Billionaire's Best Friend

XIII. A New Start

Nina’s POV:

It’s been roughly a month and a half since the cancellation of my wedding. I thought things would get better, but that’s not entirely true.

“Mom! I can’t tell you why! We are just not getting married!” I screamed into the phone as frustration and irritation increased with every step I took.

Why can’t she just accept my answer? Why does she have to probe?

“Why, sweetie? You love him so much! You guys have been together for almost ten years,” she calmly states.

My mother had always favored my ex-fiancé.

Well, f**k, mom. Not everyone is fortunate enough to marry their first love then popped out seven children.

“It’s just..it’s complicated.” I released a breath of air as I sat down on the couch next to Matt. He hesitantly gave me a small smile as he held my hand. I pointed towards my temples, and he nodded, placing two fingers on both sides, attempting to decrease my headache.

“Sweetie, you can’t cancel. We have relatives coming in from out of the country for your wedding!”

“Mom, it’s my wedding! You and dad were the ones who decided to invite them! I didn’t even want to have a wedding, to begin with! I wanted to sign some paperwork and go on the honeymoon!” My mom and dad insisted on a large wedding, inviting my unknown and irritating relatives.

“Listen, you are just getting cold feet. Whatever fight you had with Kevin can be fixed. Just give him a call. He comes here every day, asking for you. He is so sweet.”

“Mom, I just...I can’t...Please understand. It is not cold feet.”

“Nina Lun! Listen to me! Whatever argument you guys are having, please fix it! You cannot cancel the wedding!” she shrieks loudly into the phone.

“f**k sake, mom! This is my life! If I don’t want a wedding, then I won’t have it!” I screamed as Matt rubbed my back, trying to decrease my pissed off mood.

“Nin-” I cut her off.

Holding the phone tightly in my hand, I took a few deep, shaky breaths to calm my nerves. She is my mother, yet she is defending my ex-lover, questioning my decision. She cannot merely accept my answer and understand there may be a good reason why.

As I stare out the window, my vision blurs. Matt’s arms wrap around me, pulling my face into his chest while I stain his shirt.

“Why can’t they understand.” My voice is low and broken, just like my heart.

He kisses my forehead. “Shhh, it’s okay. I understand. I’m here,” he gently whispers.

Taking several breaths, I decided to get out of bed, more like roll out of bed. Moping around for a month and a half is long enough, I told myself. People break up all the time; it’s entirely reasonable.

Yes, this is my first heartbreak considering he was my only lover, but I can’t let that get to me. I have a life, and I need to move on with it - I guess.

I walked into the bathroom and finally looked into the mirror, realizing how terrible I look. My eyes were swelling red, as was my nose. I look like Rudolph the rednosed reindeer but an uglier version. I ran my fingers through my oily disgusting hair and decided to take a shower.

“You’re out of bed?” Matt said in a surprised tone.

I walk towards him drying my hair with a towel and nod, smiling at him. “And I’m ready for breakfast,” I said, pointing at the eggs he was cooking.

Matt gave me a small and nod. He prepares two breakfasts, and we sit down, eating in comfortable silence.

I noticed he was wearing sweats, “You’re going for a run?”

He chuckled, “Just finish the run.”

I swallow as my eyes follow a single drop of sweat rolling down Matt’s neck towards his chest, disappearing at the hoodie’s tip.

“Short Stack?” Matt said, snapping me out of my trance.

I smiled and placed my fork down. “Thanks, Matt, for letting me stay here for a month and a half,” I said, biting my lower lips.

“I decided to move on and stuff like that. I know I’ve depended on you a lot, but is it possible to help me move my stuff out?” I hesitantly asked, playing with my eggs.

I know that I’ve depended on Matt a lot the past month and a half, trying to get over my self-pity. He hasn’t yelled at me or forced me to do anything I don’t want to do, which I’m entirely grateful for.

I can hear the chair creak; light footsteps make a thumping noise as he walks over to me. Pulling out a chair, he sat next to me, coupling my cheeks with his hot hands. “I would love to help you. Don’t ever think you’re a burden, Short Stack.”

“Thank you so much, Matt. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you. Probably jump off a bridge or something.” I laugh humorlessly.

He smiled, “Well, I’m glad I prevented you from jumping off a bridge.”

We drove to my apartment when I knew he wasn’t home. Matt’s friend, Justin, came to help us. We quickly move my stuff out. I only took the essential and threw away the rest.

As I open my jewelry box, I realize most of them are from him. Sitting down on the ground, memories from each of them flash through my mind.

“Okay, babe. Open your eyes!”

I release a loud gasp as I look at the ring on my finger. “It’s beautiful,” I whisper, tracing my fingers on the twin pearls.

Kevin beamed a smile, “I am going to assume you like it. Look, there are two. The larger dark one is me, and the lighter white one is you.”

I jumped on him, wrapping my short legs around his waist as happy tears rolled off my cheeks.

“I also got something else for you, cutie.”

I jumped up and down while clapping my hands together. Kevin pulled out a long box and handed it to me. “Oh, kinda heavy.” I released a light, unsure giggle as I held the box, placing it on the table.

Opening the box, there were two metal roses inside.

“I know you always wanted flowers, and I never got you any because you know I kind of find them a waste of money. But I made these for you; it’s my way of saying that my love is like these metal roses, it will never die.”

“Would you like me to carry out anything else, Short Stack?”

I looked up at Matt as I held the two metal roses. “He told me his love would never die like these metal roses.”

