caller • mattia polibio

008.

Friday had rolled into appearance again, work time.
Claudia had spent almost every waking moment talking to Mattia, sometimes even night, falling asleep on calls too. It had been only a few days since making the call and now they couldn't stop.

Lately a smile was what was pinned on her face, she was happy, and one thing Claudia had noticed was that her happiness had brightened up her father slightly, he looked less stressed and when at the dinner table they would laugh and joke instead of sit in painful silence. She felt closer to him. Even though this boy she was slowly falling for could easily tear all this down.

This time, as she waited for the only call she received on a Friday night, Claudia sat there with a plate of spaghetti bolognese. Her father was unable to cook dinner, spending more time looking after her Uncle and going to the restaurant.

She pulled out her phone to see if Mattia had replied to her last text, nothing. The girl understood it was boys night, but it felt like hours when he didn't reply, especially when she was bored. Instead Claudia pulled up her best friend's contact, Laura always could keep her entertained.

clauds😙
i am so unbelievably bored

bestie bestie💓
lover boy not keeping you
busy?

clauds😙
he's with his friends
speaking of, want to stay over?

bestie bestie💓
can't.

clauds😙
oh okay
seen.

It wasn't what Claudia had expected. Laura had never acted so distant. She made a mental reminder to call her later and returned her plate to the kitchen. For a little while she hovered around her father, conversing with him whilst he prepared lasagnas.

In the distance the telephone rang from the little office. Mattia! She pushed herself up from the counter she leant on and ran to the phone, closing the door behind her.

"Hello, welcome to Amores Italian restaurant! Will I be taking an order from you today?" Claudia still answered the phone officially, just on the off chance it wasn't Mattia calling.

"Hey pretty girl, can I get two large mozzarella pizzas?"

"You can-" Claudia cut her sentence short, believing she could her a female talking in the background, wasn't it boys' night? And it was his friend's choice on pizza. She shook her head. 'He's not yours. Stop acting like he is'.

"Everything okay Claudia?"

"Just fine. $24.99 and a bottle of Coca-Cola."

"Actually can we have Diet Coca-Cola this time"

"Sure"

"Goodbye-" She didn't let him finish. Too many things were flowing through her head, she had never liked a boy before, she didn't know what to think. Claudia couldn't handle these feelings. She pushed the questions out of her head, there'll be a decent explanation surely. She handed the order to her father, grabbed the two boxes and the Diet Coca-Cola. Why Diet? Claudia simply couldn't understand.

clauds😙
laur, i need some advice.
pls
seen.

——————

"Somethings not right, I can just tell with her."
Mattia huffed, sitting down on the couch, stressing, he could tell Claudia suspected something. 'Laura was too busy laughing at Kairi during the phone-call and she defiantly heard.'

"Look Claudia has never had a boyfriend, but she's not stupid. I hate it too, Mattia, but I know for a fact if I talk to her I'm just going to tell her about the surprise" Laura reassured Mattia, who else would know the girl better?

Laura goes to the same school as the trio of friends and when Claudia finally told her the name of her little lover, she had to do something for her best friend.

She was going to meet Mattia.