no idea ❀ mattia polibio

diciassette

𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄

— madison

it was friday night and i was in the living room watching a movie with my dad. "i'm going on a date tomorrow." i tell him and he looks at me, raising his eyebrows.

"with who?" he asks.

"mattia." i respond and his face lights up like a lamp.

"no way." and i nod in return. "well you already know i approve." he says and i smile. "he's a good kid. from the moment i talked to him that day at the restaurant, i knew he had good intentions." he tells me.

"i don't know dad." i sigh as i sit closer to my dad.

"wait, he doesn't?" he asked and my eyes go wide.

"no! i mean, yes he does but that's not what i was going to say." i say and he rests his hand on his chest as a sign of relief. "i like mattia, i really do, but i feel bad for going out with him."

"why honey?" he asks in a worried tone.

"because," i start. "i was with hector not too long ago and now i'm with mattia." i say and he sighs.

"that's high school sweetie." he says. "you're gonna meet new people, but it doesn't mean they'll stay in your life forever."

"i don't want him thinking i'm using him or something." i tell him.

"madison, the kid likes you." he says. "i doubt he's ever going to think that unless you give him a reason to."

"i'm not, but it just feels like a lot of pressure on me." i say as my dad puts his arm around me and rubs my arm. "as cringe as it sounds, mattia is popular."

"so was i back in my day." my dad says as if it's no big deal and i laugh.

"i mean like, he's famous on an app. he creates lots of videos and he has a whole ass fan base." i tell him.

"wow." my dad says in shock. "well, what's the problem with that?"

"what if mattia and i start dating and his fans don't support us?" i ask.

this is something i've thought about a lot. i'm definitely not familiar with the whole fame thing so i don't know how to handle hate very well. what if his fans think i'm not good enough for him and he believes it? what if they don't approve of me?

"you want my honest advice?" my dad asks.

"well, yeah it's kind of why i'm ranting to you." i say and he chuckles.

"you cannot care about what others think about you, sweetheart. you have to know yourself how much you're worth." he tells me. "and since you are my daughter after all, you're worth a lot." he jokes and i playfully hit his shoulder. "you should tell him about this and how it makes you feel, see what he has to say."

"so i shouldn't worry too much about it?" i ask him.

"no." he tells me. "you're gonna go have fun with him and get to know him on a different level."

"thank you dad, i seriously don't know what i'd do without you." i say and he squeezes me tightly.

"i'm not going anywhere anytime soon." he says and he kisses the top of my head.

—

author's notes
hi bbs, i love madison's
dad. i cannot wait for
y'all to see what i have
planned for this book.
you guys are going to
be in SHOCK. anyways,
i love mattia and that
is on the periodic table.
thank you very much.