It was a family from the periphery, similar to all others with its social and economic difficulties that prevented it from boasting luxury and wealth. The daily life of its members was based on the need for everything, which caused hopelessness in some and outrage in others. This was the case with Nathalia, a teenager who was completely embittered by the poverty that surrounded her on all sides.

— Damn it! Mother, did you see that jeans shorts I got as a gift from Aunt Marta?

— How do I know if I'm not using it?

— Nice answer, it helped a lot! And now, where did that crap go? Chris, did you see my Jeans shorts?!

— It must be in the laundry basket, little princess. You're the type to never wash the clothes you wear!

— What a big crap! And now, what am I going to use to go talk to that fret, is it the best outfit I have?

— Go naked, he will surely love it!

— Fuck you, disgusting tomboy!

As in most suburban homes, communication between family members was sparse with kindness, always done with great harshness. Nathalia do Valle was as beautiful as her name suggests, conveying the idea of ​​fame and power, however, she was just a teenager who was not satisfied with her reality.

It was her mother who chose to give her that name, taken from a famous actress from the soap operas she used to watch on television. Perhaps that is why the girl brought so much pride and arrogance within her, it was as if she were not part of that miserable world in which she was born.

— Are you going to find that white boy from school?

— That white boy has a name, you see, and lots of money!

— And does he have any idea how poor you are?

— Look here, girl, it will hurt you!

— My sister, you're still going to be very bad at living trying to hit these cool guys

— Stay at yours, Chris, don't get into big people. Go study your books and see if you leave my life alone. Ah, lend me those sneakers that Daddy gave you as a gift, mine took the bran a long time ago

— Ah, am I useful now?

— You know what, oh little hollow stick, give me the damn thing about that shoe and stay there with your face buried in the notebooks that I have more to do!

There was a huge contrast between those two sisters, a visible difference. While Christina was passionate about her studies and fought for a promising future, Nathalia was totally the opposite, she dreamed of a life made of greatness and power, however, she sought it in an obscure, erroneous, misleading and disloyal way.

 Although his purposes were good, his attitudes were bad. She wanted at all costs to become rich, important and stay forever away from the humble origin for which she felt so much contempt. He thought of living in the comfort of a good home, having all the money he needed to buy everything he could never have before, being different, running away from that tacky family with whom he lived all his childhood and adolescence.

— Wow, what a delay!

— Sorry, princess, I had some setbacks

— Good thing it comes by car because if it was by bus it would take a century to get here and I would not waste any more time, waiting

— Stop being angry, I'm already here, right?

— Where are you taking me? Aren't we going back to that damn zoo? I'm tired of seeing those filthy bugs every Sunday

— Angry girl, you, huh?

— You're too slow to count!

— Look here, if you're complaining that until now, I didn't take you to meet my parents, I'm sorry to tell you it's not my fault, they are very busy

— Okay, so let's go to the zoo every weekend to see smelly animals? What the fuck!

— No. Today we go to the cinema

She was not born with the capacity to love, she saw this feeling with contempt and made fun of seeing people in love. Their purpose in dating that rich young man was simply in order that they could get married and secure the future. After all, he was the only heir to a great fortune.

He would become the owner of all the family's assets after his father's death, a great businessman with an important name in the business world. His ambition was limitless. Thanks to the extreme beauty that was peculiar to him, he ended up winning the heart of Vinicius, who even belonging to Elite studied at the same school as her, at a time when the public school.

System in this country was more respected than the private one. However, the contrast between the two was visible. For if on the one hand he tried to live a great love story, on the other she just wanted to take advantage of that relationship

— You bring me to the damn cinema and you don't even let me see the movie, you kept kissing me all the time!

— But that was my plan, to kiss in the dark of the cinema

— Plan ova, if you wanted to keep kneading me, we should go to the motel right away!

— Here you come again with this chat

— Come here, Dude, are you gay by any chance? Gosh, all my friends are having sex only, I'm stranded!

— Sometimes I wonder how a girl your age lives inviting her boyfriend to have sex, when the obvious would be that I would make this proposal to you.

— True, it's really strange that the guy I date is so soft!

— You do not exist...

— You know what, leave me there on my street, which is better, I saw that there is no rabbit coming out of this bush!

