CHAPTER FOUR !
⤷ ❝ YOU KNOW NOTHING. ❞
MATT SLOWLY OPENS HIS EYES, the intrusion of sunlight filtering through unfamiliar blinds casting a soft pattern across the room. the air carries a scent, not his own, but one he can't quite place—a perfume, evidence of a night spent in proximity to someone he barely knows. he squints against the light, eyes gradually adjusting to the surroundings.
the first thing he sees is an open closet. he spots an array of garments—dresses, blouses, and skirts—hanging in a curated display. the colors and patterns seem to tell a story, a narrative of someone else's taste and preferences, each piece a brushstroke in the portrait of a person he doesn't truly know.
the next thing he sees are his jeans and belt lying in a pile from where he threw them last night.
the realization sets in, a subtle discomfort settling in his chest. he shifts slightly, feeling the warmth of another body beside him. the girl from the night before lies there, still in the hazy embrace of slumber. his eyes trace the contours of the room, taking in the subtle details—the framed pictures on the wall, the soft glow of a bedside lamp.
turning his head to look at the girl he spent the night with, he notices her arm draped lazily across his back. the touch, once a fleeting moment of connection, now feels like an encumbrance. a faint scent of her perfume lingers in the air, an echo of decisions made in the dim light of the previous evening.
he doesn't like this girl's perfume very much, and he often finds himself feeling this way when he spends the night with girls, noting that there's only one who seems to carry a scent that he actually likes. the one girl who doesn't even like him right now.
summoning the courage to disentangle himself from the remnants of the night, matt gently moves her arm, careful not to disturb her sleep. not because he'd care if he wakes her up, but because he doesn't want to deal with questioning of when he does.
as he sits up, the sheets slide away, revealing the aftermath of a night spent in pursuit of something elusive. matt casts a final glance at the sleeping figure, her presence a reminder of the choices he finds himself making.
he looks around the room, trying to find his phone. he probably has about a million missed calls from his brothers. he left the house last night and didn't tell anyone. he never does.
he spots his phone and has to hold himself back from groaning. of course it is on the opposite side of them room. lying on the nightstand to the left of the girl. matt sighs as he carefully reaches across her.
the girl starts shifting from right underneath his body and he freezes. biting the inside of his cheek, he prays silently that she stays asleep. he does not feel like hearing his name from this girl right now.
after a few moments of a slow-mo moment of fear, the girl goes still once more. matt quickly grabs his phone and puts the bright screen against his chest so the room isn't illuminated even more.
now, matt needs to get out of here without waking her up. he gently pushes himself off the bed and picks up his jeans. he begins to slip into them, moving as quietly as possible. every creak of the bed makes him wince, but the girl remains undisturbed.
he walks over to the foot of his bed and spots his shirt. with the way his clothes are practically a trail back to the door, it's like matt is reliving the night over again.
not something he wants to do by the way.
he slips his shirt over his head and once dressed, matt tiptoes to the bedroom door, pausing to locate his shoes. he finds them scattered near the entrance. as he puts them on, he shoots one last glance at the sleeping girl, relief washing over him because she didn't wake up.
he could literally be a spy with his skill.
with shoes in hand, matt eases the bedroom door open, making his way out of the unfamiliar room. he closes the door softly behind him, leaving behind the scent of a night he'd rather forget.
matt moves through the hallway, glancing around for any signs of life in the house. the quiet hum of morning sunlight filters through a window, casting a warm glow on the hallway floor. he navigates the space, trying to recall the layout from the blurry memories of the night before.
each step is deliberate, a calculated effort to avoid waking anyone who might be up. the house is silent, and matt's mind races with the need for a swift exit. he reaches the front door, carefully turning the handle, relieved to find it doesn't squeak.
once outside, the crisp morning air hits him, and he inhales deeply. freedom.
he walks briskly to his car, parked a little way down the street. matt unlocks the door, the soft beep signaling his entry. he slides into the driver's seat, the leather interior welcoming him like an old friend.
as he starts the engine, the car comes to life, a purring companion in the early hours. matt checks the time on the dashboard – it's still relatively early, the world around him draped in the quietude of dawn. the streets are deserted, the occasional jogger or early commuter breaking the stillness.
the engine hums as matt pulls away from the curb, the tires rolling over the quiet asphalt. the dashboard clock ticks away the minutes as matt maneuvers through familiar turns, the city slowly stirring to life. he glances at the rearview mirror, catching a glimpse of himself – disheveled, a night's weariness etched on his face.
