"I burned by bridges so the devil couldn't follow me."

― L.M. Browning

"If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything."

― Mark Twain

Chapter 11

"No way!" - Emma yelled in disbelief when I finished the sentence.

After we were done with classes for the day, the four of us went to the coffee shop that was located near our university, so we could spend some time together. It's been almost a week since we last saw each other and we were more than eager to finally catch up. We did text and facetimed, but we were too busy to actually meet in person. They've already started studying, and me? Well, I was too occupied with my boyfriend and I felt terrible because I ditched them in a way. Only now did I manage to tell them what had happened over the weekend, obviously leaving a minor detail that was successfully covered with my makeup. I couldn't talk about it yet, not even with them,

"Yeah, everything is possible when it comes to my father," I said annoyed with the whole situation.

"What does he think what century we live in, 15th?" I couldn't help but laugh hearing Sarah say that, she was way too cute when she was pissed.

"Those things had happened after that point in time, you know?" Lena remarked earning a confused look from both Emma and me. She wasn't the type to provoke people. Sarah just ignored her and carried on with her talk.

"Wait, so what, he expects you to marry that guy in the future, or?"

"He didn't emphasize it, but I'm not stupid. I know how their business world works." I rolled my eyes.

"That's sick," Emma commented.

"Right? I don't even know him!" I threw my hands in despair.

"I do and I don't really have anything nice to say about him," Sarah said with venom in her voice.

"I would be surprised if you didn't know him," Lena murmured but Sarah ignored her yet again. I frowned, something was definitely off with them and I have to find out what had happened.

"What was your new boyfriend's reaction to all this?" Sarah asked me and gave me a pointed look. I just rolled my eyes, aware of what she was implying.

"I sort of, might of, left out that particular detail," I said suddenly feeling nervous, looking away from their judgmental eyes.

"Tara!" Lena screamed at me and two other girls looked at me in disbelief.

"What?" I batted my eyelashes faster than usual, trying to seem innocent.

"Don't even try that with me! You just got together and you are already lying to him, that's not cool," I rolled my eyes yet again.

"I'm not lying, I just didn't tell him the whole truth." They immediately gave me a pointed look. "But I'm not! That's not a lie. The lie would be if I told him that something that had clearly happened, hadn't really happened," I kept on defending myself, but it didn't seem to work.

"That doesn't make it okay," I didn't know the reason why, but Lena was rather blunt today.

"If you actually met him, you wouldn't think that, trust me," I told her sincerely.

"That is a fact, though, the guy is terrifying," Emma said.

"Yeah, even I was a bit scared of him," Sarah stated which made Emma and me laugh.

"You don't say! He scared you?" Lena went on and on but at that point, all three of us chose to ignore her.

"Your decision to not tell him will come back to bite you in the ass, T, I'm positive."

"It seems like he's into you a lot, T, he seemed pretty protective of you," Emma commented and Sarah snorted after she heard what she said.

"That's certainly one way to put it."

"But you can't deny how deathly handsome he is."

"Too much toxic masculinity, who's attracted to that shit?"

"Obviously every girl in the world."

"Don't generalize."

"You don't count,"

"Um, I'm sorry to interrupt your little stare off, but you do know that you're talking about my boyfriend, right?" At that point, they were getting on my nerves with their bickering, I didn't want to find out how far were they ready to take that petty argument.

"We know, we know, you don't have to go all possessive on us," Emma was provoking me and I rolled my eyes at her childish antics. It seemed like we do that a lot.

"I didn't even interfere out of some possessive urge, but whatever."

"Of course, whatever helps you sleep at night," she carried on with her attempts to annoy me.

" You're insufferable sometimes, you know that?"

"That takes talent," she flipped her hair to prove the point.

"Of course it does," I muttered.

"Nevertheless, so our baby wouldn't be so mad anymore..." She was pinching my cheeks as she was saying that. I slapped her hand to stop her, but it didn't faze her at all. "...I think the best thing would be to change the topic to the most important thing in the whole entire world," she said, excitement clear in her voice. Lena and Sarah both groaned at the same time, aware of what was to come.

"So girls, we're going shopping!" She said happily, trying her best to sound like Regina George. Our two friends almost immediately started complaining and whining, on the verge of tears. I found the whole scene rather amusing, I was even thinking to take my phone and start recording, but I wasn't exactly suicidal so I decided against it.

