•ᴀʟᴡᴀʏꜱ ʏᴏᴜ• ᴍᴀᴛᴛ ꜱᴛᴜʀɴɪᴏʟᴏ

••ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ ꜱᴇᴠᴇɴ••

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Different- Joshua Bassett

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•Angeline's POV•

The night was warmer than usual, a soft breeze blowing through the open windows of the triplets' new apartment. The place still smelled like fresh paint and new furniture, but it already had that lived-in vibe that came with the boys being, well, themselves. Boxes were half-unpacked, and Chris had set up his x-box within minutes of moving in. It was so close to my place that I'd probably be over here more often than not—at least if I wasn't leaving for tour tomorrow.

I glanced around the living room, watching the three of them argue over what movie to put on. Nick wanted some kind of action film, but Chris was dead set on a comedy. Matt, usually the peacekeeper, just sat back and let them go at it. It felt so normal, so familiar, like every other night we'd spent together.

"You guys are impossible," I said, laughing as I stuffed another handful of popcorn into my mouth. "I'm picking if you don't decide in the next thirty seconds."

They ignored me, of course, still bickering, but there was no real heat behind it. Just the usual back-and-forth made me love being around them. It felt like home—laughter, teasing, and moments like this. I wasn't ready to leave yet.

"Okay, okay," Nick finally said, throwing his hands up in defeat. "Let's just watch the stupid comedy. Chris wins."

Chris grinned in victory, and Matt gave me a small smile from across the room, his eyes flickering with something I couldn't quite read. He'd been quieter than usual tonight, and I couldn't tell if it was because I was leaving or if it was something else. Either way, I didn't want to overthink it.

We all piled onto the couch, a mess of limbs and blankets, while the movie started. The bickering didn't stop, though. They made fun of every scene, throwing popcorn at each other and making jokes that barely made sense. I laughed so hard I thought my sides would hurt, and for a moment, I forgot about everything. I forgot about the tour, about leaving tomorrow, about the whole Matt and Eli situation, everything. It felt like before, before everything had to change. I never realized how much I missed those nights at their home in Boston, but I really did. I was happy things were slowly getting back to normal.

But when the movie ended and the credits started rolling, the apartment fell into a comfortable silence. The boys started getting up one by one, saying they were tired, and we all exchanged goodnights. Nick and Chris were the first to retreat to their rooms, still teasing each other as they parted ways. Matt stayed back for a second, lingering near the couch, his eyes catching mine.

"Night, Angeline," he said softly, and there was something in the way he said it that made my heart skip a beat.

"Night, Matt," I replied, giving him a small smile as he disappeared down the hall.

I sat there for a while, staring at the now-blank TV screen, trying to sort through the mess of emotions swirling in my chest. I should've been exhausted, but I was wide awake. There was too much to think about—too much to feel. Tomorrow, I was leaving. I'd be gone for months, and who knew what would happen between me and the boys... between me and Matt? I was hoping for some more clarity while I was away. While I was pretty sure I wanted to be with Matt, I just didn't know when.