🌺 João Felipe 🌺

I woke up with a terrible headache. Nothing out of the ordinary as I had been drinking too much yesterday and knew there would be consequences. Always had, when it came to drinking to excess.

I arrived in the kitchen looking for someone who could give me a painkiller, but despite everything being in order, there was no one there. I then remembered that it was Sunday, the day off for most of the employees in the house.

I went upstairs to look for my brother, knocked on his door, and called repeatedly, but he didn't answer. Furthermore, I tried the lock and saw that it was only leaning.

When I walked into his room and saw that he was still sound asleep, I thought he must have been drinking as much as I had.

I sighed and went to his bathroom, looking for some medicine that could alleviate this hellish pain in my head.

I opened one of the cupboards and soon found what I was looking for. I was about to leave when I came across a picture frame with a photo of João Pedro and Viviane.

It seemed to be a recent photo, on a beach, of him hugging her from behind as if they were a couple, or at the very least, very intimate.

That displeased me in a way that I was already used to. I got angry and took the picture frame off the counter. The urge to throw it far away was very strong, but I controlled myself and put it back in the same place.

I didn't even remember to get water to take the pill and I just threw it in my mouth and made an effort to swallow the medicine, when I was back in my room.

Since I realized that the daughter of the mansion's servants drove me crazy, I decided that the best thing to do was to keep my distance. My mother would never accept such a relationship. She expected me to date and marry someone from the same social class as us.

I didn't want to disappoint my mother, and I avoided Viviane since I was a child. Unlike my brother, who wouldn't let go of Viviane and never cared about what my mother said.

When my mother threatened to forbid their friendship, my father always intervened, and things remained the same as always.

I've had a few relationships over the past few years, but nothing too serious. I don't know what happened, but all the women I got involved with bored me with their conversations and their quirks full of freshness.

Anyway, I wasn't looking for a serious relationship either at the time, I was still too young, and I wasn't going to worry about that matter yet. I want to enjoy my single life because once I find the right person, I don't want to be unfaithful. I want to honor my commitment.

I went back to bed and stayed that way for a long time, thinking about Viviane and how much more beautiful she is and her power to attract me.

She never really got out of my head, but I was still determined to remain indifferent so that she wouldn't get close to me and end up making me forget all the cons of relating to a girl like her because I know myself well enough. To know that I wouldn't stand up to Mom to be with Viviane.

What comforted me was knowing that they would never have a man-woman relationship because they always treated each other like brothers, and I was sure I shouldn't be jealous of João Pedro. I hoped with all my heart that I wasn't mistaken.

Viviane

I woke up late that day, which wasn't a common thing to happen, not even on Sundays, as I like to fully enjoy the day.

Since it was my Parents' Day off, we spent the day together. In addition, I also enjoyed preparing for the week of classes at the University.

" Good morning, daughter! " My father greeted me when I entered the kitchen, already at ten o'clock in the morning." You slept a lot today, your mother and I already had breakfast. But I can prepare something for you” Se he offered, already approaching the fridge.

" No need, Daddy! I'll just have a black coffee anyway, " I said, taking the coffee bottle and a cup that was already on the table.

" Did you drink a lot yesterday, Vivi? " She questioned me, getting a little sad expression. He didn't like me going out with João Pedro, because he knew that Mrs. Marta had a problem with me. But, like Mom, they accepted my choices and just gave me advice, never imposing their opinions on me.

“No, Daddy! Yesterday it was my turn to drive, and I didn't put even a sip of alcohol in my mouth,” I said, smiling to relax a little. “Where is Mom?”

“Went to the market. But it must be coming back by now, it's been a while since it left.”

I stayed in the kitchen a little longer, talking to my dad about my week of college classes and catching up on other matters. Then I went to my room, I needed to organize myself for another week of classes, but I ended up lying on my bed, thinking back to the unexpected encounter with João Felipe.

He is even more handsome, with his well-muscled body, his beautiful green eyes, and his light hair. He is now a man of twenty-four and will soon have to take up his position in his father's company.

Mr. Rodolfo was already in his 60s and Mrs. Marta was ten years younger than her husband, and despite being a woman very attached to social conventions, I couldn't say that she was a bad person. Just superfluous. Very different from mister Rodolfo, who was extremely kind and controlled his wife's excesses. They balanced each other that way and were happy together, I couldn't deny it.

João Pedro looked like his father, both physically, as they were both dark, with black eyes and hair, and in personality, while João Felipe was more connected to his mother and was always fulfilling her wishes.

Seeing João Felipe back in Brazil made me even more certain of my goals, which were to finish college, get a job, and go live alone, somewhere else, far from that house and far from João Felipe.

I didn't even want to think about the possibility that he had returned to Brazil for good. She couldn't bear to see him around, with his arrogant friends and his girlfriend's full of jokes about the maid's daughter, like he always had before.

******** 💙********

A few days had passed since João Felipe had returned to São Paulo, and we were managing to avoid each other.

I was sure he also tried to avoid my presence. It even looked like I was a fly because when he was close to me, he just needed to wave his hand away from me.

This hurt me, but I had learned to deal with the pointless feeling I felt for João Felipe, which before was just the affection of a child for his little friend and which, with time and the beginning of adolescence, became a more intense feeling, deep and carnal.

I was thinking about him as I walked back from class with my classmate, Arthur. We shared a lot of classes and did a lot of work together, which led me to whenever João Pedro's classes didn't match my schedule, I'd go home with him, who lived close by.

I sensed that he had a certain interest in me, but I never encouraged it. Despite being a very nice and kind guy, I didn't want to get involved with anyone at the moment, because my plans were my priority, and only later could I think about a romantic relationship.

“If you need a ride to the university tomorrow, just give me a call.”

“You don't have to worry about me, Arthur. I'm not going to take you out of your way to stop by the house.”

“I see no problem in helping a friend.”

He mentioned a friend, but his expression indicated he expected more than friendship from me, and as always, I was embarrassed.

He was a handsome guy, with an athletic body and gorgeous, night-black eyes. His hair was cut in a military style, which ended up giving him a straight boy appearance.

If my heart wasn't already occupied by an idiot, maybe I could like Arthur, I thought when we stopped in front of the mansion.

“I always go with João Pedro, as you know. But when I need a ride back, you always notice and here we are, like today” I said and started to remove the seat belt.

I said goodbye to him with a kiss on the cheek and a strong hug and then got out of the car with a wave. When I turned around, I saw another car parked across the street, and I quickly realized it was Felipe's car.

He must have pressed the command to open the garage door because it opened as I approached the service entrance.

When I passed through the gate, I saw him stop the car and wave for me to come closer to where he was.

“What do you want?” I said rudely. I wouldn't be polite to someone who only treated me with coldness and distance. I was tired of this little game.

“Having studied in such expensive schools didn't help much. You are very rude, huh, girl!” she said and lifted her sunglasses. He looked pretty pissed off. So then there were two of us.

“I treat people the way they treat me,” I replied, undeterred.

" You know I'm the boss here, right? I think it's best to respect myself,” she said rather brusquely. I guess he didn't expect my response so haughty and decided to fight back.

" My parents work for your parents. Just. And since you don't have anything nice to say to me, I'm on my way" I said and was about to leave when he made me turn around, heard him say.

" I don't want you making out in front of my house. I'm sure your parents wouldn't approve of such behavior either,” she said and drove off, not giving me any more opportunity to respond.

He had to be crazy because I wasn't making out with Arthur. I shook my head, unable to understand his attitude, and continued my way.