forward / slash ✭ matt sturniolo

BONUS VOL ONE

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It's been an utterly shitty day. Leanna wishes she could dismiss it as melodrama or exaggerated misery, but unfortunately, that's not the case.

Her weekend in Somerville, spent soaking up every precious moment with Matt before his departure for their tour, was supposed to set the tone for a great week. However, her exhaustion upon returning home at 3 A.M. meant she forgot to set her alarm for her 9 A.M. class. As a result, she missed all of today's lectures. It was frustrating, but luckily, her friends in class were kind enough to share their notes.

If that were the only hiccup in her day, Leanna wouldn't be this frustrated. But fate had more in store for her. Her period arrived, catching her off guard with a scant supply of pads or tampons. When she attempted to drive to the store to restock, her car refused to start.

Thankfully, she had just enough to last the day and her mom said she'd pick some more up on her way back home from work. However, accompanying the period came excruciating cramps that seemed impervious to the earlier dose of Ibuprofen. All Leanna truly wanted was to be with Matt, but he had warned her earlier that he'd be busy and might not respond promptly. Their last conversation had been three hours ago, and she hates to admit it for the sake of sounding clingy, but she really misses him. Left alone with her frustrating day, the only company she has is her Statistics homework, which she simply cannot grasp.

"Fucking permutations and combinations," she curses internally, her frustration boiling over.

Staring at the intimidating math problem before her, she realizes she has a quiz later this week, and she can't make sense of a single thing. Leanna decides to switch gears and work on her essay instead. Yet, the blank document on her screen mocks her mercilessly.

"Look at you!" the blank document hisses, taunting her. "Aren't you a songwriter? You should be able to handle this!"

In a fit of frustration, she slams her laptop shut and rubs her temples. Barely scraping by in her last math course, she's determined to achieve at least a B in this one. But she can't help feeling like her brain comprehends math at a third-grade level. Leanna clenches her lips, overwhelmed by a sense of inadequacy that threatens to unleash a torrent of tears.

Just as she's on the verge of succumbing to her frustration, the doorbell rings, abruptly catching her attention. In her haste to answer it, her hip collides with the sharp corner of the kitchen island, adding a new wave of pain to her already troubled day.

"Great," she mutters under her breath, wincing at the ache in her abdomen and hip.

Cursing her luck, Leanna opens the door to find Matt standing there, holding a bouquet of flowers. Her heart skips a beat at the sight of him. He's saying something, but she can't fully register his words because she's overwhelmed by a flood of emotions. All he receives in response are tears streaming down her face.

"I'm sorry they're not poppies. I didn't have time to go to that florist shop that sells them," he rushes out, oblivious to the reason behind her tears.

Leanna shakes her head, then wraps her arms around Matt, seeking solace in his embrace. He instinctively tightens his hold around her.

"I love you," she manages to say through her tears.

"I love you too, but I'm very confused," he responds, pulling away slightly to examine her face. With a gentle touch, he wipes away the tears that continue to spill.