Love Next-Door - A Matt Sturniolo Story

four 🧇

I woke up, prepared to get ready for the gym, when I got a text.

Matt
can't sleep, wanna grab breakfast?

Caroline
how'd you know i was awake?

Matt
heard your alarm, my room
is right next to yours

Caroline
creep

Matt
go to ihop with me, im starving and
nick and chris are gonna sleep for
another like 4 hours

Caroline
fineee, let me get dressed I'll
meet you in the hall

I pulled on some leggings and a beige sweatshirt, slipping on some sandals tucked away in my closet. I twisted my hair into a claw clip. I let out one last big stretch before walking to the hallway with my phone, wallet, and keys in hand.
Matt was sitting in the floor, leaning against the wall. His head was tilted up and his eyes were closed. "Sleepy?" I asked softly. He opened his eyes and just sighed.
"I'll take that as a yes." I said laughing. He stuck out his hands and said, "Help me up, I'm too tired to do it on my own." I grabbed his hands and pulled him, leaning back on my heels slightly. He finally stood up, stretching his arms. "Okay I-Hop time." He said smiling.

We walked outside and got into his minivan, the triplets had explained earlier that Chris and Nick didn't have their licenses yet. Although they had gotten their permits not long ago.
We listened to music Matt had on his phone. I didn't know most of the songs but I enjoyed listening to them and watching Matt tap along on the steering wheel. The sun was coming out more as he drove. It was shining perfectly at Matt. His hair, his eyes, and just his face in general looked so nice and soft in the light. I smiled at him. He wasn't looking, but I smiled anyways.
"Are you staring at me?" He asked quietly. "Maybe." I mumbled back. "Who's the creep now?" He asked laughing. "Shut up, Matt." I laughed back.

We finally got to I-Hop, I swear I could hear Matt's stomach calm down when we pulled into the parking lot. We both climbed out and raced each other to the door. I laughed loudly as he placed a hand on my forehead and pushed me away from the door.
When we finally calmed down enough to actually go inside, we sat at a booth near a window with warm sun flooding in. A nice waitress walked over and asked, "What can I get for you guys?"
"Can I get chocolate chip waffles and chocolate milk?" I asked quickly. I hadn't been to I-Hop in a long time.
"Sure, and for you?" She asked Matt. "Chocolate chip pancakes and the same thing to drink." The waitress nodded before saying, "I'll bring your orders out soon." with a smile.
First she brought our chocolate milk, I was practically smiling into my straw. I hadn't had chocolate milk in too long. Soon our food was placed on the table in front of us. I covered mine in butter and syrup. I began digging in, dancing on my side of the table. Matt was quietly laughing at me.
     I looked up, a mouth full of waffles, and hummed something similar to, "What?"
    "You're like a kid." He responded. I finally swallowed my food and said, "You basically ordered the same thing!" He laughed and began to defend himself, "I'm not dancing and smiling into chocolate milk." I shrugged and said, "You're just not living life to the fullest then."

    My phone quietly began ringing, my mouth was full of waffles again so I simply handed it to Matt.
He pressed the green button and said, "Hello, Caroline's phone, can I leave a message?"
   I almost choked on my breakfast, I was trying to chew and also trying not to laugh and spit food all over Matt. He nodded and said, "Mhm, well Caroline isn't available at the moment. What can I do for you."

"A breakfast establishment with a fine gentleman."

"Yes, that would be me."

"No, not yet."

"She'll be home shortly."

"Thanks Dani, tell Chris I said good morning."

     He hung up and handed back my phone. I finally finished my food and laughed with Matt. "Is she with Chris? It's a little early for her." I asked. "She is actually, apparently they had their own plans for breakfast." Matt said shaking his head. "They're cute." I smiled. Matt nodded in agreement.
     "He won't stop talking about her." He laughed a little. "Really? Because he is literally all she talks about." I said excitedly. "Do you think their breakfast is a date?" He asked setting his fork down on his almost cleared plate.
     "It better be! I want them to be together so bad!" I said hopping up and down in my seat. "They definitely should be together." He nodded, thinking.
    "Are you scheming Matt? That looks like a scheming face." I teased. "I am strategizing. That's cooler than scheming." He responded rolling his eyes at me. I laughed at his seriousness.

   Too soon, we were heading back, I was dozing off in the car from a combination of staying up too late, waking up too early, and eating so many carbs. I felt like this every thanksgiving too.
     "Can we just pull over and take a nap, I'm sleepy now too." I said quietly into my sleeve.
     "Someone will think we're homeless." He responded, laughing. "I don't care, I'm so tired. You'll have to carry me up to my bed if we drive much longer." I complained.
     "Thank you for thinking I'm that strong." Matt laughed. "I just want to go to bed." I whispered.
"We're almost there, cry baby." He whispered back.
I slapped his arm to defend myself from mean nicknames. "Driving here!" He yelled jokingly. "Well you're not driving that great. I think hitting you helped." I teased. "Shut up." He mumbled, a small smile on his face.

   When we got back to our building, we sluggishly walked in, waited forever for the elevator, and we slowly walked to our separate doors. "Sleep well!" I said to Matt, twisting my own doorknob. "You too." He said smiling. We both entered our apartments and closed the doors.
    I immediately walked to my room, got comfortable, and went back to bed for another three hours.