4

- Why do all the tall people always sit in front of me? They have all those empty seats and where do you sit? Right in front of me- Rose snorts, crossing her arms in front of her chest in irritation.

- I'm sorry Rose I didn't see you there, I'll change with Jane if you want.

- Captain? - Rose exclaims, matching her voice with the silhouette of her in front of her.

- Hello! - he answers with a happy crease of eyes.

- Are you on a date? - Rose says smiling from ear to ear with her eyes shining towards us.

- Yes, we are- I say with a slight edge in my voice, daring Rose to say something bad about it, but to my surprise, she answers very enthusiastically.

- Ha! I knew it! After what happened last night and that private chat between the two of you this morning I imagined it. Good for you!

At that moment I remember because she is my best friend, I return her smile and change my seat with Travis, he and I have just sat down again when a voice behind him murmurs:

- How troublesome, now I can't see.

- Kevin? Are you with Rose?

- Hello! - interrupts a female voice

- Vanessa? - I'm still in shock.

- How troublesome- Kevin repeats.

My eyes jump from Rose's disturbed expression on Kevin's left to Vanesa's disturbed expression on his right and between the two equally angry women Kevin sits holding his head in his hands as if he just wished he were somewhere else. watching the clouds go by.

- That? It doesn't matter, I don't even want to know- I say turning around in my seat to look at the movie screen.

The first thing to disappear is the armrest, Travis picks it up and casually unloads his hand on my knee, I turn around and raise an eyebrow at him.

- That? - He asks with a smile on his face.

- Nothing - I say with a shake of my head turning to see the movie that started after all the previews, I finally sit comfortably in my seat with the heat and weight of Travis's hand on my knee and I lose myself in the beautiful scenery that the film shows.

I'm enjoying myself and I find myself completely lost in history until ...

- I LOVE THIS PART! - A loud and unpleasant voice resounds a few places behind us ... Diego.

- SHH! - Half the theater and I silenced Diego.

- SHH you guys! - He answers vehemently. At that time most likely due to Travis's luck seeing us ... shit ...

- Hey Travis! I'm looking at you! - Diego threatens to get up pointing two fingers at his eyes and then pointing a finger at Travis.

I put a hand to my eyes and shake my head… Idiot!

- SHUT UP! - all the cinema blurts out this time.

- Now it is OK! - Diego yells and sits down again, next to him even in a dark room. Luisa is blushing uncontrollably.

Poor girl! Well, it's not that she didn't know what she was getting into. In addition, with her patience and calm attitude, she is the perfect complement to Diego's impatience.

I turn around and laugh again at the antics of the guy from the movie when I notice that Travis is getting closer to me.

I lift my legs and tuck them under me before resting my head comfortably on his shoulder, he wraps his arm around my body and I feel him lean his head to rest his cheek against the crown of my head. . I disguise my euphoria by laughing at a fully grown water horse, I can feel the walls crumbling, I'm sure they are not even there.

So somewhere behind us ...

- HEY! I said I'm looking!

XXX

Travis couldn't have picked a better day of the year to have our first date, first kiss, first everything, because New Year's Day is all about the news after all ... sunrise, first laughs, the first dream, first love. ..

First love? Where did that come from? He is not my first love! Albert is… he was… I think… shit!

As I was saying, the New Year is the most important celebration of the year, so there is a lot to do on our first date.

Brightly colored kites fly above us in a clear blue sky, a steering wheel clicks from a beautifully decorated palette, children squeal as one of their blindfolded friends tries to put various pieces on a body similar to putting the tail to the donkey ... Even the adults are busy throwing dice in a board game.

But what in all this activity catches my attention? Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Mochi!

Travis laughs at me when I leave his sorry butt behind, but I don't care, I'm too busy watching the dance that takes place between the man waving his huge wooden mallet and the man who keeps sticking his hands out from underneath, between these 2 a large piece of dough lies victim inside a large stone bowl, while the man with the mallet hits out of it, the other man quickly kneads it and turns between strokes for the other to hit it again, it is fun to watch so much the rhythm as the skill of men and also in a masochistic way the possible danger it imposes on the man without a hammer, but other than that I love those sticky dumplings!

- I can buy you something if you want- Travis offers kindly.

- Yes, I would love a little- I say without feeling guilty for taking advantage of his uncharacteristic generosity, we are also on a date after all.

Happily sucking the fine white powdered sugar from each of my fingers, I catch him staring at me, his eyes are glassy and even though he is looking directly at me, there is a distant gaze in him ...

Oh Jesus! He's thinking of me sucking his ...

- I'm still looking at you! - Diego yells as he passes us down the street with Luisa.

- Are you following us? - Asked incredulously.

- No, it's not like that ... it's just that it's New Year and you can't avoid entering the festival. He is everywhere!

- Fine, but could you please stop threatening me ...

Groom? Shit is that what Travis, my former teacher, my friend, my teammate, a man 10 years older is now to me?

- Just stop with the threats. Okay, Diego? I can take care of myself.

- But he reads erotic genre ...

- I can take care of myself, Diego!

- In public! He is a ...

- Perfect gentleman and believe me if he tries something without my permission ...

I give him a meaningful look, I see his eyes widen with fear, and even Diego and Luisa to whom my gaze was not focused shudder audibly.