Finished

When I arrived at school, some people in the hallway were looking at me with a face as if they were sorry and I didn't know why, others were whispering that they were sorry and some that they liked what happened, which I didn't know what it was, but how could anyone wish evil on another? 

I went straight into the classroom to avoid the whispering, but it was inevitable since there they were also looking at me strangely. I sat at the last table and as soon as she saw me, Victoria came to talk to me.

- How are you? - Vitória asked me with a warm look on her face while others had a pitying look on their faces.

- Fine, Victoria," I frowned.

- Are you sure," she asked.

- Yes, why? - I asked confused

- Didn't you see the school newspaper group? - Aline and Pedro suddenly appeared. 

- No, what's so great about it? 

- This - Pedro showed me a picture of Felipe and Caroline together in an ice cream parlor, but the problem wasn't that they were holding hands while Caroline put a scoop of ice cream in her mouth.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing, while I was worried about him, he was having fun with someone else and maybe that was why he arrived late at his house that day. In the end it wasn't gambling, it was another girl. My heart hurt, it was as if it was breaking into several pieces, I felt my breathing irregular and a kind of ball preventing the air to pass through my throat, it was hurting. 

Felipe came into the room and his smile broke as soon as he saw me, Caroline came in soon after, which made me think that they had arrived together, and maybe they had. Felipe walked slowly away after smiling at Caroline, which made me a little angry, and as soon as he sat down, the biology teacher entered the room. Felipe stood motionless in his seat without even looking at me, but I didn't want him to change me and as I once heard from his mother, act as if nothing had happened. 

- You're a little late today," I whispered to the teacher so he wouldn't hear.

- I had a little unforeseen event," he answered back to me.

- Good morning, love," I whispered, kissing him, but he didn't allow it to take long, and I was already satisfied.

All the time Caroline was looking at us, and I could see that Felipe wasn't avoiding doing the same thing as her either, which caused some people who noticed to whisper to each other. I couldn't believe that this was really happening, how could a person change overnight because of just one new girl? 

- The professor announced, which made several people make completely unnecessary jokes, but I was not left out and joined in. 

- Like Felipe and I did, Professor." I said, and most of the people in the room smiled, except Caroline who turned as red as a volcano. Is she going to explode? 

- You don't have to tell us the details of your reproduction, Beatrix." The teacher laughed at my comment, which made room for other students to make jokes. 

Felipe was not at all happy with what I had just said, now his look was one of anger and disgust, and I knew well every look he gave, but none of them were at me unlike now. 

- Why did you say that? - he asked, whispering thickly as if to hide it. 

- It was the truth, love, or don't you remember when we had sex four days ago? - I asked loud enough, and apparently Caroline heard me, because she turned her head sharply to look at us, and Felipe reciprocated and took a deep breath.

- This is not the place, Beatrix.

- You're not doing this anyway, are you, Philip? - Aline asked incredulously. 

- I don't know what you're talking about," he said, swallowing dryly.

- Yes you do, and so does she." She turned back as I looked away. It was too good to be true. 

The rest of the class went by like a flash, until P.E. came, our last class. The teacher came excitedly into the classroom and told us that our class would be free and released everyone to go to the court, the players could practice if they wanted and the dance girls could too, and as a leader, maybe I would practice some steps with Aline. 

I waited for everyone to leave the room, so that I could talk to Felipe alone, I held him until the last living soul left the place so that we could have a friendly talk, at least I hoped so, but I knew my temperament well and maybe this friendly talk would be impossible since I was almost certain that I would get angry. 

- What do you want, Beatrix? - he asked.

- You're late because you brought her? - I blurted out.

- Yes, I did.

- You have changed since that damned girl came to this place and into our lives. 

- You have no right to talk to her like that," he snapped. 

- And why exactly don't I? - I also changed my tone.

- Because she's better than you," he said, and for a moment I thought I hadn't heard it come out of his mouth.

- Repeat.

- She's better than you, Beatrix.

He knew all my fears, failures and insecurities and still had the courage to say what I never thought I would hear in this world. She was better than me. But what could she give that I couldn't? My chest hurt, my heart was pounding and then what I didn't want happened, tears of despair streamed down my face, I couldn't stand to stay another minute at school.

