{irl}
junior yr prom flashback!!
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"One more!" The smiling mother called out, tears very obviously in the corner of her eyes as she watches her daughter get older

Matt, Chris, Nick, and Iris were in the backyard taking pictures before leaving for prom. All four parents - MaryLou and Jimmy, and Ron and Marjorie - insisted on taking pictures for memories before handing the keys off to the kids.

"You said one more last time" Iris complains

Matt smiled at this comment. She was right, but he knew she didn't actually mind staying to take pictures if it made her parents happy. That was just who Iris is.

Matt appreciated having a friend like her.

"Be good tonight. Don't let her convince you two to do anything stupid" Ron jokes, directing his comment to Nick and Chris as Iris rolls her eyes

"Usually how that goes" Nick laughs "Don't worry. We will stick together"

Nick, Chris, and Iris made a pact to attend prom together. They each wanted to go just for the experience, but none of them had a date. They figured it was better to be with friends than to be with nobody at all. Matt was invited, but he knew his girlfriend would never agree to going separately.
But that's okay. He wanted to go to prom with Kelsey, despite the contradictory feeling in his stomach.

"You look beautiful" MaryLou compliments Iris, picking a piece of hair off of the back of her red dress "Thank you for going with my boys"

MaryLou and Marjorie, Iris's mom, exchange soft smiles with a side hug as they both soak in the emotional moment.

"Thank you for everything, MaryLou" Iris smiles back

"We are going to be late if we don't leave now" Matt says, jangling the keys in his hand

After saying all goodbyes, the four pile into the van before starting for the road. Matt, of course, was the driver while Nick took the furthest back and Iris and Chris took the closest other seats, leaving the passenger seat empty for his girlfriend.

Pulling up to a white brick house, she was already ready to get in the car.

Kelsey was everything that Iris wasn't.
She was on the road to be valedictorian, already dedicated to pre-med law at a university across the country. Sure Iris was also considered surely smart, but she was no doctor. Kelsey was one year older than the group. Tall, blonde, blue doe eyes. The best part about her was how much she liked Matt.
That's how they originally got together.
Just as any other typical love story, he caught her eye. Matt knew she would be good for him, and she was undoubtedly a wonderful person. Matt also knew that she also felt more strongly about him than he ever would about her.

Even when Matt was around Kelsey, he felt like something was missing.

"Sorry i'm late" Matt says as she gets in the passenger seat

"No worries!" Kelsey responds with a big smile "You look beautiful, Iris!" she turns around to observe her fully

"You look like a literal princess. Thank you" Iris responds

Iris and Kelsey got along quite well surprisingly. Despite being nothing alike, they enjoyed the time spent with the other, though never going out of their way to make plans outside of the triplets.

She thought Kelsey was a nice match for Matt. She was good for him. All of his quirky, introverted traits were forgotten to bring him to his best self.

"Do I look like a princess?" Chris mocks, squinting his eyes with a big smile

"Keep that attitude up and i'm gonna rip that bowtie off of you so nobody knows we came together" Iris rolls her eyes

Chris gasps and covers his heart with his hand as if he got shot, pretending to be insulted. Iris smacks him on the arm with her hand, resulting in a rupture of laughter.

"You guys are together?" Kelsey asks as she intertwines fingers with Matt

"Well, Nicks boyfriend is doing a semester over seas right now and I find all the boys at school - other than these three - absolutely obnoxious. Chris and I just have no interest in anyone. Figured we all might as well go together" Iris responds

"Honestly it isn't a bad plan" Kelsey smiles

The car ends at the high school where prom is held. After checking in and scanning their tickets, Matt and Kelsey go their separate ways from Iris, Nick, and Chris.

"That's sweet of them to go with her, don't you think?" Kelsey says as she wraps her arm around Matt

"Hm? Yeah. It's more together than it is with her. But I know what you meant" Matt responds

"Right...Well do you wanna dance?" Kelsey asks

"I don't really dance" Matt says

"Cmon Matt." Kelsey sighs, taking him by the hand and leading him to the dance floor

For a few songs they danced together, currently in the middle of a slow dance. Despite having his girlfriend's head on his chest and swaying to the music, Matt's eyes keep wandering to where his brothers and Iris was. They have seemed to have a good time all night. Matt watches as Nick excuses himself and leaves Chris and Iris alone for the slow dance.

Matt knew he should enjoy his time with his own girlfriend right now, but he just couldn't draw his focus away. Why was this bugging him so much?

It wasn't the fact that she was with Chris. As far as they go, they're only best friends. Matt did not have to worry about him swooning her. But what was he doing to have her laughing and smiling all night? She seemed so happy while Matt's heart fell to the bottom of his stomach.

Seeing them that close together, he was sick.

"Did you hear me?" Kelsey asks, directing her eyes to see what Matt was looking at. Finally willing to admit it to herself, she already knew "Oh."

"I'm sorry, no. What did you say?" Matt asks as he tries to shake himself out of the daze trance

"You're in between a rock and a hard place" She says "You don't have to say it for me to know how you feel"

"Kelsey, what?" Matt questions "What are you talking about?"

