•ᴀʟᴡᴀʏꜱ ʏᴏᴜ• ᴍᴀᴛᴛ ꜱᴛᴜʀɴɪᴏʟᴏ

••ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ ꜰᴏᴜʀ••

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Song recs: Memories- Shawn Mendes

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•Angelines POV•

I was cleaning my room, trying to distract myself from the whirlwind of emotions that had been haunting me since Eli and I broke up. It had been a week, and the wound still felt fresh, like it had just happened yesterday. As I was dusting my nightstand, my eyes fell on a small box tucked away in the corner. I opened it and saw the pair of earrings Eli had given me for my birthday. They were beautiful. Seeing them now, I felt a sharp pang in my chest. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I quickly blinked them away.

I couldn't just sit here and wallow in sadness. I needed to put these memories away, at least for now, so I could start to heal. I grabbed a bigger box from under my bed and started gathering all the things that reminded me of Eli—photos, little gifts, and even a sweater he had left behind. I placed the earrings in the box gently, almost like they were made of glass, and then closed it. I carried the box to my closet and shoved it onto the highest shelf, where I wouldn't see it every day. Out of sight, out of mind, right?

Just as I was closing the closet door, I heard a knock. My heart skipped a beat. I wasn't expecting anyone. I walked to the door, my mind racing with possibilities. When I opened it, there stood Matt, looking a bit unsure but determined.

"Hey," he said, his voice soft and filled with a mixture of emotions.

"Hey," I replied, stepping aside to let him in. We moved to the living room and sat on the couch. There was a heavy silence between us, the kind that was filled with unspoken words and unshed tears.

Matt broke the silence first. "Angeline, I know this isn't the right time, but I have to tell you something." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "I still love you. I've always loved you, and I want to be with you again."

I looked at him, my heart pounding in my chest. I wasn't sure what to say. He continued, his eyes locking with mine.

"I was happy for you when you were with Eli. Really, I was. But the whole time, I wanted you back. I know you said you needed time, and I respect that. I don't expect an answer right now, but I wanted to make it clear that I still love you and want you back."

His words hung in the air, and I felt a lump form in my throat. "Matt..."

He raised a hand, stopping me. "Let me finish. I meant what I said last week: I don't want to lose you, even if it means just being friends. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't want more. I want to wake up next to you again, kiss you goodnight, have sleepovers, go stargazing... all of it."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing thoughts. "Matt, I appreciate you being honest. But the breakup with Eli is still so fresh. I need more time to heal from that before I can even think about starting something new."

Matt nodded, his eyes filled with understanding. "I get it. Take all the time you need. I'll be here."

I sighed, feeling a mix of relief and confusion. "It's just... this whole thing with Eli; it's really messed me up. I did love him, you know? And it's hard to just move past that."