"…I'm home."
Mathew muttered as he walked inside his house. Not really expecting a response. Feeling thirsty, he headed to his kitchen and paused at the sight of his parents. "What are… you guys are home?"
Sasha, dressed in some casual clothes, smiled at Mathew while Jefferson continued to work on dinner. "Where else would we be, Matt?" He said while he sprinkled salt on the soup he was making.
"We've realized we've been working late a lot, Matt. We're sorry if it's been lonely for you." Sasha comforted her son, her hand on his shoulder. "Your father and I have discussed it, and we've decided to cut back on our hours. We want to have more family dinners together."
"Wow, really? I mean- you two didn't have to do that. I know how much your jobs mean to you." Mathew looked back and forth from his mother and father with understanding. "Seriously. I'll be okay."
"No, Matt. We have to do this. While our careers do mean a lot to us. You mean much more." Jefferson stepped away from his soup and stood next to his wife. "You're our son. Despite how self-sufficient you are, you're still 16. If we're not careful, we'll miss out on your teenage years."
Mathew blinked slowly, a thoughtful expression crossing his face as he nodded in agreement. Even though he had entered this new chance at life with the mindset that he didn't necessarily need parental figures, he found himself developing a genuine appreciation for both Jefferson and Sasha. Despite their different approaches to parenting, they each possessed a kindness and wisdom that resonated with him.
"Okay. You know, most parents don't look forward to their kid's teenage years." Mathew stared at his parents as if they were out of their minds.
"True. But you're not like most kids, Matt." Sasha smiled and walked off to set up the table. "I don't know about you two, but I'm starving."
"Right. Soups coming right up."
Mathew sat down and watched as his parents talked and chuckled at each other's work stories. With a sigh, he looked down at his empty bowl.
I never noticed until now… how quiet this house actually was before.
••o••o••o••
In the sunny expanse of the Johnson backyard, Luke swung his arms with determination, his red boxing gloves striking Mathew's heavy bag with a rhythmic thud. The bag swayed slightly on its adjustable steel stand, its surface scuffed and worn from countless workouts. With each punch,
"Bend your knees more, Luke. And remember, snap your punches back as soon as you land the punch." Mathew coached, his voice firm but encouraging. Luke nodded and followed the instructions. "Good."
Off behind them, Alex and Haley perched on a weathered wooden table, their legs swinging slightly as they watched the two figures in front of them. An open book lay in front of Alex, its pages fluttering gently in the breeze, but it remained ignored as she observed the scene unfold.
Haley was deeply engrossed in her phone, her fingers dancing rapidly over the screen as she texted her friends. Every so often, she glanced up, her gaze flicked to her brother as he struck the heavy bag. Her eyes would then dart to Mathew's back, a mix of curiosity flickering across her face.
"So, is this supposed to be fun or something?" Haley asked with a bored look. "Don't you get bored of it?"
Alex frowned at her sister's comment but said nothing. On some level, she agreed, but she respected Mathew's dedication to his craft.
"Not really... but after doing it for six years, it would be weird if I didn't hit something. It's sorta like how you can't go a day without your phone." Mathew told Haley, causing her to gasp.
"Wow. I didn't think about it like that." Haley blinked while staring at her phone with newfound appreciation.
"Please. Unlike you, if Haley goes a day without her phone. She'd likely go insane." Alex muttered, turning back to her book on AP biology.
Haley turned to her sister with an offended expression. "Hey! Why don't you-"
"Enough! You're interrupting my training here! How am I going to become the next best pound-for-pound boxer with you two arguing? You said you would just watch." Luke turned to his sisters with annoyance. Haley and Alex looked at one another before quieting down. Embarrassed that they were told off by their little brother.
"Sorry."
"Yeah… Sorry."
Mathew chuckled at the two, causing them to blush in embarrassment. "Keep going, Luke. Work on your one-two combo. Remember to snap your punches."
"Got it, coach." Luke nodded and continued punching the bag.
Mathew sat down beside both girls and leaned back on his chair. "So, when do you leave for the Academic Decathlon?" He asked Alex.
"We leave in three days. It's a bit of a drive, but I'm not too worried about it." Alex looked confident. "It'll be another flawless victory."
"Here we go. Miss, I Win Everything I Do." Haley huffed as she rolled her eyes. Before another argument could erupt, Mathew leaned forward to block the sister's view of each other.
These two sure love to bicker. Mathew thought. "That's great. I'm sure you won't need it, but good luck."
"Aw, thanks." Alex smiled and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Haley observed her sister before it finally clicked in her head.
Ah-hah! Alex likes Mathew! Haley thought with wide eyes. A small, mischievous smile grew on her face, which was missed by both Mathew and Alex.
"Still, here's some advice. Remember to run the question and answer before you speak. One small mistake is all it takes between winning and losing." Mathew said as he remembered the episode where Alex lost the Decathlon due to answering her question incorrectly.
Alex was on the verge of delivering a pointed, sarcastic retort, her usual defense mechanism at play. However, the steady, unwavering gaze that Mathew fixed upon her caused her to hesitate.
Caught off guard by the intensity of his stare, she averted her eyes, her heart pounding with an unexpected flutter. She felt a warm flush creep across her cheeks and instinctively placed her hand against her face in an attempt to mask the telltale redness.
"O-okay. I'll keep that in mind." Alex said.
Mathew grinned and walked back over to Luke to offer some advice.
Haley sat back with a small smile, a smile Alex saw. "What?" she asked.
"Oh, nothing." Haley playfully said. "So. How long has it been?"
"How long has what been?"
Haley chuckled lightly and leaned closer to her little sister to whisper. "Come on, Alex. It's me. How long have you had a crush on Mathew?"
Haley couldn't help but feel a surge of delight as she observed the color drain from Alex's face, quickly replaced by a vibrant shade of crimson.
Gotcha. Haley thought. Her eyes turn to Luke and Matthew, more specifically at the latter. This is gonna be so fun!