{irl. social media, imessage}

-

"I can see straight through you..."

"What are you talking about?" Iris asks, walking past her to set her jacket on the couch before turning back around. Blake stands there, still devilishly smiling, as Iris plops down on the couch behind her. She was completely oblivious to what her sister was talking about

"It's so obvious. I thought the comments were crazy until I actually paid attention" Blake continues to ramble "I can't say i'm surprised"

"Blake do you mind telling me what the fuck you're yapping about?" Iris says as she rolls her eyes

Blake chuckles before sitting down across from her on the couch. She grabs a blanket and wraps it around her before continuing

"You and Matt"

Iris felt her heart flutter at the mere mention of their names together. She doesn't know what these feelings are, or where they came from. She doesn't know if she's okay with having them yet.

"What about me and Matt?" Iris laughs

"You so like him!" Blake says "All the comments talking about you two, they're not wrong. I'm your sister, I can tell when something's up. I don't know how I didn't notice before"

Standing up, completely shocked by her sister's statement, "I do not like Matt. That's crazy talk"

"Come on Iris. You're really trying to say you don't think he's super cute? When he touches you, you really feel nothing? How about when the room is full but you only decide to talk to him?"

She made a point. But it would be crazy to like Matt, right? Iris felt as if she were going insane.
Matt has always been in her life and she never felt differently about him. Until now.
What's different about this time?
Did it really take her this long to figure it out? It took her being apart from him to realize what she had.

She has never felt this way before about anyone, especially Matt.
Truth is, when they'd touch she felt electrified.
When they're alone together she never wants to be with anyone else again.

"Shit...I like Matt" Iris admits

It hit her hard. She believed this potentially has the ability to change their entire dynamic. Iris wasn't sure if she wanted that yet.

"Do you think he knows" Iris asks

With a shrug, Blake responds "Doubt it. There's only one way to figure it out. Hang out with him alone and really pay attention"

"This is crazy right?" Iris says

"Not as crazy as you'd think" Blake responds

Iris picks up her phone and stares at it for a few seconds before opening his contact. This is Matt. She didn't want anything to be weird, especially with him. She didn't know what was worse: watching him end up with someone else or not having him in her life at all.

Iris thought this would scare him off if he really knew.

Before texting, she realized he had already sent her a message.

matt (:
can i ask you a favor?

goo :>
ask away

matt (:
there's this bday party thing tomorrow night
nick and chris are going, it would look bad if i didn't
come w me so it's not miserable?

goo :>
i'll go 🖤
how should i dress

matt (:
just be yourself

-

Just be yourself. The normal state of Iris's wardrobe was oversized, baggy clothes. She would never leave her house again before letting any girl with her boobs out be in front of Matt, if it wasn't her.

"You'll be okay" Blake laughs "Sleep on it. There's gotta be something in your closet"

Leaving each other to go to bed, Iris couldn't help but to think about what could happen with Matt and her. She was afraid of losing him.

As she woke up the next morning, her phone already had a text from him.

matt (:
party is at 8
pick u up at 7:30?

goo :>
it's a date

matt (:
🖤

For a moment, Iris forgot about tonight and seeing Matt. She had seen him a million times before, but never with the feelings she has now.

She knew the most she could do was enjoy her day and whatever happens, happens. She spent time scrolling through instagram reels (which mainly consisted of color theory and sketch drawings), cooking lunch, and watching a movie before the time came to get ready.

Blake had left with her two friends for the party already, leaving Iris alone in the silence.

The damn silence that causes her to do nothing but think. Think about her nervousness, think about her awkward moments, think about Matt.

Opening her closet she was met with graphic t-shirts and cargo pants. If she was going out of her comfort zone to a party, she was going all the way. Reaching towards the back, she found a black dress. Perfect for a night out.

Soon enough, Matt was knocking on the front door before Iris opened it. In a way, they matched. He had a black shirt and black pants on. Simple, but Iris thought he had never looked better.

After staring for a few seconds, Matt opens his mouth to speak. "It's gonna be hard for other girls to show up when you look like that"

Her heart skipped a beat and her cheeks immediately turned bright red. Her smile did not leave her face. Matt had always complimented her, but this time it felt different.

Walking to the car, Matt again opens her door and goes around to his. As the aux begins, she immediately recognizes the song as Ms. Poli Sci by Paul Russell.

About a 15 minute drive later they pull up to a house with several cars outside and music that could be heard from the street.

"Are you nervous?" Matt asks, turning to look and evaluate her eyes

Matt has always loved Iris's eyes. He believed eyes were the window to the soul. Hers were dark brown and always able to give away exactly how she was feeling. Right now they said she was tense and uncertain.
When she looks at him? He didn't know what they said.

"No..." she answers

"Don't worry. I am too" Matt smiles, running a circle with his pointer finger to her palm "Let's do this"

With her hand wrapped around his arm, they made their way to the front door. There were several types of influencers. Vloggers, models, beauty gurus, and youtube groups. Iris could tell that she did not belong there.
Hell she only ever conquered being on film a few days ago.

"Where are Nick and Chris?" Iris asks over the loud music

"Said they'd be in the kitchen" Matt replied

This was neither Matt's or Iris's preferred environment. They made their way into the kitchen and found Nick and Chris exactly where they said they'd be, except surrounded by another boy and two girls.

"You put that shit on for real!" Nick exclaims, flicking the end of Iris's dress

"Just a little something" Iris replies with a small chuckle

"You're Iris right?" The girl next to Chris asks "I'm Nai. I saw you in the car video and some of your sister's content. Funny as fuck"

"Oh God" Iris laughs embarrassed "I swear i'm not always that fucking cringey. It's nice to meet you!"

