of the boxes of mochi at the sound, but luckily don't.

"Alastair?" Matteo answers. Ughhhhh, I don't know why I expected it to be anyone but him.

"Are you serious?" Matteo yells into the phone. What's happened now?

"Man, holy shit, congratulations. Fuck, I'll be back as soon as I'm finished. Take all the time you need." Well... That was not what I was expecting. Wait, did Hailey have her baby?

I gasp before I can stop myself. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

He probably didn't hear me, right?

"Alright, man, I'll see you soon." Matteo says, and I hear his footsteps dissipate as he walks away. I let out a sigh of relief. That was a close one.

"What are you doing?"

I spoke too soon.

I look up to see Matteo at the door of the pantry, smirking deviously, proud that he caught me in the act. How I'd love to wipe that-

"Can't you see I'm getting food?" I spit, holding up the boxes of mochi. His eyes drift to the boxes, before they land back on me, staring directly into my own.

"It seems you have a habit of listening in on conversations, principessa." He purrs, as he takes a step inside the pantry.

"It seems you have a habit of not understanding that I hate you with all my guts." I retort back, causing him to stop in his tracks. For a split second, his smile falters and he looks genuinely hurt, but he hides it expertly well with that horrible smile once again.

"It didn't seem that way last night." His silky smooth voice says. God damn, if this man didn't kidnap me, I probably would've fallen for him.

"What happened last night, meant nothing." I say with confidence. "It was a moment of weakness."

Matteo's face twitches.

"It's the Scott boy, isn't it?" He questions as he takes a daring step towards me. "You love him." He states.

I take a step back, confused. "What are you going on about, I don't love anyone."

"Don't take me for a fool, Mia. I know you were talking to him while you were down in the cellar, I know you went to visit him, and I know you made that promise." He chuckles, darkly as he continues to approach me. "You can't keep that promise anymore, can you? He left you behind, he doesn't care for you like I do."

What? Scott left? Was he the prisoner Matteo was talking about? The one that had been broken out?

No, would Scott abandon me like that? Would he really?

I'm being selfish, of course he would, who wouldn't take the opportunity t leave when they've been abused for weeks. I can't think like that, Scott didn't leave me, he didn't have a choice.

However, now i will never be able to repay my promise, i will never be able to apologise to him for not coming back. Would he ever forgive me?

"No." I say.

"No?"

"You don't get to say that, when you are the only who has ever caused me pain, Matteo. Scott didn't have a choice to leave me, yet you have a choice to free me, and you still chose not to. Scott cares for me, more than you think you ever could." I hope I'm speaking the truth, I really do.

Matteo laughs. "Scott can't give you anything, he's a thug, a low life."

"Yeah?" And what are you?"

"I think you forget that I'm the one who has the power here, Mia. Don't think that I will take this disrespect."

I scoff, how can someone be this way? How is anyone this conceited?

I move to get around Matteo, but he blocks my way. "What?" I ask. "Can I not eat food without you watching me now?"

Matteo purses his lips, staring down at me. His arm is resting against my chest, and I am self conscious about the warmth emanating off of him. I take in a deep breath, hoping he'll let me through.

"Tonight, I am going to a ball." He says, looking away from me for once.

"Why are you telling me this?"

He rolls his eyes and looks back down at me, finally dropping his arm. "Because you're coming with me."

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