Belonging Season

07

Matteo quickly stepped back from Stella, his expression slightly sheepish. "No, no, you're not interrupting anything," he said, a hint of guilt in his voice. Stella quickly dabbed her eyes and tried to compose herself, her emotions raw from the argument with Lorenzo.

Stella sniffled and let out a shaky breath before forcing a weak smile. "Excuse me, I need a moment," she said, her voice still a bit wobbly. Without waiting for a response, she hurried away, her emotions threatening to spill over at any moment.

Matteo and Luna exchanged a look of concern as they watched Stella quickly exit the room. Matteo was about to follow her when Luna put a hand on his arm. "Give her some space," she said quietly.

Luna folded her arms across her chest and looked at Matteo with a stern expression. "What was all that about just now?" she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of annoyance. "Why was she crying and why was she clinging onto you like that?"

Matteo tried to play it down, his face taking on a sheepish expression. "It was nothing, really," he said, his voice hesitant.

Luna raised an eyebrow skeptically, sensing that there was more to the story.  "You seemed pretty comfortable there, holding her like that."

Matteo rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the heat rise in his cheeks at Luna's accusatory tone. "You have to believe me, it wasn't what it looked like. We're just friends, that's all."

Matteo's voice grew more assertive as he tried to justify himself. "Stella's been my best friend since forever," he continued, "I'm just a little too excited to have her back, that's all. There's nothing to worry about, I swear."

Luna scrutinized Matteo for a moment, her expression a mixture of disbelief and frustration. She wanted to press further, but Matteo's adamant insistence seemed genuine. She let out a sigh and relented. "Fine," she said finally. "But you better keep your distance and respect boundaries with her."

Matteo rolled his eyes at Luna's comment and responded defensively. "You're overreacting," he said, a note of irritation in his voice. "You're being dramatic for no reason. Stella's my friend, and I was just comforting her because she needed it. You're making this into a bigger deal than it is."

Luna huffed, her annoyance clearly visible on her face. "Right, I'm overreacting," she retorted sarcastically. "Because it's completely normal to have your best friend sobbing into your chest while clinging onto you like her life depends on it. Just keep telling yourself that, Matteo."

Matteo scoffed, his patience wearing thin. "Oh yeah? And since we're at it, how about we talk about your best friend, Simon?" he shot back, his tone challenging. "You should take a good look in the mirror before you constantly criticize me, you know."

Matteo stomped off, frustration etched on his face, leaving Luna standing there alone, her arms still folded across her chest. She let out a frustrated sigh, shaking her head slightly as she watched him leave.

Matteo searched through the quiet town, heading down familiar paths until he reached the spot he knew his best friend would be. There she sat, by the river where they used to spend hours as kids, her gaze fixed on the flowing water.

Matteo approached her quietly, not wanting to startle her. He sat down beside her on the ground, his eyes fixed on the flowing river as well. For a few moments, they sat side by side in silence, the only sound being the gentle lapping of the water against the rocky shore.

After a few moments, Matteo broke the silence, his voice soft and sincere. "You know you can talk to me, right?" he said gently. "Whatever it is, you can tell me. We're best friends, after all."

Stella's words stung, her tone laced with hurt and frustration. "You call us best friends?" she repeated, "After all this time? Matteo, stop pretending. Today was fun, I appreciate you wanting to make me feel included or whatever, but we forgot that you have your life here, and I have mine – somewhere far away."

Matteo felt a pang of hurt at her biting words, his heart clenching. He hadn't expected her to lash out like that, to dismiss their friendship so easily. He tried to keep the hurt out of his voice as he responded. "Is that what you really think?" he asked quietly.

Stella's voice was firm and resolute, her words carrying a hint of sadness. "Matteo, what else is there? You can't turn back time. You can't just pick up where we left off and pretend those years in between never happened," she repeated, her eyes still fixed on the rippling water.

Matteo was silent for a moment, digesting her words. He knew she was right, that their friendship couldn't just revert back to how it was. Too much time, too much distance, had passed in-between. But still, he couldn't bear the thought of losing her again after just having her back.

"Amore—" he began, only to be stopped short by her stern response. "Non sono il tuo amore," she said, shaking her head. "You're forgetting someone, don't you think?"

Matteo fidgeted awkwardly, feeling increasingly guilty and conflicted. He wanted to deny it, to say that he wasn't forgetting Luna, but the truth was he had been so caught up in the moment and the familiarity of being with his old best friend again, that he had inadvertently pushed thoughts of Luna to the back of his mind.

Stella looked at him directly, her eyes filled with a mix of vulnerability and resignation. "Matteo," she asked softly, her voice tinged with sadness. "What do you want from me?"

Matteo was caught off guard by her question, unsure of how to respond. He shifted uncomfortably, his mind a swirl of conflicting emotions. He wanted to tell her the truth, that he wanted her to be a part of his life again, but he knew it wasn't that simple – he had Luna to consider now.

Matteo's mind raced, torn between the strong bond they had shared as best friends in the past and the loyalty he owed to his girlfriend, Luna. He couldn't just admit his true feelings to Stella – it wasn't fair to her, or to Luna. He let out a deep sigh, his heart heavy with uncertainty.

Stella scoffed, her voice laced with a mix of resignation and frustration. "Indecisive as always," she said, shaking her head. "At least one of us hasn't changed."

Matteo fidgeted under her gaze, feeling a pang of defensiveness rise within him at her remark. "I'm not indecisive," he muttered, although his voice lacked conviction. "I just... I just need to think."

Stella looked at him with a mixture of resignation and sadness in her eyes. "Matteo," she began, her voice gentle yet firm. "You have nothing to think about. Let go of this idea you have of me, and be happy with Luna. You know our story doesn't have a happy ending."

With that final statement, Stella stood up abruptly, her eyes not meeting his. Without another word, she turned and walked away, leaving Matteo alone by the river, his thoughts still swirling in turmoil.