While Nathalia was rude and expressed herself only by shouting, Vinicius Sales was a methodical, respectful young man, focused on the principles inherited from the education received from his parents, belonging to an orthodox Christian family, from those who teach their children the opposite of what other young people live there. Outside.

 Like sexual freedom and the unthinkable attitudes characteristic of youth without restraint. He had as a rule the commitment to the sanctity of the body, never practicing sex outside of marriage. She had a deep understanding of the matter, as her aunt Marta was an evangelical and explained the details of the religion.

Thus, she kept urging her boyfriend to go to bed in order to be able to get pregnant and force a more serious commitment. He understood that because he was a defender of moral concepts, he would never abandon a woman pregnant with his child. But to his discontent he refused to give in to his insistent pleas.

There were times when he lacked patience when he had to deal with such slowness, that he didn't act like a real male, getting to the point. However, expectations about this would be far from being fulfilled, as the boy was completely averse to the practice of sex irresponsibly.

— Um, in a big car with a fancy boyfriend, huh?

— Take your eye off, neighbor, envy kills!

— I don't know, Pedro, but this is going to be the shame of this family, it looks like they're going to be a whore. If not already!

— Is that any of your business, woman? Go worry about our daughter, that's right!

— Hey, up there, see? My Brenda is a golden girl, she lives with her face buried in books and will still make us very proud. It's far from looking like this one, God forbid!

Living in a poor neighborhood, located on the outskirts of the city and suddenly appearing accompanied by a nigger, parading in a car of the year, he couldn't help but fall into the mouth of the gossips on duty, earning the title of prostitute.

— So, how about the date?

— A terrible drug!

— Mercy, but nothing good in this life for you, my sister?

— And is it my fault if things never work out for me, Chris?

— Don't talk nonsense, where is there another girl your age who is lucky enough to date a boy from a rich family like that?

— Tremendous softie, that's it. I don't think I'll ever meet your parents!

Days after that conversation, the seventh month of that year was approaching, a period when they would go on vacation and a trip to the interior would be ideal to escape the routine of urban centers, as usual, the boy would have to accompany his family. And would be the ideal time to introduce his new girlfriend to his parents.

 However, he feared that she would not be easily accepted, since she was of a lower social level than his.

— And will he take you along on this tour?

— Of course, you silly, why wouldn't you take it?

— Hey, wake up woman, you're just a slum!

— No need to humiliate, see?

— That is not my intention, but facing reality from time to time avoids certain disappointments, that boy is in love with your physical beauty without taking into account the social difference that exists between you, my sister, but do not be deceived as to what it may happen after it is revealed to his parents

— From what he told me, his family is evangelical and without prejudice as to the social difference of people. So, I think they will accept me in a good way

— My dear sister, a man's heart can be won with a beautiful little body, but his family will not be influenced by his angel face

— Damn it, Chris, give it a try instead of being against it!

— Sorry if I look too pessimistic, it turns out I don't believe in fairy tales, I have my head in place and my feet on the ground

— Me, huh, go over there, vulture!

There was no point in trying to change Nathalia's way of thinking and acting. The teenager was really determined to realize her ambition and become a very influential woman in the society of her time. As he did not have a splendid cradle, he looked for this possibility in Vinicius.

Of course not being foolish enough not to notice the immense gap between her and the reality in which she found herself, her boyfriend came from an extremely high social base in relation to her, but he had an asset in his hands, he had fallen on all fours of its immense beauty and in a short time it would no longer be necessary to be collecting coins at home to buy a hamburger in your Uncle Chico's snack car, at the beginning of the street.

— Dad, give me some change to have lunch with your uncle!

— But that's it every day, my daughter, didn't you eat anything today?

— I had lunch, but I don't want dinner, it's always the same!

— This one has a spirit of greatness, father, only likes what is good

— You'll die there, Chris!

— Stop this little haze right now!

— It is this intellectual who never tires of picking on me!

— There, you thick, can you speak a little quieter? Just know how to express yourself by screaming

— It will hurt you, I speak as you want!

— I already told the two to stop this fight!

— We are not fighting, mother, is that Nathalia can only scream

— Whatever, stop it right now! And you, man, stay there in the middle of this quiet confusion and it doesn't even serve to tell the two to shut up?

