AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I looked over at Sophia, who didn’t look concerned. “It happens in my neighborhood constantly,” she assured me. “Some drunk chick probably didn’t realize she was fucking up the wrong car. Happened to my cousin.”
Matteo rolled his eyes. Sophia was the only person who appeared capable of pushing his buttons. “Anyway, I’m supposed to be getting you home.”
I felt a little bit of disappointment bloom in my chest. I’d never admit it, but I’d been looking forward to seeing Eli. He’d snuck out of my bedroom this morning before I could fully wake up, and I wanted to thank him for staying with me.
For the first time in months, I’d slept through the night.
“We aren’t done here,” Sophia snapped at Matteo.
He leaned down, looking at the books that were strewn across the table. It was like this was the first time that he’d realized we might actually be doing something more than gossiping. Again, it was hard for me to understand how Eli and Matteo came from the same family.
“How long is this going to take?” Matteo grumbled. “I have things to do.”
Sophia looked ready to snap back at him, but I started gathering my books. “We can go,” I said. Sophia looked ready to argue, but I shook my head slightly. “We aren’t going to get anything done with him here.”
Matteo wasn’t offended. Instead, that shit eating smirk overtook his face once more. “It’s true. I’ll annoy the fuck out of you.”
Sophia released a world-weary sigh and rolled her eyes so hard that I worried they would get stuck in the back of her head. “You have to pass this test, Carla,” Sophia pressed. “If you don’t, you won’t pass the class, and they won’t let you graduate.”
“I know.” I shoved my books in my bag. Truthfully, I was just as eager to get out of the library as Matteo was. Unlike Sophia and Eli, I wasn’t someone who enjoyed academic pursuits.
Sophia looked at me with stern eyes. “I’m serious, Carla. You won’t pass, and since you aren’t technically a student, I don’t think my dad will let you skirt by.”
Sophia’s father was the headmaster, so I trusted her on that fact.
“I got it,” I said. “I promise that I’ll study.”
Sophia didn’t look like she believed me, but she said nothing more about it. “Text me later,” she said as I started to follow Matteo out of the library. I nodded, not wanting to garner any more ire from the librarian, who was glaring at us with narrowed eyes.
“Sheesh,” Matteo muttered as we stepped outside into the warm air. “I hate that place.”
“The library?” I asked. “Or the school.”
Multiple people had told me that Matteo did not like academics. Eli had mentioned that the only reason Matteo even went to school was because he liked fucking around with girls. It made sense considering what I knew about Matteo.
“Both,” he said.
He was quiet as we started to walk from the school back towards the house. I was starting to realize that I had not seen much of the city. I’d been here for a month, and I’d seen almost nothing except the school, the warehouse, and Barneys.
It wasn’t until Eli suggested that we go to Boston that I realized I had become a little bit of a prisoner, and that was my fault.
“Hey, can we stop at the art store?” I asked Matteo. It was more of a courtesy ask than permission. If he said no, then he would be walking home alone.
Matteo sighed. “Fine,” he said. “Eli mentioned you liked to stop there. I was kind of hoping that you might forget.”
I rolled my eyes at him.
The art store, which was a small neighborhood shop, was one of my favorite places on Earth. The selection was incredible, and the elderly couple who ran the place were sweet.
“I’ll wait out here,” Matteo said, leaning against the brick side of the building.
I turned to look at him. “Why? Eli usually comes inside.”
This caused a snort to come out of Matteo. “Just because my brother follows you around like a lost little puppy doesn’t mean I need to. I can’t imagine that you’ll be in any danger buying paint.”
His words caused my stomach to clench. I almost argued with him about Eli, wanting to stick up for him. But I didn’t. Matteo was clearly in a mood, and I didn’t have the energy to argue.
“I might be a while.”