"You terrorist!" Sarah was the first one to react. I started laughing out loud when I saw her pale face, she truly looked like she was about to say goodbye to her dear life.

"This is the second time someone called me a terrorist, It's not funny!"

"I think that, in their agenda, your idea of shopping comes pretty close to It being a terrorist act," I told her as calmly as I could, given how ridiculous that whole situation was.

"But you're not complaining!" she said in desperate need of support.

"Of course she's not! She's same as you!" It was only a matter of time before Sarah breaks down into tears.

"I didn't expect that from you!" I said trying to sound shocked and I put my hand over my heart, acting as her words actually hurt me. Usually, she would have some sarcastic comeback or something like that, but she was way too busy attempting to save her life from Emma's claws.

"Why do we even have to go shopping?" She asked annoyed.

"Because the student's trip is right around the corner and I have nothing to wear," Emma said and raised her head rather high, clearly insulted with the way they reacted.

"Emma, you fucking have two big closets full of clothes, and one more at Tara's place, where the hell do you plan on putting the new stuff?" Sarah was so red in the face she reminded me of a tomato.

"One who really wants to do something will always find a way."

"But we'll only be gone for what, a weekend?" Lena interjected.

"Enough time to find myself a man."

"Victor will be there," I commented.

"So will Stephan," she bit back.

"He's an ex."

"And Victor is too."

"Yeah? Then why are you guys keep hanging out?"

"Why are you hanging out with Stephan?"

"I have a boyfriend," I said with a triumphant smile and she stuck her tongue at me. "Checkmate, baby." She rolled her eyes afterward.

"I'll never understand you," Lena stated and started packing her things. I frowned watching her carefully.

"Where are you going?" I asked her feeling rather confused.

"Home? If I have to put up with you later, I don't have to look at your faces now." She glanced in Sarah's direction for a brief moment. It was short-lived so she carried on with packing her things. She stood up from her chair and started walking towards the exit of a coffee shop, barely saying goodbye. I was taken aback by her outburst. I kissed both Sarah and Emma on the cheek, arranged the time and a place where we will meet and ran after Lena. I managed to catch up with her, but she didn't want to stop or even slow down her pace and it royally pissed me off.

"What is your problem?" I asked her as calmly as I could.

"I don't have a problem," she responded, not giving me a single glance, she just kept on walking. We were already outside at that point.

"L, I'm serious," I tried one more time to no avail.

"I've already told you," she said simply which sent me over the edge. I stopped dead in my tracks and grabbed her wrist, turning her so she could look at me and stopping her from going further.

"What is wrong with you?" I asked her, sounding desperate. She angrily yanked her hand from my grip.

"I've already told you that everything's fine! Mind your own business and leave me alone!" She yelled and ran away without even giving me a chance to explain myself.

I wasn't entirely sure how long did I stand at the exact place she left me. To say I was shocked by her behavior would be an understatement. Lena I knew, my best friend, would never act that way. If I didn't know better, I would think that some demon got into her. I was aware that something was bothering her, I was adamant about helping her, but how was I supposed to do that when that wasn't what she wanted? I always refused to interfere in someone's business if they didn't want me to, but I wished only the best for her, maybe that could be a good excuse? Deep down I knew that that could never really be a valid one, but I decided to ignore it.

At some moment I heard my name being called. I raised my head and automatically there was a big, sincere smile on my face. I didn't wait for a second, I immediately ran towards the place where Mateo was and jumped into his embrace. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he hugged me tightly and spun me around. I laughed wholeheartedly and he joined in pretty quickly. I felt wonderful at that moment, the butterflies in my stomach danced the tango. I wondered if I would ever feel as happy as I did then.

After some time, he put me down. However, he didn't remove his hands from my waist. He left a tender kiss on my lips and leaned his forehead against mine.

"Hey." He gifted me the most beautiful smile in the world.

"Hi." I returned it the same way.

"I missed you."

"We literally saw each other a few hours ago," I commented, provoking him.

"Too long." He kissed me again.

"What happened with that girl?" he asked me after a couple of minutes we spent in each other's arms, leaning over his car and enjoying the presence of the other.

"Uh, you saw that?" I asked him, suddenly feeling nervous. I was embarrassed because he witnessed that.

"Yeah, you looked pretty hurt and shaken up. Did she do something to you?" His voice was sharp and threatening.

