{irl, social media}

-

"Still no idea where we are going?" Matt asks, one hand on the wheel and another on Iris's passenger side thigh

Moments like these are what Iris cherishes. Matt and her alone listening to a shared playlist while heading to spend time together. She knew this would be a memory she'd look back on often.
For tonight, Matt was hers and she was his.

He looked good, to say the least. Matt's beard was grown out, yet tamed. His hair was messy in the neatest way possible. He wore a graphic tee with baggy dark denim jeans paired with white air forces. a classic Matt outfit.

As good as Matt looked, that's not what made Iris captivated by him. She knew he was attractive.
Hell, everyone knew Matt was attractive.
But when he held the doors for strangers or complimented someone during a bad day, that's what made her weak in the knees. His kindness and compassion, his gentleness and calmness.
She loves who he is.

"Matt I have no license and don't even know the road names. I have no idea where we are, I definitely don't know where we are going" Iris responds smiling

"I'm honestly still processing everything" Matt says "I never actually planned for you to find out how I feel. Little less feel the same"

"If we are being honest, I didn't plan to ever feel like this" Iris laughs "I'm glad I realized what I was missing before some other bitch did"

"Vulgar" Matt laughs "But I expect nothing less from you"

The car ends at a local, but quiet patio restaurant. Fairy lights lit up the sky as a cool breeze flowed through the air. Matt checked in with the hostess and was soon led to a booth in the back, surrounded by only two other occupied tables.

They ordered their drinks - a Coke for Iris and a Dr Pepper for Matt - before placing the food order.

"I'm surprised you're not afraid of a fan being here" Iris says as she takes a sip of her cola

"The fans think we are already dating, I guess I seem like the kind of guy to move that fast. I don't know how many of them would be too surprised to see us here" Matt responds with a toothless smile

"I could never imagine my whole life being in the public eye though. Like everyone knowing everything about me" Iris admits "Your fans are like detectives. They knew about us before I even knew about us"

"You're just slow" Matt laughs "Took you long enough"

"Hey!" Iris gasps playfully

Matt reaches across the table and takes Iris by the hand, rubbing his thumb back and forth across her palm. They share sheepish smiles before breaking eye contact. Iris maintained a gaze to her surroundings.

The couple to their left looked to be in their 60s, maybe 70s. Both gray and enjoying quality time. They had shining weddings bands, visibly aged yet well maintained. The older man spoke softly to his wife with one arm around her. She leaned her head on him as he finished his meal.

To their right, a husband and wife with a small baby in a booster seat. They both appeared to be tired, not talking much but exchanging comforting looks while waiting to place their food order.

Matt notices as Iris watches the tables around them with a small smile on her face.

"Penny for your thoughts...what do you think their stories are?" Matt asks

"Them-" Iris responds, secretly point to the left table "I can tell they have true love. The kind of love that doesn't die. Maybe they met at a young age" She shrugs "But definitely soulmates. He loves her just as much as she loves him"

"You can see all of that just by looking at them?" Matt asks "Cute. What about the other?"

Iris looks over her shoulder to take a smaller glance back at the right table, "Obviously new parents. But they are figuring it out together. They probably met not too long ago, maybe it was love at first sight. I know you don't believe in that" She looks back at him "- I do."

Her eyes trace his face up and down as his does the same.

"What about us?" She smiles cheekily

"Childhood friends" Matt chuckles small "He always knew she was something special. She was always worth the wait"

"Matt you cute fuck!" Iris laughs "You're more romantic than anyone knows"

"What can I say?" He pretends to yawn, failing to look cool

After eating and a short drive later, the pair pulls up to a secluded park. Iris looks over at Matt with one eyebrow raised and a smile on her face.

"All these years of friendship and this is where you decide to kill me?" She pokes

"How'd you know?" Matt sarcastically responds, taking her by the hand as he opens and closes the car door for her. He leads her to the back of the park. A checkered blanket, empty canvases, and paint were laid out.
Matt evaluated Iris from the corner of his eye. He was worried that bringing the artist to an art date was cliche, but the smile on her face reassured him. She loved it, placing one hand on her heart and the other in his hand.

"Matt" She smiles "How'd you even do this? I have been with you for the past two hours"

"I may or may not have had some help from Chris and Nick" He admits

"That's really fucking cute I can't even lie" Iris says with a grin

They sit down on the checkered blanket across from the other, opening the canvases and beginning to paint whatever came to mind. Funny enough, they both wanted to paint lighthearted cute characters.

"I've been thinking about flying home to Boston recently" Iris speaks out, quickly looking up from her canvas to look at Matt

"Me, Chris and Nick were talking about that earlier" Matt says "When were you thinking?"

