Down by the Creek Pt-1

Posted on Wed May 19th, 2021 @ 5:33pm by Unawakened Zosia Galantis & Private Mattias Tonelly

Mission: The Factions
Location: Syracuse, NY
Timeline: Present Day

The studio windows were open, the last of the sunshine shining through the thin curtain as the sun set. Zo sat perched on a stool in front of her easel. The finished ocean scene she had painted before her. Part of her wanted to add it to the stock pile of finished pieces lined again the wall of the garage and not tell Lexi. The other part of her wanted to see her face light up when she gave it to her. Zo sat there tossing the two scenarios back and forth in her mind when her phone started buzzing.

It had been a couple weeks since the comic con in Long Island where she met Matty, or Mattias rather. They had bonded over art and pizza before the 'show' had started. She still cringed when she remembered the event, and Lorde. Zo found herself talking to Matt more often then anyone else. There was something nice about having a friend on the outside. Someone not part of the TV series she called her life. She set the phone up on the easel and accepted the facetime. Within seconds Matty's face filled the screen.

She gave a small smile, "Hey Matty."

Down on Long Island, Mattias had been continuing his physical therapy sessions with Carlos, and had kept surprising everyone with just how fast he was recovering. He was continuing to pack on well-defined muscle growth on his arms and upper body. While he wouldn't consider himself ripped, he was certainly stronger and bulkier than he ever was before the attack

His thoughts often moved to Zo and how he felt when she smiled at him. He knew that he had formed a crush on her, but afraid to say anything, for fear of both being rejected and losing the one person, aside from Carlos, that he considered a friend.

In the weeks following the Comic Con incident, they had communicated on an increasingly regular basis. First, it was just a couple emails, then texts, phone calls, to now having facetime at least once a day, usually in the afternoons, after they had both gotten home from their respective schools. He found that he was looking forward to seeing and talking to her more and more. Their calls were becoming the highlights of his days.

So, at the agreed time, he sent the facetime request, and smiled brightly when she replied on the second ring, her sparkling eyes and warm smile making his heart beat a bit faster. "Hey, Zo! How's your day going?"

Zo shrugged, "Same old same old. There's a party tonight though I'm kinda looking forward to. Hayden should be here in a bit to pick me up. You?"

While he knew she was seeing this Hayden guy before they met, Mattias couldn't help feel a pang of jealousy towards the guy. "Oh! Um, well..I hope you have fun! Wish I was there to join in." Shut up, you idiot! You sound like a moron! he thought to himself behind the honest smile.

"Things are pretty quiet here. I did do something really cool in PT. This afternoon. Wanna see? I had my Dad record it!"

Zo chuckled, "Of course I do."

"K! Hold on!" He looked off screen and there was the sound of a keyboard and mouse being used. "K, sent!"

Zo picked up the phone to open the email Matt had just sent her.

The file opened to show Mattias and Carlos in the physical therapy gym. Mattias was wearing a green camouflage tank top, to give him full range of motion, and black sweatpants. "All right, Jefe, you ready?" Carlos asked Mattias as he started to put his hand under the backs of Mattias's armpits.

Nodding, Mattias said, "Yeah!"

Carlos then lifted Mattias up to a pullup bar which was six feet off the ground. Mattias took a strong hold of the bar and, once Carlos had a secure hold of his dangling feet, the teenager began to knock out a few sets of regular chin ups, then a few sets of behind the head pull ups, his young muscles rippling as he worked them.

Finally after the last set, he had a huge grin on his face. "Hey, Dad! Check this out!" Mattias brought his hands closer together and, after releasing the bar with his left hand, he did five more pullups with just his right hand. Then, amazingly, swapped hands and repeated the set with his left! He then let Carlos help him back down into his chair. Which was where the video ended.

"Damn Matty! Someone's growing some muscles!!" She gave an encouraging smile, genuinely happy for him and impressed with the progress he was making. She withheld her questions regarding if he'll ever walk again. Zo still didn't have the whole story on how Matt wound up in the chair, only that there had been an accident. Matt would get visibly uncomfortable whenever the subject rose.

There was a honk outside, letting Zo know Hayden had just arrived in his jeep. A text popped up on the screen seconds after.

"Hey Matty, that's Hayden. Talk tomorrow?" She stood from the easel picking up the phone as she headed for the door.

Though disappointed, Mattias quickly gave Zo a warm grin. "Sure, Zo. Have fun! Bye!"

Zo waved to the phone before it went black and she shoved it into her back pocket. She exited the garage locking the door behind her. Her excitement climbed as she headed towards Hayden's jeep. Jumping in the passenger seat she leaned over to quickly kiss Hayden. "Hey you."

Hayden was bopping his head to the latest demo his band had recently recorded. The top was down on his red, two door, 2008 Wrangler. When he saw Zo approach, he leaned over and opened the passenger door from the inside, swinging it out to her. When she jumped in and kissed him, his insides soared. "Hey, Babe." He gave her another kiss and then asked. "You ready to have some fun tonight, Zo?"

Zo leaned her head against the seat rest, "You have no idea. Do you think they've started yet?"

Hayden smiled as he put the jeep in gear. "You know Tommy," he said as they turned onto Maple Street. "He always starts the party early and ends it way too late."

"And he wonders why he never remembers his own parties." Zo said shaking her head.

Laughing loudly, Hayden replied. "Or his own name, either!"

The drive through Syracuse to the creek was only about 15 minutes. The bands new demo blaring out of the speakers as Hayden pushed the speed limit like he always did. When they pulled up to the already packed parking lot Zo waved and said hello to numerous classmates before following behind Hayden into the wooded area. Her nose could already pick up the smell of the burning wood the bonfire was giving off. The music was a dull thrum as they got closer.

Hayden held Zo's hand as the couple moved deeper into the throng. He'd fist bump people here and there as they approached the bonfire. "Tommy!" He shouted as they approached the host of tonight's, and most night's for that matter, gathering.

Zo pulled Hayden to her, "I'm gonna go get a drink." After he smiled at her she made her way to the other side of the gathering where there were a couple of kegs hooked up. Zo grabbed a red cup and started to fill the cup with whatever cheap beer Tommy had managed to acquire for the night. Then, like if in a dream Zo looked up and her eyes were immediately met by the familiar ocean eyes owned by the southern belle with golden hair.


*To Be Continued*