Marta, a young woman who is self-conscious about her appearance, lives with her two best friends, Jacopo and Federica. Orphaned and facing a harsh form of cystic fibrosis, she endures treatments that barely slow the illness, leaving her with a fragile sense of time. After a failed attempt to connect with someone on Tinder, she and her friends head to a lively party where she experiences love at first sight with the striking Arturo, a man who seems out of reach but deeply appealing.
From the following day, Marta becomes nearly inseparable from Arturo’s radar, tagging along as if drawn by a dangerous gravity, convinced that he hasn’t noticed her. When he finally confronts her about why she’s tailing him, she musters the boldness to ask for a dinner invitation, and he agrees. The plan is oddly anticlimactic: Marta discovers that the invitation is not to a private date but to a meal with his entire family. Undeterred, she blurts out a cascade of intimate details about her life — yet she deliberately omits mentioning her illness, which she keeps private even as the lies of everyday life begin to ripple around her. Arturo feels a surge of guilt, and the next day he appears at her workplace to ask for a proper date, this time choosing a restaurant he often visits with his family.
That second date raises Marta’s hopes, though she still narrates her life with a careful restraint. They end up sharing a simpler meal at the supermarket where Marta works, and in time their chemistry grows stronger, moving toward an intimate closening. The morning after, Arturo leaves with a tinge of embarrassment, only to be softened by his mother’s candid critique of bringing home a girl like Marta. Spurred by this, he asks for another chance and proposes a real, meaningful evening together. Yet Marta hesitates to reveal the truth about her health, fearing the impact it would have on him.
A romantic gondola ride becomes a turning point; Arturo confesses his love, and Marta, who knows she should not push her fate, agrees to the outing. The trip strains her, and she quickly grows unwell, forcing a swift return to care and hospital checks. The news from her doctor is sobering: her condition is advancing, and she has only a short time left. Marta decides to protect Arturo from the harsh reality, leaving the impression that she is choosing to withdraw from him. In the aftermath, Arturo experiences a moment of conflict, attending a party where he shares a kiss with Beatrice. Beatrice helps to bridge the gap and urges Marta to be open with Arturo about what has happened.
With Beatrice’s nudge, Marta races to the rowing club to reconnect with Arturo, and she finally tells him the whole truth about her illness and the fear that has shadowed their relationship. Arturo listens, and a new glimmer of hope returns when he reveals that he has discovered a potential experimental cure that could improve her odds to about 19 percent. This revelation spurs him to fulfill another of his ambitions: to stage a wedding, a symbolic ceremony that would bring their circle of loved ones together and give their story a dramatic, hopeful arc. The couple faces an uncertain future, but for a moment they dare to imagine a different path, built on honesty, courage, and a plan that might one day allow them to find a real future together.