— I said, but they never hear me ...

— He said nothing, he looks like the living dead!

 Useless little man, the one I married!

— Don't talk about Dad like that, Mom!

— Defend him because he keeps buying you with these change

— Stop it, woman, nothing to do! And then old man, are you going to buy me a snack or not?

— Alright, come on

Carlos was a calm man his inertia was such that he was too lazy to speak. Luiza, the wife, used to say that they only started dating and got married because she took all the necessary initiatives, otherwise nothing would have happened. He had a good appearance, he was a husband and father present, loving, attentive and he knew how to listen to everyone who sought him out.

 Perhaps because of these qualities he won the love and attention of the family he formed, despite the inevitable poverty in which they lived. Each of her children inherited part of their characteristics: Nathalia, despite having a greater resemblance to her mother when speaking screaming, being ambitious and doing everything with a view to her own benefit, brought her father's determination, never giving up on her purposes.

Cristina stayed with a large part of the intelligence, because he was a man with several professional attributes, he exercised several professions that allowed him to never be unemployed, despite always earning little in exchange for his efforts. Nathan, the youngest son, learned the craft of mechanics at an early age and at the age of sixteen he already worked in the workshop of Mr. João, a well-known mechanic in the neighborhood. That evening, as usual, father and daughter went to lunch together. Put the news of the day in days.

 Nathalia was completely free to open up and reveal to Carlos everything that was living in her insistent mission to get along in life, despite sometimes having to listen to certain sermons for her own good

— I am not against your desire to improve your life, my daughter, I even agree that you try to get out of this slump in which we find ourselves and change for the better, because evolving is always very good, but with certain measures in everything we do

— What do you mean, Dad?

— Never take a step beyond the size of your leg, that is, planning every detail of our actions before making certain decisions is essential for us to be victorious

— Got it

— There is a great chasm between us and our dreams, it will not always be easy to cross the river of obstacles that separate us from our goals without first running the risk of drowning and it is exactly at this crucial moment that we must be prepared not to be shipwrecked and arrive integers on the other side

— And what can we do to avoid this shipwreck?

— Be very careful! Never take any chances beyond the ability to overcome each situation, which will certainly arise during your walk

— And how do I know if I will be ready to understand all these things, before confronting them in the future?

— A very intelligent question, my girl, is where maturity in everything you decide to do will be of great importance, and how to mature in life, when we are just teenagers, we know nothing about tomorrow.

Knowing how to listen and being humble to put into practice everything that the most experienced teach us is the first step.

— Wow, Dad, how smart you are! I'm very proud to be your daughter

— First and most important lesson for your journey towards the future that awaits you, my little one, never admire the qualities of others. Rather, seek to know your own qualities deeply and try to put them into practice. Do not waste time in life, admiring the importance of other people, but strive to express yours and instead of being a fan of someone, win your own followers

— Wow, old man, how much wisdom!

— What did I just teach you? Stop admiring others' qualities and start exploring yours!

— That's right. Dad, I'll start doing this!

— So, start now, from that moment

— OK I will do it!

— So, Carlos, how are things going?

— The same routine as always ...

The two brothers started talking about their limited lives while the teenager sat at the table, enjoying a delicious snack, taking the opportunity to reflect on her father's words.

Considering all the teaching I learned from him that early evening. It was, without a shadow of a doubt, a great privilege to be the daughter of a man with such knowledge, he could not stand the mediocre existence he seemed to be resigned to, as well as all the rest of his family.

But he admired him for all he was able to teach him.

— Dad, come on!

— Yes, my angel

— My blessing, uncle!

— God bless you, princess, see you tomorrow

The days passed and Nathalia soul was distressed when she realized that nothing new was happening, it was the same routine as always, until the neighbor brings her something new that morning.

— Telephone, girl, and it seems to be urgent!

Answering the phone, she receives the best news of her life and takes a leap of joy. It was Vinicius, confirming his trip with him for the vacation tour he would take with his family. Gradually, everything seemed to be falling into place.

— Hey Dona Maria, I'm going to travel!

— Good, Miss Nathalia, have fun!

Maria adored Nathalia, despite being soft to help her with domestic services. She hoped that one day she and her only son would get along, start dating. I wanted to have her as a daughter-in-law, but it seemed impossible, because the girl dreamed big.

