Matthew Caldwell - The Untouchable
By Ivy Smoak
Copyright 2020 Ivy Smoak
All Rights Reserved
CONTENTS
Title
Matthew Caldwell
A Note From Ivy
Matthew Caldwell - The Untouchable
The Untouchables. That’s what everyone called us. The nickname had followed us around since we were kids. I wasn’t sure who started it, but the premise behind it was simple. My friends and I could get away with murder. Literally. That’s what happens when your parents own the two biggest companies in Manhattan.
We were untouchable. And I was…sick of it. I was sick of the lies and the secrets. I was sick of the pedestal we had to stand on. And I was sick of the girls throwing themselves at my feet like I was some sort of god. I was tired of being untouchable. Especially when all I wanted was someone who would never belong in my world.
The first time I saw Brooklyn, she was staring at me unabashedly. It was like she thought she was invisible. Like I’d see right through her. But I saw her. And every day for the first week of school, she stared.
I tried my best not to stare back. Not because I didn’t want her to know I was staring. But because I didn’t want her to know that I saw her. The sad eyes. The lost look on her face. The pain. I saw it all. And I was pretty sure she was trying to hide it. We all had our secrets. And I had no right to know hers when mine were swallowing me whole.
It didn’t take long to figure out she was from the wrong side of the tracks. That small fact also didn’t matter to me at all. What did matter? The lies and secrets that I had to keep. We couldn’t be together because of me. Not the other way around.
As I walked by her locker, she ducked her head, pretending like she wasn’t staring.
“Are you ever going to ask her out?” Rob asked as he elbowed me in the ribs. “Because I’m about to call dibs if…”
“Yes.” I knew that as soon as I asked her, the shit would hit the fan. Because I’d done something bad. I glanced over at Isabella as we walked down the front steps of Empire High. She was sitting with her friends, laughing about something. Yeah, I’d done something really fucking stupid. And it was already causing issues for Brooklyn and we weren’t even dating yet. I couldn’t let my secrets ruin her like they were ruining me.
“So…when?” Rob asked.
“Soon.” I needed more time. I needed to figure out a way to fix my mistakes first. “Don’t even speak to her. She’s mine.”
He laughed. “All talk.”
Mason laughed too and turned around so he was walking backward to the car. “Grow a pair and ask her out already.”
James pulled his keys out of his pocket. “Anyone want to pregame before the party tonight?” It was a nice attempt at changing the subject. But honestly, it was just as upsetting.
My father was having a huge birthday celebration tonight. And like the past several years of parties, I was going solo. And like the past several years, James was going to end up shit-faced.
I didn’t respond to either of them when we reached James’ Benz. I couldn’t fix James’ drinking problems, just like I couldn’t dig my way out of the hole I was in with Isabella. Tonight was going to suck.
I looked up at the entrance of Empire High. Brooklyn was stepping out with the only person that deigned to talk to her at her new school. Another scholarship student. I was glad she had someone. Because being alone in those halls was just asking for trouble.
For just a second, our eyes locked. Her cheeks turned rosy and she looked down at her beat-up shoes. I climbed in the car and stared at her reflection in the rearview mirror. Her sad eyes. The slight frown on her face. No one that beautiful should look so sad.
Brooklyn thought she was invisible. But I was about to prove her wrong. And the people messing with her? They’d wish they’d never breathed. Afterall…I could get away with murder. And soon Brooklyn would be able to as well. Because I was going to make her untouchable. I was going to make her mine.
***
I thought I had the whole weekend to figure out what my first move would be. I never expected Brooklyn to show up at my dad’s party. As a server. When I first saw her holding the tray, every inch of me wanted to go over and talk to her. But not like this. Not when she was a waitress at a party I was attending. I didn’t want us to start off on unequal footing. I wanted her to get to know me, not the Caldwell name.
So I avoided her. I knew it was stupid. But I’d already envisioned how I wanted our first meeting to go. I wanted to sit with her at lunch. Alone. Not in front of all these society climbing vultures. I wanted a chance to actually get to know her without anyone breathing down my neck. I wanted to know every single thing about her.
James grabbed another glass of champagne from a tray passing by and I cringed. What was that…his third or fourth? Before I could say anything, the lights dimmed, announcing dinner. I made my way over to my table with Mason. He was talking about the game tomorrow night, but I wasn’t listening. Because I’d realized I’d probably made a terrible mistake. What if Brooklyn was serving my table? Our first meeting would be me thanking her for the filet. That was worse than talking to her when she was holding a tray of hors d'oeuvres. Shit.
“You okay?” Mason asked.
“I’m fine.” Why didn’t I just talk to Brooklyn at school this week? I’d had plenty of opportunities. No, I knew why. It was because of how Isabella
