Boundless

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟓

As I walked to my next class, the halls were bustling with students, but my mind was preoccupied. I barely noticed Mattheo until we were almost face-to-face. He stopped in front of me, and we both froze for a moment.

"Hey," Mattheo said, his voice a little strained.

"Hi," I replied, trying to muster a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes.

"How are you?" he asked.

"Fine, you?" I responded, hoping to keep things light and neutral.

"Fine as well," he said, and for a moment, we just stood there.

"Okay," I said, giving a small nod and preparing to walk away.

"Wait, Stell," Mattheo called, his voice tinged with something that made me pause.

I turned around slowly, meeting his gaze. "Yeah?"

"I hate this," he admitted, his frustration evident. His hands were shoved into his pockets, and he looked like he was struggling with his emotions. I tilted my head, trying to understand.

"You're like the only person who doesn't piss me off when you keep talking, and it's been so quiet," Mattheo said, his frustration mingling with sadness.

I raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile playing at my lips despite the seriousness of the conversation. "Funny way of saying you miss me."

Mattheo's expression softened, and he took a step closer. "If I admit I missed you, can you forgive me?"

"You don't need forgiveness, Matt. You're not in the wrong," I said, my voice steady but gentle.

"Neither are you. I get that your summer was rough. I don't want to hold it against you, even if I don't fully understand what happened with Sallow. I can only hope that it doesn't happen to me," Mattheo said, his vulnerability showing through.

"It wouldn't, I swear. If I had been in the right state of mind, I wouldn't have done it at all," I reassured him, hoping he could sense the sincerity in my words.

"I know, Stell. I know you better than that," Mattheo said, his tone both understanding and conflicted.

I considered telling him about his father, the weight of that secret pressing down on me. But the fear of losing him kept me silent.

"Come here," Mattheo said suddenly, pulling me into a warm embrace. He kissed my temple gently. The comfort of his touch made me feel both safe and conflicted. I decided not to tell him about his father, at least not yet.

After our brief but meaningful reunion, I went through the rest of my classes in a daze, struggling to focus while the weight of everything still pressed heavily on me. As I left my last class, Theo caught up to me in the corridor.

"Stella, I am so sorry," Theo said, his face etched with remorse.

"It's okay, Theo. Don't apologize. I'm actually relieved it's all out now," I said, trying to reassure him.

"Really?" Theo asked, his eyes widening with surprise.

"Yeah, Mattheo needed to know, and I don't think I'd ever have found the courage to tell him otherwise," I said honestly.

"I guess. I swear I never should have drunk that Veritaserum," Theo said, shaking his head with a rueful smile.

"So that's why you were so honest. I wondered about that," I said, a small smile forming despite the heaviness of the situation.

"It scared me from picking Truth again, that's for sure," Theo admitted, his tone lightening slightly.

"Don't worry about it, Theo. We're all good," I said, feeling a bit of relief.

"Do you think Sallow will find out?" Theo asked, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"Maybe, but it doesn't really matter to me. I just care about how Mattheo feels," I said, trying to stay focused on the present.

"And how does he feel? Is he calm, or should I avoid getting punched?" Theo asked, a touch of humor returning to his voice.

"I don't know exactly how calm he is, but he doesn't seem to be resenting us," I replied, hoping my assessment was accurate.

"Good. So I'll give it a week to see how things settle," Theo said, nodding with a look of cautious optimism.

"A week sounds good," I agreed, appreciating his understanding.

"For what it's worth, you two look good together. Hopefully, nothing will come along to ruin it," Theo said, offering me a reassuring smile.

I smiled back, feeling a knot of anxiety twist in my stomach. "Fingers crossed," I said, trying to stay hopeful.

Theo hugged me briefly before walking away. As I watched him leave, I sighed deeply. The summer's challenges were far from over, and the road ahead seemed uncertain.