08

"C'mon pumpkin, don't keep your nose to me forever go." John said trying to tickle me.

"You're a fake João Pedro. I know you're all happy because your name came out with Antonella's name!" I exclaimed taking his hands away from me.

"It wasn't my fault, my name came out to do the work with her, and you're going to do the work with the rookie? You think I didn't see you looking at him and him eating you with his eyes, didn't you? His reaction to the knowing that he would be your work partner was clear that he already had a crush on you." he said as we walked to his car.

"Obligatorily I'm going to do the work with that Harry guy, but you know I don't like it. I can only do well in the works when I do it with you or Liv. Do you remember that work I presented with Caroline and with Belinda? It was awful." I made a dramatic face.

The teacher had done the draws and I would have to do the work with the newbie, I felt very uncomfortable with his eyes on me the whole time, I really didn't like it. The reality was that I only did well when I did work with Olivia or João, I don't know why, but they gave me confidence, I felt good and I was able to say everything without forgetting anything. But when it was with other colleagues, my work was completely unsuccessful.

"Don't be dramatic just because your work came in third place this time."

"João Pedro, I don't want to argue with you. Let's go home soon because I'm starving." I said and got in the car.

"Don't call me by my full name mom!" he scoffed. "Let's go because I have to solve some things later, Olivia's annoyance wants me to pick her and her boyfriend up at his country house." He said rolling his eyes and starting the car.

"No problem. Tell the little princess she has a friend and a lot to explain!" I said and we went the rest of the way singing like crazy.

I said in thought: it's good that I met you my friend.

After a few minutes, João dropped me off at home. I went in and my grandmother wasn't there, which was strange, she never left at that time. I started to worry, I went to my room and put my backpack away. I took a quick shower and got dressed in comfortable clothes. I heard noises downstairs and ran to see, it was certainly my grandmother who had arrived.

"Grandfather!" I screamed.

"I arrived daughter. I went to the market to buy a few things that were missing. Lucas told you to go get your bike, it's already ready." She said putting away the things she had bought.

"Oh that's great! I'll go there later." I answered and helped her put things away.

"Are you well?" she asked.

"Yes grandma, why wouldn't you be?" I gave her a pained smile.

I didn't feel really well, I was confused about Julian, he messed with my head so much I thought I was crazy to think that way about a man I just met, it was every fraction of a second, maybe a thousandths, he was on my mind, occupying my thoughts and I was begging God for him to appear again, to tell me about him. He was so enigmatic, I had many doubts about him, but none of them I questioned his character, I knew deep down, even though he told me otherwise, that he was a good man, just hurt internally.

"And you? Are you all right? Has your headache got better?" I asked trying to shift the focus from me to her.

"Yes. I'm going out this afternoon. Mister Mollina called me for a walk." She said quietly.

"Look look at Dona Florence. I hope you don't leave me for too long." I played.

"Of course not, I'm just going out to have some fun, besides, Mr. Mollina is a great friend." She said and shrugged.

"Friend, I know..." I teased her, he just pretended not to hear me. It would be great to see her happy, she was beautiful and could very well get a boyfriend since she dedicated her whole life to me, for that I would be forever grateful.

After that, my grandmother and I had lunch, she got ready and went out with Mr. Mollina, she was radiant and happy, which left me amazed too.

Lying on the couch in the living room, my phone rings. I got up and picked it up from the table "Hi?" I answered and went back to throwing myself on the couch.

"Hello." A male voice answered.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"Harry, I thought you recognized my voice, earlier today at school, I introduced myself out front." He said.

"Oh sure. I wasn't remembering, don't get me wrong, but who gave you my number?" I asked.

"Your friend, he's my neighbor, I found that out just now." Oh, but of course, it could only have been João. "I called to tell you that you can come to my house so we can start work, since you didn't even bother to talk to me today after Ms. Graça distributed the groups. I don't know if you noticed, but I need the note ." He said.

"Okay, okay, I understand. I can't go out right now. I'll do the following, I'll send you my home address and You meet me so we can go to the stationery store to buy what you need." He seemed to be from good family, so at the very least he would have a car or motorcycle, even a bicycle.

