I hope these long wait times in between chapters don't bother you guys too much. I get busy with things in my life and a lot of the times when I'm free to write I don't have enough motivation to do so. I've heard the same thing from a lot of other writers. It's just the way it is. All we can do is just enjoy new updates when they do manage to get posted. With that said, let's just get to this one.
With all the Louds and my main ships for them now having an entry, it's time for something a little different. This one will not only be about a ship with a Casagrandes character, but also an OC of mine. His name is Mateo Gomez and he's sort of based and named after me a little bit. His name isn't the same as mine, but we both go by "Matt". I created him to be Carlota Casagrande's boyfriend among other purposes. You can find his profile and the info on his relationship with Carlota on my Deviantart page. I also commissioned a couple artists to draw pictures of them.
Anyway, this takes place between the entries Confidence and Devotion. The main timeline of the series can be seen at the bottom of the previous chapter. Also, this the longest entry in this series now by a long shot.
That's because not all of this story will be about the focus couple. I've wanted to come up with a scenario that has all members of both the Loud and Casagrande families and all their friends and acquaintances in the same place at the same time and had a lot of ideas of how it would happen and what they would all do together.
Matt x Carlota: Commitment
The sun was setting over the state of Michigan, bringing another summer day to its conclusion. It had been such a beautiful day for many people, particularly a large number of people currently staying at the Weeping Willow Resort & Lodge.
Two big families, the Louds and the Santiagos and Casagrandes, had been friends for several years now. The connection between the two clans first started when Lori Loud and Bobby Santiago became a couple. They were now in their twenties and had gotten engaged. With them tying the knot, their big families would unite as one.
Their wedding was a very anticipated celebration for all their family and friends and Bobby and Lori intended to make it a big one. Some time after Bobby proposed, it was announced that the Weeping Willow Resort & Lodge was holding a contest for the best performance by a family band. The winner would be rewarded the privilege of booking the resort for as many people as they wanted for free. They could even book the entire resort if they wanted.
Lori and Bobby saw it as a perfect opportunity for their wedding. If they would win, they could easily have it at the resort and make reservations for everyone they wanted to attend. The Louds reformed their family band for the contest as they all had gotten better at playing music over the years. The Casagrandes had also formed a family band of their own at some point. Hector and Bobby, already knowing how to play music, helped show them the basics like how Luna did the same with the Louds. So both families entered the contest to have a better chance at winning for all of them.
They all put on good performances during the contest but unfortunately, neither managed to win. A much smaller family won first place as they seemed to be actual professional musicians and performed way better than anyone else. And they booked the entire resort after being declared the winners.
The Louds and Casagrandes were disappointed but Lincoln was suspicious of how the winners won so easily. So with the help of Clyde, Ronnie Anne and their friends, he led another one of his Ace Savvy and David Steele inspired investigations. Even when they reached adulthood, they still held on to things from their youth.
They discovered that the family who won was actually the Millers in disguise and that they used high-tech equipment to make it seem like they were performing better than everyone else. Their plan was to win the contest and book the entire resort so they could turn it into a new base for S.U.S.P.E.N.S.E. to carry out their evil agendas.
After Lincoln and friends exposed the Millers, the spies chose to flee like cowards once again with the authorities hot on their trail. The people in charge of the resort were grateful that it wasn't taken over and awarded the Louds and Casagrandes with being the ones to book it. Their music performances were considered to be the second best in the contest anyway and since the winners turned out to be cheaters, they ended up being tied as the real winners.
So they made reservations to have the wedding at the resort and to have all their wedding guests stay there with them. Obviously, there were people Lori and Bobby wanted to invite, but since they could have as many people stay at the resort as they wanted, they allowed all of their family members to invite their friends and neighbors. The guests were even allowed to bring pets and even robots that belonged to them as long as they didn't cause any trouble.
Flip wasn't exactly invited, but he still crashed the wedding with Tammy Gobblesworth as his date. They were allowed to stay as long as they didn't do anything sketchy. Flip assured them he wasn't there on business and just wanted a vacation.
He managed to behave himself on the day of the wedding. However, he spent the next couple of days complaining about the resort's services not meeting his expectations nonstop and was eventually told to leave. Tammy left with him while everyone else just continued to enjoy their own time there.
In the end, there were around two hundred and fifty people, animals and robots in attendance, either part of the two families or associated with them in some way. And everyone was grateful that Lincoln had made it possible for them all.
