Whispers of Truth | Matt Sturniolo

𝒳𝐼𝐼

𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨 𝙎𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙡𝙤

During the entire Uber ride home, my mind was consumed by the sorrow on Ara's face. She had a distant look, an aura of sadness that clung to her. It was evident something happened between her and Matt last night, something significant, and I couldn't help but feel responsible for adding to her distress by bringing her a breakfast she couldn't even enjoy. How had it slipped my mind that she never liked bacon?

Guilt gnawed at my conscience like a relentless predator, tearing into me as I replayed the scene when I'd handed her the bag of breakfast. My intentions had been so pure, driven by the simple desire to bring her a pleasant morning surprise and uplift her spirits. Little did I know, my well-intentioned gesture and my dumbass asking what happened had triggered a maelstrom of emotions that I couldn't fully grasp. She sat there, her eyes heavy with something unspoken, like windows to a soul lost in the horizon. Her looks hinted at the readiness to give me her all, yet her heart remained distant.

As the Uber carried me closer to home, an unsettling unease weighed on my heart, rooted in a profound longing to make things right for Ara. I couldn't stand the thought of her wrestling with inner turmoil because of my inadvertent actions.I walked into our house, feeling the weight of the morning's events still lingering in my mind. Nick's voice brought me back to the present, and I met his inquisitive gaze.

"Where have you been?" Nick said with a hint of irritation. "We were supposed to film a vlog for Friday— ring any bells? I called and texted you."

I ran my hand through my disheveled hair, feeling a turbulent mix of guilt and frustration swirling within me. "Yeah, I know, man. I'm really sorry, Nick. Something unexpected came up, and I got caught up with Ara."

Matt's gaze lifted from his phone, and his silence hung in the air for a moment, thick with unspoken concern. The lines of worry plastered across his features as he finally spoke, his voice monotone, reflecting the unease in his eyes. "How is she?"

I met Matt's eyes as I spoke, my voice carrying a mixture of concern and confusion. "She's fine," I began, a little wary of discussing the situation. "I don't know what happened between you two, but it's got her pretty fucked up," I admitted, realizing that there was a lot going on beneath the surface, and I needed to find out the truth.

"Are you ever gonna tell us what happened, Matt?" Nick asked, genuine concern in his voice.

Matt's response was hesitant, and he took a deep breath before answering. "Nothing happened," he said, his tone edged with frustration. "Just fuckin' drop it, okay? It's not that deep."

I put my hands up in defeat, turning back to Nick. "I'm thinking of filming a video for my channel," I said with a half-smile, attempting to change the mood and distract from the tension.

Nick looked intrigued, "What kind of video?"

I sighed inwardly, grateful that the topic shift worked. "I'm thinking of doing a prank," I began, "you know, like those 'asking my best friend out' videos that are trending. It's just a way to lighten things up and maybe make Ara feel better."

Nick raised an eyebrow, contemplating my idea. "You think that'll work?"

I shrugged, "It's worth a shot. Besides, she'll see through it. We'll have a laugh."

The relief of easing the somber atmosphere didn't last long, as Matt responded with a pointed remark. "Yeah, I'm sure she'll think that's funny, not like she called you hot or anything last night."