I stormed off to the school office, and when I entered the classroom everyone looked at me with compassion and I wondered what they thought about this, I was just another teenager wanting a face after all, and it was nothing they weren't already past. 

- Can we help you, dear? - Principal Barbara asked me friendly. 

- I'm not feeling well, my stomach hurts and I think I'm going to be sick," I was sincere, but this was no illness, but rather a broken heart. 

- You can go back to your house, we'll let your teacher know.

- Thank you very much," and again the urge to cry returned. 

I walked aimlessly as soon as I left the school, my chest tightened all the time, and I felt like dying, how could one person cause so much damage in someone else's life? To my bad luck, dense clouds formed in the sky and then a big rain started to fall, I didn't care about anything anymore, as if nothing affected me. I lifted my gaze and saw that I was next to the park where the rival school to mine was and it was also the park where Felipe and I used to go. 

I sat down on the bench near the exit and let the tears come out, no one would dare interrupt me in this rain so I could cry and put it all out. The audible sobs came out loudly from my mouth and anyone who saw my state would feel sorry for me, I thought this was impossible until a voice caught my attention and made me stop crying for a few seconds. 

All this rain can cause pneumonia - A voice spoke behind me and as soon as I looked up it was the basketball captain of the enemy team and Felipe's biggest rival, Arthur and he was holding his umbrella right over me.

- I don't care - I said, crying again.

- But I do, we have a game today and you are the dance leader of the opposing team, you can't get sick - He spoke worriedly which made me raise my head again. 

I met Arthur four years ago at a company party, he was a nice guy, but because of me he and Felipe had a fight at the party, which made it into several types of newspapers, I avoided being near him so that Felipe would not be angry with me again. 

- Come on trix, I'll take you home," he pointed to his car. 

- I'm wet," I warned.

- Don't worry, I have towels.

When I stood up, he guided me to his black Ford and before I could get in, he lined the seat with two towels and then gave me two more, I had no words to describe how kind he was being to me. 

I felt a little calmer and avoided crying anymore, sometimes I noticed that he looked at me sideways, which made me embarrassed. We didn't say anything the whole way, which relieved me that I didn't want to talk about what happened.

- He said as soon as he parked in front of my house.

- Thank you Arthur, I really appreciate it. 

- Take care and don't get caught in the rain again. 

It was still raining and the door to my house was a little far away when he walked me there holding the small umbrella for both of us. I was almost at the door when it suddenly opened and revealed an angry Felipe, but it was all his fault.

- Are you serious beatrix? That at the first little fight you go to another's lap? - he asked me rudely and I felt my chest hurt again.

- Don't talk to your bride-to-be like that, she didn't come to me, I found her crying in the central park and I'm sure it was because of you. If you were a good boyfriend you would take good care of her so that someone else wouldn't do that, even more Beatrix - Arthur defended me which made me even more embarrassed. 

I just ignored what Felipe had said and went straight to my room to take a shower and put on some appropriate clothes, he followed me which made me even angrier - but I wouldn't let anything go cheap. When I got out of the shower he looked at me incredulously as if looking for an answer. 

- Will you just tell me what you have to say? - I asked rudely.

- I didn't want to say that.

- Is that all you have to say? - I insisted.

- I'm sorry I didn't tell her I was going out with her, it was last minute and I wanted to apologize to her for the way you treated her," he said and for a minute I couldn't believe what he had said. 

- You didn't say that, did you? - I asked, disbelieving his words. 

- Yes, I did. You knocked over her books twice! - he snapped.

- I asked politely, pointing to the door, and he did.

I cried myself to sleep and didn't know how this had happened, but I woke up to my mother calling me and telling me that there was only an hour and a half until the start of the game, which made me get up in a jolt and run quickly to the bathroom. I didn't wet my hair because it would be easier to straighten it, the shower was quick and as soon as I got ready my mom helped me to prepare the dance team's standard ponytail. 

I picked up my cell phone and there were several messages from aline that said:

"I'm worried 

"Where have you been?

There were several such messages and the last one she sent a few minutes ago said;

"I'll pick you up soon, I hope you're ready".

I sighed. I would give anything not to go and meet him there, but I wasn't that way and even less would I run away from my duty as a leader. I grabbed my backpack and went to the room to wait for Aline to arrive, my face wasn't one of the best and anyone would notice that, but as I've been doing it for years I would do it today too. Smile and wave was always the word my father told me the most and today I would put into practice what I have learned in all these years.

