Guilt

"Mother, you see what I've been saying? I'm just trying to make sure he gets life for himself. Is that too much for a father to ask of his son? Life as a photographer is nothing to write home about," Mr Fernando scowls with anger in his voice earning a glare from Matthew.

"Tell me what success have you achieved so far aside from having all those models in your bed? what can you show off with, he still spends my money Mother, even though he claims he's working," Mr. Fernando complains. grandma stares at both her son and grandson as her heartaches, it is as if she is witnessing an old story repeat itself.

"Your money? you cancel all my credit cards remember? I stopped using your money, I take care of myself and I have realized I don't need you or your money," Matthew pouts.

"Listen, son, why can't both of you come to an agreement, this is getting out of hand," Grandma Fernando mumbled in an attempt to settle the bitterness between father and son.

"Mother, I know how much you love him and have spoiled him, Please allow us to talk this through, wait for me in the car, I'll come down soon. I promise I'll fix this with him," Mr Fernando said as he convinced Mrs. Fernando to wait outside. He patiently waited for her to leave before bouncing on Matthew.

He glares at him angrily, "Listen to me Matthew you are going to come home and you are going to work in the company and that is final! your favored grandmother is not feeling well and I don't want you to be the reason why her condition gets any worse. Don't let me repeat myself, for once in your pathetic life do something worth it, Just go back home and do as I say," his father ordered.

"You see, that's the problem with you, you never listen, I've been trying to reach out to you since I was a boy but all you do is impose your will on me it's sad that till now you still don't get it,"

"I don't take orders from you and I'm not one of your employees, Now do me a favour and get the hell out of my house! I'm never coming back to that house or have to obey any of your rules, for Grandma, I'll talk to her myself, now please leave, your presence makes me sick," Matthew said angrily holding back all the pain and rage he felt inside.

"You are such an ungrateful son, I can't believe you will talk to me like this, after everything I've gone through just to make sure you have everything you ever needed in life. This is how you pay me? you will regret it, I'll make sure you do and when that time comes you will realize it. You'll come back crawling on your knee," his father grumbles and angrily storms out of the room.

Matthew on the other hand still fuming in anger shut the door behind him, he was going crazy and needed to burn his anger out, so he ended up releasing his anger on anything he laid hands upon making loud noises.

Meredith couldn't help but wake up from all the yelling and screaming. She stood by the door and stared at Matthew who was in agony. She experienced the same thing, and she couldn't help but remember her own father who always kept on imposing rules on her, he sometimes even abused her mentally if she didn't listen.

She knows how that feels and she wishes she could do more to help Matthew. Matthew's hand was bleeding, a piece of glass cut him when he angrily broke the glasses on the table.

Matthew tries to hold back his anger as he breathes unevenly, Meredith quietly goes to him and holds his hands, she pulls him away from the mess he had made on the floor. She grabs the first aid box and bandages his hand to stop the blood from flowing, without saying a word she quietly cleans the mess Matthew had made.

"Aren't you going to say anything? I suppose you heard everything," Matthew scoffs.

Without looking up to him Meredith swings the strain of hair off her face ignoring Matthew as she continues to clean.

"I'm talking to you damn it! are you also looking down on me? you think I'm also good for nothing isn't it?" he angrily mopes.

Meredith disposed of the rubbish and rolled her eyes as Matthew burst into her room, demanding her attention in an angry tone. "Say something, Meredith! You ignored me like him," he yelled.

"I fail to comprehend what you want from me. I merely tended to your wounds and cleaned up the mess you made when you were in need of assistance," she replied, avoiding eye contact.

"I want to clarify that I would have been happy to help anyone, so please don't think I did you a favour. Your business is not my concern, and I prefer to focus on my own affairs. If it's alright with you, this is my room and I would appreciate it if you could leave," murmured Meredith as she looked down.

"I can sense that you don't have a high opinion of me," said Matthew with a tinge of disappointment before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

Meredith couldn't help it grasp her teeth, she didn't understand why she was bothered that Matthew had misunderstood her. She wishes she could tell him, she has been in his place and she knows how it feels.

she understands him and knows how the pain feels, If only she could tell him he wasn't alone but she could never bring herself to say those words, she can never forget what Matthew did to her friend, her best friend Maria. Each time she sees him she only sees that and there's no way she can ever forgive him for that.

She's sharing a room with him out of mare helplessness other than that she would spit on his face if they were to be in the same space. That was how much she loathed him. Meredith forced herself to bed after wondering for almost half of the night how Matthew was feeling she didn't realize when she had fallen asleep.

It was a Friday morning, Meredith dragged herself out of bed when her alarm rang, she wished she could sleep some more but now she had responsibilities, she grinch herself to the shower and took a quick shower as she was getting dressed she heard Matthew's door open, she supposes he had left already.

She does get a call from Pamela, her best friend, She puts the phone on a loudspeaker as she hurriedly dresses up.

"Hello Pamela, how nice of you to call," she grins.

"Yes Meredith, how are you doing?" Pamela asked sounding concerned over the phone.

"I'm fine, I'm sorry I haven't been in touch, I have been tied with work," Meredith apologised applying make-up on her face.

"It's ok I just saw you are making headlines on Instagram, that's the Meredith I know, you always bounce back strongly, geez you looked amazing in that dress," Pamela enunciated scrolling through her Instagram page.

"What are you talking about?" Meredith paused to look at the phone as if Pamela was in front of her.

"I'm talking about yesterday's event, Meredith. Your name is trending on every social media hurdle like wildfire. Don't tell me you haven't seen any of it yet," Pamela mumbled surprised, not the Meredith she knows, the first time she does when she wakes up is to upload a picture on Instagram and see what is trending.

"No, I just woke up and you're the first person that has called me, I haven't even gotten time to go to the internet to check what is trending," Meredith said as she continued to apply her makeup this time around hastening up.

"Now my dear friend, you are trending on social media everywhere and everyone is talking about but wait I'm angry at you, why didn't you tell me about it? I would have tuned in and watched a live show instead of from the news," Pamela complains playfully as Meredith smiles she could just picture her face, she is probably on her bed with her laptop in front of her slipping coffee. She misses all those moments with her friends.

"Pamela a lot has happened that I haven't even told you about, but I'm sorry I didn't even know, it was a last-minute decision. Remember I told you I met Matthew?" Meredith muttered packing her markup kits.

"Yes you did and you also told me you had no choice but to rent a room in this apartment," Pamela mumbles.

"I can't stand it anymore, Each time I look at him it feels as if I'm skewering Maria in the back," Meredith whines.