Lonely hearts

14. See you tomorrow

The credits rolled across the screen, and the room filled with a soft, soothing silence. Matt and I stayed seated, not really knowing what to say but still enjoying each other's company. The film had put us in a relaxed mood, but there was an unmistakable tension between us.

Matt turned to me and smiled. "So, what did you think of the movie?" I smiled back, happy to have a light topic to discuss. "It was really good. I didn't expect it to be so scary." He nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it had a few twists."

The silence that followed was both comfortable and charged. My thoughts swirled around in my head, searching for the right words to say. In the end, I decided to just be honest.

"Matt, I'm really glad we did this. It feels good to be so close again." He looked at me, his gaze intense and sincere. "Me too, Olivia. It means a lot to me that we were able to do this."

There was a moment of silence where we just looked at each other, and the tension between us felt almost tangible. I felt my heart beat faster and wondered if he felt the same tension. Just when I thought I had to say something, we were interrupted by the sound of footsteps in the hallway.

Chris and Nick entered the room, their faces beaming with excitement. "We got some great shots," Chris said enthusiastically. "This is going to be one of our best videos."

Nick nodded in agreement and looked at us. "How was the movie?" "It was good," Matt replied, standing up and stretching. "Perfect way to end the evening." I smiled at Chris and Nick. "I'm looking forward to the video. You guys always have such creative ideas." Chris grinned. "It's going to be epic, I promise you."

The evening was coming to an end, and it was time for me to go home. I grabbed my bag and walked to the door, followed by Matt. At the door, I turned and looked at him.

"Thanks for a great evening, Matt," I said sincerely. "It was really fun." He smiled warmly at me. "Thank you, Liv. I'm glad you were here."

There was a moment of hesitation, and then he gently placed his hand on my arm. "I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

I felt a warm glow spread through me and nodded. "Yes, definitely. See you tomorrow, Matt."

As I walked home, the events of the evening lingered in my thoughts. The tension between Matt and me had been undeniable, and I couldn't help but hope that perhaps something more could blossom between us. His warm smile and the way he looked at me... it made my heart race.

I parked my car in front of my house and stayed in my seat for a moment, reflecting on our conversations. It felt like something had changed between us, as if we were entering a new phase of our friendship. A phase I had long hoped for.

When I got out and walked to the front door, I felt a mix of excitement and confusion. What did this all mean? Did Matt have the same feelings for me? Or was I just a good friend to him? My heart wanted to believe in the possibility of something more, but my mind brought me abruptly back to reality.

Amber. Matt had a girlfriend.

I sighed deeply as I closed the door behind me and kicked off my shoes. How could I get so carried away by my hopes, while he was already in a relationship? Amber wasn't my favorite person, but it was clear that Matt cared about her. I had to remind myself that my feelings, no matter how strong, shouldn't change reality.

I walked to my room and let myself fall onto the bed, my thoughts still spinning. The memory of the tension between Matt and me was hard to ignore, but I had to protect myself from disappointment. What we had now, our renewed friendship, was valuable and important. I didn't want to jeopardize that by letting my feelings take over.

But still, somewhere deep inside, I couldn't completely let go of hope. The way he touched me, how he smiled at me... it all felt so real, so promising. What if there was a chance? What if his relationship with Amber didn't last and he eventually chose me?

I turned over and stared at the ceiling. It was a dangerous game to hold on to hope for something that might never happen. But for now, I had to remind myself that friendship was the most important thing. Matt needed me as his friend, and that had to be enough.

With a deep sigh, I closed my eyes and tried to calm my thoughts. Tomorrow would be a new day. Whatever the future would bring, I had to trust in myself and the choices I made.

And though my heart longed for more, I would have to be content with what I had for now. Friendship, support, and the hope that everything would eventually work out, however it might unfold.

With those thoughts, I slowly fell asleep, the memory of Matt's smile and the tension of the evening still fresh in my mind.