CHRIS STURNIOLO IMAGINES

Echoes of Us

The stadium was electric. The entire crowd seemed to hum with excitement as I stepped out onto the stage at Gillette Stadium. The roar of the fans, their energy practically vibrating through the air, made my heart race. The lights blinded my eyes, but I was used to the lights, cheers, and the feeling of being seen. I'd worked hard to get here; standing before thousands of people felt surreal.

But even with the crowd chanting my name, something else lingered in the back of my mind. Something I couldn't quite shake. It was the sight of the three familiar faces in the front row.

The Sturniolo triplets.

I hadn't seen Chris, Matt, or Nick in years. Life had moved on for all of us, the years slipping by in a blur of new opportunities and new people. But seeing them in the crowd reminded me of the time we'd spent together in high school before everything got complicated. Before I became... this.

Chris.

I hadn't thought about him in so long, but now that I saw him again, it was impossible to ignore the pull of old feelings. His eyes seemed to follow me every time I looked his way, and I felt my chest tighten whenever I caught his glance. I hadn't expected to feel anything at all. I thought I'd moved on. I thought I'd let go of the past, especially when it came to him.

But there it was, the spark that had never entirely gone out.

As the show went on, I tried to push my thoughts away. There were fans to entertain, songs to sing, and moves to perfect. But every time I turned toward the side of the stage where they were, my mind wandered. I couldn't help it. My eyes kept finding Chris and the memory of those late-night conversations, the way we used to talk for hours without even realizing the time was passing. The way he'd look at me, that tenderness in his eyes, made me feel like I was the only person in the world.

And then, as the last song came to a close and the lights came back up, I saw them again. The triplets were making their way toward the backstage area. I barely breathed as I went to the side entrance, flanked by security. It felt surreal—almost like stepping back into my past, a past I thought I had buried.

I didn't know if Chris wanted to talk to me after all these years. After all, we'd drifted apart for a reason. But as I turned the corner and saw him standing there, my heart skipped a beat. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed him until that moment.

"Y/N?" he asked, his voice betraying him with a mix of surprise and warmth.

He froze, eyes widening, and we stood momentarily staring at each other. It was as though time had stopped. And maybe it had.

"Yeah, it's me," I said, smiling softly. "I didn't expect to see you guys here tonight."

The awkwardness between us melted away quickly as we exchanged small talk. It felt like we were treading carefully, testing the waters, unsure how to approach each other after everything that had happened. But as we spoke, I couldn't help but notice how natural it felt to be around him again. The chemistry between us was undeniable.

Eventually, Matt and Nick wandered off to give us space. And just like that, Chris and I were left alone. The stadium's noise had faded away, and suddenly, all I could hear was the steady beat of my heart in my chest.

I knew he was going to say something. I could feel it in the air, thick with unspoken words. I swallowed hard, unsure of what I was going to tell myself.

"Y/N..." His voice was hesitant, and I could feel the vulnerability in his words. "I don't know what happened between us. Life just... got in the way. But I never stopped thinking about you. I—I never stopped caring about you."

I felt my heart tighten. My breath caught in my throat. I had no idea he felt this way. I hadn't expected him to say something like that. I opened my mouth to speak, but the words caught in my throat.

Before I could reply, he rushed on. "I don't expect you to feel the same, but I can't keep pretending that I don't feel this... thing between us. I've missed you. I've missed us."

I stepped closer to him, my hands shaking slightly. I had to say something. My thoughts were swirling in a whirlwind of memories and emotions, but I couldn't ignore what my heart told me.

"I've missed you too, Chris," I finally whispered, and as I said it, it felt like something inside me clicked back into place. Like the missing piece of the puzzle had finally found its home.

Chris's expression softened, and for a long moment, we just stood there, the world around us disappearing.

"I'm glad," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "I've always regretted losing touch with you, Y/N. I know it wasn't just my fault, but... I don't know if we could ever return to how things were, but I'd like to try."

I took a deep breath. I wasn't sure where this would lead or what it meant for us. But I knew one thing—there was something undeniable between us. Maybe it was unfinished business; perhaps it was just the spark that had never truly gone out. But whatever it was, I knew I wasn't ready to let go of it.

"I think... I think we can," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper but filled with certainty.

And just like that, everything felt right again. All the years of distance, of silence, seemed to fade away as we stood there under the lights of Gillette Stadium. I had no idea what would come next, but I was ready to find out.

For the first time in a long while, I felt like I wasn't just living in the past but stepping into the future. And whatever that future held, I knew I wanted Chris to be a part of it.

Together, we were starting something new. Something that felt like it had been waiting for us all along.

The soft buzz of the crowd still echoed in the background as we stood there, the tension between us palpable. My heart was racing, my body caught somewhere between the past and the present, between the person I was now and the person I'd been with him. Chris took a small step closer, his hand hovering between us like he wasn't sure whether to bridge the distance.

His gaze locked with mine, searching for something unspoken in my eyes. "Can I kiss you?" he asked, his voice low, shaky with emotion.

I could barely breathe. I didn't trust myself to speak. So, instead, I nodded, a simple motion that spoke louder than any words could.

His eyes softened, and he closed the distance between us without another word. His lips brushed against mine, soft at first, almost tentative, as though he were unsure if I'd pull away. But I didn't. The moment our lips met, something inside me shifted. It wasn't just a kiss—it was a reunion. After all the years of distance and silence, he seemed to disappear instantly.

His hands found their way to my back, pulling me closer. The kiss deepened, slow, filled with longing, as if we were both trying to make up for lost time. His touch was familiar and grounding; every inch of him felt like home. It wasn't perfect, but it was ours—raw and honest—and it felt like we had never been apart.

The world seemed to fall away when we finally pulled away, breathless and with our foreheads resting together. The noise, the distance, all of it faded into the background. Only the two of us stood together in the quiet after the storm.

"I've missed you," he whispered, his voice full of awe.

"I think I've missed you more," I replied, the words slipping out before I could stop them.