Mattie's mother watched her with weary eyes as she ate the takeout that they ordered while at the same time neglecting to speak to her daughter. For she knew that Mattie was with the boy in black just hours before.

She was watching from the window when she saw it while enjoying the afternoon activity. Children skipping rope and outlining their bodies with chalk on their concrete driveways, simple things kids do that reminded her of Mattie when she was little.

Just then though, she noticed something different.

She seemed off in dance classes, neglecting to concentrate on her moves when she should have been the most considering her recital being next week.

She watched the children play with a smile on her face, but it quickly dimmed as she noticed a girl leaving the dark house next door. And her heart dropped, for it was her daughter.

Her daughter that knew not of misbehaving, her daughter that she thought would never go behind her back, but she was, right before her very eyes.

"You're not hungry?" Mattie asked, putting a forkful of orange chicken in her mouth.

Her mother bit her lip and shook her head. "No."

Mattie looked at her, visibly confused. "Then why did you order some for you-"

"Why did I see you coming out of the Maddox house when you lead me to believe you were in tutoring?" She interrupted, and Mattie instantly dropped her fork with a loud clank.

She remained silent, opening her mouth to speak, but finding no words.

"Mom," she whispered, "he's just a friend-"

"Bullshit!" She stood up angrily, "Do you think I'm stupid? I saw you coming out of that boys home with messy hair and a sweaty face, you gave that boy your virginity didn't you Mattison?" Her face was red with anger, and Mattie's hands began to shake, not ever seeing this side of her mother before.

"No-"

"Don't you lie to me." She stepped closer to her daughter, awaiting for the truth to slip past her lips that were shaky, letting her know instantly that she was nervous.

"I said, no." Mattie repeated, swallowing a forming lump in her throat.

Silence overtook their home, the only sound being the cars outside and the drops of water coming slowly from the faucet.

"Then how about we go and ask him?" She said after a few moments, and Mattie's eyes widened in fear.

"No, mother! I won't allow it."

"Well it's a good thing I'm the parent huh?" Her mother snapped, grabbing her wrist before practically pulling her towards the front door and past the patio.

"Mom! He's probably asleep!" Mattie hissed, feeling tears well up in her eyes in embarrassment as they neared Jaxson's porch.

She didn't reply, only knocked on his door three times harshly with her grip still firm on Mattie's wrist.

A minute passed, and just before she was about to knock once more, a shirtless Jaxson was opening the door with not a hint of shock or fear on his face.

"Ms. Noelle," he said, switching his gaze onto Mattie.

He read her eyes that were full of embarrassment and horror, however the only thing that was bothering him about their unexpected visit was the grip Mattie's mother had on her daughters wrist.

Jaxson saw, and wanted to instantly take Mattie's hand in his own.

"Save it. I want you to answer me something."

"Mom," Mattie attempted to stop her, however at the same time she knew that her mother wasn't one to change her mind about things.

"Did you take advantage of my daughter?" She asked angrily, ignoring the fact that he didn't even have a shirt on.

Jaxson chuckled and looked to his feet before running a hand through his dark hair that matched the night sky perfectly.

"As in did we have sex?" He led on, causing Mattie's cheeks to turn a bright shade of red.

"Then yes, we did."

"Jaxson!" Mattie snapped with parted lips and a racing heart.

"So you lied to me?" She looked beside her in disbelief. "My daughter never lies. I raised you better than that." She turned Mattie around with her grip on her arms tight enough to turn them red under her grasp.

Jaxson gently pushed Mattie's mothers hands away. "No need to hurt her." He said, keeping his anger down, not letting it get the best of him in front of the girl he loved.

"Don't you touch me. I demand to speak to your parents immediately." She smoothed her shirt and crossed her arms.

Jaxson exchanged glanced with Mattie, causing her to look away. She was angry that he told her mother that they have had sex, she was beyond embarrassed and not to mention terrified of what her mother was thinking of her at that very moment.

"Out of town." He replied, lying.

Her mother huffed, "If I see you near my daughter again, I'm getting a restraining order."

"Mother, it's not that big of deal-"

"Not that big of a deal?" She repeated, as if not believing what her daughter was saying.

"You gave the purest thing about you to him, to scum." She said, purposely wanting Jaxson to hear.

He was beyond angry by that point, and it took all of him to keep his mouth shut and his hands off of her throat.

"I love her. It's not a waste." He cut in, and Mattie looked at him with surprise clear in her eyes.

He looked back, and wanted nothing more than to kiss her sweet lips. However she knew as well by that point with tears in her eyes, that she would have to steer clear of the boy that she loved as well.

Mattie's mother stayed silent, nothing changing her mind, for not even the fact that Jaxson saying that he loved her daughter could make her believe that it was the truth.

She wanted a man free of crime to be with her child. A man that didn't need to dye his hair black and dress in dark colors to hide the person he once was.

A man that wasn't so broken and fucked up.

A man that didn't already have a spot in hell waiting for him.

"Stay away." Her mother repeated, her voice as poisonous as venom.

A tear fell down Mattie's cheek as they walked away from the boy in blacks porch, and Jaxson knew as well what she was thinking without even hearing her speak.

He knew that she was not going to want to be with him because it would just increase the risk in him going back to jail, something Mattie didn't want at all even though Jaxson would risk it all just to hold her in his arms and kiss her soft lips until they were numb.

"Mattie," he whispered, wishing that she could hear him, but she was already inside of her house, taking a piece of him along with her.

Something stuck with him though, and it was anger. Something Jaxson should not have, for it made his skin tingle and his hands twitch. It made him ache just to fix whatever it was that was making him angry. That being Mattie's mother.

He later dreamt that night of wrapping his hands around her neck, squeezing so hard that he could feel her blood pumping through her veins and her heart rate quicken, until finally it fell, and death was her new haven.

And as always, it was all for Mattie.

____