My mother sipped her tea with homemade cookies while watching the news about a family of scammers and thieves that no one could find. Dumb I thought, didn't anyone have a picture of this family or a sketch? I shook my head in denial, the police really were flawed.

- Did you two work it out? - My mother asked, sipping her tea. 

- How do you know we had a fight? - I asked, frowning.

- He told me that he said something very annoying to you and I linked it to a fight.

- You're really smart, but no, we didn't work it out and I'm pretty sure he doesn't love me anymore.

I was sure that she would lecture me about being too young and that the difficulties of a relationship could be overcome, but all this was avoided thanks to Aline who saved me.

- Good night auntie," she said when she entered the room and saw my mother. 

- Good evening, dear, would you like some tea? - she asked in all her sweetness. 

- She would love some, Mom, but now we have to go," I reminded her, pointing at the clock. 

- Unfortunately the schedule doesn't allow it, Auntie.

- How impudent of me, go before you're late," she asked, and so we left. 

I knew that Aline didn't come to pick me up out of pure kindness, but because she wanted to know what really happened to me so that I could leave without telling anyone. 

- Before you ask, he said that Caroline was better than me, I wasn't feeling well so I asked to leave. 

- I wasn't going to ask or talk about it, but I'm glad you brought it up!

- And what did you want to talk about? - I changed the subject. 

- There were several names of rich boys in a notebook in Caroline's purse," she said, and I choked on my own saliva.

- So she's a scam artist? How do you know?

- Girlfriend, I don't know, but we have to keep an eye on this girl. - And I know because Victoria and I looked for her. 

- Maybe she will try to approach him today, but I won't allow it," I said with conviction.

- That's my girl!

The rest of the way was silent and several things went through my mind, why did she only have the names of rich boys? Did she want to get out of poverty and was she after it? I would find out even if they arrested me.

We arrived at school and the girls' bathroom was crowded with hysterical girls because of the upcoming game. We went over our schedule one last time and then left for the court.

The judges, directors, coaches and players were already positioned on the court as soon as we were called to the dance, we started with a light song, a remix of several songs. Several boys whistled for us and left several compliments, the dance was the main movement of the school. When we sat down the game finally started. 

Several times the opposing players took possession of the ball, which made me sigh in frustration, but when our team got the ball back I gave a happy shout and started a choreography. 

The match ended with my team winning, and as usual I went to Felipe to kiss him, but Caroline arrived which made me push her away and so I kissed him. Until he looked at me disappointed and then I understood, there was nothing else I could do. 

- I'm sorry, Beatrix, but our relationship is over," he said softly, which made me close my smile.

- Are you sure you really want this? 

- I've never been more sure, I hope you understand that we are different. 

While the rest of the team celebrated, we were breaking up right in the middle of them, I held back the overwhelming urge to cry and do something worse, but I couldn't, I made a promise to myself.

- All right, but know that your life will never be the same again and you will regret it. - I warned him, crying, and as soon as I pulled away, Caroline jumped into his arms. 

I didn't want to stay to find out what was going to happen to the two of them, and desperately ran towards the restrooms, but before I could get in I bumped into a muscular body that made me fall to the floor, how cliché!

- Are you okay? - asked the voice that I recognized immediately. 

- As much as possible, I am." I stood up and wiped my tears. 

- Second time I've found you crying today. Tell me why this time.

- We broke up over a three-day-old newbie." I looked down and he looked up at me.

- You deserve better, come on, I'll take you home. - He smiled and so we went, still in our presentation clothes.

I tried not to cry, but my stomach hurt and the butterflies were dead, so was this how people felt about the end of the relationship?

It was almost two years thrown away because of one person, and I would still find out what she was hiding so much. At the moment all I could think about was how to make them pay, but I knew that this was not the right thing to do. When we got home, Arthur kissed me on the cheek and said goodbye, how could he not have a girlfriend yet?

When I arrived my parents were fighting again, and this time it was about our dwindling money. He accused my mother of spending, but she didn't even leave the house. Maybe it was his other family and he didn't want to tell us not to find out about his betrayal. 

I didn't want to think about my parents' problems or mine, I took a shower again and lay down on my bed so that I would never wake up again if I could.