The day of the wedding was the first full day they all spent at the place. It was an amazing day for everyone. The ceremony went without a hitch with the exception of being briefly interrupted by Lynn Loud Sr, his dad Leonard Loud, and Frida Casagrande all hugging each other and crying their eyes out. But nobody blamed them.
Then came the reception which lasted a good number of hours with several of the guests performing as music acts. Mick Swagger, Smooch, The Moon Goats, The Doo Dads, Alisa Barela, Twelve is Midnight, The Tropical Fruits, The GLC Chupacabras, and DJ Carl all took turns performing.
Since they were all staying at the resort for at least a good long week, there was also more than just the wedding going on. It was also the year that Lincoln, Clyde, Ronnie Anne, Sid and their friend groups graduated high school. So in addition to the wedding, the time they spent there was also a celebration for all the graduates. And of course, the resort had plenty of activities for everyone to enjoy all throughout the time they spent there.
Other than all the friends and families spending time together during the happy occasion, there were of course many couples among the large group of people, other than Lori and Bobby. There were the teenage and young adult couples and the older adult married couples who were their parents. They made sure to have some quality time together, but also didn't mind their partners spending time with others.
During the reception, Ronnie Anne and the Loud sisters came up with a fun competition where they convinced their boyfriends to not only dance with them, but also their female friends and relatives. Any of them who thought they were good dancers rewarded them with kisses on their cheeks and foreheads.
Lincoln grew into a natural dancer over the years. He shared one with not just Ronnie Anne, but also their friends, Stella and Sid, and even Ronnie's mom, Maria, and her aunt, Frida. He and Lori also shared a brother-sister dance they planned on having. Each of them were impressed by his moves and gave him plenty of kisses for it.
Lori even got Bobby in on the action. In addition to his new bride, he danced with Leni and Carol Pingrey and also some older women like Becca Chang and his new mother-in-law, Rita Loud. Having plenty of experience with dancing, Bobby earned himself kisses from all his partners as well.
Leni's boyfriend Scott showed his moves to his girl as well as her friends, Becky, Jackie, Mandee and Fiona. Not all of them thought he was that good but Leni was one of the ones who did and kissed him which was good enough for him.
Luna, Sam and their bandmate Mazzy all danced with their other bandmate Sully. He wasn't much of a dancer as he was a musician, but they all kissed him anyway.
Benny danced with Luan and a few female members from their theater club. He also didn't impress all of them, but Luan at least thought he was good enough and kissed him which made it worth it to him.
Clyde was paired up with Lynn and her fellow athletes Margo, Paula, and Maddie as well as friends he went to school with like Chloe and Emma. He too was excelling with dancing having trained with Lincoln and Bobby so his partners each gave him a kiss. He even inspired Lynn to take dancing lessons with him a while back ago since dancing could be considered a sport in a way and she was always eager to try a new sport.
Rocky shared a dance with Lucy and her fellow goth girls Haiku and Persephone. Dancing wasn't really his thing, but they all found his moves decent enough to deserve kisses.
Skippy was mostly inexperienced with dancing and though he gave his best when paired with Lana and her friends, Ashley, Kayla and Kristen, only Lana kissed him. Not that he minded.
Winston showed his moves to Lola and her friends such as Meli Ramos, Cricket Van Doren and Diana Sherwood. Since he had a passion for dancing and trained well in it, he easily impressed all the girls he shared one with and received well-earned kisses from all of them.
David danced with Lisa and Darcy. Though he was also inexperienced, both girls still kissed him out of good sportsmanship.
Lily and Carlitos, who had gotten closer to each other since they were infants, also wanted in on the fun so they danced together with Lily kissing Carlitos.
Everyone who participated in the competition enjoyed being a part of it and everyone else enjoyed watching it happen. The girls didn't mind if they didn't think their partner was that good and the boys didn't mind if their partners didn't think they were good and didn't kiss them. They were all just having a good time.
And it was just one of many ways that the couples in the group spent time together during their stay. Each of them made sure to have some quality romantic time for themselves.
However, it was somewhat different for two particular people in the group. One being Carlota, the oldest of the Casagrandes siblings and the only girl. The other being Mateo Gomez, a young, light-skinned and dark brown-haired man who was part Caucasian and part Hispanic. He met the family, along with their friends and acquaintances, some years ago and had quite a history with them, especially Carlota.
Mateo, or Matt as he goes by, moved to Great Lakes City with his family when he was seventeen going on eighteen. Their new home was right near the Casagrandes apartment. He met Bobby and Par first and became fast friends with them due to their common interests. They introduced him to everyone in the building and Matt soon left lasting impressions on all of them.
