Nova
"Good evening and welcome. My name is Angelica Montero and this is the first. Tonight, we finally have the chance to talk with Matthew Hartley and his girlfriend, Nova da Silva. The rumors and by that I mean, her not so old-time boyfriend. Says, that she is dating Matthew for his fame while having a steaming love affair with her coworker Dallas and is still in a relationship with Dean himself. Well, tonight we are going to find out what the true story is behind this green-eyed beauty. Is she really in love..."
Matt's soft lips kissing my knuckles drown out the voice of Angelica. I tell myself that it's not too late to run out. The downside of that will be more gossip spreading and leaving Matt to face her alone isn't fair. I'm the reason he has to talk about his private life. He always kept his love life as private as he could. He posted us on his Instagram because of my insecurities. He fought with Dallas in a local club because of me. He has to defend himself why he is still with me because of me. It's all my fault.
The host announces our names and Matt leads me to the stage with his hand on the small of my back. Each step I take feels heavier and Matt's hand more noticeable, pushing me into the bright stage lights. My hands shake uncontrollably when I introduce myself to the host. Matt looks confident and comfortable in this crazy-ass world. I sit as close as possible against him and feel myself relax when he places an arm over my shoulder, drawing small figures on my skin.
"Welcome, Matthew. I must ask, and I think I speak for a lot of your female fans, why the two of you are still together? Personally, I wouldn't date somebody who has side lovers."
Ouch. I feel myself getting smaller, wanting to get closer to Matt and possibly disappear in him.
He feels my distress and squeezes me against his torso." Well, Angelica. I'm with Nova because I Love her and not everything you hear is true. Actually, nothing about Dean's story is the truth."
"That is interesting." She leans her body to mine. Oh no. Please stay focused on Matt! "Nova, you and only you are able to split the truth from the lies. The audience and I are dying to hear your version of this love foursome! Let us start by the beginning. Did you date Dean and are you still together?"
My throat feels like sandpaper. My heart is breaking through my ribcage and my hands are clammy. I have to say the right things. I must clear Matt's and Dallas's names. I take a look at Matt and find him smiling at me. Damn, don't have so much trust in me, I could fuck it up so bad.
I clear my throat, wipe my palms on my jeans and reach for Matt's hand. "Yes, I dated Dean, and no, we aren't a couple anymore. We haven't been a couple since the day I left him and moved to Los Angeles."
"As you noticed, Dean says otherwise."
"I'm aware of it, yes." Woman, let it go.
She leans even closer and I'm pushing myself into the couch. "Why is he convinced that you are still together, then?"
"I can't. Maybe he can't deal with the fact I left him and thinks that breaking Matt and me up, will make me come running back to him."
"But you won't?"
"I will never go back to him. He ruined five years of my life and I rather die than go back to him." The host backs up slightly, surprised by the menacing tone in my voice and I realize, I said too much.
"Why would you say that he ruined your life? That's quite a statement, don't you think."
I swallow hard and suddenly feeling Matt's breath on my ear makes me shiver. "Babe, tell her. Tell her what a low life he is."
I fiddle with Matt's hand, unsure of what to do. I want to make things right. I want people to know that he is a scumbag. But I don't want to throw my whole life on the street.
"Nova? We are all waiting."
Matt takes over before I can find the right words. "He abused her for almost five years, mentally and physically."
The audience lets out a shocked, oh. And I wish I wasn't here. It's one thing to talk about it with my psychologist, Matt, and my friends. It's a whole other world to talk about it on television. This interview is going to exist forever and can be brought back to life in the blink of an eye.
The host seems to be lost. I don't think she was prepared for a turn like this. Maybe a nasty break up, throwing dishes on the floor and clothes out the window, yes. But not this. "Is that the truth, Nova?" Her voice is less steady.
I swallow and try to hold eye contact with her. "Yes, it is. I was terrified of him and what he would do if we came face to face. To escape that possibility, I moved from Dothan to Los Angeles and build a new life. Which was going perfectly until he showed up in January, asking me for another chance. I told him to stay away from me. Unable to accept it, he went to the media with the story you published."
She nods her head, but we are far from the end of this interview. "In his version, he told that you're dating Dallas on the side, while he was dating Reaven. What's the story behind that?"
