If Only Tonight

Interlude Three - The Last Goodbye

Interlude Three: The Last Goodbye

She kissed his cheek before going to her car.

"Goodbye, Matthew."

Watching her drive away, Matthew felt numb. The rain had started to fall harder. The ring was starting to burn a hole in his hand. He shoved it deep in his pocket.

Going back to the house, he opened the door to find Oliver holding Lily, Ariana, Leon, and Lina; watching him. The sombre look on their faces didn't hide their disappointment in him.

"It's over. She's gone."

The words echoed around him as he paced up and down the hallway. It had been over a month since they had broken up, but still each day began and ended with the thought of her. Compounded by what he had seen in the papers, as guilty as he felt, he couldn't bare the thought of her with anyone else. It was this that had brought him back to the complex.

Nathaniel had told him he would meet him at his room, when he came back from the gym. The wait was becoming unbearable for Matthew, when he finally heard steps coming up the stairs. Seeing the younger player, all the pent up frustration came to head.

"Hey Matthe-"

Before being able to finish his greeting, Matthew had grabbed Nathaniel by the shirt and shoved him against the opposing wall.

"You couldn't wait or us to break up to put your moves on her?" Matthew said furiously, through gritted teeth.

"What the hell! Are you crazy?" Nathaniel said, pushing him off. "No one's putting the moves on Mia, idiot."

Giving him a final shove, Matthew let go of the brown haired footballer, reached deep in to his jeans pocket.

"Then tell me what the hell are these?" He asked pulling out pictures from the paper, handing them to Nathaniel.

Each picture showed Mia and Nathaniel. In one they were walking down a side walk, holding hands. He was leading her to a coffee shop. In another they were sitting down for dinner. A third showed them at a mall, looking through books.

"If you were any good of a detective, you would have noticed who else was in the picture." Nathaniel told him, having calmed down.

"It's Stacie. Mia's best friend." Matthew replied as-a-matter-of-factly, infuriated that Nathaniel had changed the subject. Nathaniel sighed, pulling out his keys he unlocked his room.

"Come on. We might as well talk inside." He said, motioning for Matthew to come in.

Striding inside the room, Matthew stood in front of Nathaniel, his arms crossed, waiting for a explanation.

"Stacie and I were going out during that time. We didn't want anyone to know, and Mia wanted to get out without being questioned by everyone...so we pretended to go out when it was really just a way to escape the paps. Once they saw me and Mia, Stacie would go to where we were meeting up, I would arrive with Mia, and after they pictured us; Mia would be free to go where she pleased and I could see Stacie...as long as Mia and I exited together." Nathaniel explained.

Matthew was shocked at the genius of the plan.

"I'm sorry, Nathaniel." mumbled Matthew, feeling ashamed at his outburst. Nathaniel shrugged, giving him an understanding look.

"So you and Stacie?" Matthew asked, changing the subject.

"Nah, it's over. We both thought it was better to be friends. She decided to go and try with Julian, the bar tender at that university pub, while Blair called me. She wants to give us another shot."