"Soon. Definitely soon." Iris responds, looking back down

"Any specific reason? Or are you just homesick?" Matt asks as he extends his leg out towards hers

Iris knew she couldn't admit that she just needed her dad. He was always there to help her make decisions. When she couldn't decide between high schools, he was there. When she couldn't decide to follow her sister to a new city or not, he helped. Not only did he help, but he always supported her no matter what. He made everything okay.
She definitely needed him to help decide between University of Pennsylvania and Matt.

"I've just been missing my Dad... I don't like imagining him being alone" She says

"Ron! Last time I called Mom, he was over there with Dad. I miss the old man" Matt smiles "Do you remember junior year prom? They made us four take photos for like thirty minutes before letting us leave"

"Do I remember?" Iris sarcastically laughs, rolling her eyes before directing them back to his "Matt...Of course I remember. Me, Chris, and Nick all went to prom together because none of us had dates. They even had little red bow ties to match my dress that me and Mom bought the day before. I even remember your girlfriend breaking up with you halfway through the night and you crawling back to us. The entire grade called me a whore for like a month for having three dates" She laughs again as she gently blows on the wet canvas, hoping to effectively cause the paint to dry faster

"What? She didn't break up with me" Matt grins, obviously confused "Who told you that she was the one to breakup with me?"

"You did. You said she went to Logan Washington instead" Iris responds, becoming just as confused as Matt

"Iris, no" He laughs "I broke up with her"

Iris chuckles before realizing that he was serious. She furrows her eyebrows and smiles, wiping her brush on the palette to indicate she was done.

"What?" She asks

"I was the one to breakup with her, then she went to him. I can't believe you're finding this out two and a half years late" Matt says

"Why did you breakup with her? Especially at prom" Iris says

"I saw you dancing with Chris alone. Obviously I knew it meant nothing, and you were literally there together. I've never had to worry about you with them. But I realized I was just trying to fill your space with someone else, and she didn't deserve that" Matt admits, his mouth moving to the left corner of his lips

Iris blinks surprised. This was her first time hearing the full story. When it happened, it was something she brushed off and never asked about to avoid scratching his fresh breakup wound.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Iris asks "I would've understood"

"Iris I spent years experiencing unreciprocated feelings. You would've understood that? It's okay though, Chris and Nick were the only ones I needed to know. Besides look at where we are now"

The air fills with a comfortable silence as thoughts spiral in Iris's mind. She wishes she would've known at the time. How could she have missed every sign? She's thankful Matt waited.

They share the paintings and laughter before cleaning up and heading to Matt's home listening to their shared playlist on Spotify. Upon arrival Matt opens the passenger door, then the front door. They were greeted by two smiling brothers and three bigger-smile girls.

"You guys have got to be the nosiest bitches I've ever met" Iris immediately laughs

"I'm going to ignore that! How was the date!" Nick smiles ironically

"Goodnight" Matt playfully scoffs, placing his hand on Iris's lower back and leading her away from the living room and the crowd

"Ouch!" Kennedy yells from the other room as a joke

They lay down after changing into pajamas as Iris replays the day in her head. Amazing days like this make the decision a lot more harder.

How would she ever pick between her dreams and the boy next to her?

@IRISLILLY made a new post!

@IRISLILLY:  instagram is my bff <3
liked by @matthew.sturniolo, @christophersturniolo, and 5500 others
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@kennedyclairewalsh: i'm scared of pretty bitches
↳ irislilly: boo 👻

@naileadevora: did u breathe or backflip
↳ irislilly: guess
↳blakely: breathe
↳kennedyclairewalsh: ^^^^^

@user: those are definitely matt's rings

@matthew.sturniolo: 🐸🖤
  ↳irislilly: 🖤🐼

@christophersturniolo: picnic is so fire
↳naileadevora: hello christopher
↳christophersturniolo: hi there
↳irislilly: not again ):

@user2: don't know how to feel rn

@nicolassturniolo: i thought i was ur bff
↳irislilly: ur my bf***

@user3: wait this is cute
 
@user4: do u love mi is crazy

@ILOVEPEPSI made a new post!

@ILOVEPEPSI: just two bros waiting for the third bro. nothing to see here.
liked by @nicktootired, @irizz, and 400 others
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@irizz: i'll never take him from u again 😢
↳ ilovepepsi: that would be appreciated thx ☺️

@nainai: ur kinda cool!
↳ ilovepepsi: kinda?
↳nainai: kinda.....

@undercovertrip: i hate everything about this
↳ ilovepepsi: luv u too

@user: Where is Matt
  ↳user2: someone isn't caught up on the lore

@user3: seeing a different perspective like i'm in the multiverse

@nicktootired: stop fucking calling us bros
↳ilovepepsi: ok bro

@user4: i need to see 3/3