See you in the Aisle!

Missing Pieces

Matteo's POV

The Beginning...

I remember that day vividly—it was my wedding, and I was a bundle of nerves. The ceremony was underway, and there I was, standing at the altar with Emily, trying to keep my cool. I glanced around and saw a sea of faces, but one stood out—a woman walking down the aisle with such grace and poise that I couldn't help but gawk. Her name was Aria, though I didn't know it at the time.

She was a bridesmaid, and as she glided past, I felt an odd, magnetic pull. I must have looked like a deer caught in headlights because my friend had to nudge me back to reality. "Matteo, focus! The ceremony's starting," he whispered, shaking me from my reverie.

It turns out, my cousin Chase—one of the groomsmen—had an unexpected allergic reaction to the flowers. "Matteo, I'm in trouble," he said over the phone, his voice sounding like he was auditioning for a role in a medical drama. "I've got to go to the hospital. Please, can you take my place at the reception?"

I was momentarily distracted by the thought of how flowers could be so vindictive, but I agreed. "Got it. I'll cover for you."

The reception was a bit of a social whirlwind. I kept an eye out for Aria, hoping to have another chance to talk to her. I was so nervous, I felt like I'd taken a masterclass in awkwardness. I practiced my lines obsessively, even rehearsing in front of the mirror while brushing my teeth. "Hi, I'm Matteo. Want to talk about—gum?"

You'd think I'd have a better strategy, but there I was, clutching a piece of gum like it was a prop in an improv class. I approached Aria several times, trying to muster the courage to speak, but my nerves turned me into a walking cliché of fumbling dialogue.

Then, on a stroke of luck, I found a small piece of gum wrapper with Aria's social media handle scribbled on it. I had been searching for this elusive piece of paper for days, turning my apartment upside down. It was like a scavenger hunt, except the treasure was a gum wrapper and the prize was a chance to talk to Aria.

I finally found it in the back of my car. I had been so relieved I almost cried, which would've been an awkward thing to explain. "I found it!" I exclaimed to my empty car, feeling like I had just won the lottery.

When I reached out to Aria, I was so relieved to hear from her. Our conversations were easy and fun, and I made sure to ask her out on dates. I wanted to impress her, so I planned outings with a level of detail usually reserved for NASA missions. I wanted to show her I was worth her time.

On one of our dates, I couldn't resist bringing up our first meeting. "You know, I was incredibly nervous when we first met. I even practiced my lines in front of a mirror."

Aria chuckled, "And here I thought you were just trying to make an impression."

"Well, you see," I said with a grin, "I didn't want to come off as a total goofball. But I guess I succeeded anyway."

As I looked back on that day, I couldn't help but laugh at how everything had unfolded. From my awkward attempts to approach Aria to the dramatic search for the gum wrapper, it all seemed like a comically elaborate plan. But it had led to something truly special. Aria and I had found something genuine and wonderful amidst the chaos, and I wouldn't trade those moments for anything.

.....

It was one of those lazy summer afternoons, the kind where the beach seems to stretch endlessly and time feels like it's moving in slow motion. Aria and I were still in that delicate stage of figuring things out—our conversations flowed, but we hadn't exactly labeled what we were doing.

We'd been invited to a beach gathering by Aria's friends. I was excited but also a little anxious. It wasn't just any beach party; it was the kind of gathering where you're introduced to everyone as "the guy who's been seen with Aria."