Whispers of Truth | Matt Sturniolo

𝒳𝒳𝒱

𝘼𝙧𝙖𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙖 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙚

My emotions swirled, creating a maelstrom of tension and longing. "That's not fair, you don't get to do this!" I cried, frustration and tears in my voice, as I smacked Matt's chest.

His eyes glistened with unshed tears, and he tried to place a gentle hand on my cheek, but I turned away, unwilling to yield. "I'm not letting you take this from me, Matt."

With my heart heavy with unresolved emotions, I turned and walked away, getting in line to board the plane.

As I handed the lady my passport, I cast a final, regretful glance back at Matt. He stood there, shoulders slumped and eyes red, a silent figure in the distance, our unspoken words hanging heavy in the air.

As I boarded the plane, the weight of my decision clung to me, a painful burden that I couldn't shake. I settled into my seat, surrounded by the buzz of fellow passengers and the hum of the airplane's engines, but I couldn't escape the memories of the people I left behind.

The plane's engines roared to life, and we began taxiing down the runway. The city I had known all my life was now receding beneath me, its lights slowly fading into the distance.

As the haunting melody of 'Lie to Me' enveloped me, I closed my eyes and let the music carry me back through time. Each note seemed to echo with the laughter, conversations, and shared moments from the past, and I couldn't help but smile through the tears.

𝘐 𝘢𝘪𝘯'𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘩, 𝘰𝘩, 𝘰𝘩, 𝘰𝘩

As I scrolled through the photos of Matt, Nick, Chris, and me, each image felt like a cherished relic from a life I was leaving behind. The details and expressions in the photos came to life, like a silent film playing in my mind.

𝘍𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘠𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺

The melodies of the music wrapped around me, pulling me into an emotional vortex of memories. As I scrolled through the photos on my phone, I zoomed in closer on a photo of the four of us.

𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘶𝘮𝘣, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘮𝘦

In the picture, Matt and my fingers nearly brushed, aching for the touch that had been left unspoken for so long. It was in that moment that I realized the depth of Matt's sacrifice, burying his feelings for me. So Chris and I had a chance.

𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘤 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘶𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵

I closed my eyes, hoping to find solace within the darkness behind my eyelids. As I tried to contain the emotional storm within, the gentle touch of the person seated beside me brought me back to reality.

𝘕𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘸𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘵

Their caring concern was evident in the soft, inquisitive tap on my shoulder. Their question hung in the air, "Are you okay?" The plane's engine hummed in the background, the distant rumble of travel, as I considered how to respond to the stranger's inquiry.

'𝘊𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵

I nodded in response to the stranger's question, my voice quivering as I tried to convey a sense of normalcy. I sniffled softly, my hand reaching for a tissue from the seat pocket in front of me, and attempted a weak smile.