He was looking for boyfriends far away. She returns home bright and arouses her sister's curiosity, always alert to everything that happened to her.

— So, sis, who called you, the rich white guy?

—  Himself!

— Sure, to take you to the zoo again

— No, you jealous, this time we are going to travel to a place that he and his family have in the countryside, I will spend my holidays taking a bath in a stream in a good way

Nathalia was happy to realize that she was finally going to have the chance to meet future in-laws, but what she didn't know was that they were unaware of her existence, as her boyfriend never mentioned about their relationship. In the end it would be just one of several playboy friends.

In order not to cause any inconvenience, the boy took the girl to the mall and provided her with new clothes and shoes, all so that her humble origin was not immediately noticed by her parents. The trip took place over a weekend and a huge number of people took a luxurious bus that transported everyone to the Rio dos Vales site, owned by the very rich family.  

Many other young people from the Gonsalves Dias school, where Vinicius was studying, were also invited to participate in the tour, all so that the presence of the favela was not seen with great importance.

— I didn't know that all these people were coming with us, I thought you had invited me on this trip in order to be introduced to your parents!

— No, first I will try to bring you closer to my family and, at the most opportune moment, I tell them about our courtship

— I understand, you are afraid that they will not accept me just because I am a poor person, am I not?

— It's not like that, honey, is that these things are complicated, they need to be well elaborated before putting into practice

— I don't see any complications, Vinicius, just arrive with your parents and say that I am your girlfriend!

— You do not understand...

— You have nothing to understand.

If you're not ashamed of me for being poor, give me another explanation for this whole mystery! Wow, I was happy with life, when you invited me to come on this trip, I thought you had already talked about me to your parents and they wanted to know me. When I get here, I meet all the classmates at school and start to be seen as just one of their friends in the crowd!

— You yourself complained that I kept you away from my family, so I had the idea to bring you with me, now do you complain?

— It turns out that I didn't want to be here as your little friend from school, but as your girlfriend!

— But everyone here knows we dated

— Yes, schoolmates, but your family doesn't even dream of that possibility!

When they arrived at the place, they were free to have fun, there was a beautiful stream with crystal clear waters, many fruit trees and a large soccer field. However, throughout the week Vinicius remained strange and avoided being seen by his family next to the girl, who reacted indignantly with the situation.

— Because you stay so far from me, Vinicius. You just want to be with me on the sly, behind the trees or in places where we can't be seen, are you ashamed of me?

— It's nothing like that, baby, your impression

— Print a pineapple! You spend all the time with your little friends and I stay on the sidelines, only come to talk to me when it suits you, we are here for days and you haven't introduced me to your parents yet. What's yours after all, are you going to tell them we're dating or not?

— What bag, girl, stop in such a hurry?

— Well, look here, you fear, if you are a coward to the point of not being able to tell them that we are together, I will!

— You're crazy, girl, don't even think about it!

— Vinicius I'll give you an ultimatum: Either you assume our relationship at once before everyone here or it will be over between us, you decide!

— Holy God, what a terrible girl!

Nathalia ends that conversation, determined to put an end to dating if the boy didn't make a final decision on the case, she wanted to be recognized as part of the important family. Among the boys present there was one who lived staring at the beautiful teenager.

It could be your big chance to hit him against the wall and get him to wake up to make a decision more quickly. She saw in this the possibility of putting pressure on her boyfriend, causing him to be jealous and started to give special attention to the new suitor, who wasted no time and soon approached that beautiful girl, with long hair and greenish eyes.

When he noticed the atmosphere between the two Vinicius, he was jealous and went on to violence against him who flirted with his girl. The two engaged in a fierce exchange of punches and a crowd of onlookers made a circle, while the young men punched each other.

The show lasted only a few minutes and was soon stopped by some of the men who were guarding the place. Because they were important people, they kept the place under strict surveillance. Then the boy's parents wanted explanations of why he was violent, since he had never acted in such a way before.

— Can you start explaining yourself, little boy, what violence was that?

— Really, my son, what happened to act that way with the poor boy? We never saw you angry like that!

— This is a matter that concerns only me and that asshole, please stay out!

— How is it, boy? We are your parents and you owe us explanations!

