DESTINY - Matteo Riddle

Part 26

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It was a cold, gray Sunday morning.

The light outside was dim, barely filtering through the thick clouds that had covered the sky. There was a biting chill in the air, a sure sign that winter was closing in.

Out of Matteo's dorm room window could be seen a bleak wintry landscape. A thin layer of frost clung to windowsills and rooftops, sparkling like diamonds in the weak sunlight. The silence outside was a testament to the early hour, most people still tucked snug in their beds.

Matteo and Star were curled up together in his bed, wrapped in a tangle of blankets. They were fast asleep, their bodies relaxed in each other's arms.

Matteo's arm was slung loosely around her waist, his hand resting on her hip. She was snuggled up against him, her head resting on his chest, her ear over his heartbeat. The room was quiet except for the soft sound of their breathing, their peaceful sleep undisturbed by the outside world.

Star blinked the sleep from her eyes, her mind slowly coming awake. Glancing out the window, she saw that it was a cold, gray Sunday morning.

The sight of the dreary weather made her thoughts turn to her parents, as they always did on Sundays. It was the day she used to visit their graves.

But ever since she had learned that her brother had placed fake tombstones in their memory, the thought of visiting those false graves made her feel conflicted.

Matteo stirred, slowly awakening from sleep as he felt her moving in his arms.

He opened his eyes and saw her gaze cast outside the window, a pensive look on her face. Even though he was kind of an expert in guessing her emotions and what she was thinking, he couldn't seem to figure it out now.

"Good morning, Princess" he mumbled, his voice gravely from sleep.

She turned to him, a small smile on her lips as she was pulled out of her thoughts. "Good morning," she said, her voice soft. He raised his hand and caressed her cheek, his touch gentle.

"What's going on in that head of yours?" he asked, his sleepy eyes looking at her with concern.

Star sighed, looking back out the window for a moment. "Just thinking," she said, her voice weary. Matteo frowned, sensing that there was more to it.

"About what?" he prompted, running his hand through her hair.

She rested her head on his chest, seeking comfort in his touch.

"It's nothing," she said quietly.

He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. "You know you can talk to me about anything," he said, his voice soft, yet firm. "I won't push you, but I want you to know that I'm here for you."

Star kept silent for a moment, listening to the steady thump of his heartbeat. She knew that he was there for her, but she just couldn't bring herself to open up.

The pain and complicated emotions tied to her parents' deaths made it hard to find the words to properly express how she felt.

Despite Matteo's comforting presence, she felt choked up, unable to talk about the topic without her throat closing.

He felt her body tense under his hands, sensing that there was more to her silence than just not wanting to talk about it.

He gently stroked her hair, trying to comfort her, but he knew that pushing her would be useless. Instead, he continued to hold her silently, not wanting to press her any further.