when all else fails // matt sturniolo (slow updates..)

~four~

The sun creeping through the window wakes me up so I sit up, lifting my head off Matt's shoulder. Shit. I'd fallen asleep on him. I really hope he didn't notice. I slip out of the bed, making sure as though not to disturb him, and make my way down to the living room to find Nick, Chris and Justin gathered round the table. As soon as Chris sees me, he nudges Nick, who taps his phone, and suddenly no body, no crime starts to play on a speaker. 

"Nicholas!" I gasp, as 'I think he did it but I just can't prove it'

"What? You love Taylor Swift, we just thought you'd appreciate it."

"I know exactly what you're doing Nick and I don't appreciate it."

"What does she mean Nick?" Chris smirks, all three boys waging their eyebrows in my direction

"I don't know Chris. What do you mean Jordyn?" The boys look at me.

"Why are you two being weird?" Justin looks between Chris and Nick. "Actually, I probably don't want to know."

"I've seen the trend Nicholas. And I don't think you're funny."

"We're so funny Jordyn, don't you forget that." Chris chuckles, before turning to Justin. "Basically we think Jordyn and Matt slept together last night, we just can't prove it."

"Okay, makes sense," Justin says, still looking confused, "except Jordyn and Matt would never sleep together."

"Aren't you going to shower? You always shower first thing." Nick suddenly changes the subject,

"Normally I bring spare stuff when I'm staying. Because it's usually planned. I have no spare clothes."

"You can wear the same shorts, and Matt'll have a shirt for you," Chris winks.

"Pretty sure you're going a bit too far with that joke now Christopher," I roll my eyes.

Just as I say this, the door opens, and Matt walks in. Obviously he has just had a shower, because his hair is damp and very flat, which I can't help but giggle at. He queries my comment, "what joke?" As a response, Nick taps his phone again, allowing the lyrics to repeat. "Fuck you."

"Fuck yourself," Nick snaps back, "although, you've got Jordyn to do that now."

"And she needs a shirt from you," Chris points at him, "so after you've done it, she can have a shower and get changed."

"Or," Matt points back, "she can go home and have a shower there."

"But then she won't be here-" 

Nick and Chris share a look before Chris finishes Nick's sentence. "And how will you survive without your love." At this, Nick puts a hand to his head in an act of mock faint.

"Nick, that's some pretty fruity behaviour." I laugh, turning to Matt. "I would like a shower though. Do you think you could give me a lift home?"

"You're just giving them more ammunition," he laughs, but nods. "Come on then." 

A few moments later, I'm sat in the passenger seat of the jeep, and Matt is driving me home. It's not far to walk, it usually only takes me forty minutes, but I love driving with the Sturniolo boys. I hate cars, but something about Matt's driving is different to any other driver I've sat in a car with. "I didn't wake you did I?" I ask, breaking the comfortable silence. "This morning I mean, not now. I did try to get out of bed without you noticing."

"Technically yeah, you woke me," he doesn't take his eyes off the road, but it feels as though he's looking deep into my soul as he speaks. "But I don't mind, I'm awake earlier usually. In fact I was awake a few hours earlier, but if I moved I'd have woken you up, so I went back to sleep."

"Oh," I pause. "Sorry about that."

"Don't be," he's smiling softly to himself. "I hope my shoulder was comfortable enough for you?"

"You weren't meant to notice," I sigh. "But yeah, not a single neck pain. Better than the pillow I have at home actually. Maybe I should sleep with you more often."

"Don't let the other two catch you saying that," he chuckles. "This roads yours isn't it?"

"No the next right," I say, "but you can leave me here, I can walk the rest."

"Don't be ridiculous. I've gone to the effort of driving you 97% of the way, I think I can manage the next turn"

"It's always busy down my road though. Cars parked in the middle of the road. Honestly, I can walk,"

"If I can't get out, guess I'll just have to meet your parents."

"You've met my parents. Briefly. It's the rest of them you've never met. And I can assure you it's not just my cousin who's staying for the next week."

"Better to meet them now than at the wedding," he points out. Usually I'd agree, but my family is different, and it would probably be safer to avoid them on the run up to the wedding. They always get so stressed and shouty, and never just the bride or groom to be, it's the entire family, creating the most hostile environment you could walk into. But Matt seems sold on the idea of coming in, so I give him a weak smile and slight nod. I can already tell this small lie is going to go badly.

"Hey mum, I'm home!" I shout, and suddenly a lady who looks like my mum appears. Obviously it is my mum, but she has lost every ladylike characteristic she prides herself on, and looks like she's been dragged through several bushes backwards on two hours of sleep she got three weeks ago. "Safe to say, she doesn't usually look like this," I turn to Matt, who is trying to hide a smile. 

"Why are you home so early? And who's this strapping lad?" My mum asks, eyes darting between the two of us

"I came home for a shower and a bag. Think I'm going to crash with the boys until the wedding happens. It seems a bit stressful here and I'd hate to add more stress." Then I wave in Matt's direction, "this is Matt. You've met him before, with his brothers. He's my boyfriend." 

"Oh?" My mum walks around Matthew, doing her usual inspections and I give Matt a sorry smile. "How did you end up with such a good looking man Jordyn? Is he a horrible person?"

"No. We've been friends for years, I guess we just decided to take it to the next level?" It's a statement, but it comes out more like a question.  

"Exactly," he nods in agreement. My mum narrows her eyes, unconvinced, but once Matt slips his fingers through mine, she smiles, turning her back on us and heading back into the living room. 

"I'm going to have that shower," I look at him. "You've driven me home, walked me into my home, want to walk me to the shower as well?" 

We both laugh, "I can wait here if you genuinely want to come back to ours again." 

I nod, "want to wait in my room or with my family?"

"I think I'll tackle your family when you're with me,"