— Dad, could we talk about it another time? It’s just that I’m not in a position to explain them now

— Pay attention, Vinicius, tomorrow, gather all your friends and return as soon as possible to Belem. The tour is over, do we understand?

— Damn it!

The young man withdraws dissatisfied with the decision made by the father, that night he and Nathalia did not speak, a bad atmosphere hung over the couple. The next morning everyone was already on the bus back to the city and they remained without any communication. The silence during the return trip was broken only by the noise of the vehicle's engine and the rippling of the winds that whistled on the side of the windows that were ajar.

What should have been a diversion ended in a violent and unpleasant way. But she had a positive point in all of that, now the teenager had awakened in her boyfriend the certainty that if she did not position herself in the face of the relationship, she could lose her. Virginia was one of the few girls at school with whom Nathalia talked. And exchanged confidences, they traveled side by side and she decided to start a dialogue with her friend to understand the meaning of everything that happened the afternoon of the previous day.

— Can you explain to me what the hell happened yesterday? — Asked another teenager the friend who continued looking out the window, as if she was lost in thought, very distant — Why did you keep flirting with that boy if you knew you would end up confused?

Silence was his only answer, so insist with the question

— Hey, can you answer, please?

— What did you say?

— I asked what happened to you to make Vinicius jealous with that boy, did you see what his inconsequential attitude did?

— Sometimes you speak just like my sister, full of reason!

— Speak softly, you don't need everyone on the bus to hear our conversation

— I can't speak softly like you!

— Well try because it's time to educate yourself, after all, if you want to conquer your space in the society to which your boyfriend belongs, it is essential that you educate yourself

— I got tired of wasting time with this idiot. I thought he was going to take advantage of this trip to introduce me as a girlfriend to his parents, but that was never his intention. If I had known that he would put me in the position of one more of his friends from school, he wouldn't have come!

— I already said that you are pushing too hard…

Wanting to be included in this family by force

— What I can't do is waste time, I need to solve my life right away!

— Talk low, damn it ...

— It will hurt you, okay?

— Wow, but how much stupidity in one person

— If you know I'm like that, stupid, why do you still insist on talking to me?

— I'm your friend and friends are just like that, imbeciles who live trying to help others and getting slapped in the face

— Sorry, come on, I'm really thick!

— Wow, you apologizing to me? It will rain heavily today ...

The two, exchange laughter and the journey continues for another hour, then everyone was on solid ground, returning to their homes. Nathalia decides to go with her friend and spent the rest of that day in her company, then she goes downhill to face her sad slum reality.

As for the boyfriend, he didn't even know what he was going to do after all that miserable confusion, after all, he didn't want to talk to her anymore after what happened. But that's okay, I wouldn't regret the attitude I took.

Because it was necessary to put pressure on the playboy, now I had to wait and see what would result, the young man's parents insisted that he explain himself.

— Vinicius, we need to end our conversation, I and your father need to understand what happened there in the place between you and that boy

— Okay, mom, I'll explain. I realized he was hitting on my girl…

And I couldn't help it, I went for violence

— But what girl is that, my son, since when do you have a girlfriend? Well, at least we know

— Her name is Nathalia I hadn't introduced them yet because there are some details to be exposed before

— And how did you meet her if you almost never leave home? Are you a girl from our church, do you belong to the same social level, are you the daughter of someone we know, or are you part of that group of friends you decided to take on the tour to the farm?

— No, father, she does not belong to our social circle nor is she the daughter of wealthy or important people

— Jesus Christ! My son, we always gave you the best education and guided you with what types of women we wanted you to get involved with.

— Mother, you said that because we are Christians, we should not show respect for people, prejudice does not match our faith

— Do not mix things up, boy, it is not prejudice against this or that person, but we cannot allow our only son and heir to all our wealth to end up falling into the hands of a profiteer

— So that's it, you are not concerned with my feelings but with the money you have? And my happiness, where is it?

— Your father is absolutely right, my son, we did not build all this heritage with so much sacrifice for you now to waste with your love adventures

— Adventures? Mother I love this girl and I intend to marry her

— Don't even think about such madness, boy, it will never happen!

— The usual dictator, isn't he my father? Everyone must accept his impositions without arguing 

— Think how you want, but I will not allow you to commit this madness. Even if for that I have to send him away from here to another state or even another country!

