Isabella watched as Noah and Allie kissed in the rain while the powerful music score played.
Every time she watched this scene, her heart swelled.
"God, this movie sucks," Aiden remarked, ruining the mood.
Isabella hit Aiden's arm with a throw pillow, and he winced.
"Hey!"
"Don't judge The Notebook!"
"What? It sucks," Aiden defended, trying to make a point.
Isabella was about to say something in retaliation when her phone chimed. She picked up the phone from the couch beside her and checked the notification.
MATTHEW
Come over to my house now.
Isabella read the text message, furrowing her eyebrows.
The text sounded odd.
"What's wrong?" Aiden asked.
She turned her gaze to him, then back at the phone. "Uh, nothing. Matthew texted me to come over to his house."
"Oh, thank God! I can turn this off." Aiden grabbed the remote and happily turned off the TV.
Isabella gave him a death stare for turning off one of her favorite movies.
"What? The movie is awful."
She rolled her eyes, giving up.
"Whatever." She stood up from the couch and slipped on her shoes that were behind the sofa.
"Question."
"What?" Isabella asked, turning in his direction.
"How long will you be gone?"
"I don't know, but hopefully it won't take long." She shrugged.
"All right." Aiden nodded, standing up and walking over to her. "I'll go home then. I'll talk to you later?"
"Yeah." Isabella gave him a quick hug before walking to the door. "I'll call you!" she responded over her shoulder.
She went to her car, pulled out of the driveway, and headed to Matthew's house.
꧁ ༄ ꧂
Isabella pulled into Matthew's driveway and turned off the car. She got out of the vehicle, walked to the front door, and rang the doorbell.
Instantly, the door swung open, and Matthew appeared expressionless. Isabella noticed his eyes were red, his lips in a thin line, and his shoulders slouched.
"Hey," Isabella greeted.
"Get inside," he ordered, his words slurring.
Isabella was even more confused by his behavior. She entered the house before he closed the door. "Are you okay? Was the emergency anything serious?"
"Yeah." Matthew laughed uncontrollably.
"Well, what's wrong?"
"It's none of your fucking business!" Matthew snapped.
Isabella flinched at his tone; she had never seen him like this.
"What do you mean it's none of my business—"
"Bella, just because you're my girlfriend doesn't mean you get to know everything that goes on in my fucking life," he slurred again.
Isabella glanced at his coffee table trying to evade his gaze, seeing tiny crystals, a pipe, a syringe, and a beer bottle open next to them.
"Have you been drinking and doing drugs?" she asked in bewilderment.
"Yup. I—uh, left work so I could do it," Matthew answered, smiling weakly.
"Are you serious right now?" she raised her voice, disturbed. "What made you think you could drink and do drugs?"
"Because I can! You got a problem with that?" Matthew snarled, walking closer to her.
Isabella walked backward, frightened.
"Yes, I do. I don't want you to get addicted. It can make you—"
"Make me what?" Matthew inched closer, and Isabella had nowhere to go when her back hit the wall. "It'll make me what? Crazy?" he spat.
Isabella felt trapped as Matthew towered over her.
"Matthew, please calm down." Her voice was shaking. His actions were scaring her—the way his eyes were vicious and dark. Matthew was so close to her that she could feel his breath hitting her face, smelling the strong alcohol.
"Don't tell me to calm down!" Matthew's hands grabbed Isabella's upper arms and clung to them.
Isabella's eyes widened.
The blood rushed through her body and she felt lightheaded. Why was he acting like this? He knew what had happened to her on the first day of elementary school. She even told him about Kennedy when he attacked her at the lockers.
Yet there he was, doing the same thing.
"Matthew, you're hurting me," Isabella's voice quivered, her eyes welling up with tears and her chest pounding, she thought her heart would burst.
"This is what happens when you tell me what to do!"
Isabella then experienced the most terrifying moment in her life.
Matthew slapped her in the face.
Isabella jerked backward as her cheek stung. She was shocked as she cupped her cheek and stared at Matthew, bewildered.
Matthew's face faltered when he realized what he had done. He tried to bring his hand to her face, but Isabella scrambled away from him, standing by the couch.
"Get away from me!"
Matthew's eyes turned doleful when he watched her run away from him. "No, Bella, please. I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean to do that. I overreacted," he said while his eyes showed deep guilt.
Isabella stared at him, still caressing her cheek. Is this what drugs and alcohol do to people? Why was he drinking and shooting up in the first place?
"What are you doing?" she asked softly.
Matthew was confused. "What do you mean?"
"Why are you . . ." she paused, letting go of her cheek. "Why are you doing this?" She pointed at the beer bottle and the pipe on the coffee table.
She heard Matthew's deep breaths as she stared at him, perturbed. "It's not your concern," he muttered.
Isabella's chest tightened at his words. What did he mean by that? She was his girlfriend. She had every right to worry about him!
"Are you serious?" she hissed. "Why are you taking those fucking drugs—"
"Listen to me!" Matthew shouted. "I don't care what you are to me. You're going to be a good girl and not tell me what to fucking do! Do you understand? I'm not going to say it again. And if you don't do what I say, I will make every day a living hell for you."
Isabella was numb.
What happened to Matthew? What happened to the guy who was charming? He was a completely different person.
She looked away from him, avoiding his gaze. "I'm sorry," she murmured.
"Good. Now you know not to get into my business, right?" he asked. Isabella nodded hesitantly, not trusting her voice. "Good girl."
Matthew kissed her forehead, and Isabella's body stiffened from his touch. He glanced at his girlfriend's cheek, seeing the red fingerprints where he slapped her. "You better not tell anyone about this, okay?"
Isabella stared at him, appalled. Did he really expect her not to tell anyone what he did? He needed to stop drinking and doing drugs. She didn't know what would happen if he continued.
"Get out of here. I don't want to look at you right now." He huffed while walking to the couch, and sitting down.
Isabella stood there, still in shock about what had happened.
"Go!" Matthew took his beer bottle and downed it like it was water.
"I'll see you later, if you want," Isabella said quietly.
"Whatever, just go."
Isabella said nothing else as she rushed out the door, not looking back. She closed the door behind her and stayed there, frozen in terror. Feeling drenched inside, she couldn't hold it in anymore and let the tears fall.
Matthew attacked her . . . he hurt her.
Whatever he was doing needed to stop. Why did he think it was okay to hurt her, especially since she was his girlfriend? How could Matthew hit anyone? How could he hurt her?
Isabella didn't understand why he was doing this, but she hoped Matthew would stop drinking and using drugs. Maybe it was just a phase he was going through. Maybe when he sobered up, he would change, and everything would go back to normal.
She hoped.