He got a job at the bodega which Hector and Bobby were relieved about as having another employee made things easier. Matt also bonded with Bobby's family and their friends and was a fast learner as he helped them with various tasks. He assisted Rosa with cooking, Frida with artwork, Maria and Arturo with medical research, and bonded with Carlos over their shared fascination with knowledge and trivia. He became a big brother figure to the kids and often looked after them. Ronnie Anne, CJ, Carlitos, Sid, Adelaide and Alexis all looked up to him. Matt had more of a love-hate relationship with Carl, but he still cared for him and wanted to help him stay out of trouble.
Matt was also good with animals. He bonded with Lalo and the other neighbors' pets and even some of the Chang's zoo animals. The only exception being Sergio. Matt tried to befriend him, but the bird just didn't seem to like him. The two never got along and only tried to be civil to each other in the presence of others. Everyone knew to never leave them alone in the same room. Despite this, Matt was willing to accept that not everyone he met would like him.
And of course, through the Santiagos and Casagrandes, Matt also got to know the Louds and many of their friends from Royal Woods and they somewhat grew fond of him as well.
Finally there was Carlota. She first became his friend as much as everyone else did. However, the more she spent time with him, the more she began to realize she was falling for him. He was good-looking, charming, smart, funny, responsible, and had a good heart. When she worked up the courage to confess her feelings to him, he was awestruck. It was then that he realized how close they had become and that he felt the same way. She was beautiful, kind, fun, talented and learned from her mistakes. Matt had always wanted a girlfriend, but he only wanted to have one if he was genuinely attracted to a girl, which was how he felt about Carlota.
For several years, they had a pretty steady and sweet relationship. They had mutual trust and respect for each other, they exchanged playful banter and flirting, always managed to work around any lover's spats, and didn't hesitate to show their affection for one another. Unlike Lori and Bobby though, Carlota and Matt usually only got really affectionate when they were alone and didn't show any PDA often. They also helped each other with their interests, looked after the younger kids together and sometimes went on dates with other couples.
Matt's family approved of him dating Carlota while Carlota's family were even more enthusiastic about them together. The only exception, of course, was Sergio. Due to his animosity towards Matt, he didn't think he was good enough for Carlota and often tried to convince her to dump him which annoyed her profoundly.
Other than that, the Casagrandes were more than happy for them. Matt had basically become an honorary member of their family in the way the Louds, the Changs and a few others had. At one point, Matt moved into their building and lived as Bobby's roommate in his apartment so he could be closer to everyone in the building that he had gotten close to, especially Carlota. It seemed that she had finally found the right boy for her given that her past relationships didn't quite work out and usually ended with her dumping her ex-boyfriends.
Unfortunately, the same fate eventually befell the happy couple. They were now in their twenties and although their romance had been strong for a number of years, it had grown weaker in recently. It was mostly due to Carlota slowly growing unsatisfied overtime. She started enjoying the time she spent with Matt less and less. Matt was also getting unhappy. He couldn't enjoy spending time with his girlfriend if she didn't. Eventually, they reached the point where they had a mutual break up.
They had a long and mature talk about it. Carlota admitted that she felt their relationship was getting in the way of her life goals and that maybe they just weren't right for each other. Matt thought they were making it work, but he knew a relationship couldn't be successful if both people weren't truly happy. Though he was a bit heartbroken, he ultimately respected Carlota's feelings and agreed to end their relationship.
It wasn't all bad as they were able to maintain a genuine friendship and things were only a little awkward between them for only a short time afterwards. But even though their families and friends respected their decision, they were disappointed that it didn't work out between them. Sergio, of course, was happy about their breakup and pridefully believed his influence caused it. Everyone just ignored him and made him shut up when his gloating got too much.
Matt still had feelings for Carlota but he just wanted her to be happy, even if it meant she wasn't with him. Many people who knew them still hoped they would get back together and even he wished for that a little as he saw her as the right girl for him, but if he wasn't the right guy for her, then he only hoped she would find the right one. They were still close friends and important people in each other's lives and that was good enough for him.
It was a few months after their breakup when Lori and Bobby's wedding took place. Carlota and Matt were part of the wedding party. Leni and Par were the maid of honor and best man respectively. Carlota was a bridesmaid along with Ronnie Anne, Carol, Lori and Leni's friend Becky, and Lori's college roommate Marisa. Matt was a groomsman along with Lincoln, Clyde, CJ and Carl.
