šš ššššš, faith haven & matt sturniolo have always been best friends until one day faith started to hate matt's guts and he didn't know why until he realized he knew why and if he hadn't been so oblivious then maybe she would still like him...
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. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . 🥂 ݁ chapter 11 ── .✦ ( real life )
𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐃𝐀𝐘𝐒
❝ i dont regret, just pretend shit dont happen ❞ — sza
𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐏𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎, izzy's living room, where the remnants of the sleepover were scattered across the floor—sleeping bags, crumpled snack wrappers, and a few stray pillows. the sounds of the others preparing breakfast in the kitchen drifted in, but matt lay on the edge of the room, his mind replaying the events of the previous night.
he couldn't shake the feeling of unease. the kiss had come out of nowhere, and the argument that followed had left a lingering sense of awkwardness. every time he tried to push it out of his mind, it came rushing back, along with the image of faith's angry, hurt expression.
faith was already up, trying to blend into the background as she made her way through the living room. her face was tense, her eyes guarded. she moved with a purpose, but there was an unmistakable edge to her demeanor. when she passed by matt, she barely acknowledged him, her gaze fixed straight ahead.
izzy's cheerful voice cut through the tension as she entered the room. "good morning, everyone! Who's ready for breakfast?"
the group stirred, gradually pulling themselves together. matt watched as faith joined the others at the breakfast table, her posture rigid and her responses short. her attempt to seem normal was overshadowed by the anger simmering just beneath the surface.
matt joined the table, trying to maintain a casual demeanor. he kept his gaze averted from Faith, focusing instead on the conversation that buzzed around him. carter was enthusiastically discussing a new game, and ella was debating movie options with nick. matt forced himself to smile and nod along, but his thoughts kept drifting back to the previous night.
faith remained unusually quiet, only speaking when directly addressed. she forced a few laughs and nods, but it was clear to anyone who knew her well that her mind was elsewhere. whenever matt caught her eye, she looked away quickly, her expression a mix of frustration and sadness.
as breakfast wrapped up, izzy suggested they head to the park or start a movie marathon. everyone agreed, though matt's mind was far from the plans. he was acutely aware of the growing tension between him and faith, but they were surrounded by their friends, and any confrontation would have to wait.
while they were organizing their things, matt found himself near faith again. he tried to catch her eye, but she was busy organizing her stuff with a deliberate avoidance. her body language was closed off, and her anger was evident in the way she handled her belongings with a little more force than necessary.
he could sense that faith was struggling to mask her anger, and he had no idea how to address it. the silence between them was heavy, each passing minute only adding to the awkwardness.
matt knew he had to find a way to bridge the gap, but for now, he could only navigate the day, hoping that time and space might eventually ease the tension.
certainly! here's a detailed description of their park outing in lowercase:
——
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐏 𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐄, their way to the park, the sun climbing higher in the sky as they walked. the park was just a short stroll from izzy's house, and as they approached, the vibrant green of the open space stretched out before them. the grass was dotted with families, picnickers, and kids playing, creating a lively backdrop for their day.
faith trailed behind the group, her face set in a determined expression. she kept her distance from matt, who walked a few paces ahead, trying to blend in with the chatter and laughter of their friends. the park's energy seemed to accentuate the awkward silence between them.
when they arrived, izzy suggested they set up a picnic under a large oak tree. the tree's sprawling branches offered ample shade, and its leaves rustled gently in the breeze. everyone set to work laying out blankets and unpacking the food—fruit, sandwiches, and an assortment of snacks.
faith and matt ended up on opposite sides of the picnic setup. faith spread out her blanket with precise movements, her gaze fixed straight ahead. she joined in the conversation only when directly addressed, her responses clipped and terse. matt, meanwhile, tried to engage with the others, but his attention kept drifting to faith's tense posture.
as the afternoon wore on, the group decided to play a game of frisbee. the park's open space was perfect for it, and soon they were all running around, laughing and shouting. faith hesitated at first but eventually joined in, though her movements were stiff, and she seemed to be more focused on avoiding matt than on the game itself.
matt watched from a distance, feeling a pang of guilt each time he saw faith's determined expression. he wanted to approach her, to try to mend things, but the thought of making the situation worse held him back. he joined in the game, trying to stay focused on the fun and camaraderie, but his mind was preoccupied with how to address the rift between them.
later, as they took a break and sprawled out on the blankets, faith sat apart from the group, her back resting against a tree trunk. she pulled out her phone, pretending to scroll through it while casting occasional glances at matt and the others. her attempts to seem nonchalant didn't fool anyone, but the group chose to let it be, respecting her space.
matt, meanwhile, felt the weight of the day pressing down on him. he sat with his friends, forcing himself to laugh and participate, but his thoughts were constantly drifting back to faith. he noticed how she kept her distance, and the contrast between her current demeanor and the warmth she usually radiated was striking.
as the sun began to lower in the sky, casting a golden hue over the park, the group decided to head back. they packed up their things, and faith joined in, her movements still carrying the same tension. matt tried to catch her eye one last time, but she avoided his gaze, focusing on gathering her belongings.
as they walked back to izzy's house, the park's lively atmosphere slowly gave way to a quiet, reflective mood. the day had been filled with activity, but for matt and faith, it had been a day of unspoken words and lingering awkwardness.
the walk home was subdued, the conversations more reserved as everyone reflected on the day. for matt, the park had been a stark reminder of the distance that had grown between him and faith, and as they neared home, he knew that finding a way to bridge that gap would be essential if they were to ever move past the awkwardness that now defined their interactions.
