Lonely hearts

18. confessions

After the awkward evening at McDonald's, it was a relief when Matt and his brothers, Chris and Nick, dropped Amber off at home and decided that I would stay over at the triplets' place. The idea of spending the evening with friends, away from the tension and discomfort, felt like a welcome distraction.

When we arrived at the triplets' house, I stepped out of the car with a sigh of relief. It was a beautiful, clear evening, and the stars were twinkling above us. It seemed like a perfect way to end the day.

"Come on in, Olivia," Matt said with a genuine smile as he held the door open for me. "We're going to make tonight fun."

"Yeah, let's make it fun," Chris added as he held the door open for Nick, who was coming out of the car with a basket of snacks.

Once inside, I felt the relaxed atmosphere of the house. The triplets were home, and their living room was filled with the comfortable, inviting ambiance that I always enjoyed. They had snacks and drinks ready on the coffee table, and the large TV on the wall looked ready for an evening of fun.

"What should we do tonight?" Nick asked as he set the snacks on the table. "I was thinking we could play Mario Kart," Chris suggested. "It's always fun, and we could use some competition."

Matt looked at me with a smile. "What do you think, Olivia? Do you feel like playing some Mario Kart?"

"Yes, that sounds great!" I said enthusiastically. "I haven't played Mario Kart in a while."

The guys set up the game console and got the screen going while I plopped down on the couch. Matt, Chris, and Nick set up their consoles on the tables and made sure everything was ready for the competition. As we set things up, we talked about our favorite characters and tracks in the game, and it felt good to be in a relaxed atmosphere again.

"Who wants to go first?" Chris asked as he handed over the controller.

"I'll go first," Matt said as he took the controller. "I need to warm up after that long drive."

"That's fine," I said with a smile. "I'll watch and get a feel for the game before it's my turn."

The first round began, and it was clear that Matt was in top form. He raced around the tracks with a speed that was almost unparalleled. Chris and Nick were lagging a bit behind, but they didn't give up and kept trying to improve their times.

"Come on, guys, keep your head in the game!" Matt shouted as he pushed his kart into first place.

"You're really good at this game," I said from the couch, watching the game with keen interest. "I have to say, you have a real talent for Mario Kart."

Matt glanced over his shoulder with a broad smile. "Thanks, Olivia. I've put a lot of time into this. I hope you don't mind losing."

"I'm definitely not afraid of a little competition," I replied with a grin.

As the evening progressed, the competition grew more intense. We played several rounds, each with a different track and new challenges. Every time someone won a race, the guys made sure it was a big celebration. It was a delightful distraction and gave us all a chance to forget the stress of the day.

After a few hours of intense racing, we took a short break to eat some snacks and catch up.

The air in the living room was filled with the pleasant aroma of snacks and a sense of contentment after a long evening of Mario Kart. As the guys chatted and finished the last of the chips and soda, I decided to head to the kitchen to grab some more snacks. It seemed like a good opportunity to be alone with Matt and share my feelings. It was a chance I didn't want to miss, even though I was nervous about what I wanted to say.

Matt was in the kitchen, his hands full with a bag of popcorn and a few bags of chips. He saw me walk in and smiled. "Hey, Olivia. Want some more snacks?"

"Yes, please," I said as I walked over to the snacks. "But I also wanted to talk to you if you have a moment."

Matt looked up and nodded. "Of course, what do you want to talk about?"

I took a few snacks from the bag and looked at him. My heart was racing, and the butterflies in my stomach seemed relentless. It was time to share my feelings, and although I was afraid of his reaction, I knew I couldn't postpone it any longer.

"Matt," I began, my voice a bit shaky. "The past few weeks... it's been tough. Especially with everything that's happened between us. And I realize that I still have strong feelings for you."

Matt looked at me, his expression somewhat puzzled. "What exactly do you mean?"

"Well," I said, trying to stay calm, "I feel attracted to you. Every time I'm around you, I feel those butterflies in my stomach, and I can't help it. I know this might not be the best time, but I wanted to be honest with you."

An awkward silence fell between us. Matt lowered the bag of popcorn and took a step back, his hands in his pockets. "Olivia, I... I don't know what to say. I appreciate your honesty, but I don't feel the same way."

My heart sank at his words, and I felt a knot in my stomach. "I understand," I said softly, looking at the floor. "Maybe it was a bad idea to say this now." 

"It's not just that," Matt said, his voice sounding even more uncomfortable. "You're also in a relationship with Chris, right? That makes things a bit complicated. It wouldn't be fair to him or to me." My breath caught, and I felt the shame rise. This was the moment to lay everything out on the table. "Matt, it's not really true. Chris and I don't have a relationship. We only pretended to be together to make you jealous. It was a way to get your attention because I thought you might be interested."

Matt's face showed a mix of sadness and confusion. "So... you did all that to influence me?"

"Yes," I said, feeling tears welling up in my eyes. "I'm sorry. It was a stupid idea, and I shouldn't have handled it this way." Matt looked at me with a mix of disappointment and sadness. "Olivia, that wasn't fair. If you had feelings for me, you should have just told me instead of creating this whole situation."

I felt a heavy burden on my shoulders and nodded. "I know. I'm really sorry. I didn't want it to end like this."

Matt sighed deeply and glanced at the kitchen door. "I think I need to step outside for a bit. I... I need some time alone."

Before I could respond, Matt turned and quickly left the kitchen. I heard the front door close and saw him leave the house. It felt like my heart was breaking as I stood alone in the kitchen. The evening, which had started with so much promise and fun, ended in awkward silence and sorrow.

As the guys came back to the kitchen to clean up the last of the snacks, I felt a tremendous emptiness. They quickly noticed that Matt was no longer around, and although they asked what was wrong and I explained everything.

Eventually, as the night wore on, it became clear that Matt wasn't coming back. The silence in the house felt almost unbearable, and I couldn't suppress my feelings of guilt and sadness. The cozy atmosphere of the Mario Kart night was replaced by a heavy silence that no one could break. As the guys got ready for bed, I went to my guest room, where I hid under the covers and pondered the events of the evening. 

The night seemed endless, and the shadows in my room were just a reflection of my inner gloom.