The two were paired up during the ceremony and walked down the aisle together. They also danced with each other and had a great time with everyone else during the reception. Both took the time to dance with others as well. Carlota was another one of Lincoln's dancing partners and also gave him a kiss like all the other women he danced with, while Matt shared a dance with Lori, Leni and the other women in the wedding party and neither got jealous about it. They even shared a room during their stay and had no issues with it. It all showed the healthy platonic relationship that Matt and Carlota still had.
However, it was around this time that Carlota had once again developed a feeling of uncertainty. Some time after she broke up with Matt, she started to feel a sense of emptiness inside of her. She couldn't figure out what it was until the resort trip happened.
Even though they weren't together anymore, they were still each other's wedding dates and spent a decent amount of time together while at the resort. They also danced together at the reception and Carlota kissed Matt as she found him to be a good dancer. But when she did, she felt something spark. It was something she hadn't felt since she first dated Matt.
It was then she realized she was feeling empty inside because she missed being with Matt and regretted ending their relationship. She wanted to be with him again, but she was too hesitant to do so. She didn't understand why she fell out of love with him only to have feelings for him again. She also feared that if she started dating him again, she'd get unsatisfied with their relationship again and they'd just end up going in circles.
She just didn't know what the problem was nor was she sure if getting back together was the right decision. But she knew she had to talk with Matt about it. She was grateful they were at least close friends and could help each other through anything.
It was now a few days after the wedding. Everybody was having a great time so far and planned to spend at least a couple more days there. As the sun was going down, many of the guests were spending time outside before the day ended. The resort had added some new features in recent years such as an outdoor dining area and an outdoor pool area with a hot tub and a swim-up bar. In addition to the bumper boats, guests could now also rent other water crafts such as jet skis to drive around on the lake.
Carlota stepped outside the lodge wearing a summer outfit of a tank top and an ankle length skirt, both in cyan, her usual color. She saw everyone around her doing their own things. Up on the hills in the distance, she could see several friends of both the Loud family and her own riding on the resort's horses. There were also several guests in the outdoor dining area in front of her. While she could've just enjoyed the moment like them, she intended to find Matt as she was ready to speak to him about her returned feelings and try to figure out what she wanted their relationship to be.
She made her way through the dining area observing the different groups of older adults socializing. A lot of them got to know each other through the connection between her family and the Louds.
She saw her Abuelo Hector chatting with his friend Vito, her Grandpa Danny, the Louds' grandfathers Albert and Leonard, and neighbor Mr. Grouse. At another table was her Abuela Rosa with the Loud and McBride grandmothers Myrtle and Gayle. They made for some oddly nice groups of old men and women.
Her own parents, Carlos and Frida, were with Howard and Harold McBride. The Loud parents, Lynn Sr. and Rita, were with Stanley and Becca Chang. They had all met each other before and took this opportunity to get to know each other more.
What really caught her attention was her Tia Maria and Tio Arturo sitting at a table by themselves. It was just the two of them chatting amongst themselves like old friends. Because that's exactly what they were. Their marriage ended a long time ago, but they never considered it a complete failure as they were still an important part of each other's lives and would still do things together as shown when they danced with each other at the reception.
They both tried dating other people at one point, but ultimately decided they didn't want to be romantically involved with anyone anymore because they already had that with one another. After being happy for a number of years and having two amazing kids together, Maria and Arturo felt that their love lives had been fulfilled and that the friendship they still had was special enough. They were no longer in love, but in a way, they were still committed to each other.
It was their everlasting friendship that inspired Carlota to salvage her own friendship with Matt. They were still able to be close even after their relationship ended. However, she now realized that one of the reasons their breakup felt wrong was because her aunt and uncle had a life together for many years and even started a family from it while she and Matt were only together for a few years. Even if their romance still wasn't meant to last even after getting back together, she hoped it would at least last for a long time so that they too would feel that their love lives would be fulfilled.
Leaving Maria and Arturo, as well as the other adults, to enjoy their time together, Carlota exited the dining area and closer to the lake where the outdoor pool area was. As she walked through it, she found some of the Loud sisters and their romantic partners spending time together.
She walked past a hot tub where Luna and Sam were soaking in it all by themselves. They were waist-deep in the water and staring lovingly into each other's eyes. Luna's arms were around Sam's torso while Sam's arms were around Luna's neck. Carlota always thought they were a beautiful couple. They were so in love and open about their same-sex relationship and didn't let any prejudice that might come their way drag them down. Luna and Sam then started to kiss passionately and their breasts pressed together. Carlota blushed and quickly turned away, leaving them in peace.