I did not raise a child to hand over to gunmen like these, you can keep taking that interest out of your head. And final point, there is no more talk about this subject in this house! The young man learned from an early age to respect his parents' decisions, even when they did not match his ideals, so he fell silent and did not carry out his own defense.

 He was well aware of his father's imperative stance and understood it was a waste of time trying to change his views on any subject. However, his mother with that special kind of wife always managed to tame him and needed to convince her to accept Nathalia, so there would be hope of getting her included in the family, but meanwhile, in the favela:

— Wow, do you mean the playboy went purple with jealousy and pitched the biggest shack?

— Yeah!

— I could never imagine that with all that speck of fine-grained he would go down the level and set off for violence!

— Because it went down, it proves that we are all the same. Rich or poor, when they lose their time, they do the same crazy things. Will he still come looking for you?

— You know what? Damn it! Bad luck if he doesn't come!

— My daughter, God writes in crooked lines and if by chance your courtship with this guy ends it is because it was the best

— Thank you, mother, because you are not much to support my attitudes

— It was a mistake on your part to want to make the boy jealous, so at the very least you should apologize

— I will not crawl, my sister, let him touch himself and come after me. I told you that if we didn't make our relationship official with his parents, I would end it all!

— Well, each sentence has a sentence. If you think that way, so be it

— It will be that way!

The month of the holidays coincided with the strong summer of the North region and at that time of the year the rains stop almost completely, the climate warms up and the heat becomes almost unbearable. Nathalia and her family went to the beach several times and enjoyed themselves as much as they could. Since the money was always tight, it was barely enough to maintain the house and the spare change that was left over was used to pay for public transport tickets and to eat some cheap snacks that were sold there.

Despite maintaining a firm stance as to the idea that she would not be worried about her boyfriend's permanent absence, deep down the girl was extremely worried and sometimes thought of calling the boy in search of an explanation that would allow her to conclude whether they were going to continue. together or not. However, she remained steadfast in her position as an unyielding woman and true to her purpose of not humiliating herself, as she said she would.

Despite being a slum, it needed to have a minimum of dignity, it would not crawl. The month of July ended and the following week he would return to classes in the hope of being able to see Vinicius at school again, the moment of truth arrived, his destiny would be revealed there.

The first day of August began under heavy rain, the summer ended and the winter routine that usually lasted the eleven months of the year began again. Studying in the morning had its disadvantages in a region where you wake up under heavy storms.

Always go out with your father who went to work early and guaranteed your safety. That Monday the two would meet again after almost thirty days without seeing each other. Arriving at the school the first person with whom she kept in touch was Virginia, always interested in the news.

— Hi, friend, finally back to school

— Back to the sacrifice, yes!

— Always complaining about life ...

— You know very well that I hate to study!

— It turns out that without study there is no guaranteed future for anyone, my friend, we need to be well prepared to face the job market

— It is easier to get rich and not have to work!

— Ah, always dreaming!

— It is not a dream, I will still do well in life and I will show you that with enough money I will have many employees, instead of having to sweat my shirt!

— I know, and how do you intend to get so much money. Winning in the lottery?

— Damn, silly, I'm going to take off a millionaire wedding!

— Oh really? Well, only if it is with another rich man, because with Vinicius I think it is unlikely after what happened on the tour. Look at him talking to Rafaela, they seem very intimate

— Where?

The two young men talked animatedly, despite the strong splashes of the morning rain that insisted on falling, they were a few meters from where the adolescents passed towards the school.

Everyone else who knew about the relationship between them and what happened on the site commented on the fact that he was talking to someone else and not to his girlfriend. Nathalia blushed, feeling mixed with anger and jealousy.

Confused, she hastened her steps. She entered the classroom as quickly as possible in order to prevent her eyes from continuing to contemplate the scene that inexplicably bothered her, since she never had the slightest passion for her boyfriend. Virginia noticed her distress and wasted no time, asking as usual.

—Wow, friend, what happened to you? I thought I was going to hit the school gate in such a hurry

— Sure, don't you see it's raining?

— Stop talking, woman, we were walking quietly down the street and it was just you seeing Vinicius talking to Rafaela, he almost ran

— You're wrong, I didn't care what I saw! He's the one who knows, if you want to change me for that watery white girl who keeps her, I don't care!

