Roomie (Matt Sturniolo)

42

You sat in silence on the couch as your eyes shifted between Nate and Lilly.

"I'm telling the truth" Nate said. "I've warned him and he didn't listen"

Lilly raised her voice, "warned him? You should've stopped him! Men are so dumb!"

You agreed, but you stayed quiet because everything you said now, would make it worse. In this moment, you felt at peace. You watched your friends shouting, their mouths moved but you couldn't hear the words.

Like you and Matt, you parents rarely fought. You mother could be problematic yet her father loved that woman more than anything in the world. So you hated whenever they raised their voices with each other. They claimed to be so in love but when things got bad, where did all the love go?

Had it not been for those fights, your parents' marriage probably wouldn't have lasted this long. So maybe you needed to be at home shouting at you husband, not hiding at your best friend's place like this.

"You should've told me! You're just like Matt!"

"I'm nothing like Matt. I report everything to you. Who tells their wife about their colleague getting hair extensions? I do!"

"I'm going home" your statement ended the argument in a heartbeat.

"You sure?" Lilly asked as you stood from the couch.

"Yeah" you smiled. "We'll be fine. Don't worry"

Lilly and Nate seemed doubtful, but they still let you go. They walked you to the door and reminded you not to throw a tantrum when you spoke to Matt. You kept that advice as you took an Uber home alone. You told yourself to stay calm and think this through, for the spoken words could leave permanent damages. Still, a part of you wanted nothing more than to shout at him to release your frustration.

Soon you got home. You took out your keys, but before you entered, the door swung open. Matt burst out, frozen when he saw your face. You exchanged a silent look before he spotted the duffel bag you were holding. You planned to spend more than one night away from him.

Matt grabbed you like you were the last thing in the world that could keep him sane. "I'm sorry" he whispered into your neck, over and over again.

You hadn't seen him this scared since you gave him back the promise ring in New York.

"Let's go inside and talk" you said, pushing him away, but wanting to just be in his arms. Your eyes were cold and his were full of anxiety.

He stepped back, watching you, searching for a sign. "Please hear me out" he said, as you closed the door and put the bag down. "I can explain"

"You always have a lot to say, but never when you should"

Matt looked down at the floor. It was funny how he asked for the chance to explain, but he didn't know how to begin.

"I nearly stayed at Lilly's tonight" you started, not wanting to waste time. "Then I realised marriage didn't work that way, so I came back. And I want to know everything from you. Nate told me what he knew, and I made my own assumptions from the video. But now I want your side of the story"

"She was going to send it to me" he said, hanging his head low. "But she sent it to you by mistake"

"And you believe her?"

He didn't answer. That was how you knew he did. He believed what Sam told him.

"It seems..you believe in everyone.." you let out a small laugh. "Everyone. Except for me"

"No, I-"

"You didn't think I could handle it, is what why you lied? Why am I the last to know everything?"