She walked over to the main pool that was mostly empty with the exception of Leni and Scott laying down on an inflatable raft. They cuddled close together looking happy as they floated in the water. Carlota adored them as well. She thought Scott was an excellent boyfriend for her friend and admired how he chose to move from Scotland to America out of his love for Leni.
She then walked past the swim-up bar where Luan and Benny were sharing a tropical drink. They looked lovestruck as they nuzzled together with their arms around each other. They briefly stopped sipping their drink and shared a kiss. Carlota knew how much in love they were and how they managed to keep a healthy relationship. All three of these couples were now in their twenties and their love for each other was stronger than ever.
Right next to the pool was a lounge area that had some hammocks for people to rest in. Carlota walked past them and noticed they were empty except for one as Lola and Winston were snuggling together in it. She couldn't tell if they were asleep or not, but they looked so content either way. She was impressed with how they were only young teens about to start high school, yet their relationship was quite mature for their age. They too were madly in love and strongly devoted to each other.
Carlota left the pool area and walked down to the beach at the lake. There she found the rest of the Loud siblings and their significant others having some romantic time together. First she saw Lucy and Rocky laying on a blanket and using an umbrella to shade themselves from the sunlight. They were also snuggling together and looked to be in total bliss. Carlota could see that despite being an unlikely pair, they had a very wholesome relationship and were still going strong in their high school years.
Going further down the beach, she noticed Lisa and David walking nearby with a high-tech metal detector that Lisa had built. They were using it to see if there was any treasure buried in the sand. It was something they enjoyed doing together and were holding hands while doing it. Carlota didn't personally find it to be a romantic activity, but what mattered was that they did. She found it sweet how someone like Lisa was able to fall in love due to meeting the right guy. She and David were only preteens but still had a steady thing going.
Next she saw Lana and Skippy taking a jog down by the water. They were also holding hands and laughing while they were running. Granted, their relationship wasn't quite as serious as some of the other couples she'd just seen as they were still young teens, but she could see they were still a fun couple that really liked each other a lot and were on their way to having an even more stable romance as they got older.
She then found the newlyweds themselves near the water. Lori and Bobby snuggled together on a lounge chair and watched the sunset over the lake. Carlota had always admired their relationship. Their love for each other may be exaggerated to say the least, but it was still genuine and they grew into better people and a better couple as time went on. She along with everyone who attended the wedding was happy to see them start their new life as husband and wife.
She then noticed that the sunset wasn't the only thing they were watching. Out on the lake, Lincoln and Ronnie Anne were riding on a jet ski while Lynn Jr. and Clyde were riding on another. The girls were driving while the boys sat behind and held onto them. Bobby and Lori watched them as they drove around laughing and just having fun.
Carlota found their stories touching as well. Lincoln and Ronnie Anne at first became closer as friends over the years and inspired each other to be better people before officially getting together. Lynn and Clyde were also positive influences on each other and grew closer to the point where they fell in love. Both pairs had to commit to long distance relationships for a time, but they were strong enough to get through it. Now the couples could be together all the time since all of them were now finished with school. It was clear that their patience had paid off.
Carlota walked down the beach some more and finally found Matt. He was participating in a game of capture the flag. He was on one team with Sid, Adelaide and Alexis while the opposing team was CJ, Carl, Carlitos and Lily. She looked at Lily and Carlitos playing and saw how well they worked together. The two had grown closer to each other since they were infants. They were now seven-year-olds and it seemed possible that they would fall for each other and become a strong romantic couple like the others she had just observed.
Carlota then turned her attention to Matt who was wearing a dark gray sleeveless shirt and dark blue sweatshorts. In the years since she met him, she always found him incredibly handsome. His dark-brown hair was now neck length, he grew some short facial hair, and had a decent set of muscles that were on display.
The way he was having a good time with the others showed his charming personality. He was easy to get along with and a joy to be around. Those he was playing with had looked up to him since they were kids and he had been a close friend and big brother figure to them as well. It always warmed Carlota's heart seeing him make people happy.
Seeing him now reminded her of everything she loved about him. And it filled her with the regret of dumping him and the frustration of not understanding why. Why did she choose to break up with him? Why didn't she want to keep a strong relationship with him like the ones she had just seen? If all of them could be committed to the ones they loved, why couldn't she?
Suddenly, it hit her like a freight train. Seeing all those couples having romantic time together and being reminded of how strong their relationships were made her finally realize the truth…
…She had been afraid of committing herself to him.
