Whispers of Truth | Matt Sturniolo

𝒳𝒱𝐼𝐼

𝘼𝙧𝙖𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙖 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙚

Nick and I had spent nearly the entire day together, immersed in each other's company. But an undeniable, lingering awkwardness tainted our surroundings. It was unusual being in their house, considering the fact that I was not on speaking terms with his brothers.

This morning, the air grew thick with discomfort when Matt, hair tousled and wearing nothing but a pair of snug boxers, stumbled down the stairs. He looked disheveled yet undeniably attractive, and a wave of nausea washed over me, not because I found him repulsive, but because I knew any lingering gaze at him would be betraying my inner turmoil. It was a painful realization that I even entertained the notion of his attractiveness, knowing full well that he was dating my best friend

"We're leaving soon," Nick announced, extending a water bottle towards me. I accepted it with a grateful nod, the cool liquid quenching my thirst as I took several hearty gulps. Matt had been away with Kami since the moment he woke up, and my phone had been bombarded with texts from her. They were a cascade of frantic messages, her anxiety leaking through the screen, though she hadn't specified the cause of her distress. She had simply spammed me with "𝘰𝘩 𝘮𝘺 𝘍𝘜𝘊𝘒" repeatedly.

Sitting beside me on the couch, Chris nonchalantly draped his arm around the backrest, causing me to shift closer to the edge. He started, his voice carrying a hint of contrition, "Oh, come on, Ara. I already apologized."

I maintained my silence but my eyes locked onto his, our gazes entwining in a silent exchange. For a fleeting moment, I nearly threw out my morals and felt the urge to speak. My lips parted slightly yet before I could, the doorknob jingled, and Matt entered the room.

As Matt entered the room, a subtle tension lingered in the air, which hung heavy with unspoken words. His presence was enough to break the silence that had enveloped Chris and me. He glanced in my direction, but I couldn't bring myself to meet his gaze. My eyes remained fixed on the floor, an internal struggle playing out.

"I'm gonna change, then we can get filming"

I had been giving Chris the silent treatment as a form of punishment, but my stance with Matt was entirely different. I felt guilty for the way I had inadvertently disrupted Kami's date with him. I couldn't let my personal issues interfere with their relationship, not after they had spent the entire day fixing things.

"This is how your gonna play it? Silent treatment for me and completely ignoring Matt?"

Chris's voice broke through the unspoken tension, and I couldn't help but meet his gaze when he addressed my behavior. As I looked up at him, my fingers instinctively tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

In response to Chris's inquiry, I raised both eyebrows, my expression revealing the complex blend of uncertainty and stubbornness that had taken hold of me.

As Matt descended the stairs and joined our conversation, he interjected, "She can't ignore us when we're filming. She'll have to say something." His voice was measured, and his eyes flickered between Chris and me, addressing the elephant in the room.

I turned to Nick, a request forming on my lips. "Nick, could you do me a favor and grab my purse from your room? I must've left it there." I asked, trying to divert the attention from the other two brothers.

Nick headed upstairs to fetch my purse, and I could feel Matt's frustration simmering as he couldn't hold it back any longer, and he finally blurted out, "God Arabella, you're acting like such a child!"

Chris slumped deeper into the couch, letting out a heavy sigh, seemingly overwhelmed by the situation. I clenched my jaw, trying to maintain my silence as Nick brought my purse from his room. I smiled and thanked him, holding the mini shoulder bag in front of me as I leaned back and forth on my feet.