the spaces between

isa sanchez grew up in the house next door to the sturniolo triplets - chris, nick, and matt. she'd spent years tangled in their world: porch lights glowing late into summer nights, backyard games, rides to school, laughter that never seemed to run out. matt was always the complicated one - a little more guarded, a little harder to read - but he was hers in a way the others weren't.

then came that summer in seville with her mom's side of the family. it was the longest she'd ever been away, and when she came back, something had shifted. matt barely looked at her. he didn't smile like he used to. the warmth was gone, replaced by cool indifference and glances she couldn't decipher.

now it's senior year, and isa's trying to pretend everything's fine. but matt's silence feels louder than ever. and in the middle of it - between awkward group hangouts, shared classes, and lingering memories - she keeps asking herself what changed. why he pulled away. and whether the space between them still holds anything worth saving.

because even when he's distant, even when it hurts - isa can't stop feeling like something between them never really ended.

isa sanchez x matt sturniolo