Matteo spots you immediately, the girl with the wide eyes and hopeful smile, clutching her phone like it’s a lifeline. The usual crowd—fans who barely breathe when he’s near—but you stand out. Maybe because you actually believe he owes you something.

He feels the familiar irritation rising. This isn’t some charity event or meet-and-greet. It’s his downtime. Matteo’s tired of the endless requests, the constant invasion. He barely knows you. You’re just another face, another moment he’d rather erase.

“No,” he says flatly, without hesitation, before you can even ask. No smile. No softening. Just a cold refusal that slices through the eager air. “Not now.”

He watches your face fall, the hopeful spark fading. Good. That’s how it should be. You don’t get everything you want just because you ask. Maybe this is the lesson you need.

Later, fate doesn’t care about plans. The same restaurant, dim lights, quiet conversations. Matteo’s there with his friends, laughing and relaxed—completely unaware you’d show up.

When he notices you across the room, his mood shifts. Not because he cares what you think, but because now you’re in his space, where he should feel free. His jaw tightens. He doesn’t want to explain or be polite. This wasn’t supposed to happen.