Matteo's Eyes

Chapter 2

I imagine the Moon Tower like the photo except the scenery would be woods and it would be smaller not so large.

After dinner with the other families, we all head up to Alina and Shay's room. They have two separate rooms that are connected by a set of double doors. The boys always play video games while the girls talk and Gia tries to flirt with Shay.

A lot of times, Shay gets so fed up with Gia that when they are playing a race car game he will 'accidentally' elbow her in the face on a turn. She always is the one to apologize to him. Honestly, I don't know how stupid she can be sometimes.

Today we all sit and talk, even the boys. Without Angelina and Gia of course because Gia is probably off crying somewhere.

"Yeah, Shay and I plan on sneaking out to the Moon Tower tonight."

"Can I come?" I ask excitedly. I've never been to the Moon Tower.

"Ye-" Shay starts but Matteo cuts him off.

"No!"

"Please, Matteo! I've never been." I beg.

"Yes, you can come, Ivy," Shay says before Matteo can tell me no.

"Dude, come one I thought we were going to bring the girls from school."

"We will, but we can bring Ivory too."

I feel my cheeks start to burn red, "Thank you, Shay."

I see him smirk at me. I hope he doesn't notice me blushing.

***

Later that night I sit in bed reading. I wear a cropped t-shirt with leggings ready to go for whenever Matteo Shay, and I sneak out.

I am currently reading The Hunger Games. It is one of my mom's favorites. I get to the part where Rue dies and I start crying. Every time I cry at this part. I hear my window open and someone climbs in. I quickly wipe my tears but I am not quite fast enough.

"Hey. Why are you crying?" It's Shay. He's asking me the question like crying is the craziest thing ever. His eyes are wide and almost scared.

I laugh a little, "It was just a sad part of the book."

"Oh, uh. Okay." I laugh at how uncomfortable he is because of my crying, "Well we are leaving now so let's go."

I wait in my room while Shay gets Matteo. Quickly and quietly, Shay, Matteo, and I climb down the vines on the outside walls of the house and head to the Moon Tower.

The Moon Tower is a small place that most people go to stargaze. It is in the shape of a circle and has five pillars holding up the top portion of it. It has a round top with a hole in the middle so that when there is a full moon you can look through the circle and see it. There are also no walls. I have never gone before but Matteo has told me all about it.

It is pitch black out but I trust Matteo and Shay to know the way there.

As I am walking in the darkness I trip over a tree root and fall into the person in front of me.

"Ouch. Sorry!" I say even though I don't know who I fell into.

"It's alright Ivy." It's Shay. He's the only one that calls me that and Is recognize his voice anywhere. "Here give me your hand so I can make sure you won't fall down again."

I give him my hand and for the first time tonight, I am glad it is dark out, or else Shay would see my cheeks flush red as I grab his hand.

"I told you we shouldn't have brought her." I hear Matteo mumble under his breath.

Finally, after about a mile and a half of walking, we get to the Moon Tower. It is just like Matteo described it and better. There are white Christmas lights wrapping around the pillars so we can see.

"Welcome to the Moon Tower," Shay says as he pulls me over to it.

There are three girls there other than me. All three of them glare at me when I walk over to them.

"Who is she?" The blonde one in the middle asks Matteo as she wraps herself around his arm.

"That's my younger sister, Ivory."

"Oh, ew. I hate younger siblings." The dark-haired girl says as she wraps herself around Matteo's other arm.

The last girl walks over to me and hugs me but when she leans in she whispers in my ear, "If you go anywhere near Shay, I will rip you to shreds."

I laugh right in her face. I find it so funny that she has no idea who my parents are. If only she knew. She scoffs at me when I laugh but I just roll my eyes.

I only just now realize that Shay is still holding my hand.

"Sorry, she has been obsessed with me since the third grade. It's quite annoying."

"It's fine, I just find it funny that she thinks I'm scared of her."

We both laugh thinking about how if she knew she would have never even spoken to me. I sit down next to Shay away from Matteo and the other girls.

"So do you normally sit away from Matteo and the girls? Or are you just keeping me company? Because you can go hang out with them, I'm fine on my own." I don't want him to feel like he has to babysit me. That would be embarrassing.

"No, I hate coming here with other people."

"Why's that?"

"Well, Matteo just flirts with all the girls and makes out with them. I like to come here to look at the stars and the moon. Every now and then I'll bring a girl but she normally tries to hook up with me and then I leave her here to find her own way home."

I laugh at what he says but I am also very surprised, "Wait so are you actually as much as a player as you make yourself to be?"

"I mean I flirt with any girl that flirts with me and I'll make out with a couple but I've never actually had a real girlfriend."

"So yes. You are the player I thought you were." I sigh and roll my eyes.

"I like to think of it as using my options."

"Uh-huh. Whatever you say." I say slightly agitated but I already knew all this.