"Okay, I'll wait." He replied.

"See you then. Bye." I immediately hung up.

I would take the opportunity to go get my bike. I went upstairs to the bedroom and changed into a white and green floral dress with a thin leaf green belt. I took a small bag to put only the cell phone and money. I went downstairs in half an hour, looked out the window and there was a different car parked there, it had to be Harry, even though deep down I was hoping that Julian would maybe come see me again.

I closed the house and stopped by the car that was parked there. Harry rolled down the window and motioned for me to get in, there was no need, it was close, we could walk and then he'd come back to get the car, I wouldn't get in the car with him, I didn't even know him.

But how ironic of me, I got into Julian's car, even though I didn't know him. But that just proved to me that I wasn't crazy that I was attracted to all strange men, it was Julian, I was sure that he was the only one who made me feel so many things and awakened my confidence in him.

"The stationery shop is nearby, Harry. If you don't mind, we can walk, then you come back and get your car." I spoke.

"Of course not. Get in here and we'll go by car, I won't leave my car here."

"Do you think someone is going to steal? This neighborhood is the safest here." I said.

"Bandit insurance ok. But what about the maniac on the loose? They said he was spotted on these streets, I don't want to get attacked walking around, and neither should you." He replied with a frown.

"Nonsense. People only know how to make up conversation, like me, who live here, didn't know anything? I'm going to walk because I have to pass somewhere on the way." I spoke confidently.

"It's up to you girl. We'll meet you out front." He said and accelerated the car. What a pain in the ass to do that job with Harry.

I started walking towards the stationery store that will be just five minutes from home. As I passed in front of a lady's house, I noticed her looking at me crookedly.

"Good afternoon." I greeted her with a smile.

"Don't be getting boyfriends in your house like that!" She exclaimed making a face and I didn't understand anything.

"Boyfriends? Sorry ma'am, but I don't have a boyfriend." I replied.

"Lucky I was the only one who saw that man coming in through your bedroom window. Be careful!" My heart almost came out of my mouth. What was that woman doing up? That's why they said, in every neighborhood there's someone who never sleeps and knows more about our lives than we do.

Totally embarrassed I quickened the steps. I stopped by the workshop where my bike was and told Lucas I would pick it up shortly. When I arrived in front of the small and well decorated shop, there was Harry waiting, playing with his cell phone.

"What a long time. If I'm going to be messing around doing the job, I'll do it alone." He said and I took a deep breath to maintain the education my grandmother gave me.

"I'll buy things." I just said and entered the store.

I started to get styrofoam, paints, brushes and some other objects that would make a beautiful model. The work something was about the sights of the whole world, the teacher also raffled the themes and ours was the Eiffel Tower and Paris.

"Hello." I greeted the girl at the cashier and passed the things.

"Let me pay." Harry said when I was going to hand over the money to the woman.

"You know." I shrugged. I didn't want to care about anything he did, I was upset that he was arrogant but I wouldn't talk, I would just do my role as classmate and work partner. I took the bags and left the store.

"I can take you home, you have several bags." He said.

"No thanks. But you can take the bags home and start thinking about the project." I handed it to him. "I have to go somewhere first. See you tomorrow at school, where we'll talk about work." I said and turned my back, he didn't say anything so I walked faster to Lucas' garage

I paid the guy and got my bike, got on it and walked very slowly home. It was so freeing, I was dying to do that, to feel the wind in my face.

Arriving in front of my house, I kept the bike on the lower porch with a padlock to prevent it. I went back to lock the front gate when I felt someone tugging on my arm. I looked up quickly, startled, and it was Julian, with messy hair and a loose tie.

"Who was that kid?" he asked with a set jaw and whispery voice, trying to contain his tone. He looked angry.

"Julian! You scared me. What happened to you?" I asked confused by him showing up like that out of nowhere. I didn't know if my heart was racing more for him or for the scare.

"Don't change the subject, Eloise. Who was that boy? Your boyfriend?" He asked again in a hard voice.

"No Julian. That's my school work partner!" I explained and he let out a soundless laugh of irony, not looking convinced.

But what was my fault? I told the truth, and anyway, what did he have to do with it?