the spaces between

try it

isa's fingers curled tightly around her phone in her pocket as she walked up the familiar steps to matt's front door. the weight of the letter she'd found earlier — that unopened envelope from him — pressed in her other hand, folded neatly but full of things she wasn't sure she was ready to face.

matt opened the door before she could knock, his face a mix of surprise and guarded calm. "hey," he said, stepping aside to let her in.

she hesitated a moment, then held up the letter. "i got this today... it's from you, isn't it?"

his jaw tensed, eyes flicking away from hers. "what? no. that's not mine."

isa's heart sank, confusion mixing with a sudden sharp ache. "but the handwriting... it's your handwriting."

he shook his head slowly, stepping back as if to put space between them. "i don't know what you're talking about. maybe it's from someone else."

she swallowed hard, struggling to steady her voice. "and the message on my phone? the one you sent weeks ago? you said you were glad i came home."

matt's eyes darkened, and he ran a hand through his hair, looking exhausted. "maybe i was trying to be nice. that doesn't mean anything."

"doesn't mean anything?" isa echoed, voice breaking. "then why say it?"

he looked at her like he was trying to find the right words but coming up empty. "i don't know, isa. i'm scared. i don't know how to say what i really feel."

her throat tightened, tears threatening to spill. "but pretending none of it happened? pretending the letter isn't real? that hurts more than you know."

matt swallowed, voice quiet but firm. "i'm not ready. maybe i never will be."

the silence between them grew thick and painful. isa turned slowly, clutching the letter to her chest, the fragile hope she'd carried now heavy with doubt.

"i just... i thought you wanted to try," she whispered before stepping back and out the door, the cool air hitting her face like a sudden truth she wasn't ready for.

- chlo speaks!

uh oh

pleaaase dont be a dry reader!