— Did you get everything? — Maristela asked Rafael.
— Yes, Mom — Rafael answered, desperate for his mother to leave.
Thomas, noticing what was happening, smiled in a wolfish, slightly malicious way. Seeing his friend's crooked teeth, Rafael felt a chill run down his neck.
— Where's my mommy kiss? — Thomas asked, with an acting performance worthy of an Oscar.
— Right! — Maristela said, immediately realizing what was going on. — Where's my kiss?
— Mom... aren't you late?
— How rude, Rafael! — Thomas continued with his portrayal of someone who would play a tree in a play, keeping their mouth shut. — Responding to a question with another question!
— That's how it is, Thomas — Maristela continued. — Kids are embarrassed by their moms, soon enough, he'll be asking to stop the car two blocks away so no one sees me!
— You monster! — Thomas commented.
— And Mommy still loves you so much!
— You, deprived of maternal love!
— Mommy's got a hole in her chest.
— Demon!!!
Rafael knew one thing: his life was a hell. The school bus drivers were already glaring at Maristela's car parked in front of the school, and he needed to get out of there as soon as possible.
— Mom, people are staring at us already!
— Kiss! — His mom retorted.
— This is going nowhere! — Thomas said, wiping his mouth with the back of his right hand. — I'm going to give the kiss for you.
Seeing Thomas move in, Rafael rushed forward and gave his mom a quick kiss on the cheek. Thomas was devastated by the missed opportunity.
And so, the duo stood in front of the school entrance. Children from the kindergarten to the third year of high school were constantly entering through the open wooden gates. Not only were the gates made of wood, but the wall surrounding the school was too, and above the entrance, there was a sign that read "Oca," which was the name of the school.
A symbol of an indigenous person playing a flute adorned the school, and according to Tyson, it looked like the indigenous person was smoking a joint... Tyson was sick.
— Here we are once again! — Thomas commented.
Nodding in agreement, Rafael entered through the gate, followed by Thomas. They greeted Edipo, the school inspector, whose eyes were huge due to wearing 13-degree lenses.
The shouting of people reuniting was constant as vacation gossip was exchanged, and juicy tidbits were shared! Rafael, however, didn't care about any of that; he scanned his surroundings predatorily, like an eagle hunting.
— Want to crap? — Thomas asked out of nowhere.
— What?
— You're looking around so intensely, it looks like it.
— No, you idiot, I'm looking for someone.
Out of nowhere, Thomas staggered, muttering a poem of insults after getting a jab from a "Paulistinha" (a type of slap). The author of this beautiful act, according to Rafael, was Tyson, followed by Guilherme.
— Hey, guys! — Guilherme greeted, ignoring the "nice" words directed at him by Thomas.
— Hey! — Rafael replied.
— What were you gossiping about? — Tyson asked.
— Knew it — Thomas said, massaging his injured right thigh. — You're a hell of a... cuckold!
— Be careful, or he might headbutt you! — Guilherme commented.
— Very funny! — Tyson replied. — But remember, to be a cuckold, you need to have had someone!
— That's sad — Rafael commented.
— Don't say that out loud — added Guilherme, placing his hand on his friend's shoulder in a comforting gesture.
— My pain has been replaced by depression — Thomas said, stopping and putting his hand where he had received a hickey. — It must be hard not to be wanted by anyone. Virgins, sigh.
Rafael just watched as his friends exchanged friendly curses and painful jabs to the arms and ribs. He had known these guys since they were little. Another year full of absurdities was about to begin.
— Whoa, Cecilia! — Guilherme suddenly said, interrupting a poke in Tyson's ribs.
Rafael immediately turned around, but not just turned, he spun with all his might, using every muscle fiber, and to those nearby, he seemed like a blur. Almost like a tornado, he spun with both arms wide open, making his elbows pass dangerously close to Guilherme's neck, who saw his life flash before his eyes.
His heart pounded against his ribs, and he felt violent butterflies in his stomach, smiling like an idiot, and then the blow came—she wasn't anywhere. The laughter of the three made his blood boil.
— Is he still on this? — Tyson asked.
— Always! — Thomas replied.
— I was just joking — Guilherme commented. — Didn't expect him to still have hopes.
— You don't understand. — Rafael started, doing his breathing exercise to avoid fighting all three at once. — This year will be different.
— Like last year? — Tyson asked, shaking his head tiredly.
— Or the year before? — Guilherme added again.
— We've heard this for at least eight years. — Thomas observed.
— This year — Rafael answered defensively. — I'm going to try something!
— You're going to act crazy? — Tyson interrupted.
— Basically. And I don't think she's that popular.
— Out of every 10 guys. — Thomas said, teaching them. — 8 have a slight crush on her.
— But, I'm going to be different — Rafael was clearly desperate. — It's going to be like that story of the princess and the frog. Kissing me is like kissing a frog!
— Is she going to catch a disease?
— I'm going to transform — Rafael continued, ignoring Thomas. — Into a marvelous prince!
— My God — Guilherme commented.
— Exactly — Tyson agreed.
— This year is going to be crazy!! — Thomas shouted, laughing.
Rafael was furious and about to kick Thomas when his friend suddenly stopped.
Thomas froze, as if he had seen a wild animal. His eyes widened and a deathly pallor spread across his face. He raised a trembling hand and began pointing at something by the gate. He rubbed his other hand across Tyson's face, who was still laughing. Tyson's mouth and right nostril were violated by his friend's finger.
— What's wrong with you? — Tyson said, spitting violently.
— Yeah, her.
This time, Rafael didn't spin around madly looking for his destined one (according to him). He said with a stupid, cunning look:
— I'm not falling for that again, you idiot.
— The goth girl! — Thomas muttered through his pale lips.
This time, there was no stopping them. All three turned at the same time, painfully bumping shoulders. Rafael was violently searching for a goth girl, but couldn't see anyone.
— Are you messing with us? — Guilherme said, turning around angrily. He was one of the ones tormented by the hickey story. Rafael suspected he had cried from jealousy the day he heard it.
— There's no goth girl — Tyson mumbled, also turning around.
Thomas grabbed both of them by the shoulders, turning them towards the gate, and then pointed dramatically at a girl entering.
— That one!
Rafael thought about censoring his friend's lack of sense by calling him a "clueless idiot," but curiosity won over, and he observed the young woman. She was definitely a new student, probably their age, and had her hair tied in a long ponytail that almost reached her waist. She wore a long skirt that hid everything, and there wasn't a single bit of makeup on her face.
— Seriously? — Tyson asked.
— I'm more of a "goth chick" than she is — Guilherme said.
— I don't get it either — Thomas murmured to himself. — Why is she hiding?
— I'll hide my hand on your face if you don't stop this! — Rafael said, raising his hand like he was about to slap him.
— You lied the whole time! — Guilherme pointed triumphantly.
— How ugly — Tyson reprimanded in a fatherly tone.
Thomas looked in disbelief at the three of them and started a heated argument with words and verbs that were at least "interesting."
— Good morning, boys — said a girl who passed by the chaos the quartet was causing.
— Morning, Cecilia — Rafael replied, not paying attention, as he was aiming for a punch at Guilherme's chin.
It was then that the realization hit: Cecilia had passed, and he hadn't paid any attention because of those pests. They got scolded by Edipo and went to class when the bell rang.
Rafael froze at the door of the classroom, seeing that Cecilia was there... Thomas froze too, seeing that the goth girl (according to him) was there as well.