7. Invisible

I knew I had to keep a little of my self-respect and to try and be alone for a while. I had to figure things out with Adrian, which reminded me that he called, and I did not pick up.

So, I felt like I had to go home and face the monsters of my relatives, called the cousins. My heart sank at the thought of what they would create for me this time.

Matt stayed silent all the way back to my house because I asked him to. I needed time to think, and I felt ashamed of how weak I was in his arms, despite Adrian and I hadn't cleaned up the situation.

I walked at a fast pace from the truck to my home, but at the doorstep, I halted and shook my head. Matt’s gloved hand appeared on my back and instantly I stared at his beautiful eyes. It was calming how this cold color in his irises radiated care and…love.

“I know the stuff they used to do as we grew up.” He said in a low voice. “Now things might be different. More mature maybe?”

Instead of answering, I sighed and nodded in defeat. Now or never…or let’s be done with it faster…

As I opened the door, I was reminded why I loved Christmas. The scent of my Mom’s food, the warmth in the house, the decoration, and the cheerful mood. It all came as a sweet memory when I walked inside and heard many voices, happily chatting in the living room.

“Ooooh, little Mia in the house!” Richard raised his arms in the air when he saw me. “I missed you. Um, I mean I should have missed you? Yeah, well. I heard you were here this time.”

My face surely told him how “happy” I was to see him. His big nose was always too high in the air, stating his superiority above all human beings.

“It's been a while,” I said, not taking a step forward.

Suddenly, I was almost pushed to the floor, but I managed just to bend and stand tall again. As I looked behind me, my insides turned.

“Oh, cousin,” Lea said with fake care in her features, “I didn’t see you there. Are you still the invisible woman?”

“She is very visible, I assure you.” Matt sighed and came to place his arm behind my back. “She is outshining all of us here.”

My jaw dropped. He was so obvious and so protective.

“You two are together?” Lea blinked with her black eyelashes. “Can’t be. How is this little…girl - getting those hot guys?!”

“No,” I almost whispered, my voice suddenly raspy.

“She is pretty not only outside, but inside too.” My protector quickly stated and looked at me with a smile.

Lea tucked a lock of her curly golden hair and looked at Matt, then at me again. “Whatever you say. I guess I might be blind or something.”

She waved her hand to dismiss us and walked away.

“Relax,” Matt leaned to whisper to me. “You are so tense.”

“How am I going to survive the twins this time,” I shook my head in frustration.

“For starters, you are coming with me to see my small house tomorrow and this way, you will avoid being around your cousins.” Matt smiled.

“Of course,” I nodded, filled with hope, when I looked at his blue eyes. “The house. I will help you with pleasure.”

“What is really odd for all those years is how no one truly gave a lesson to your cousins,” Matt said thoughtfully, looking around the room, where no one cared about the snarky comments I received.

“Well, maybe I am indeed the Invisible woman,” I chewed on the inside of my cheek, following his gaze.

***

I was thankful I had something to eat when I was with Santa Matt, so I could climb up directly to my room after I kissed my parents goodnight. I reached the window right in time to see his tall, dressed in red, figure as he walked across the street to his home.

The warmth of his soft lips and the gentle way his tongue touched mine was intoxicating. I wanted more. So much more…and tomorrow was a day with Matt again. I sighed both with longing and with sadness.

“Adrian?!” I shook my head and my eyes flew to my mobile.

Should I call him back? Must I? Is he deserving of my calling?

I massaged my face with my palms, closing my eyes at a loss. I had no idea what I was going to do, but there was this heavy, overwhelming sensation.

“Time to shut myself off,” I said in the silence of my room, ignoring my problems.

I took a hot shower after that, filled with a lot of thinking about Matt’s kiss and his caring words toward me. After his kiss haunted me in my bed, as I touched myself, unable to ignore how horny I was. Then, finally, I managed to fall asleep.

The morning started with the buzzing of my phone. Frustrated, I opened my eyes to see the caller. My sleepy face was stretched by a smile.

“Morning, M,” I answered with a raspy voice.

“Get ready, M. We have work to do,” he said playfully. “Your Mom will be presenting the pies, and then we are going to my future home.”

“Future home?” I repeated.

“Yes, the small house my aunt left for me.” He let a short laugh. “M, wake up! I need you and I am waiting for you. You have ten minutes. Fifteen, if your mother left something for breakfast, and you bring some for me.”

“Okay, okay!” I stretched, but relaxed and closed my eyes again.

“M, I am in the truck,” he stated, and in a second I was on my feet and staring through my window.

“Damn, M” I hit behind my curtains when I saw him looking at me from his truck across the street. “Just… Give me…Yeah, fifteen.”

“No makeup needed, pretty,” he ordered. “I want you as you are.”

My jaw dropped, as my heart imagined him “wanting me”, not just waiting for me to go out. I ended the call, feeling how my breathing changed again.

Did he hear it? Was he aware of how his words made me feel?

Some mascara had to be put on, but ten minutes later, I was ready to go out of my room and look for some food. As I pressed the door handle, something felt odd, but I moved across the doorstep and a sudden cold sensation made me go out of my skin. I blinked a few times and cleaned my face from the water that somehow washed all over me.

I heard the ugly laughing of my cousins, and it all became clear.