"I had a feeling you would get along, you've met Nai, thats Larray and Kennedy. They're some of the first friends we made in Los Angeles." Chris says

The night continued as Iris's nervousness went away. She still held onto Matt's arm for total comfort, and he returned the need by his hand on her lower back. Iris got more adjusted to her new friends, a stranger would never guess they had just met.

Blake walks in the kitchen, laying eyes on Iris with a drunken smile as she strides over.

"I was looking for you! I'm leaving with my friends." She blurts out, an obvious hit of pink whitney in her breath "You have the entire house to yourself but don't have too much fun"

Her sister winks at Iris and pushes Matt's shoulder before walking away. Embarrassment set in and was visible on her face.

Matt catches a glimpse of Iris and notices that this was something only she understood.

"Well that was fun!" Larray says sarcastically, changing the subject

After most of the party had cleared out, including her new friends, a yawn escaped Iris's mouth and caught Matt's attention.

"You ready?" Matt asks, jiggling his keys

"Very"

Iris and Matt, Nick, and Chris head towards the car. Chris offers the front seat to Iris, which she gladly takes.

"Do you want to be alone tonight?" Matt asks

"I'd rather be with you"

Matt feels his eyes widen and a smile creep on his face. Unknown to Iris, that statement was exactly what Matt wanted to hear.

When they got back to their house, Chris and Nick hug Iris goodnight, leaving her and Matt alone.

"It's much bigger than what I imagined. It's so nice" Iris says, running her fingers along their granite countertops "You owe me a house tour"

Matt laughs and takes her by the hand, showing her the entire bottom floor (which held Chris's room) and upstairs (Nicks room) before making their way to Matts room.

"This is my room"

The door opens to a big white room. He has a queen sized bed, with his computer setup in the corner and pokémon displays on shelves. The room was so perfectly Matt.

"Oh my God. I always wondered who had the original copy of this photo!" Iris exclaims, rushing over to a frame sitting on the nightstand

The photo was from their childhood, with the triplets and the sisters all standing with backpacks on. Each kid had a giant smile, a goofy haircut, and a school uniform on.

"The first day of our fourth grade. I hated that damn uniform. My skirt was too long for my legs" Iris laughs, circling her skirt with her finger

"Look at my head. My hair is shining from the amount of gel lumped on" Matt joins in on the laughter

They both smile at the photo before moving on.

"I didn't really have a chance to grab a change of clothes" Iris admits

"Right" Matt says. He goes to his closet and pulls out a sweatshirt and sweatpants and hands them to her "Just come get me when you're done"

Matt walks out of the room, his audible footsteps staying by his bedroom door. She changes into his clothes, having fitting perfectly on her body. Iris folds her dress and lays it on his nightstand next to the framed photo. She opens the door, causing him to turn around.

"Wow" He says, taking a few seconds to look her up and down "Ready to watch something?"

"Watch what?" Iris asks, raising her eyebrow

"Don't assume I forgot your obsession "

They slide into his bed, turning off the lights and pulling the cover to their chins. Matt turns on Friends, specifically season 10 episode 17 and 18.
The episode where Ross and Rachel finally end up together forever.

Iris always loved this episode. The idea that if people are meant to be together, they will be together always warmed her heart. Watching Friends made her want her own Ross.

After both episodes were over, Iris glances over at the boy to her right.

Matt was fast asleep, allowing Iris to catch a long look. His hair flopped messily to the left of his face while his mouth had a small gap open to breathe. He had one hand above his head and the other extended towards her.

Iris wishes she could stare at his face every night.
But for now, tonight is enough. 

@KENNEDYCLAIREWALSH has followed @IRISLILLY
@LARRAY has followed @IRISLILLY
@NAILEADEVORA has followed @IRISLILLY

@IRISLILLY made a new post!

@IRISLILLY:  buy me shoes and tell me i'm pretty 🪽
liked by @matthew.sturniolo, @christophersturniolo, and 1,970 others
view all 450 comments

@nicolassturniolo: fucked that shit up 😍
     ↳irislilly: 💋💋

@user: her dress i'm obsessed
     ↳ irislilly: H&M babes 🖤🖤

@user2: lol okay...next.

@matthew.sturniolo: you're pretty
  ↳irislilly: where's the shoes?
   ↳ matthew.sturniolo: otw

@christophersturniolo: leaving the house means mirror selfies to post
  ↳ irislilly: GOTTA 📷

@user3:  MATTS COMMENT HELLO??

@user4: why is nobody talking about matt's comment??????

@blakely: when she gives black cat vibes 😻
  ↳ irislilly: my golden retriever 🫶🏼

@naileadevora: i can also buy you shoes 🙋🏽‍♀️
↳ irislilly: gf 😘

@KENNEDYCLAIREWALSH made a new post!

tagged ;; @irislilly @naileadevora
@KENNEDYCLAIREWALSH:  the trio you didn't know you needed 💋
liked by @blakely, @larray, and 340,522 others
view all 2,900 comments

@larray: definitely needed this 😍

@irislilly: mwah mwah
     ↳ naileadevora: 😽
        ↳kennedyclairewalsh:  😘

@user: broke my feed

@matthew.sturniolo: the girl on the left seems cool
  ↳irislilly: she's actually really cool (it's me, i'm her)

@user2: damn she gets posted online one time and all of a sudden iris knows everyone lol wtf

@user3: trio! trio! trio!

@nicolassturniolo: invite me to the next hangout