Chapter 5 - Hot and cold

Dominic and I stared at each other for 5 minutes, for sure. Strangely, it wasn't awkward. It felt comfortable. I knew that I should have waited since he was the one who came to talk to me.

"Okay, I will say it just once. I am sorry for yelling at you and for coming inside your room without knocking."

"Thank you. How about you also say that you're sorry for insulting Jeff?" I folded my arms over my chest.

"Hell no. I won't apologize for telling the truth." Dominic got up and hovered over me. "And I am not a guard dog. Call me like that again, and you will regret it."

"Are you for real?" I jumped to my feet and took a step towards him. "Are you threatening me now?"

"Fuck..." Dom ran his palm over his face. "Little one, you're so fucking complicated... It's just that I wasn't planning to return home after I graduated from college. I had other plans for my future, and I was so close to making my dreams come true. That being said, I failed. I returned home, agreeing to look after you... When I realized that, while I wasn't here, Atkins became too close to you... I am just angry at myself because I am failing again."

"That's not true. Dom, I am a big girl. I have been with Jeff for four months already. He has always been very nice to me. He respects me. He isn't trying to hurt me."

"You don't know what you are talking about."

"Dominic, you don't know how he acts around me when it's only the two of us. He's sincere with his feelings for me. I like him too, and I want to believe him." I placed my hand on his chest. I didn't know why I thought that it was a good idea. "You aren't failing. Your dad was very happy that you came back. It was hard for him with the car repair shop, I mean... I am sure that you will be able to make your dreams come true even if you are here."

"I will try, but it's not the same, Mia." He took a deep breath before answering me, and then I saw his eyes softening.

"Is it because of Remi?" My curiosity was going to be the death of me. Just that question broke the whole atmosphere. Dominic pursed his lips and stared at me. Seeing him like that made my hand drop from his chest. "I am sorry, it's none of my businesses... Matthew just..."

"Matthew should have kept his big mouth shut, and yes, you're fucking right. It's none of your business." He turned around abruptly and strode straight to the exit. I saw him placing his hand on the doorknob. "You know what? You're right. If you're mature enough to take a guy to your room at night, you're big enough to watch after yourself. I will help Monica, but you... You can go and fuck Atkins as much as you want. I don't fucking care."

"Nice as always. Get the hell out of this apartment. I will be extremely grateful if I won't get to see your smug face all the time."

"Do you think I was enjoying seeing you every day? Hell no!" Dom laughed curtly. It felt as if we were trying to hurt each other. I wouldn't have been a winner at that time. I knew it. "You are annoying and childish, just as you have always been, and I honestly don't understand what Atkins sees in you. His previous girl, Ella, was much more beautiful than you are."

The apartment fell in cold silence. I bit in my inner cheek, trying to hide a storm that was coming. I felt my eyes veiling up with tears. He insulted me just because I said some random name. I got it. That girl must have been someone special to him but hurting me only because I asked him a question? It was beyond me.

"Get out." My voice was trembling because of anger. I was ready to explode, trying to hide my tears from him. He already saw them. The day he rejected me. He even added that it was the most pitiful thing he ever saw in his life.

"I am an idiot, Mia... I am sorry... I shouldn't..." He changed. I know he did. The previous time, after everything he said, he just turned around and walked away from me. This time he realized that his words hurt me, and it made him feel uncomfortable. However, it didn't change anything. The damage was already done.

I turned around and rushed to my bedroom, shutting the door behind my back. I plopped myself on the bed. I was crying and sobbing, hiding my howls in the pillow. I thought I was immune to his cruelty and his hurtful words... Throughout childhood, I heard enough. Hell, the day I confessed my feelings for him - I heard more than enough. Even so, there I was, crying my eyes out because he felt like he had the right to insult me. Fucking moron!

When the next day I woke up with my alarm clock going nuts, I knew that I was going to look horrible. As soon as I saw my reflection in the mirror, I had the confirmation of this thought. Dark circles under my puffy eyes and pale face. Heck, how was I going to make myself presentable? I had to work at the shop for the whole day. That day was going to be extremely long.

"Good morning, sleepyhead." Mom was in the kitchen, and she was making breakfast for us. "How was your... What happened?"

As soon as she saw me, her eyes widened. I couldn't fool her. Nonetheless, I tried. I curled my hair, put a little bit of makeup on my eyelids, and my lips. As for clothing, I decided to wear a short red floral dress and black tights with stockings effect. I looked stylish and sexy since this dress ended a little higher than my knees, but it wasn't enough to hide the signs of my despair from her.

"Everything is fine. No worries." I sat on the stool with a little smile on my face.

"Nope. I'm not buying it." Mom shook her head and put a plate with fried eggs and bacon before me. "I am all ears. Did Jeff hurt you?"

"No. Jeff has nothing to do with it. I didn't see him after school."

"What did Dominic do then?"

"He and I aren't getting along. Nothing special. The usual." I started chewing my food. I wanted to get out of that apartment as soon as possible.

"He cares about you, and your brother asked him to help us."

"He will help you. I am old enough to look after myself."

"What did he say? Tell me. I know you too well. You are a bad liar. Especially when it comes to him." Mom knew. She knew that I was in love with him, but she never said a word. I was grateful for that.

"When I talked to Matthew, he mentioned some girl named Remi. He didn't say more, but I decided to ask Dom directly, and he flipped. He said that it's none of my fucking businesses and... He told me that he doesn't understand what Jeff sees in me since his last girlfriend was more beautiful than I am."

"Ouch." Mom placed her palm on my cheek and caressed it with her fingertips. "He doesn't think that. He told me that you have always been beautiful, but now he realized that you grew up into a very stunning young woman. He has to be blind to think otherwise. He said it on the whim of emotions. Remi and their breakup are sore subjects for him. It's too fresh. That's all. He got used to protecting himself from others. He doesn't need nor pity, nor support. It's in Dominic's nature. Nothing more. Don't pay any attention to it."

"I didn't even know that he had a girlfriend... Was it serious between them?" I finished my meal and took my cup with hot chocolate.

"Honey, I don't know much either. Just some things that Allan mentioned. Dominic dated Remi for more than a year. When he graduated from college, he went to live in her hometown. They were living together, but she has a very troubled past, and it influenced her relationship with Dom. I don't know why they broke up, but it happened more than two months ago."

"He didn't hurry to come back home."

"Of course not. He loved her, and perhaps he loves her still, but it wasn't enough. That's why he came back."

"Serves him right." I stood up and went to wash my cup and my plate.

"You don't think that, do you?"

"I do, mom." I turned around and saw her worried gaze on me. I smiled and went to the exit. "I will be back in the evening. Dani asked me to be at the shop for the whole day. So... See you."

I didn't know why, but hearing about Dominic's love life made me feel strange and uncomfortable. I was sure that he was single and that he preferred not to date, not to commit himself to anyone, but I was wrong. He dated that Remi for more than a year; they lived together. Damn, I wouldn't have been surprised if he wanted to marry her. Ugh! Why did I even care?

I pulled on my leather jacket, my Dr. Martens boots, and grabbed my small purse from the table near the door. Okay, I needed to focus on the day ahead of me and not on some handsome but heartless jerk. Oh, well, since he was capable of loving someone, he couldn't be heartless. Apparently, I didn't deserve his love or respect but only his hatred. It suited me right since I hated him too.