Heart strings

Kept within

Maya turned and looked up at him.

Maya: "Imma get some onions in this pot and they will come from your body" (*she said pointing a knife at him*)

Matthew: "(*chuckling*) you got me there. How was school?"

Maya: "Pretty much like last year. Nothing interesting so far. Mama said I could go to auntie Janette this weekend."

Matthew took a slice of tomato on the counter. She immediately slapper his hand and said.

Maya: "Aaron, dirty hands bad stomach. Wash your hands before touching the food idiot"

Matthew mrfed and did so.

Matthew: "I ain't going to get sick because of slice of tomato"  (*washing his hands*)

Maya: "Sure (*rolling her eyes*)"

Matthew: "nah ha ha. So you go for a little trip this weekend. If I recall auntie Janette moved to Atlanta last year"

Maya: "yeah, it's not that far (*grinning*) and I can take your bike"

Matthew glared at her.

Matthew: "if you wish to die by my hands sure"

Maya: "Try me"

They both glared at each other before laughing. Then they heard a snore. They turned their head and noticed their grandmother fell asleep. They chuckled and Matthew pointed with his thumb.

Matthew: "Your trick did work"

Maya: "Grandmother only weakness, lack of attention. Just ignore her long enough and she falls asleep. She is old (*chuckling*)"

Matthew chuckled and his phone beeped. He took it out and saw it was a Wyatt's text.
"Okidoki (*funny sticker*)" Matthew chuckled and Maya noticed then she grinned.

Maya: "ooo who got you smiling like that? Aaron got a girlfriend ? Maybe Grandma was not wrong after all you WERE humping"

Matthew just covered her face with his big hand and squeezed it a bit.

Matthew: "Shut up. It's my friend. He sent me a funny sticker of a man running then falling with bad cgi "

Maya raised an eyebrow and said "I don't know what's crazier, you having a friend or you actually being happy having one"

Matthew: "ha ha, funny. I'm very social you know"

Maya: "Says the one who plays on his PC all night and all day during summer"

Matthew: "as you so wonderfully said, summer. I don't need to get out in summer."

Maya: "Boy you so anti-social you literally never celebrate your own birthday. Dude, you are not social. You literally have friends from high-school that still get here and you are done after like what an hour then you shoo them out. Yeah very social (*moving her hips a bit while holding them with her hands*)"

Matthew: "The food is burning (*pulling his tongue out*) Imma bring grandma in her room."

The male alligator pocketed his phone and went to his grandma. He carried her in his arms and walked in the hallway. He reached her room and opened the door. He got in and was met with some marine breeze. He didn't know why his grandmother liked this scent so much.

The deco of her room was really inspired from pirates. He always found it childish but yet again he knew his grandmother was not willing to grow old like her body inquired. Some bottles were placed in designated shelves  they were containing some small pirates boats replica. Her bed was quite a large one, with designed wood. Some patterns on it were enhancing the side old of the thing.

He lied her down gently and covered her. He got out of the room and turned "Goodnight grandma" he proceeded to walk to the living room again.

He grabbed his bags and went to his bedroom.
He opened the door and turned on the light. It was a dim green light going round his ceiling. Some tiny dots glowing like fireflies were shining as well. It was giving a forest vibe to the room.
The walls were pale yellow going perfectly with the lighting giving an illusion of endless space around. Matthew had a plant at one corner of his bedroom. It was leaning against the wall.

The drawings of plants on the walls made it look like we really were in some kind of forest. Matthew let his backpack on the side of his bed. And his Training bag in a small bathroom he hah in his room. He took out the dirty clothes and the soaked hoodie of Wyatt and placed them in the laundry basket.

He went back to his bed and looked at the ceiling. He turned on the real light and thus turning off the green one. His room appeared clear now. It was nice space for him. His bed was large enough to hold him and small enough to let his desk next to it. The window was between the bed and that desk.

He looked at it for a moment and remembered he had to end a homework for next class in the morning. He sighed exhausted. He got up and took off his clothes. He put them in the basket and get to his mirror above the sink. He looked at himself.

Matthew was really a hot looking individual that got him several awkward moments back in high-school with girls literally chasing him. And that was before he started swimming. Because he got taller and it did its effect, more girls screaming and jolting. He was never really comfortable with such noises.

That's why he was called anti social  because every time he was not in a class he was home or swimming in a pool. He liked swimming a lot. Around his 14th birthday, his father started giving him lessons. His dad was in the Navy seals and so he was really in high demand of his son to be strong. He trained Matthew and taught him the swimming style he has now. It was actually designed for water combat but Matthew didn't know.

Despite his serious attitude, Matthew's father was caring and loving towards his family. Matthew was happy having such a cool father, especially during classes where you get to tell everyone the job of your father.

He was always so proud...until 3 years ago, December 24th 2020. His father was supposed to come home for holidays as he always did when on missions. But alas that rainy night, it was two officers he opened the door too. Deep down Matthew knew at that very moment what it meant, he knew yet he still didn't flinch and hoped it wasn't. His mother came from behind and saw the officers, she immediately burst into tears while they give Matthew the flag...Matthew held it still trying to process what was all of this about. It's only when the officers did the salute that he understood. Tears formed in his eyes and he did the salute...since that day, Matthew became different, he was more caring about his family.

He thought that he had to be strong enough for them. But who was going to be strong for him. He suppressed every kind of negative emotion like sadness or anger and tried to contain it within. He bottled it all up and buried it deep down his heart. But with months and years now, he was looking a lot like his father.

Every time he looked at himself in the mirror he could only see his father looking back at him. His usual smirk on his face. Matthew poured some water on his face to dissipate any unpleasant thoughts. He smiled to his mirror and got to take a long warm shower. Thinking one last time at his father. He whispered while closing his eyes as the water run down his body.

"I miss you oldman"