Always and forever- Matteo Riddle

I woke up to the soft glow of morning light filtering through the curtains, my body tangled in the blankets of a bed that wasn't mine.

Mattheo's bed.

For a moment, I was disoriented, my mind still heavy from the lingering remnants of my nightmare. My heart was pounding, a faint sheen of sweat on my skin, but I forced myself to take slow, deep breaths, pushing the panic down.

I glanced around the room. The faint scent of smoke and expensive cologne filled the air. Across the room, near the open window, Mattheo and Theo stood, cigarettes between their fingers, quietly talking.

Neither of them had noticed I was awake yet.

Good.

I swallowed hard and ran a hand through my hair, trying to shake off the last of the nightmare. I didn't want them to ask. Didn't want to deal with the inevitable questions.

I shifted under the blankets, forcing my voice to stay steady. "You two are up early."

Both heads turned toward me.

Mattheo smirked, taking a drag of his cigarette before exhaling slowly. "And you slept in late."

Theo raised an eyebrow. "You alright?"

I stretched, forcing a yawn, playing it off. "Yeah, just tired."

Mattheo's eyes lingered on me for a second too long, like he could see right through my bullshit. But thankfully, he didn't push it.

"Want one?" Theo asked, holding up his cigarette.

I smirked. "Obviously."

Mattheo chuckled, flicking his own cigarette. "Then get your ass over here, princess."*

I pushed the blankets off and swung my legs over the edge of the bed, not even thinking as I stood up—only to feel my knees buckle beneath me.

"Shit—"

Before I could hit the floor, Mattheo was there, his hands gripping my arms, steadying me. Theo turned from the window, exhaling a slow drag of smoke.

"Fucking hell," I muttered, gripping Mattheo's forearm for balance. "I thought I'd be better by now."*

Mattheo's jaw clenched. "You don't just get better overnight, princess."*

Theo stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray by the window. "Yeah, maybe don't go jumping out of bed like you haven't been through hell and back."*

I huffed, frustrated. "I just hate feeling like this. Like I can't even stand on my own."*

Mattheo's grip tightened for a second before he let go, making sure I was steady. "You don't have to do everything on your own," he muttered.

I looked up at him, something unreadable in his expression.

Theo clapped his hands together. "Well, since you're awake, how about breakfast? Or are we skipping straight to smoking and bad decisions?"

I smirked, shaking off the moment. "Why not both?"

Mattheo chuckled, shaking his head as he stepped back, letting me stand on my own. "That's my girl."*

Theo grinned, tossing me a cigarette. "Breakfast of champions, yeah?"

I caught it, rolling my eyes as I slowly made my way over to the window, still feeling a little unsteady. Mattheo stayed close, like he was waiting for me to fall again, but he didn't say anything. I appreciated that.

Theo lit my cigarette for me, then leaned against the windowsill, exhaling a slow stream of smoke into the crisp morning air. "So, what's the plan for today? Because personally, I'm voting for skipping every single class."