Matt tenses beside me. I squeeze his hand, hoping to reassure him, as he does with me. "Dallas and I work together and he is the brother of my roommate fiancé. He's also one of my best friends and nothing is going on between us. What Dean forgot to tell you, is that Reaven is Dean's cousin. Dallas and Reaven started dating way before Dean came back into the picture. Dean began to tell lies about me to Reaven when he found out that I worked with both of them. Reaven told Dallas everything she heard about me and she made him choose me or her. Dallas tried to convince her, knowing that it was all lies. She wouldn't listen, took Dean's side and they broke up. She blamed me for the break-up and she got fired after she threw hot tea over me."
She takes it all in and fires the next question. The one I prayed, not to come out of her mouth."He says you were expecting his child more than once... But you made sure they never lived long enough to see the daylight."
Matt shoots daggers at her while I try to hold back my emotions. I didn't want his child, no. But I would have loved it if it had come into this world. I take a sip of water and speak with a shaking voice." I'm not the monster he says I am. I always wanted to have children. No, not with him. I wasn't the reason I lost it. He punched me over and over again until my stomach was black and blue. The baby had no chance at all."
She looks at me to say, only one?
"Yes, you heard me right. I got pregnant once and his aggressive behavior made me lose it."
Please let us be done with this. I'm done, out of energy, and will to defend myself against him.
She looks over her notes, reading every card. Her face lights up and I wonder what she found that we didn't already discuss. Her focus goes back to Matt. "The gossip goes around, that you'll soon become the father of your first child. You must be very excited?!"
The pit of my stomach squeezes so hard it hurts. Matt looks back between me and the host. Panicked and thrown off by this question, as I. I thought only Matt, Alita, and their parents knew about this.
I intervene, as Matt seems lost." And where did you found this information?"
She smiles wide at me. "We have our recourses. They saw the two of you enter a fertility clinic."
I let out the sigh of relief and Matt's tension disappears, along with mine. He regains his confidence and leans with his elbows on his knees, challenging the host. "Yes, we were at the clinic and I wonder how that means I'm becoming a father."
"Well, one and one are two, Matthew. You don't go there for pizza."
Matt laughs at her lame attempt. He leans back against the couch and squeezes my knee, leaving his hand there. "None the less, why we were there and if Nova is expecting or not, that is a secret between her and me. You will have to wait to find out." Matt smiles and kisses my temple, relieved at the turn of events.
The host looks at us and seems disappointed. Sorry, no new gossip for the world. " I guess we talked about it all. Is there anything else the two of you want to share? "
Seriously woman! Didn't you get enough?
Matt laughs. "No, I think that's all."
"I thank you both for your honesty and I wish you the best of luck."
We nod politely and she goes on with next week's topic. Something about a nude picture
I don't know what's it about and I don't care. We got through this and I hope it will let people think before believing the shit they read.
Matt suggested we go out to dinner. To celebrate that we got true it and optimistic this story belongs in our past. I feel less confident about it. We have to wait if his die-hard fan base will believe it and stop harassing his Instagram. If that stops, I will do a happy dance. For now, I rather go to his and eat on his couch.
"Matt, do you mind if we pick up something and go to yours? I rather be alone with you than be in a crowded restaurant." I think I made it sound like a compliment, he can't say no to that.
"Sure Babe." He pulls on my leg to make me turn in my car seat and place my feet on his lap. I obey willingly. "You know I'm proud of you, don't you?"
I smile weakly at him. I'm not sure I did that good.
"You held your head high and your answers showed that you stand above him. That you are stronger than that bully. I'm serious, you did great." I close my eyes with him gently rubbing my ankle.
We picked up some pizza, my favorite guilty pleasure. He has to train harder, eating all the fast food because again, of me. I still have to put on some weight, so he doesn't complain when I ask for carbs and fat.
His dog Bear almost snatches the pizza boxes out of my hands, walking into the kitchen. That dog, he could use some puppy training! Matt does his best, being strict and everything. Only he has a mind of his own and if he wants something, he will do it.
I take a seat at the bar table while Matt grabs plates. He leans over and kisses me on the lips. "I love you, babe."
"I love you," I say back. I take a slice and my phone starts vibrating in my pocket. The slice falls on the ground when I read the text and my heart thumps painfully against my ribs.
Sender unknown:
Nova, how I miss your pretty green eyes. Seeing you today made me impatient, though. You know I'm willing to wait for you until the end of time. The problem is, I don't wanna wait. We will see each other very soon my love.
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Hi loves
Who could that be and how do you feel about the interview. Do you think his fanbase will back down?
Have a lovely day ♥️
Xoxo Gabriëlla
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