If you ask anyone at my college who Diego Moreira—or rather, Diegola, as everyone calls him—is, the answer will always be the same: the most feared guy on campus. And it's not without reason.
Son of the director, owner of a massive ego, and leader of his own group of sycophants, he walks through the hallways like a king, deciding who deserves his contempt and who is lucky enough to be ignored. And, for now, I belong to the second category.
My name is Felipe, but most people call me Felipinho—probably because I'm too skinny for anyone to remember my full name. I spend my days trying not to stand out, just surviving through my Business Administration classes without becoming the target of Diego and his gang's jokes.
Speaking of them...
Alberto, the college heartthrob. Handsome, always well-dressed, and with a smile that has already broken half the female students' hearts—and maybe even some professors', if the rumors are true.
Pedro, better known as Caçapa. Chubby, always smelling of alcohol, and addicted to pool. No one knows how he hasn't been expelled yet.
Diógenes, Diego's official bootlicker. If someone laughed at his jokes, you can bet it was this guy.
Álvaro, the quiet and mysterious one. He studies Technology and rarely gets involved in fights, but his presence always made me uneasy.
And, of course, Marina.
She's not just the most beautiful girl in our class—maybe in the entire college—but also one of the smartest. Despite that, she's always surrounded by her two best friends: Giovanna, the strong-willed Italian descendant, and Fátima, the fitness queen of our class.
And me? Well… I was just a background character in this story.
Or so I thought.
Until that day.
"The sound of a glass shattering echoed through the cafeteria."
I didn't even realize how it happened. I was waiting in line to buy my lunch when I felt a strong shove. I stumbled forward, and before I could regain my balance, my juice flew straight onto Marina's white blouse.
Silence spread like wildfire.
Marina looked at me, surprised. The juice slowly dripped down her shirt, completely staining it. And before I could open my mouth to apologize, someone laughed.
A loud, mocking laugh.
Diegola.
"What a beautiful scene, huh? Felipinho and Marina, all cozy together. Do we have a new campus couple?"
My stomach churned. Diego's laughter spread through the cafeteria, and his friends joined in. Diógenes, as always, was the first to agree.
"The skinny guy doesn't waste any time, huh?" – he jeered.
I wanted to disappear. But, to my surprise, Marina didn't look angry. On the contrary. She took a deep breath, grabbed a napkin, and started wiping her shirt by herself.
"If you wanted to ask me out, Felipe, you could've just said so." – she said, smiling.
The entire cafeteria held its breath.
I blinked a few times, unsure if I had heard her correctly. Marina… was defending me?
But Diego didn't seem amused. His smile faded for a second. Just a second. But I noticed it.
And at that moment, I made the biggest mistake of my life.
I smiled back at Marina.