Getting Over Matt

28 - "Wow, you weren't kidding."

Chapter 28 - "Wow, you weren't kidding."

"Well, this sucks." 

I was sitting in the window, watching the rain fall heavily from the sky and bounce off the concrete enthusiastically. So much for a White Christmas... 

"It's Christmas!" Mum said cheerfully, shaking my shoulder playfully as if that would help to disperse all my misplaced enthusiasm. "Cheer up a bit! Where's your Christmas spirit? In Italy with your boyfriend?" 

"I was talking about the fact it's raining rather than snowing, but thanks for bringing that up again, Mum."  

"Have you spoken to him today?" 

"Briefly," I replied. "We did a long video call last night. We'll probably do a similar thing this evening, too." 

Mum sat down beside me, wrapping her arm around my shoulder. "I'm really happy for you, Isobel." 

I smiled genuinely, for the first time during the conversation. "I'm really happy for me, too." 

And I was.  

- 

Later that evening, Nathan and I loaded up the webcams again. Just seeing his face, even on my computer screen, brought a smile to my lips and butterflies to my stomach.  

"Merry Christmas." He flashed me his signature grin. "Again." 

"Merry Christmas to you, too. How's your day been?" 

"It's been nice," he replied, nodding. "Christmas is meant to be a family thing, and that's been made even more special by the fact I rarely see my family." 

I smiled, but almost sadly. Nathan must miss his family a lot. He never really showed it, but a lack of close relatives was surely something he noticed on a regular basis.  

"Have you ever considered moving back?" 

"Not recently. It's not a big deal. I'm a grown man. How is this different from moving out?" 

"Well, you barely ever see them." 

"I go where life takes me, Bella. One day it will probably take me back to Italy. Ever fancied living there?" 

I smiled. Nathan always made a big deal out of living life by the day. He never planned ahead. Knowing that his future plans involved us together filled me with warmth.  

"My mum was teasing about marriage earlier," I admitted sheepishly.  

"I knew she was in love with me!" 

"Shut up," I laughed. "I meant you and me. Not you and her." 

He winked. "Just teasing, Bella." 

He suddenly looked over his shoulder at something that wasn't visible on the camera. A girl then came into view. She was blonde with long, wavy hair, and extremely pretty. This must be his sister, Georgia.  

"Is that her?" she asked Nathan, looking at his screen.  

As she was staring at the screen rather than the webcam, she wasn't looking directly at me, but I guessed she had her eyes on the video and was seeing me there.  

"Yeah," Nathan said. "That's her." 

"Wow, you weren't kidding." She smiled, glancing quickly at Nathan. "She's really pretty." 

"She is," Nathan said in agreement. "But we're actually on a video call so she can hear everything you're saying." 

His sister laughed in embarrassment. "Oh. Sorry to interrupt!"