Obsessed With You

chapter 24

Sophia

I noticed Mattia standing there, totally silent, staring at the ground like he was trying to avoid looking at me. His silence made my stomach churn, but I just kept waiting, hoping he'd say something. Anything.

Finally, he looked up, and when our eyes met, it felt like the air shifted. He didn't break the stare, not for a second.

"Sophia," he said, his voice low, almost like he was talking to himself. "These photos... I swear to God, they're not what you think. I tried to push her away, but she kept getting closer. She wanted you to see the other side of this shit. Make you think I was the asshole."

I swallowed, my mind spinning as his words sank in. My heart was pounding, but I kept still, not sure whether to believe him or not.

Mattia grabbed my phone from my hands and swiped through it like he knew exactly what he was looking for. Then he showed me the photo -Gigi in that damn red nightgown. "This? Yeah, this was from last night. But listen, she said she had some problem, that I'd be a piece of shit if I didn't go help her because she'd always been there for me. So I went, but it was a fucking trap. She played me, Sophia. I tried to leave, but when I tried to walk out, she pulled me back. I shoved her off me and left."

I wanted to scream, wanted to tell him he was full of shit, but something in his eyes... something real in his voice made me stop. I felt like I was drowning in everything I couldn't wrap my head around.

He grabbed my hands, his grip firm, almost desperate. "I'm telling you the truth. You have to believe me, Sophia. Please."

And somehow, I did. I didn't want to, but I did. "Okay, Mattia," I said, my voice shaking. "Okay, I believe you. It's over. It's done."

But he didn't look relieved. He looked more confused than anything. "Do you really believe me? Or are you just trying to shut me up? Are you trying to pretend it's all okay so you don't have to deal with this?"

I stood there, my mind racing, but his eyes wouldn't let me look away. He was holding my hands tightly, his voice desperate. "Please, Sophia. I swear it wasn't like that. She tricked me."

I wanted to push him away, but something in his voice made me stop. After a long pause, I finally said, "Yes, I believe you."

His eyes softened, but he was still unsure. "Really? Or are you just trying to make this go away?"

"I believe you," I said again, this time more certain.

Mattia let out a breath of relief, his shoulders sagging. "Okay... thank you."

I looked at Mattia, noticing the way he was standing a little stiffly, like he was holding back some pain. "You should get ready. We're going to buy you that t-shirt," I said, trying to keep my tone light, even though I could see how uncomfortable he was.

He gave me a half-smirk, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah? Alright." But he didn't move at first. He just stood there for a second, taking a deep breath, like he was trying to power through something. Then, he turned and walked toward his room.

I waited, tapping my foot, trying not to seem too impatient. After five minutes, there was a knock on my door. I opened it, and Mattia stood there, fully dressed, looking way more put together than I expected. "Ready," he said, giving me that same half-smile.

"Alright, let's go." I walked past him, heading toward the stairs, but then I stopped. "Wait, how are we getting there? You can't drive the scooter, and the car's not here."

He didn't skip a beat. "Call a driver. Have him take us to the mall."

I pulled out my phone without saying anything more and called the driver. After a few seconds, I hung up. "We're all set," I said, looking back at Mattia with a small smile. "Now we can go."

The car pulled up to the mall, and the driver turned off the engine. I stepped out first, then Mattia slowly followed, his movements sluggish. It didn't take much to notice that he seemed a bit off-his face was pale, and he was swaying slightly as if he was dizzy.

"Mattia, hey," I said, rushing to his side. He looked at me, blinking a couple of times, like he was trying to focus. "Are you okay?"

He gave me a tight smile but didn't say anything. Instead, he shifted his weight, and I could tell he was trying to hide how bad he felt. "I'm fine," he muttered, but his voice didn't sound convincing.

I placed my hand on his arm, gently guiding him. "Come on, put your hand on my shoulder," I said softly. "Let me help you."

He hesitated for a second before finally resting his hand on my shoulder, using me to steady himself. We walked into the mall together, his steps slow, but at least he wasn't stumbling now.

Once inside, I steered him toward a shop that had the kind of t-shirts I knew he liked. The store was busy, but I didn't care. "Alright, pick one," I said, gesturing to the racks of shirts. "We'll find something that looks good on you."

Mattia looked around, his eyes scanning the shelves but clearly distracted. I could tell he was still fighting the dizziness, but he nodded and started pulling shirts from the rack. "What do you think of this one?" he asked, holding up a dark green shirt.

I smiled. "It's good, but I think something a little bolder would suit you." I grabbed a black one with a cool graphic print and held it up to his chest. "What about this?"

He glanced at it and nodded slowly, still not fully focused. "Yeah, that works."

I stood outside the fitting room, leaning against the wall, waiting for Mattia to try on the t-shirt. The store was busy, the sounds of people chatting and hangers clinking filling the air. I checked my phone absentmindedly, trying to distract myself from the fact that Mattia had been inside for a while now.

Suddenly, I felt a light tap on my shoulder. Turning around, I froze for a second, my breath catching in my throat. Standing in front of me was someone I hadn't seen in what felt like forever.

"Well, if it isn't the beautiful Sophia," a familiar voice said, a teasing grin on his face.

I blinked in surprise before a smile broke across my lips. "Mike?" I said, half in disbelief. Without thinking, I threw my arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. "Oh my God, it's been years!"

"Two years, to be exact," he laughed, hugging me back warmly. "I thought I'd never run into you again."

Mike had been my friend in school, one of the closest. We had been inseparable back then, but he moved away, and I hadn't seen him since. "You look... exactly the same," I teased, stepping back to take a proper look at him.

"Well, you look even better than I remember," he said, his grin widening.

I shook my head, laughing softly. "I can't believe you're here. What are you doing back in town?"

"Family stuff," he shrugged. "But enough about me. What are you doing here? Shopping?"

"Yeah, something like that," I said, glancing quickly toward the fitting room where Mattia was.

Mike raised an eyebrow, noticing the look. "Waiting for someone?"

I smiled slightly, unsure of how to explain. "Uh, yeah, just helping a friend pick something out."

Before I could say more, the fitting room door creaked open, and Mattia stepped out, looking a little better in the t-shirt, though still somewhat pale. His eyes flicked to me, and then to Mike, a curious look crossing his face.

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