Disclaimer: I own nothing. I do own the OC in this, though.

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews, guys. :) I hope this chapter makes you happy as it makes you sad. Happy because it's a MATT POV chapter, but sad because well... it's sad. I wrote this song listening to Bon Jovi's "Always" which is a really good song, but it only kind of fits the chapter. There MAY be another Matt POV soon, not sure yet. We'll have to see what Matt is up to until the present, of course. ;) :) Soo, well, enjoy!

Matt's POV – Special Chapter :)

"Shit, man, wake up!" Someone was shaking me; it sounded like Jeff. I opened my eyes groggily, wondering what could be important enough to wake me before the sun was up in the summer. When my eyes finally opened, Jeff's eyes were frantic and worried and my attitude changed. "What happened? Who's hurt?"

He shook his head, pacing the room. "No one is hurt," Jeff muttered. "I was getting a glass of water when I heard someone crying outside. I walked to the door to see Tiny drop something off on the front steps, sobbing like the world was endin'. So I went to say something and she just told me no! And took off. She left this."

A white envelope was in his right hand. I took it from him, staring at her bubbly hand writing that wrote my name, in small, thickly printed black ink. With a frown, I opened it and found a folded piece of loose-leaf paper, torn from some old notebook. Carefully, I unfolded the paper and stared at it for a moment. It was very unlike herself, scribbled and blotched in several parts as if she were crying.

"What's it say?"

I pushed Jeff away and took a deep breath.

Dear Matt,

I know you meant the best, but this was never going to work. I should have never believed that something would change here. Everything is temporary… I should have never believed otherwise. It was only a matter of time before my mother whisked me away. I don't deserve to be happy, I don't deserve you. I don't deserve anything.

I can't believe this is happening to me, but I think this is what I get. I should have known the moment I moved on from the past, it would find a way to haunt me. Don't blame yourself for that, I'm glad you tried. It's just so unfair. Why does pain have to surround my life? I just don't understand…

Live your dream, Matt. Take it by the reins and push yourself forward. You have that look, take it and run with it. You'll make it to the top and one day I'll see you on national television and say, 'at one time, he was mine.' I'll never forget your touch, I'll never forget the way it felt when I was with you and you held me tightly. When you were showing me something new, a temporary bliss. It was the best few months of my life and something I want to keep with me forever. But my luck it'll be wiped from me forever. I never deserved you anyway, so I guess that's okay…

I'm sorry, Matt. I know I'm not making much sense, but I can't. I will not let myself fall and hurt again. I won't be back and I need to protect my heart. I can't let myself deal with another pain. Another pain might just be too much, you know? Please, don't come after me… I need it to be this way. It's for the best. I'm sorry. I lo…

Destiny

My hands were shaking. I wasn't sure what I was reading or the reason it was written. Something told me if I didn't move soon, I'd never see the girl of my dreams again. I dropped the letter onto the floor and forced myself past Jeff. It wasn't even six yet, but it was nearly that. The sun was just coming up, casting orange shadows on the ground while I ran through the woods that connected my house to Tiny's.

When I got there, I saw a loaded car and two people sitting inside of it. I ran the remaining distance, but the car pulled away seconds before I got there and spit up rocks and dust into my face, but it felt like venom. "Tiny!" I yelled, starting to run after the car. "Tiny, wait!"

I couldn't see her and I couldn't feel myself think. There was no way she was leaving like this. How could she just pick up and leave after the months we spent together? I gave her everything; I'd do anything for her. I gave her my all; I gave her my body. I had never done that before. Sure, I had other girlfriends but I never felt as sure that I wanted my first time to be with a certain girl. The second I saw her, I knew she was special. Damaged certainly, but isn't everyone?

Everyone has their issues. All she needed was a little mending. She wasn't a toy that was broken; she was just another hurting human being that needed a little love. I could do that; I was sure. But it wasn't supposed to end like this. The movies were lies then. Where was my stupid sunset and the crappy overly romantic music? All I had around me were trees and my dad's crappy hick music. Not so romantic.

"Matt?" Jeff came up beside me. He took one look at the house I had been in so many times, staring at it.

"She's gone," I muttered.

"What?"

I stared at the road, waiting for the car to return. "She's… gone. She left. She picked up her stuff and left."

"What do you mean?"

I really didn't mean to, but I turned and slapped him. "Are you stupid?" I yelled. "SHE LEFT."

He continued to stare at me as I walked away and ran back toward the house. When I got back inside, I picked up the letter and went to tear it into pieces until I looked at the scribbled out last saying. As I got closer, I saw the I lo… was supposed to be I love you.

She didn't love me.

The words had been a mistake so she erased them.

She didn't love me.

She probably didn't even like me.

I was just a toy. A stupid little toy.

Yelling, I took my baseball bat and threw it through the glass window, hearing it shatter everywhere. Sinking to the floor, I sat there and stared at her handwriting, utterly confused. She didn't love me. She didn't… love me.

I loved her.

I knew I did. I knew I loved her the second she had entered me. Call it a bit pig-headed but it wasn't the sex. It was the way she touched my body, the way she held me tightly while it happened. It was the way she looked me in the eyes. The complete look of inexperienced innocence and the beauty that came with the first time.

I should have said it, even if it didn't make a difference.

I drove her away.

I turned away a girl who loved me.

"What are you doing?" Jeff cried as he came into the room, seeing the broken window. He kneeled down next to me where a small pool of blood was coming from my arm. Apparently, some of the glass had reached that. Shaking his head, he pulled me to my feet. "Are you trying to kill yourself?"

The thought hadn't crossed my mind, but apparently, it looked like it had. "I…"

"Matt," Jeff said sadly. "You… you can't do that."

"I… she left me, Jeffro… she left me."

Jeff hugged me. "It's alright, Dude. There are more fish in the sea."

Tiny wasn't a fish. She was a beautiful, adorable, sweet, and fun girl. She was not a fish. I stared down at the letter. "She didn't even sign it Tiny. It was formal."

"Matt—"

"She's gone, Jeff. She's not coming back," I realized. "She's really gone."

You see, I've always been a fighter, but without you, I give up…

Let me know what you think! Read and review. :)