— I know...

The teacher enters the room and the forty students present are silent to hear his teachings. It was the class that the enemy teenager of studies considered more boring. He hated them all, but the ones that involved numbers, calculations and formulas were, in his view, the most abominable.

— Nobody deserves ... Math right in the first class after the holidays?

— Shh! Silence you crazy ...

Vinicius and Nathalia did not remain in the same room in the second half, they were placed in different places. During all the time that the teachers taught the subjects in class, his thoughts were out there, focused on discovering where the boy would be. In a huge school like that, it was the largest in the public school, system. He made plans to go looking for her at recess, counting the minutes for the break.

While the other students struggled to follow the understanding of the subjects in question, she paid little attention to the class and remained staring at the door, as if she hoped that from one moment to the next, he might come up and invite her to talk, do peace. What was happening to her? — Thought while writing the blank page of the notebook. Would have fallen in love with the playboy? No, it was impossible to believe that at the time of the championship was infected with such a mediocre feeling.

She agreed to go out with him just to organize a millionaire wedding, become a woman of many means and leave that small, miserable life there in the slum. Love? Passion? What the hell was that now bothering your heart and shaking your soul every time I imagined he talking to the watery white girl?

— Hey, do you want to stop flying there?

— What's it?

— You are not paying attention in class, did not write anything in the notebook, call me girl. That way you will repeat the year ...

— Ah, I'll get it from your notebook later!

Finally, the break. He barely rang the bell and she hurried out into the school corridor with her uneasy gaze, trying to see the young man somewhere in the wide place. He was looking for him as if he were looking for something very precious, it was the first time that he was interested in seeing him again, not even when they were in good spirits did, he want so much to be able to face him. It only took a few minutes and she found him, but it didn't go the way she expected. Virginia, who stayed close by, tried to comfort her.

— I'm sorry, friend, but I think he's already in another

— Okay...

Vinicius was leaning against the wall next to the school garden, making out with Rafaela, a young proud who was part of the group of rich people and did not relate to the most, humble.

Although the public network at that time included girls and boys from all walks of life, they were like oil over a portion of water, they did not mix.

It seemed that he had chosen to satisfy his parents' opinion and to date a woman of similar social status, breaking up with the beautiful young woman from the favela. At the end of the class she returns home completely unmotivated, despite the words of encouragement from the chatty friend who kept trying to revive her.

— I don't know why you got so low, you told me you didn't love him.

— I never loved anyone, I have no idea what this love or passion might be!

— Then explain why you are so sad?

— I don't know ... Even I'm confused, I never felt that before

— This is love, you played in the playboy my friend

— You are crazy? This never!

— Yes, I did, and I'll tell you something very serious ...

— What?

— You're screwed!

— Don't even tell me ... If that is true, I will be chipped!

— Yes, because he is now in another

— Wants to know? Damn it!

The two lived in the same neighborhood and their houses were located on either street, that is, their backyards were one, separated only by an old wooden fence. After a lunch made with beans, rice and dried fish with açai, the two used to sit under a huge cashew tree, to eat the ripe fruits and vent their frustrations.

— Our names are too big, starting today I call you Nat and you call me Vi, agreed?

— Whatever...

— Our, woman, cheer you up! Shaking in a low mood, huh?

— Vi, have you ever fallen in love with a boy before?

— You are crazy? I don't waste my time thinking about it, I'm more concerned with my studies

— Just like my sister's annoyance, just think about spending the whole day with your face stuck in books!

— At least soon she will have finished high school, gone to college and got a good job. You, if you don't wake up for life will end in the worst

— Do you know the end of women like you? Graduating in an important profession, marrying a tramp and working to support him and a family of children, I was not born for this kind of stupid situation!

— You are a very insensitive person, dry inside

— Nothing like that, I just see other ways to improve my life without having to spend years staring at books and notebooks. In addition, if one day I will have to walk with a hula hoop on the finger of my left hand and carry a boy in my belly for nine months, all disfigured and destroying my beauty, let it be for a good cause and not for this idiocy of passion!

— Know. And in this case, is the “good cause” you refer to money?

— And what else could it be?

— Mercy!