Chapter 2

It was Sunday and André was in his grandmother's living room, with his books spread out on the table, finishing some assignments and studying for the five tests he would have that week. History and English on Tuesday. It was too much for the same day. The grandmother lived in the backyard, in a small house, behind his own. The room was well ventilated and bright. The grandmother's light blue sofa and vibrant pink armchair added a touch of humor to the room. She was like that, good-natured, optimistic, active. She arrived from the street fair loaded with bags, but Daniela came along, carrying the heaviest items. Dani was a young woman with long black hair. Eyes also black, always bright. She had been friends with Dona Luiza since they met at the church last year. Daniela led the group of young people, at the request of Priest Rubens.

‘Hi sonny, are you studying? I came across Dani at the fair.’

‘Hi Grandma. Hi Daniela. Why didn't you ask me to go along to carry the bags, grandma?’

‘Because I was going to buy just a few things, then I got carried away. Dani appeared at the best time...’

‘Don´t give it another thought Mrs. Luiza. I had nothing to carry. I just went to eat a snack there,’ she said with a smile.

‘Have a seat, Dani. I'm going to take a shower and we're going together for ten o'clock mass. It is still early. Do you wanna go, sonny?’

‘I can not go. I have to study for the exams.’

When Mrs. Luiza leaves, the young woman approaches the table.

‘Sorry if I'm coming here a lot, André. It's just that I'm so much in love...’ – ‘Listen, Dani...’ he interrupts impatiently. ‘I have a girlfriend.’

A heavy and embarrassing silence falls over the room.

‘No need to be embarrassed,’ he tries to be kinder, because he sees in Dani's face, that she is very gentle. ‘It´s not your fault if you didn´t know it.’

‘That is not it. It's just that I'm feeling like if Rodrigo Santoro had warned me that he's married to Mel. What does it mean? That if he wasn't, I would have a chance? It is impossible to imagine this situation.’

‘Do you compare me to the actor Rodrigo Santoro?’

‘Yes. I even think that I admire you more, because you are real, not a TV dream, some fictional character, which is what the actor presents to us.’

He starts to feel proud to be seen that way. Dani continues the explanation, as if she was attempting to get rid of the embarrassment.

‘You are the guy we know and respect. Everyone is always approaching you, because you have a rich personality. But I never thought of you in a romantic way. It would be like trying to spend a vacation on another planet.’

‘How exaggerated you are,’ - she is so intense that it makes the young man laugh. It's good to talk to her. Daniela talks as if she is building images, her imagination explores the subject in detail.

‘No, I am not. You date Vanessa, right?’

He nods a yes. He doesn't want to interrupt her, she has an intense gleam in her eyes.

‘So… She is the most beautiful girl in school, perhaps in the entire village,’ Dani continues with her line of reasoning, even if this is causing more laughter in André. She has a little smile on her face too. Their sense of humor matches.

‘She is well dressed, with fashionable hairstyles, expensive perfumes. What she spends on shoes alone would be enough to feed the needy population of a small town. She could be on a magazine cover, but you deserve someone like that. You are a beautiful couple.’

‘I really think she's beautiful.’

‘And you thought I was a couple destroyer? I don't know how you didn't kick me out.’

‘Look, it's normal to fall in love. After all, that's what you said.’

She just looks at him for a moment.

‘André, what I'm going to tell you now is the purest truth. It is not to save face because I was rejected. I guarantee you that I hate lies. I've suffered a lot from them.’

‘Ok.’

‘When I was expressing myself, you interrupted me. And it's really just a way of talking. I was going to add that I come here a lot because I'm in love ... with your grandmother, not you.’

Another huge silence falls over the room. He's astonished. Wow, how vain he had been! Daniela hurries out. When the grandmother enters the room, she immediately asks:

‘Hey, sonny, didn't Dani wait for me? Maybe she had to arrive there earlier. That girl is soooo loving.’

André bursts out laughing. Wow, these church people, including grandma. They were just like that, exaggerated to speak.

‘Are you crazy, sonny? Laughing at grandma like that...’

He hugs the elderly woman.

‘Crazy about you, grandma. Like everyone else, by the way.’

Mrs. Luiza is feeling happy as she puts away the goods she brought from the street fair, before going to church.

André keeps thinking about the bright black eyes of a girl who has a funny way of expressing herself. When he returns to his studies, a smile remains on his face.