Lowering my head, I burst into a loud cry. I can feel a pair of massive arms around me, rubbing my back. “You don’t throw them away.”

“I don’t have to?”

“No, keep them until you’re ready.”

While I carried out my last luggage, I looked back at the half-empty apartment. Biting my lips, I tried to hold back the tears. Feeling a hand on mine, I looked up. Matt offers me a small smile as he leads me out of the apartment complex.

Looking at the stuff in the trunk of the truck, I release a deep breath. “You mind dropping by a storage space?”

“You’re storing all your stuff?”

“Yes, I am.”

Finally, finish carrying the last box to the storage space. We said our goodbyes to Justin. I stood there, staring at the box, filled with his gifts. Tracing my fingers lightly over the box, I wonder when the pain will be gone.

However, at the same time, I can’t help but wonder what went wrong between us. For nearly ten years, we hardly ever fought. This can be considered our first and last real fight.

“Ready to go short stack?” Matt spoke softly.

Offering him a smile, I nod. “Yeah, I’m ready.”

Matt walked towards the storage, and with one swift motion, he shut the door.

Afterward, he took me out for lunch at this cute little cafe. I sat there, leaning on his shoulder, playing with his rough fingers. When the waitress brought out our sandwiches, she shot Matt a broad smile while barely sparing me a glance.

I release a deep breath of air. “I can see why you don’t have a relationship now, Matt. It sucks,” I mumbled.

He chuckles slightly, “It won’t suck if it’s with the right person.”

I stared at the sandwich, “He was supposed to be my the one, Matt.”

He positions a finger under my chin, lifting my face. “You’re making me worry.”

“I just...I don’t know,” I said in a cracked voice. I cover my face with my hand. Crap I’m having another breakdown and in public this time too.

Matt slides right next to me and wraps his arms around me. I wrap my arms around him while placing my face on his chest, crying again. He would whisper small words of comfort as he patted my back and kissed my forehead.

After several minutes, I sniffed and backed away from his chest. I looked at him and saw concern in his eyes. “I’m okay now. I just...I’m sorry about your shirt,” I said. I always ruin his shirt with my snot or vomit.

“It’s okay Short Stack, not like this is the first time you got snot all over me.” He wrapped his arm around me, pulling me closer as I intake his astonishing aroma.

“Why don’t you move?” Matt suggested breaking the silence.

I tilted my head, “Move?”

“Yes, move to a different place for a while and come back here when you’re ready.”

“But my job is here.”

“Get a job over there.”

“Matt, where am I going to move? Everyone I know lives here. The only other person I know out of state is Alice, and I’m not going to move to the middle of nowhere.”

He chewed on his bottom lips, eyes peeking at me once in a while. “New York.”

“What?”

“Move to New York and stay with me,” he declared.

I laughed and punched his arm. “Stop joking.”

He grabbed my hand, laying it on his thigh. “I’m not joking. Nina, I consider you one of my closest friends, and it breaks my heart to see you like this. I’m leaving in a few days, and I know you. If you stay here, he will convince you to get back together with him, and you will say yes. I don’t want you to say yes.”

I looked at Matt, not quite sure what to say. He is right; without him, I won’t have a haven to escape and hide. Kevin will find me, and I’ll get back together with him because I still love him.

Perhaps it’s because I’ve been crying so much that my brain is drowning to death, or it was when I walked into a window earlier. In my defense, it was a spotless window.

I look at Matt and nod, “I guess I’m moving to New York,” I mumbled.

He beamed me a huge smile, tightening his grip on my hand. “You will love it there. I promise,” he whispers gently into my ear.

When we finished eating, Matt took me downtown for a quick walk to digest off the food, which isn’t a bad idea since I need to breathe something other than my own stink.

I heard a guitar strumming and stopped to listen to this man playing his guitar. My head starts nodding as my finger taps on Matt’s hand. Looking up at him, he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Wait here,” he said, releasing my hand and head towards the man.

I’m not entirely sure what Matt said, but the man gave him the guitar. Matt took a seat on the small chair and cleared his throat, icy blues gazing into mine. “This is for my Short Stack, I know you’re going through a rough time, but I hope this can brighten up your day, even if it’s for only a little while.”

People started gathering around him as he began strumming the guitar. Matt began to tap his foot and nodded his head, fingers moving beautifully.

He glanced up and smiled at me, biting his lips. When he looked at me, every ounce of breath was taken from my lungs, floating into the air. The sun decided to stop hiding behind the clouds and made its dazzling appearance, shining upon Matt’s sculpted structures, as a light breeze blew against his hair, covering his beautiful orbs. I stood there, ears hypnotized by soulful tunes, eyes refusing to move away from his.

When he played the last note, everyone clapped, cheering loudly for an encore. Matt shook his head, giving out thanks, and gave the man his guitar back. He glanced at me and jogged over.

“I didn’t know you can play the guitar,” I said.

Matt positioned his arms on top of my shoulders and grinned. “There are many things you don’t know about me.”

I tilted my head, knowing a smile was on my face. “Really?”

He nods his head, taking a step closer to decrease our distance. “Yes, but you have a chance to know more about me in New York.”

“Was that a sneak peek of Matthew Greyson?” I asked.

He releases a breath, tightening his lips, and nods. “Yes, it was. How did you like the preview?” he gave a sly smirk, inching his face closer towards mine.

“I’m looking forward to the movie.”