matt and chris are going to have a field day when he gets home.
matt opens the front door, the familiar creak announcing his return. it's still early so he's hoping that nick and chris are still asleep. at least he'll be able to shower before they're all in his face questioning him.
as matt ascends the staircase, he can already hear the subtle sounds of activity emanating from his apartment. he's literally rolling his eyes as he hears the rhythmic clicking of a keyboard and the occasional commentary float through the air.
why the fuck are they up early on today of all days?
he reaches the top of the stairs and turns the corner into the living room. there, sprawled on the couch with a tablet in hand, is chris. his focused expression is illuminated by the glow of the screen, and the low hum of game film commentary fills the room. he's biting on the tip of his tablet pen and nodding his head. matt smirks; it's a typical scene, one he's witnessed countless times.
he spots nick hunched over his computer, fingers dancing across the keyboard with practiced efficiency. the soft glow of the screen illuminates his concentrated expression. matt just assumes he's writing plans out for future videos or editing one.
they're both in their own worlds and matt has to grin. he can easily sneak past them. they're the type of people who could be getting robbed but not even realize until two days later.
he steps up the final step and begins to quietly walk over to his room. meanwhile, he's contemplating how he'll spin his story to minimize the impending interrogation from his brothers.
however, as soon as matt rounds the corner, the creaking of the floorboards beneath him betrays his presence. both chris and nick look up simultaneously, their eyes narrowing in on him. there's a moment of silence, the air thick with unspoken questions.
genuinely fuck him. how does he forget where the creaky floorboards are in his own house?
"welcome home," chris says, a sly grin playing on his lips as he arches an eyebrow. he pauses his game film and puts his tablet on the couch next to him. he looks matt up and down and sees him in the same clothes he wore last night. "no change of clothes this time?"
matt glares at chris, regretting every creak of the floorboards under his weight. they do this every time as if they don't already know who he is. "yeah, had a spontaneous sleepover, you know, unplanned and all," he retorts, a hint of annoyance in his voice.
nick laughs as he turns his body to face matt, "definitely unplanned. you left the house a lot later than you usually do." chris laughs from his spot on the couch, throwing his head back and all. "is it the same girl or a new one?"
matt rolls his eyes, dismissing their curiosity. he pushes off the wall he was leaning on, walking over to the refrigerator. he might as well get a drink while he's here. "why are you guys even awake right now?"
chris and nick exchange puzzled glances, evident confusion etched on their faces. nick narrows his eyes, "because we have plans today..?"
matt looks between his two brothers. "what plans?" chris' jaw drops and matt continues. "no seriously. what plans?"
"bro," chris sighs with a shake of his head. "we're picking classes for the semester." matt's eyes widen and chris laughs. "you know that zara loves to use our student-athlete passes to make sure she gets the exact schedule she wants."
matt's expression turns from annoyance to genuine bewilderment. he starts feeling sick because he does not that. better than anyone. zara has a step-by-step plan of exactly what she wants to do. if she doesn't get the classes she wants, she is going to kill him.
she already wants to do that bad enough already.
nick shakes his head. matt's memories are coming back to him already. zara and lena are supposed to come over and the five of them are going up to campus together.
"i fucking forgot." matt facepalms. "what time are they coming over."
chris grimaces, "they beat you here."
as chris delivers the news, matt's eyes widen, and a wave of realization washes over him. zara and lena are already here? zara is already here?
panic sets in, and matt contemplates the fastest way to change into presentable attire before zara lays eyes on him. but then he stops the panic. he doesn't care anyway. she's the one who has a problem with him.
still though his heart low key drops at the creaking of the floorboards. matt winces; it's like the universe is conspiring against him. he turns to see them emerging from nick's room, both wearing amused expressions that spell trouble.
zara's gaze locks onto matt, and the mischievous smirk that was once playing on her lips is gone. lena, standing beside her laughs and zara joins in. matt curses under his breath; zara is going to enjoy this way too much.
"look who decided to grace us with his presence," zara says, her tone a perfect blend of amusement and mock surprise. she eyes matt up and down, taking in the disheveled appearance and the fact that he's still wearing last night's clothes.
knowing that no one else knows about the two of them, zara can say whatever she pleases and mask it with the fact that "it's just a joke."
lena giggles, "did you have a wild night out, matt?"