"Not really, it's just... I don't know, girls things, I guess." I was sure that he could sense the sadness in my voice and I didn't know how I felt about that.

"Tell me."

"You wouldn't be interested in that."

"I don't care, the only thing that matters right now is you feeling better. Besides, I'm interested in everything that involves you." He gently touched my cheeks and gave me a look that said whatever needed to be said. I took a deep breath and started telling him what was bothering me for quite some time now.

"Well, I don't know. Ever since the night the two of us met, Sarah and Lena acted weird and totally out of character, mostly Lena though. She's avoiding us, she doesn't want to talk to Sarah, and today, to top it all, she even tried to start an argument with her. It's strange, she never acts that way. I'm sure that something happened that night. They were alone for some time and I guess that the whole thing played out then and there. Because of it, Lena almost completely distanced herself from us and I can see that something is bothering her, but she doesn't want to tell me! Me! I have always been the one who she tells literally everything to, but know she keeps something big from me. I'm going crazy over this whole situation. I want to help her, but I can't because she refuses to let me in!" I was almost out of breath when I finished my monologue. It felt kind of good to finally get that off my chest. I looked at him and he had some mysterious smile plastered on his face.

"Is it possible that you're that blind?" He asked me and I scowled.

"What are you talking about?" It was more than obvious that I was pissed off.

"You're cute when you're mad," he winked. No matter how much I wanted to keep a façade of a hard person, I couldn't help myself but blush.

"And you're even cuter like that," he smirked. If I was red before, I definitely looked like a tomato now. Bastard.

"Mateo!" I punch him in the chest which made him laugh loudly. That probably only tickled him.

"Baby girl," he countered, pulling me impossibly close to him and kissing me all over my face. He wouldn't let me go even for one second.

-

"Please enlighten me why did we come to your place and not mine," Mateo said the moment we entered my apartment. He threw his car keys on the table and made himself comfortable on the couch. He acted as we have known each other our whole life.

"Because I have to meet my friends, later on, we're going to the mall and I have to get ready," I commented and entered my bedroom so I could find something fitting to wear. I would shower, but I wanted to spend some time with Mateo before going.

"Is there some special reason for that?" his voice could be heard from the leaving room. Fortunately, the walls in this apartment were awfully thin so I was able to make out what he was saying.

"Well, when it comes to me, not really, but Emma wants to buy some new clothes before the trip." I was still seated in front of my closet, trying to find the right outfit. It was mid-March, but it wasn't really warm outside, so I had no idea what I was supposed to wear. I desperately wanted to put on a dress, but on the other side, I didn't want to die out of hypothermia.

"What trip?" His voice was louder this time, signifying that he was closer. I raised my head I saw him standing in the doorway, leaning against the door frame, arms crossed and with a scowl on his face.

"Right, I forgot to tell you. Every year, our university organizes a trip that lasts for a whole weekend. This year we're supposed to go camping. It won't be long before we should go so Emma is currently in her hysterical state because of it," I finished with a small smile. He didn't return it though, actually, he was still somber. I didn't know how but I succeed in keeping the cheerful facial expression. It was more than obvious that he didn't like this, but if he thought that I would stay home when all my friends go camping, he was very, very wrong.

"Are you planning to go?" He finally asked me, after a moment of deafening silence.

"Actually, yes," I replied cautiously, following every movement of his body

I was sure that he would say something, like always, maybe even forbid me from going, however, I was pleasantly surprised when he only nodded his head, turned around, and went back to leaving the room. I didn't know if I was more shocked because, for the first time since we met, he didn't contradict me, or because he kept silent about the whole situation. The suspicious part of me immediately started doubting him and trying to find the potential reason as to why would he just accept it. I was aware that that was the normal reaction every person should have, but it wasn't a normal reaction when it comes to him. Truthfully, I didn't forget to tell him about the trip, I just tried to postpone it due to the fact I was sure that we were bound to get into a fight because of it. I refused to believe that he had some ill intention, but, eventually, I wouldn't really be surprised if that was the case.

Somehow, I considered that that could be a good time to try to interrogate him about some private things. Truth be told, this might be the only chance I would have in the near future. I decided to not overthink this and actually do it.

"Mateo?" I called him a bit louder than intended, in the meantime, I still tried to find the perfect outfit.

"Hm?" He responded absentmindedly, which could even be a good thing in this situation.

