caller • mattia polibio

034.

Claudia had barely slept from the excitement.
She had never been away without her father, they would go on holiday with the Atkinsons when she was younger, back when her Mom was alive. Laura would bury their fathers in the sand, play in the pool until they had to be chased and taken out by their parents. Stood in the upstairs corridor, Claudia stared for a while at the picture on the wall, it was her and her mother in the pool, matching smiles present on both faces: dimples in common.

Downstairs, Mattia and her father were bonding once again, speaking in Italian here and there (her boyfriend was definitely doing it to impress him), she could make out that he was reassuring the older man that Claudia would be safe, there would be no alcohol and no sex. It made the girl giggle hearing Mattia mumble in Italian that he was a boy with pure intentions and when she came to the bottom of the stairs her father's look made her giggle more: eyebrows raised and a hand on the hip. He could be comical when he wanted to be.

"I promise, sir." Mattia said.

Once they noticed Claudia had made it down the stairs with her over packed suitcase their conversation ended, the dark haired boy made is way over, a grin on his face. He took the suitcase out of her hands and to the car, Claudia and her father following shortly behind.

"Now, Tesoro, I want you to call every night. No exceptions. There's no drinking or drug taking, I do not want my daughter caught up in that, and most certainly no faffing around with that mister. I'm trusting you." His finger wavered around Claudia's face. "But of course, have fun. I love you."

She embraced him into a loving fatherly hug as the rest of her friends appeared into the driveway, Laura in the drivers' seat, with no apparent front passenger. She cut the engine and hopped out, still looking effortlessly flawless with white joggers and a black mini vest. From the back, a body abruptly fell from the car, another soon following: Kairi and Alejandro had been wrestling on the blow up mattress.

"Ready to do tonnes of drugs Claud?" Laura joked comfortably around Claudia's father. He removed himself from the hug and took off his slipper, heading towards Laura. When they were younger, Laura was the more disobedient one, Claudia's father would joke he'd give her a knuckle sandwich or the slipper.

"You're pushing your luck Laura, one day you'll get this slipper!" He shouted as she had ran out into the road.

The group of friends soon bid their farewells and set off for the multiple hour drive. Mattia had insisted that he would drive the entirety of the journey, unlike the others who were going to take it in turns every pit stop; it was just Mattia being the gentleman as always.

——————
After two hours, the friends pulled into a gas station.
The trio were squabbling about what snacks they wanted to get, Laura was persistent on getting fruit even if she had to kill the other two. Mattia had Claudia on his back, the lack of sleep now catching up to her.

"Just get Laura a damn fruit pot and buy yourself whatever you want! Stop being so difficult.." Claudia snapped, after their third round of the store. The boys were so adamant to make the girl eat something with sugar. Not wanting to make Claudia anymore cranky, they gave in, knowing that if they continued it would bite their ass in the long run.

Once purchasing a couple fruit pots, large slurpees and an unnecessary amount of candy: they headed back to their cars, Kairi now taking the driver's seat and Mattia careful placed the tired girl in hers. Evaluating that they had enough candy to send them into an immense sugar rush, they would continue until they had reached their destination. Holiday.