Matteo's Eyes

Chapter 12

The next day I go to school, I would say as usual but there is nothing 'usual' about Emily being in the car with Matteo, Shay, Alina, and I.

The three of us girls are squished in the back. Emily sits in the middle droning on and on about something none of us understand. She chews her gum super loudly as she speaks too.

Finally, we get to school and I practically run out of the car and to my locker with Alina. Linus has stopped coming to school. He was sent to a boarding school across the country and won't be returning anytime soon.

Alina and I head to class when Shay stops me.

"Hey Ivy!"

"Hey, Shay." I try to walk by him but he steps in front of me and stops me, "Shouldn't you be with your girlfriend."

"No, I need a break from her. I mean all her talking. Can I ask you something?"

"You just did." I roll my eyes.

Shay sighs, "Are we good? You were ignoring me at dinner I just want to make sure we are still okay."

I see Emily coming up from behind Shay, "Yeah we are just peachy perfect. Enjoy your time with your girlfriend." I say with a big, fake smile and smoking his girlfriend's voice.

"Hey, Shayyyyy," Emily says as she wraps her arms around his neck.

I walk away before I have to see too much, "Wait, Ivy!"

Shay reaches for my arm but I pull it away and try to catch up with Alina.

***

The entire week goes like this: I stay away from Shay as much as I can, Shay tries to talk to me as much as he can, Alina and Matteo try to convince me to forgive him. Forgive him for what? You might ask. Well, I kinda forgot to mention before but Emily used to always bully me. Like, tell everyone not to come to my birthday parties, bully me. Or push me in the mud in front of my crush, bully me. She did everything you can imagine to embarrass me and make sure my life was hell. Shay knew this. He saw it happen and would normally defend me. I never thought he would date her.

My birthday is today so I try to ignore Shay and all my problems. I decide to spend my birthday with just Alina and my family. I have breakfast and lunch with my family and I am heading out to dinner with Alina.

I wait in my room for Alina to show up. When I hear someone knock on the door I think it's Alina and let them in.

"Hey Ali-" I stop short when I see Shay.

"Hey, Ivy. Can we talk?" Shay is holding a present in his hand.

I walk away and sit on my bed. I cross my arms over my chest and look at him, "Why don't you go talk to your girlfriend Emily? You know the one that bullied me my entire childhood?" I snap.

"I'm sorry Ivy. I just-"

I cut him off "No. You don't get to say sorry. You know how much that was going to hurt me. She ruined everything for me. She took away all my friends."

"I broke up with her!" Shay shouts making me jump. "I only dated her because I was jealous. I was jealous of you and Linus."

This makes my blood boil, "You were jealous so you dated her? Of all people it had to be her?" Now I am shouting too.

"Ivy, I'm sorry. Here's your present. I hope you can forgive me. You mean a lot to me, Ivy. More than you know." Shay is no longer shouting. He says this quietly as he sets my present on the edge of the bed. He walks out with a sad look on my face and I start to feel bad. Stop that he did you wrong and it's your birthday.

I take a deep breath right before Alina walks in, "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear all that." I smile at Alina. "Happy birthday! I love love love you!"

Alina jumps on the bed and tackles me in a hug.

"Thank you, Alina. I love love love you too!" I smile forgetting about Shay. I quickly tuck his present in the drawer next to my bed.

"So where to for dinner?"

"Well, my Dad owns that one really fancy restaurant with a view of the Eiffel tower."

"Oh. My. Gosh. Yes!" Alina bounces off the bed, "I will pick out your outfit and you will pick out mine."

"Okay!" I laugh and cover my eyes with a pillow.

I wait for Alina to finish. I hear her shuffling through my closet.

"Done!"

Alina holds up a black sparkly dress. It's Mom's old dress she let me have. Just like her room and her old books. I think I am Moms favorite, either that or she pities me.

"I love it! What shoes?"

"Oh, um." She pauses looking for shoes. "These!"

She pulls out basic black heels, "Okay, now I choose your outfit."

I pull out a hot pink, tight dress. I pick some pink shoes that match it and hand them to her.

"I love it! I'm going to look like Barbie!" We both start laughing and quickly put on our outfits.

We head out to the car where Matteo is waiting for us. "Took you girls long enough." Matteo opens the car door for us and helps us into the car.

"Thank you, Matteo."

The drive to the dinner place is only about 20 minutes. On the way we listen to this old boy band Mom always listens to, One Direction. When we get there Matteo opens the doors for us again and helps us out.

We head inside and skip the line, "Name on your reservation?" The lady at the front desk asks us.

"Lombardi." The lady's eyes shoot up probably expecting Mom.

"Right this way Miss Lombardi."

We sit on the third-floor balcony with a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower. Alina and I talk about everything that has happened recently over dinner. We laugh and enjoy our dinner. It is one of my birthdays yet.

We drop Alina off at her house on the way home. When I get home I go to my room to get changed. I glance over at my dresser and remember the present from Shay.

I walk over and open the drawer slowly. I pull out the gift wrapped in sage green wrapping paper. My favorite color. I open the box to see a letter on top of tissue paper.

Dear Ivy,
happy birthday! May your birthday be filled with joy. Only have happy thoughts. One year older. No one is as special as you. Today is a great day for you. Open the inside gifts whenever you want to. Well, hope your day is great. Even if you are mad at me. Really, wishing you the best. 11 right?
-Shay

MOON TOWER 11. I see the message before I even read the entire letter. I look at the time and it's only 10. I still have time to decide whether or not I want to go. My heart races and my stomach twists. I pace my room.

I stop thinking about it and open the rest of the gift. I take the tissue paper out to find a framed photo of us from the night we snuck out to the Moon Tower. Matteo must have taken it. Then there is a candy and a couple of other photos of us from our childhood. I smile while looking at all our memories.

I look at the time, 10:50. If I leave now I can make it to the tower just past 11. I run to Matteo's room as quickly and quietly as I can.

When I walk in Matteo looks as if he was waiting for me, "Finally, you are going to be late. Let's move."

"Wh- Uh-," I look at him dumbfoundedly.

"Of course I knew. He wanted to make sure I escorted you. You have to hold on to me this time so I don't lose you."

"Okay."