Their relationship was never getting in the way of her life goals. She only felt that way because she was worried it would cause her to miss out on things she wanted to do. She just didn't know it. But now that she did, it felt like a stupid thing to believe. Thinking about how all those the other couples were committed to each other, even Maria and Arturo in a way, made her realize just what was missing in her and Matt's relationship.
Carlota no longer thought he wasn't the one for her. Now she felt that she wasn't good enough for him if she wasn't willing to truly commit. She was upset with herself for ending things between them when she really had no good reason to. And it made her want to cry.
But instead, she kept her emotions in check and focused on talking to Matt. She finally knew what she had to say to him.
She saw that Matt's team had just won a match and he was high-fiving his teammates. Taking a deep breath, she walked over to him.
"That looked like a good game," she said smiling.
Matt turned to face her and smiled back. "Hey, Lottie! It sure was!"
Carlota slightly blushed at the nickname he gave her a long time ago and often referred to her as. She noticed CJ, Carlitos and Lily were complementing Sid, Adelaide and Alexis for winning while Carl was just sulking. Seeing that they were busy speaking to each other, she took the chance to talk to Matt.
"Listen, Matt…" she said softly. "There's something important I need to tell you. It's not the best time to talk about right here and now so I'll tell you later in the room. Just wanted to let you know ahead of time. Is that okay?"
Matt was slightly taken aback by her solemn tone. "Okay, sure," he responded understandingly yet concerned. "Is everything okay?"
"Everything's fine," Carlota said as she rubbed his arm assuringly. "It's just something that needs to be said is all. Things will be okay one way or another. Trust me."
Matt smiled understandingly and put his own hand on her shoulder. "Okay. I never really have a reason to doubt you, Lottie," he said sweetly.
Carlota smiled back. "Thanks, Matty."
They spent a moment smiling and touching each other's arms. Then they both turned away from one another and blushed hard. It suddenly turned into an awkward moment for them and they were relieved that the others were still busy talking to each other to notice them.
"Well… I think these dudes and dudettes would like to go for one more round," Matt said softly. "I'll see you later at the room."
"Yeah…" Carlota replied in the same manner. "See you then…"
As Matt started a new game with his group, Carlota headed back to the lodge. She felt nervous about how she would explain her feelings to him especially after that awkwardness that just happened between them. But she knew it had to be done. So she just made her way back to her and Matt's room and prepared to wait for him.
Matt continued playing the game, but he was a little distracted as he couldn't help but think about the moment he just shared with Carlota. There was a sense of affection between them that he hadn't felt since before they broke up. The others noticed and he told them he was just getting a little tired (and also going easy on Carl when playing against him), which he was, but they could tell there was something else on his mind. Still, they thought nothing of it and focused on finishing the game.
The last match ended with Carl's team winning. He rubbed it in on Matt's team even though Matt insisted that it was only because he had gone easy on him.
It was then that the sun had gone down and everybody outside had gone back into the lodge and to their rooms to turn in for the night.
Carlota stood out on the balcony of her and Matt's room in her sleepwear, a light pink sleeveless shirt and dark pink shorts. She had been there staring up at the night sky since Matt got back and started getting ready for bed. Then they would have their talk.
"Hey," she heard behind her. She turned to see Matt in his sleepwear, a white tank top and gray shorts.
"Hey," she replied.
He walked over and stood beside her. He took a moment to take in the quiet atmosphere of the night before speaking again. "So what's bothering you? You can tell me anything."
"I know I can," Carlota said. "And I really appreciate it. Which is why I have to tell you this."
Matt gave her his full attention and saw how crestfallen she was. Carlota took a deep breath, looked him in the eye and started to talk.
"I never should have broken up with you…" she started to say before she paused and started to cry, no longer holding back her emotions. Matt was taken aback as he did not expect this confession from her. Nevertheless, he continued to listen as she continued to speak.
"I thought we'd be perfectly fine just being friends like how my Tia Maria and Tio Arturo are. But they had a life together when they were married. It may not have lasted, but they're still satisfied with their time together. I started to feel unsatisfied with our breakup because we weren't together nearly as long as them. Even if we weren't going to be a couple forever, we still should've been together longer than we were!"
She paused again as she lowered her head and let out some sobs. Matt wanted to comfort her, but he was having difficulty trying to understand what she was getting at.
"Are you saying… you want to get back together with me?" he asked sincerely.
Carlota sighed deeply and looked out into the distance. She then continued in a slightly softer tone.
"I thought about how all the couples here are in love and committed to each other and it made me realize that I was too blind to see the truth. The truth is… I was too afraid to be fully committed to being your girlfriend!"