"Please let's just be real with each other. You haven't stopped watching her all night" She says

"Watching who?" He asks

"Iris"

Matt glances over to see Iris and Chris still smiling and slow dancing. He returns his focus to his girlfriend who had been watching him the entire time. The look on her face told him everything he needed to know.

"I'm sorry Kelsey. I'm such a mess, you deserve someone who can have it together for you" Matt groans, running his hand over his face as they return back to the table they originally sat at

"Matt, listen to me. It's okay...really." She lightly chuckles "I want you to be happy"

"Would it be inconsiderate to ask you what's wrong with me?"

"You have feelings for her. Nothing is wrong with you" She laughs again

Matt takes a moment to process the last ten minutes. Did he really like Iris? Sure he always knew she was beautiful, like really beautiful. And she was undoubtedly the funniest girl he knew. But that's how everyone felt about her right?

Holy Shit, he likes her.

Despite having a girlfriend, or ex-girlfriend perhaps, Matt had never felt this way before.

"What do we do now?" Matt asks "This hasn't really ever happened to me"

"Well...you're going to go over there" She points to Iris who is still standing with Chris alone "and dance with her. Make her feel like the only girl in the room. I'm going to go this way" She then points to a tall blonde boy across the room "and dance with Logan. I'm sure ole boy will be a good time for one night. And if someone asks, we will just explain that you broke up with me because we weren't a good fit"

Matt nods his head before embracing her in a hug. He had no feelings for her and always knew she liked him more than he could for her, but every goodbye is sad. Kelsey kisses his cheek before walking away.

Matt sighs and heads towards his brothers and Iris. He taps on her shoulder with a smile.

"Mind if I interrupt?" Matt asks

"She's all yours" Chris laughs, walking to the table behind him "My feet need a break anyways"

Matt steals Chris's position in the slow dance, allowing for Iris to conjoin fingers with him and place her head on his chest. They slowly move to the rhythm.

"Where's Kelsey?" Iris asks, gently peeking up to Matt as to not switch positions

"We eh...We broke up. It's for the best" Matt admits

"Aw Matt. I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

"I've never been better"

For the rest of prom, Iris, Matt, Chris, and Nick dance the night away together. Iris continued to steal Matt's attention, but this time Matt felt at peace with it.

They were some of the firsts to leave prom, stopping at Taco Bell afterwards and sharing a large pack of Cinnabons and discussing the night before returning home.

"I'm gonna walk her up and I'll be in" Matt calls out to his brothers

"Night Goo" They smile before entering the front door, leaving Matt and Iris alone next to her patio

"I really am sorry about Kelsey. I know you liked her" Iris frowns, hugging Matt but not releasing

"I have met too many Kelsey's before, I'll be fine"

Matt wanted Iris to kiss him and fall into his arms at that very moment. He wanted her to be his and his alone.
Yet, they both remained still.

"Goodnight, Iris"

"Goodnight, Matt"

Watching her front door open and close, and the second floor lights flicker on and soon off, he walked home with a small smile and hands in his pockets.

As he walked into his own home next door, the only presence was his father in the kitchen. He was cutting an apple at the countertop. Matt placed his keys and phone down before taking a seat next to his Dad.

He could always tell when something was bothering Matt. Unlike his brothers, Matt was someone who was often unreadable. In moments like these where he is extremely quiet are the times where he needs a shoulder to lean on.

"How was your night?"

Matt doesn't break the silence for a few seconds.

"I broke up with Kelsey tonight" Matt responds, running his face under both of his hands with a frustrated spell

"Really? What made you do that?" Jimmy says, leaning closer to his son

"I don't know"

Matt takes a moment and a deep breath, returning to look back at his Dad. A silence runs through the house again, everyone besides the two already asleep or in for the night.

"Son. What made you do it?" Jimmy says again.

Matt surrenders one last heavy breath as he slumps one hand to the side of his face, "I just...couldn't stop seeing Iris be happy with someone who isn't me"

"Matthew" His dad softly laughs, placing one hand on Matt's back "You feel this way because you like her. But when you like someone, you have to be willing to see them happy. Even when that happiness isn't because of you. The best thing you can do for her is to wait until she is ready too" He pauses for a moment before continuing "You've got it right this time"

"What do you mean?" Matt asks as he furrows his eyebrows

"With her. You've got it right. You were different with her since the beginning" Jimmy responds

"We all are different with Iris. Even Chris and Nick. That's just friendship, Dad"

"No, Matt. Chris and Nick love her, yeah, but not the same. Me and your mother have watched you embrace a different type of compassion, a different kind of happiness. Especially in these past few years"

Matt playfully scoffs, "Then why did you let me get with Kelsey?"

"You have to figure life out for yourself. Who are we to stop you from doing that?"

Matt knew his dad was right. He never would have guessed this is how today would go.

But if waiting until she is ready is the best thing for her, that is exactly what Matt would do.