A shift in fate | Mattheo Riddle

Twenty-three

I forced a tight-lipped smile. "Right."

Then, before Mattheo could say anything, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood up. "I should go."

Mattheo frowned. "You're leaving?"

"Yes," I said quickly, grabbing my pants. "I have... a lot to do today."

"Like what?" Theo asked, raising an eyebrow.

I froze for half a second before blurting, "Helping Hagrid with... some magical creature thing."

Mattheo narrowed his eyes. "The fuck?"

"Yeah, uh, promised him. So. Gotta go."

Before anyone could stop me, I grabbed my stuff and practically sprinted out the door, ignoring the burning in my chest as I left Mattheo's dorm—and whatever the hell last night had meant—behind.

This fucking sucked.

I felt like I was going to cry. Dramatic? Maybe. But I couldn't help it.

Because the truth was, I was starting to fall for Mattheo. Hard. And hearing that? Hearing Theo say it so casually, like it was just a well-known fact? It felt like someone had reached into my chest and twisted.

I didn't know what hurt more—the fact that Mattheo had been with other girls, or the fact that I hated thinking about it.

Jealousy curled in my stomach like a wildfire, burning hotter with every second. I knew I had no right to feel this way. It wasn't fair of me. Mattheo wasn't mine. He had a past. I had no claim to him.

But logic didn't stop the sinking feeling in my chest. It didn't stop the ugly thoughts that crept into my mind—the images of him with someone else, of his hands on another girl the way they had been on me. It didn't stop the insecurity that gnawed at me, whispering that I was just another girl to him. Another moment. Another weekend.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to keep walking, to keep my expression neutral. But inside?

Inside, I was a fucking mess.

I pushed my way through the common room, barely noticing the students sprawled across couches, still recovering from last night's party. My head was a mess, thoughts circling like a storm as I hurried toward the girls' dormitory hallway.

The second I reached our door—room 307, I yanked it open without hesitation.

Jane was sitting cross-legged on her bed, scrolling through her phone with a bored expression. The moment she looked up and saw me standing there, her eyes widened with excitement. She gasped dramatically and practically launched herself off the bed, rushing toward me.

She grabbed my shoulders, her grin stretching wide as she wiggled her eyebrows.

"And?" she asked, her voice dripping with anticipation. "Was it good? Was it rough? Was it big?"

I groaned, already knowing where this was going, but before I could even roll my eyes, she continued.

"Wait, that's not even a question. I know it's fucking big. I mean, have you seen him in those grey joggers? The other day, it was like a fucking pepper mill just hanging there, and—"

"Jane!" I interrupted, though I couldn't help but laugh despite the emotional wreckage swirling inside me.

"What?" She snickered. "I'm just saying—"

"We didn't have sex," I said flatly. The amusement on my face faded as I let out a heavy sigh, dropping my gaze to the floor. "Nothing happened."

Her expression dropped instantly, replaced by pure disbelief. "What?" She blinked. "Why the hell not?"