Milo

I wasn’t expecting to start a new project today, but now that one has practically fallen into my lap, thanks in part to Talia’s meddling, I have to admit I’m excited to get started. After taking a summer hiatus, I have yet to really dive back into my matchmaking pursuits.

“You’ll be my first match of the new school year,” I tell Matteo, already trying to figure him out and determine who would be right for him. “I’ve been too busy trying to get ready for an audition for the drama department’s fall play.”

“Right, Cyrano.” Matteo nods. “I’ve seen the posters up around school. So tell me, are you a pessimist who tells the truth prematurely?”

For a moment, I’m shocked speechless, caught off guard by this new kid. I thought I had him pegged as a quiet nerd, but it seems like he has some layers below the surface.

“Are you a Cyrano fan?” I ask, glancing over at Talia. “That was a direct quote from the play.”

Talia lifts her eyebrow just enough to show that she’s clocked my reaction.

“Oh,” Matteo says, ducking his head down and looking away from me in a kind of adorable way. “I saw that there were going to be auditions, so I read the play.”

“Does that mean that you plan to audition for a role?” I ask, leaning in slightly without realizing it.

“No, I don’t think so.” Matteo shakes his head. “I was just interested in the play, but I’m not the center stage type of guy.”

“But you already have some of it memorized,” Talia points out. “You might as well give it a shot. After all, if you really want to get to know new people around here, then you should definitely try out for the play. Auditions are after school today.”

“That’s a great idea,” I encourage him, knowing that the more people I see Matteo interact with, the better chance I have at finding his match. “Are you familiar with the rest of the play?”

Matteo shrugs shyly, and at first I wonder if he only memorized that one line.

“Well, um, yeah,” he stammers, pushing his glasses up his nose again. “I sort of have a photographic memory.”

“Wait, what?” I ask. That wasn’t at all what I was expecting. “What does that mean?”

“It means I can pretty much recite the entire play,” Matteo replies.

“Woah, that’s cool,” Talia says with a laugh. “That alone is a pretty good reason for the two of you to try out together!”

Matteo looks alarmed for a moment, his eyes widening as he takes in Talia’s meaning.

“But aren’t you auditioning for Cyrano?” he asks me. “Why would we audition together?”

I give Matteo a long look, trying to take in the features of his face, but everything is blocked by his huge glasses. Without thinking, I reach out and grab his frames, pulling them from his face. Suddenly, Matteo comes into true focus—his strong, handsome nose, his penetrating golden-brown eyes, and his sharp jawline. This kid could be kinda hot, if he wanted to be.

“Hey, can you give those back, please?” Matteo says, sounding a bit frantic as he waves his hands in front of him. “I’m completely blind without them!”

“Wait,” Talia says, before I can hand the frames back to Matteo. “I think that you might be onto something here. I didn’t see it before, but Matteo could totally be Christian.”

“What?” Matteo balks, looking blindly in the direction of Talia’s voice. “No, no way. I’m the dork, not the hot guy who the dork hides behind.”

“What are you saying? Cyrano isn’t a dork,” I insist, resenting the implication.

“I mean, he’s a witty dork, but a dork nonetheless.” Matteo shrugs.

“No way, Cyrano is the true hero of the play; he just doesn’t realize it,” I point out.

Matteo seems to consider this for a moment, but he doesn’t respond.

“So, what do you think?” Talia asks, coaxing Matteo. “Will you try out for the play?”

“I don’t know,” he replies, shaking his head, looking like he truly thinks he doesn’t stand a chance.

“We’re siblings but not,” I say softly, reciting the lines I’ve been working on for weeks. “We’re very close. She’s told me everything. Theater, love at first sight. All of it.”

Matteo turns toward me reluctantly, his eyes slightly unfocused even as he looks directly at me.

“She loves me?” he asks.

I grin widely, feeling chills from the way he said just that one line.

“She believes so,” I reply as Cyrano before clapping my hand in excitement. “See? Right there! That’s it. Matteo, you are the Christian to my Cyrano. You have to audition!”

“I can’t,” Matteo protests yet again. “Especially if I have to do it without my glasses on. I need them, Milo.”

“Oh come on,” I argue. “When was the last time you ever looked out into the world without your glasses on?”

“I can’t see,” he says.

Assuming he’s being overly dramatic, I put Matteo’s glass in front of my eyes and look through them as the whole cafeteria goes completely blurry to me.

“Ouch!” I exclaim moving the glasses away and blinking away the blur from my eyes. “Man, you are super blind, aren’t you?”

“That’s what I’ve been saying!” Matteo says, waving his hand over his face. “I can’t see anything more than some splotchy colors. So can I please have my glasses back now?”

The idea is so obvious that it almost makes me feel too guilty to suggest. I take one last look at Matteo’s face, uncluttered by his thick black frames. He really is good-looking; I wonder if he even knows it. I have to put that thought on the back burner for now, though. Right now, my only goal is to get Matteo to audition with me for the play. Once we have that squared away, I can start work on finding him the perfect match—which may involve prying those glasses from his face once more and getting him into some contact lenses.

“Okay, here’s the deal,” I say to Matteo, still holding his glasses. “I will agree to give you your glasses back, but only if you will audition for the play with me as the Christian to my Cyrano. Please? Audition with me—I know we’re going to crush it.”

“Even if I were to audition with you, which I still haven’t agreed to, you should be Christian,” Matteo tells me. “It’s so obvious. You’re the hot guy. You’re the one who would get the love interest with his looks. I’m the one who needs to use words and wit to win anyone over.”

“That’s what I’ve been saying!” Talia pipes in. “I’ve been telling him for weeks that he’s too hot to play Cyrano. But alas, Milo is also the smartest person I know, so he fits as Cyrano, too. They’ll just have to do something to make him not as hot for the role. Actually…”

Talia takes Matteo’s glasses out of my hands and places them on my face. I have to squeeze my eyes shut for a moment, the blur from his intense prescription is so jarring.

“You know, if they decide to make Cyrano a dork, those glasses might do the trick on you, Milo,” she says confidently. “In fact, you should wear Matteo’s glasses for the audition! They’re perfect!”

“No, that’s not happening,” Matteo says, reaching out in front of him and trying to take his glasses back, but his hand is five inches away from my face still. “I need them.”

While Matteo waves his hands around, I take out my phone and snap a selfie of myself in Matteo’s frames. I then have to remove the glasses to actually see the picture, but when I get a good look at it, I’m immediately sold on the idea.

“Wow, Talia, you are a genius,” I tell her, still ignoring Matteo’s pleas for his glasses back. “I need to wear these for the audition. Cyrano should totally be blind! Well, sort of. Just with these glasses.”

“Oh, come on,” Matteo groans miserably. “You can’t have my glasses indefinitely. I have physics after lunch! Please, Milo—could you please give me my glasses back so I can see Dr. Hoffman’s blackboard for class? I’m already failing the class, and it’s only been three weeks since school started.”

“Sure, sorry, man.” I hand Matteo his glasses back. “I didn’t mean to stress you out. But I’m not giving up on you auditioning for the role of Christian! I need you to meet me right after school, okay? The drama room is in the left wing, all the way at the end of the hall. This is going to be amazing, Matteo, I promise. I’m going to make us both stars!”