She sobbed again. Matt was beginning to understand and felt really bad for her. He put his arm around her and rubbed her back comfortingly. She turned to him again.
"I'm so sorry, Matty… I was wrong to think you weren't the right one for me and that our relationship was keeping me from doing the things I wanted to do in my life. But you're everything I could ever ask for in a boyfriend and my life wouldn't be the same without you in it. Our time spent here has made me realize that commitment doesn't have to be a burden. Losing the one you love is the real burden."
She stepped away from him as he took in her words. Hanging her head in shame, Carlota said one final thing in her confession.
"I do want to be with you again. But if you don't feel the same way anymore, I understand. After breaking up with you for stupid reasons, I don't feel like I deserve you anyway…"
She then immediately felt Matt turn her around to face him and secure his arms around her in a tight, loving embrace. As he held her close, he spoke with a soft but solemn voice.
"I never stopped loving you. You're the only girl I ever loved, Carlota Casagrande. All that matters to me is your happiness, even if you don't find it with me. I could live with just being your friend as long as you were still in my life, but I always hoped you would want to be my girlfriend again. Just please don't doubt yourself like that. You're not stupid, you're just human."
Carlota could hardly believe what he was saying. She looked at him with hopeful teary eyes. "You… you mean all of that? You… you still want me?"
Matt smiled and dried her tears. "Like I could turn down a girl like you." Then he grinned slyly. "And come on, you know you can't let a guy like me out of your sight either."
Carlota smiled back. Her tears of misery were now tears of joy. One of the many things she loved about him was his playful smugness. They hugged each other for a good long moment taking in the relief that their feelings were still mutual.
Carlota sighed. "I still wish I hadn't been afraid of committing myself to you."
Matt gave her an assuring smile. "I guess love just works in mysterious ways," he said. "I've always believed that there is no right or wrong time to commit your life to the one you love. It happens exactly whenever it's meant to."
Carlota smiled back. They stared into each other's eyes with their arms around one another.
"I love you, Matt," Carlota said completely meaningfully.
Matt smirked. "Love you too, babe."
He hadn't called her "babe" since they broke up and it felt so good to hear it again. They leaned closer and closed the gap between them with a deep loving kiss. A kiss that signified their romance starting anew and filled them both with the joy of knowing their love for each other was still there and stronger than ever.
Their arms wrapped tighter around one another and their single kiss turned into a passionate make out session. They slowly moved back into their room and closed the balcony door behind them with their lips still together. They leaned over one of the beds in the room and fell on it. And what followed was a night of total passion and bliss.
When it was over, they laid on the bed in each other's arms in complete satisfaction. Carlota turned to face Matt.
"That was the best thing we've ever done together…" Carlota whispered passionately.
"Told ya you'd enjoy it as much as I did!" Matt remarked.
Carlota giggled and kissed him deeply once more. Then she looked at him lovingly.
"I will never doubt my feelings for you again, Matty," Carlota assured him. "I know now more than ever that I want to be with you forever."
"I know," Matt agreed as smirked again. "Like I said, as if you could ever stay apart from a guy like me."
Carlota smiled and laughed again. His wittiness always amused her and was one of the reasons she fell for him in the first place.
The lovers kissed one last time before turning out the light and snuggling close together as they fell asleep for the night.
The very next day, the happy couple announced to everyone else that they reignited their romance and that they were one hundred percent certain they belonged together while leaving out their little session in bed. Nearly everyone was ecstatic to hear about it, Carlota's family especially. Sergio, on the other hand, was very disappointed with them starting anew, but of course they didn't care what he thought and told him he was just going to have to live with it.
The last few days spent at the resort became a celebration of Carlota and Matt getting back together in addition to Lori and Bobby getting married and Lincoln, Ronnie Anne and their friends graduating high school. Some of the music artists were even inspired to write songs about them. All in all, it was a happy time for everybody.
However, Matt and Carlota's lives soon took an unexpected turn. Some time after the vacation, they discovered that Carlota was pregnant as a result of their special night together. They and everyone who knew them were surprised and Carlota was worried about how much would change with this unplanned baby. But Matt had assured her that with them now fully committed to each other, they could overcome any challenge thrown at them together.
Carlota knew he was right. She felt better with his encouragement and the support of their friends and families. They agreed that because they now knew they were soulmates, they would eventually start a life together with a family of their own anyway. They saw Carlota's pregnancy as a sign of their unbroken love for each other. Despite not being planned, the baby would be one of the best things to happen to them.