"yeah matt," zara adds, walking closer to matt and stopping in front of him. she tilts her head at him and matt has to ignore the way that she kind of looks good right now. "did you?"
matt grits his teeth, each remark digging a little deeper under matt's skin. he attempts to play it cool, offering half-smiles and shrugging off their insinuations. yet, there's a lingering tension, an unspoken knowledge that zara's teasing goes beyond the surface.
matt raises an eyebrow, his defense mechanism kicking in. "just a regular night out, zar." he tilts his head right back at her. "you know me." zara does know him. in ways that no one else knows him.
for obvious reasons.
zara shrugs and walks past matt to go sit at the kitchen table next to nick. lena laughs and dramatically looks at matt's outfit again. "seems like a wild night to me." lena points at matt's jean zipper. "your zipper is literally undone."
chris, nick, and zara burst out laughing as lena jumps on the couch, laying her head on a pillow next to chris' leg. matt rolls his eyes but his cheeks heat up. how old is he? how is he still forgetting to zip his pants up?
"oh fuck no," nick says as he shuts his computer and stands up from his spot from the kitchen table. "go shower and get dressed so we can go."
"try not to forget to zip your pants up this time!" chris says, causing lena to punch him in the leg and laugh with him. chris stands up from his spot on the couch, picks him his tablet and stretches his arms over his head. "i'm gonna go change too and grab my football stuff because i have walkthroughs when we're done."
"alright," matt says as he quickly zips his pants up, avoiding zara's gaze. "i'll be done in like half an hour."
nick nods, "i'm gonna change real quick too," as he grabs his laptop and heads towards his room.
zara follows suit, casually mentioning, "i need to grab my phone charger from nick's room." the three of them head to the left side of the house, leaving matt and zara alone in the area between the living room and the kitchen.
as soon as they're out of earshot, matt turns his head to look at zara. she's on her phone scrolling away like she doesn't care that she's in the same room as him.
"jokes seemed personal today," matt says, a hint of challenge in his tone. he walks closer to kitchen doorframe. "you jealous?"
zara laughs and without looking away from her phone says, "you wish."
matt narrows his eyes, unswayed by her act. he really doesn't know what has gotten into her since last semester. she's just been so mad at him all the time. "it's okay if you are. i get it zar." matt leans against the doorframe, putting his hands in his front pocket. "you can have me back as soon as you say the word."
"i'm okay," zara says simply, still not looking matt in the eye.
matt sighs, running a hand through his hair. "cut the shit zar. you know you miss this."
zara finally looks up from her phone, her eyes meeting matt's. "miss what?" she frowns at him. "immaturity and poor decisions?" zara shakes her head. "no, thanks."
matt smirks, undeterred. he loves when she insults him for some reason. it's entertaining to him. plus, he likes when she looks at him when she's mad. she's only made because she cares about him. "those decisions didn't seem so poor when i was in your bed." zara scoffs and matt shrugs. "pretend you hate me all you want. i know you better than that."
zara rolls her eyes, dismissing his comment. "you know nothing."
"i know that you like kissing my face," matt says with the smirk on his face not even dropping in the slightest.
matt can tell zara is getting mad now and it's exactly what he wants. usually when she gets mad enough, she just kisses him to make him shut up. zara opens her mouth to respond, but before she can get her words out, nick calls from his room, "zar, can you bring my laptop charger from the table?"
zara sighs, closing her phone and putting it into the back of her jean pocket. "yeah!" she reaches towards nick's charger and grabs it. "we're done here," she says, walking past matt towards nick's room. as she passes him, she leans in, her voice low and pointed, "by the way, matt, you smell like sex."
matt stands there, caught off guard, as zara disappears down the hallway to nick's room. the words hang in the air, and matt is left with a mix of frustration and realization. the realize that things with zara might really be different this time and the frustration that she has to look so good all the time.
matt sits on a bench outside the advisor's office at ucla, the bustling campus providing a vibrant backdrop. the sun casts a warm glow, and the rhythmic hum of student activity fills the air. he glances at his phone screen, awaiting the return of his brothers, zara, and lena who are inside picking their classes for the semester.
as he sits, matt engages in a bit of people watching. he loves coming up with little storylines for the different people he sees. his mind, however, keeps drifting back to zara—her teasing remarks earlier, the undeniable tension between them, the way she effortlessly gets under his skin.
he wishes she would just be on his skin so that he would be able to avoid using words as much.
as matt continues to people-watch, he notices grayson approaching from a distance. grayson, a familiar face on campus, has that casual, approachable vibe. matt leans back on the bench, ready for a friendly exchange.
he used to hang out with grayson a bunch last year until the end of the semester when the two of them out too busy. he's a pretty calm guy.
grayson gives matt a nod and a grin. he takes his headphones off his ears and sticks his hand out. "yo, matt! what's up, man?"
matt grins, dapping grayson up. "nothing much. just picking classes out." they snap as they let go of each other's hands. "you know how it is."