"You've never told me what you do for a living," I commented, trying to sound casual. I wanted to give him a bit of space so he would actually tell me everything and not feeling pressured to do so.

For a couple of moments, we were surrounded by a loud silence. I actually found something adequate to wear for shopping later.

"I haven't," He answered shortly. It was like the whole atmosphere changed. His voice sounded strained and more serious than ever. I wasn't sure, but I thought I heard a warning in her voice, a warning I ignored.

"Well, what do you do?" I kept on trying to get it out of him.

I put on a short, light blue dress and a denim jacket. Satisfied with my look, I went to join Mateo in the living room.

"Don't stress yourself over that," he avoided my question yet again. He checked me out. The lust was so clear in his eyes, it busted my ego like never before and it made me a bit more confident in my appearance. "Why are you dressed like that?" He asked me in a hoarse voice which turned me on so bad I was ready to throw myself at him and never letting him out of my arms.

"I've already told you that I'm going shopping, don't change the subject. You do realize how little we know about each other? Though you know some things about me, I know almost nothing about you, not even what kind of job lets you have so much time for me and pays so well you can afford all that you have?" I crossed my arms and leaned against the doorframe.

"I'm not changing the subject. You can't go out like this, you'll catch cold," he said seriously while extending his hand towards me as a signal to approach him. I did what he wanted me to. The moment I was in arms reach, he grabbed my wrists I pulled me towards him so I could sit in his lap. I put my legs on either side of him and my hands on his stomach, playing with the hem of his T-shirt. His hands were on my behind. He was playfully slapping it, clearly enjoying it a bit too much.

"I'll put on tights, I won't be cold, don't worry," I tried to win this, but as of now, It didn't seem like I had any chance to beat him.

"No, you won't. You'll go back to your room, put on some sweatpants or something." He was way too stubborn so I rolled my eyes. I didn't speak on the subject further, there was no point in fighting him on this.

Right when I was about to ask him about his job yet again, his phone rang. I couldn't see the caller's ID because he took it out of his pocket and put it on his ears rather quickly. I frowned when I noticed his actions. That was a classic move when someone hides something.

"You better have a fucking good reason for calling me right now," he said in a dangerously low voice. I had a sudden feeling of déjà vu. He said something similar to the guy over the one back at the airport. I couldn't help but wonder if he was speaking to the same person.

"Fine. Yes, I know," he commented absentmindedly. While he was holding the phone with one hand, the other was tangled in my hair, playing with the strands. I tried to subtly hear what the person on the other side had to say, so I leaned against his chest. Despite my attempts, he realized what my intentions were. He adjusted the volume of the call so I couldn't even hear a murmuring on the other end, let alone a full-on conversation.

"Of course there's a fucking problem, with him there's always a fucking problem!" He screamed making me flinch. He took notice of that so he shifted his hand on my back, caressing me to calm me down.

"Get ready, all of you. I'll be there soon because you're clearly incapable of doing things yourself." With that being said, he hung up. I drew away from his chest a little so I could see his face. He massaged his forehead with his free hand, visibly annoyed. For a bit, he didn't say anything, but then he decided to break the silence.

"I have to go," he said reluctantly.

"Who was that?" I asked him in a serious voice.

"Don't bother your pretty, little head with that." He kissed my forehead and lifted me, so he could stand up. He put me down on my feet and put the car keys and phone in his pocket.

"Mateo, is that person you spoke to your co-worker or something?" I tried one more time.

"Tara, don't," he said seriously, no threats, nothing. He said it in a tone that made it clear that that was exactly what I should do. Nevertheless, the well-known fact is that I wasn't really the brightest person. "Get change, have a nice day with your friends and don't worry, I'll see you soon, baby girl." After he had finished his sentence, he pulled me to him and kissed me passionately. It felt like everything he said was sealed with a kiss, or better yet, a heavy make-out session. Unfortunately, not long after, he stepped back, pecked me on the lips one more time, and right after he was gone. He went to do whatever he was supposed to do and I was adamant about finding out what the mystery was, sooner or later.

Maybe not right away, maybe only after a while when I gain his full trust, but I'll find out, even if it'll be the last thing I'll ever do.

~~~

I will update every week, maybe even more frequently, but it depends if I have to study a lot or not. University will get me killed one day, trust me. Anyways, take care guys<3

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