It wasn't long until Matt proposed to her and she accepted without hesitation. They were married after Carlota gave birth and they looked to their future with hope. Hope that was built on their commitment to each other just like all the other loving couples they knew.
So the other entries in this series had the couples being careful while making love so the females don't end up pregnant unless they planned to conceive a child. So for the ending of this one, I decided to have a change of pace and write one where the couple isn't so careful and conceives a baby without planning it.
Hope you enjoyed this change of pace from the usual entry. I don't know what the next one will be, but I'll keep writing for this series when I come up with something.
Just so you know, these are all the characters that stayed at the resort other than Matt. If you don't remember any, just look them up on the Loud House wiki. I've been keeping track of all the characters on both shows so I could list all the ones here.
From The Loud House:
Lincoln, Lori, Leni, Luna, Luan, Lynn Jr, Lucy, Lana, Lola, Lisa, Lily, Lynn Sr, Rita, Clyde, Howard, Harold, Liam, Zach, Rusty, Stella, Girl Jordan, Mollie, Rodney Spokes, Mee Maw, Mr. Gurdle, Mrs. Gurdle, Judy Zhau, Ken Zhau, Carol Pingrey, Becky, Whitney, Dana, Teri, Marissa, Roger, Raj, Ali, Ewan, Errol, Joey, Tad, Chaz, Scott, Gavin, Jackie, Sebastian, Mandee, Fiona, Miguel, Felix, Sam, Simon, Mazzy, Sully, Chunk, Benny, Maggie, Amy, Leo, Lyberti, Parvana, Rex, Ruby, Shannon, Spencer, Andre, Margo, Paula, Maddie, Lainey, Alice, Nadia, Theo, Elliot, Kaito, Francisco, Dexter, Amy, Maya, Diane, Byron, Cici, Rocky, Silas, Haiku, Boris, Dante, Morpheus, Persephone, Bertrand, Amir, Sasha, Skippy, Abagail, Armen, Ashley, Kayla, Kristen, Winston, Meli Ramos, Cricket Van Doren, Roxanne, Jackie, Claudette, Chinah, Diana Sherwood, David, Darcy Hellmandollar, Leonard Loud, Albert, Myrtle, Gayle McBride, Bernie, Seymour, Kotoro, Grant, Katherine Mulligan, Mr. Grouse, Aunt Ruth, Chloe, Emma, Tiago, Tabby, Giggles, Polly Pain, Mick Swagger, Smooch, Bobbie Fletcher, Cheryl, Meryl, Jerry Kling, Flip, Tammy Gobblesworth, Jesse Hiller, Nurse Patti, Ms. Allegra, Mayor Davis, Mrs. Bernardo, Mrs. Johnson, Ms. Shirnivas, Ms. Scalice, Principal Ramirez, Principal Huggins, Coach Keck, Principal Rivers, Oliver, Mrs. Vaporciyan, Ernie, Coach Pacowski, Chef Pat, Coach Niblick, Coach Hutch, Dr. Feinstein, Gus Gamesngrub, The Amazing Brailster, Dr. Alvarez, Dalton, Angus, Charles, Cliff, Walt, Geo, Hops, Izzy, El Diablo, Bitey, Gary, Fangs, Cleopawtra, Nepurrtiti, Jazzy, Snazzy, Willy, Cinnamon, Ann, Walt's Duck Girlfriend, Mr. Coconuts, Mrs. Appleblossom, Todd, Mr. Reinforced Titanium Alloy Arms
From The Casagrandes:
Ronnie Anne, Bobby, Maria, Arturo, Hector, Rosa, Carlos, Frida, Carlota, CJ, Carl, Carlitos, Sid, Adelaide, Stanley, Becca, Nikki, Casey, Sameer, Laird, Par, Vito, Mrs. Flores, Alexis, Mr. Nakamura, Corey, Bruno, Margarita, Maybelle, Papaya, Pina, Greta, Romeo, Alberto, Danny, Ziggy, Devon, Henrique, Alisa Barela, Twelve is Midnight, Irving, Charles Little Bull, Cindy Tran, Miranda, Georgia, Phoebe Powers, Blanca Guzman, Mr. Hong, Reizouko, Mr. Scully, Mrs. Kernicky, Ms. Galiano, Principal Valenzuela, Lalo, Sergio, Froggy 2, Nelson, Big Tony, Little Sal, Buttercup, Fluffy, Ninja, Pickles, Nico, Davy, Peter, Micky, Michael, Cameron, Robbie, Breakfast Bot