caller • mattia polibio

036.

Claudia's eyes looked up to Mattia, wonderingly.
She had not spoke to him much today, really she hadn't spoke to anyone, apart from buying ice creams here and there and taking a wander into the ocean. It was nice, she had been collecting her thoughts, thinking about everything. She thought about how much she appreciated Mattia coming into her life, how her family were doing (well even if their family consisted of just herself and her dad), she thought about school: maybe she should move to be with her friends?

"What is it Tia?" The boy didn't speak for a while, she squeezed his thigh with reassurance.

"I was just thinking about how we should get snacks and have a movie night?" He suggested.

'That was it?' She thought, wondering if he was telling the truth. She nodded in response, with a warm smile. Mattia pulled her closer and another word didn't leave their mouth as they watched the last of the sunset wash away.

Hand in hand, the wandered down the brightly lit streets, they came across a shop with vintage looking sweet jars with every sweet imaginable. Claudia's eyes twinkled in the fairy lights strung on the shelves. She ran her fingers along the shelves, looking at what to buy. The elderly cashier smiled at the pair and continued to knit.

——————

The couple lay snuggled in their makeshift bed.
The heat had dropped cool enough so the pair could lay comfortably under a blanket, watching the Toy Story movie on the laptop. Pink and White pinstriped bags piled between them, gummy bears, eggs, laces, everything. To keep a "balanced" diet they had bough sandwiches and chips from a convenience store.

"So I was thinking, what if I moved schools? To be with you and finally to be with Laura.. our parents thought it would benefit our friendship in the long run if we went to separate schools"

Mattia smiled widely, thinking about how he could see his girl everyday, show her off, it would be his dream.

"That would be great! Then we can all be together! I get to be with my gorgeous girlfriend even more" He exclaimed wrapping his arms around her tightly, making her squirm and giggle. Mattia thought back to earlier, was this the right time to tell her he loved her? She was moving schools to be with him! Well and her friends.

Shaking his head, he focused back to the movie, pushing the thought back to his mind. 'There would be a time and place' he assured himself.