"for sure." grayson takes a sip of his water. "we need to hang out soon, though. it's been a minute."
matt nods. "just hit me up anytime. it's not hockey season yet so i'm pretty much free all the time." matt gestures to the soccer bag on grayson's back. "i know you're not though."
grayson laughs, adjusting the straps of his bag. "season is in full swing right now but i'll hit you when i'm free." he points at the advisors office. "zara's in there, right?"
matt can't help but raise an internal eyebrow at grayson's asking about zara. why would he care? better yet, why would he know that she's here in the first place?
"yeah, she's in there," matt responds, a slight curiosity hidden beneath his casual tone. he studies grayson's face intently. why the fuck does he care and why is he smiling now?
grayson grins, a hint of warmth in his eyes. matt doesn't like the look in his eyes at all. it's not normal. it's... different. "damn." damn? "i'll catch her later. you know how it is."
actually, matt does not know how it is at all. why would he be catching her later? are they friends or something?
matt nods, but a small seed of confusion takes root. matt pushes the thought aside, not wanting to overthink it.
"cool, man. let me know when you're free, and we'll chill," matt says, maintaining his relaxed demeanor.
"definitely, i'll hit you up." grayson takes a look at the watch on his wrist. "i gotta run to practice now. catch you later, matt!"
as grayson heads toward the soccer field, matt watches him go, a subtle puzzle piece in his mind. shaking off the momentary confusion, matt refocuses on the bustling campus and the students going about their day, contemplating the next move in his own.
zara and grayson? absolutely no way. he doesn't even know why his mind goes there because that is the most random pairing ever. how would they have even met?
lost in his thoughts, matt feels his phone vibrate in his pocket. ge pulls it out, expecting a message from one of his brothers or maybe even zara. okay, expecting a text from zara is just wishful thinking. to his surprise, it's a text from the girl he spent the night with.
delaney h
matt ─── matt
delaney h ─── delaney hoyas
delaney h
leaving without saying goodbye matt??
matt
i had somewhere to be
delaney h
couldn't even stay for cuddles
crazy
matt
i don't cuddle
delaney h
right
last night was fun though
always is with us
matt
yeah
delaney h
want to come over tonight?
have another free crib
matt
can't
delaney h
you left your hat here though
matt
i'll get it another time
delaney h
k
i'll keep it safe for you
matt rolls his eyes as he reads the message. he decides not to respond because he's not in the mood for all of that right now. he is pretty mad that he left his hat there though. it's his favorite hat.
matt's curiosity about zara and grayson lingers in the back of his mind. unable to resist the urge to investigate, he pulls up grayson's Instagram on his phone, scrolling through the posts to see if there are any recent hints or clues.
he thinks about checking zara's instagram, but he knows that she likes the private stuff. she would post him, but literally just the sliver of his leg. grayson on the other hand though. matt knows that grayson is a lover boy. if he was in a relationship, he would do all kinds of cute shit.
matt isn't saying that he wouldn't do that for the right girl. he's just saying that right now, he isn't a loverboy.
as he swipes through the pictures, a mix of soccer-related shots and casual moments with friends, matt searches for any signs of zara's presence. the captions, the comments—everything is checked for a potential connection between the two.
matt's analytical mind begins to be put at ease when he doesn't find anything zara related. grayson isn't zara's type at all. they're definitely better as friends.
as matt continues to scroll through grayson's Instagram, a post catches his attention—a photo that looks unmistakably like zara. his initial sense of relief begins to waver, replaced by a sinking feeling in his stomach.
he squints at the picture, analyzing every detail. there is no fucking way.
there she is. well, there her eye is. it's really just a photo of her eye and some of her hair but come on. matt knows what zara's eyes look like.
his mind starts churning again, considering the context, the expressions, and the potential dynamics between zara and grayson. the comments section becomes matt's next destination, and there it is—a comment from zara, a playful remark that suggests a close friendship, maybe more.
matt's smile fades as he absorbs the reality of the situation. his earlier assumptions were premature, and a twinge of something he can't quite put into words settles in.
what the fuck.
he goes over to zara's account and suddenly sees all these posts he never saw before. was he muted? was he blocked? because now it is becoming extremely apparent to him that zara and gray might actually be a thing.
what the fuck.
graysonholmes
pochettino
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user you're fineeee
user soccer boys got it
lenarossi who's eye is that 🤔🤔🤔🤔
↳graysonholmes idk fr
tommysilva that boy is him
xavirossi the only man who can save manchester united
↳graysonholmes facts
user think you stole my girlfriend i'm not sure though
zararossi he met poch!!!! he's going to chelsea!!!! transfer confirmed!!!!
