NARRATION
Mattia's jaw dropped open slightly upon hearing that cursed name come from the bartender's lips.
He'd only heard that name once in all his life. And it was in a courtroom. When he was sitting by himself at the back of the court. Isolated from his relatives who had seated themselves at the front.
The judge began speaking:
"Mr Derek Polibio. The court approves for your divorce to take place with Ms Rosia Polibio. For the divorce to reach it's full potential, you have also applied for a separation from your wife and the one child between you- Mattia Polibio"
The cries and screams of his Mother during that had been burned into his memory. His Father hadn't cried once. Or even argued or fought for him. The divorce hadn't even hurt him. Nor the pain it'd caused him.
It was the way he was so easily able to let go of his son. The only connection to him. Mattia's supposed role model. For life. Just let go & flicked away.
He couldn't remember the rest of court. He only recalled being dragged away along with his broken and crying Mother. That name had never been uttered under his household again. As far as he was concerned, that man was dead to him.
"Sir? You there?"
Mattia blinked harshly, snapping back into reality and looking down at the drinks in front of him.
"And they knew?" he asked him. But the bartender became confused, narrowing his eyes "the actors, they knew he was the director? And they knew his last name, didn't they? They knew, right?"
"I suppose-"
"Fuck her" he said, throwing the black card in his hand at the wall and running his hands through his hair. People were beginning to stare but he was far from caring anymore. Since she never cared.
"Can I call you a cab?" asked the bartender, trying to be as helpful as possible. But his efforts proved futile as Mattia ignored him.
The doors to the theatre flew open, Mattia standing there as everyone turned in his direction.
"Mattia?" Athena stood up. Much to everyone else's confusion but he didn't care for her anymore. At least, not the way he once used to.
"You knew, didn't you?"
She became helpless, trying to form a sentence but her mouth formed a boring O shape which she quickly covered with her hand.
That was answer enough. He pressed his lips together, nodding his head with disappointment. Joey stood up from a seat near Athena, glaring at Mattia with a threatening look on his face.
"Leave her alone or I'll leak the picture"
"What picture?" said Athena's Dad, turning around in his seat. Mattia squinted his eyes, making out the picture of him & Athena the night they had a kiss. He laughed to himself, trying not to lose his entire mind all at once.
"You think that fucking scares me?" he asked "you killed my Mom and you think that scares me?"
"Mattia.." Athena lowered her hand.
"What is it?" her Mother asked, growing impatient and also standing up amongst the several other people in the room. Mattia looked around at them all, letting his arms drop to his smile as he began smiling hysterically.
"I'm sleeping with your daughter"
Several gasps went around the room, faces with expressions of horror written all over them. Hands flew to mouths, the news shocking her Mother that much that she fell back into her seat. Athena covered her face with both hands, also taking her seat again.
"What's going on? Why hasn't the movie started?"
Mattia turned around to see a man behind him. Glasses around his neck. Brown messy hair, brown eyes, a small gap between his front teeth. Him.
Without thinking, he swung his fist at him. Letting it connect directly to his jaw, hearing a small crack.
Women screamed and a security guard ran over to him. But it was good enough for Mattia to see him stumbling backwards and landing on the floor, his hands holding onto his freshly broken jaw. He didn't dare look up at his son.
"I'll see you at Mom's funeral" Mattia glared down at him before walking out the venue and towards the exit. He was done. Done with her, done with him. Done with it all.
This lifestyle was never for him.