↳graysonholmes shhh don't spoil the surprises
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user you're so cute
user who is this mystery man
graysonholmes she's a runner she's a track star
↳zararossi she gon run away when it gets hard
user waiting for the reveal of mystery man
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gaboliveria prettiest girl ever
as matt processes the unexpected cross over moment with zara and grayson, confusion sets in. how did he miss this? they were supposed to be close friends, and yet, the existence of zara and grayson never crossed his radar.
he literally follows both of them on instagram. it's not just the lack of information that bewilders matt but the realization that this might have been going on for a while.
he realizes that zara and grayson could have started dating over the summer, a time when they were all scattered. probably after zara ended it with him "for good". the thought provides a tentative explanation, yet matt can't shake the feeling that he should have known, that somehow the universe kept this piece of information from him.
his mind races through the countless conversations with his brothers, zara, and even grayson. how did such a significant development remain unspoken? matt's confusion gives way to a sinking suspicion that he's been out of the loop, a sensation he's not accustomed to.
pressing anyone about is impossible. matt realizes the delicate nature of their relationships, especially with zara. their close friendship, shrouded in the secrecy of their friends-with-benefits arrangement gone wrong, means that he can't probe too deeply without risking the exposure of their shared secrets.
the realization hits him like a ton of bricks—this is why zara has been acting so strangely lately. her distant demeanor, the tension between them. it's all because she's dating grayson. matt feels like an outsider in a narrative he thought he understood.
let's be real. matt knows that they're dating. everyone seems to know but him and matt is stuck wondering how exactly that happened.
was he really too busy with other girls to notice? why didn't zara herself just tell him.
just then, zara, lena, nick, and chris emerge from the advisor's office after finalizing their class schedules, matt can't help but feel a heavy weight settle in his chest.
his eyes inadvertently lock with zara's, and for a moment, time seems to freeze. zara's gaze, once filled with the familiarity of their shared history, now feels like a puzzle matt can't solve.
"now that that's over with," lena starts, taking matt's attention away from zara. "can we please go get churros now?"
"absolutely," nick says immediately with a nod of his head.
"i agree," zara adds with an action that matt doesn't see because he's staring at nick instead. he can't even look at her right now. because... is she serious? she flirts with him and then conveniently leaves out the part where she has a boyfriend?
chris frowns. "i have football." he looks at his phone screen, checking the time. "i have to leave like now too. can you guys get some for me?"
"should you be eating churros during season?" zara questions furrowing her brows at him.
chris rolls his eyes as he starts walking away from them. "just get me two please."
"of course brother!" nick jokingly exlaims as he gives him a thumbs up. "just go get good at football."
"i'm already good, nick," chris says as he turns around and begins to pick up his pace. matt watches as chris walks away, lost in his thoughts.
he is too confused right now. he has too many questions.
"okay so are you gonna stand there, or are you gonna drive us to get churros?" lena asks, scratching her head awkwardly.
lena's request for a churro run pulls matt back into the present, momentarily diverting his thoughts from the complex web of emotions. despite the heavy atmosphere lingering between him and zara, he nods in agreement, forcing a smile for appearance's sake.
"alright," matt responds, his voice a touch quieter than usual. "let's go." the group begins to move, and matt, ever the reliable driver, takes the lead as they head towards the familiar churro spot.
as they walk, nick enthusiastically talks about the incredible taste of these particular churros, their shared favorite. matt listens attentively but finds himself disconnected from the conversation, lost in the labyrinth of his own thoughts.
the realization that zara and grayson are together gnaws at him, and questions persistently resurface. he keeps coming back to the same question. how the actual fuck did he not know?
not that he cares anyway.
just zara and grayson shouldn't be together. especially not after that night he spent with zara in particular. feelings don't change over night. matt decides, though, that he won't let his annoyance. he'll continue to act like he doesn't know about zara and grayson.
it'll come up and when he does, matt will definitely pretend to be dumb about the whole thing.
whatever game zara is playing at, matt is playing it too. there's no way she's over him and there's no way she really likes grayson.
no way.
VAL SPEAKS
i can't wait to write jealous matt like wow
fc change !!