Lizandra
After seeing Samuel and Juliana together in front of the entire town on New Year's Eve, it was impossible to stay strong and pretend that nothing was happening when I was bleeding inside.
I ended up accepting a glass of some drink Luciano offered me, drinking the entire contents in one gulp, which immediately made me dizzy and gave me a strange sense of euphoria in the midst of what I was experiencing as I saw the two traitors happily smiling after making a fool out of me.
Despite feeling dizzy and tempted to laugh at my misfortune, I tried to control myself at all costs and dodged Luciano the first chance I got. The drink hadn't completely taken over me, and I wandered along the beach, dipping my feet in the waves, desperately wishing those strange sensations would disappear, which wasn't happening.
Without even realizing what I was doing, I sat on the sand and admired the sea and the waves breaking ever closer to where I was as if enchanted by the sight. Gradually, reality dawned on me, and tears didn't take long to bubble up.
"I believe you haven't noticed, but the sea is advancing more and more..." A deep and very masculine voice spoke near me.
Upon hearing the warning words, I was startled because I wasn't aware of the people passing by me. All I could think about was Juliana and Samuel together and what people must be saying about it.
"I'm not afraid of water, sir," I replied with no interest in getting to know the owner of the beautiful voice.
"Maybe you're not afraid of water, but I believe you also don't intend to drown," he retorted in a tone heavy with irony.
"Maybe I do intend to drown," I said without really thinking about my words.
Quite inappropriately, the man approached even closer to where I was, and I felt that he was now right behind me, as his body's shadow covered me, from what I could perceive, he was a big man, which matched perfectly with his voice.
"I have the impression that you're too old to be a rebellious teenager and too young to carry such a heavy burden on your shoulders."
Once again, the man's words bothered me, as did his unwanted presence. At the same time, and in a rather crazy way, he didn't evoke any kind of fear, even though it was just the two of us on an almost deserted beach in the early hours of the first day of the new year.
"Go away!" I spoke loudly and impulsively.
Even I surprised myself with my behavior and once again realized that I was out of control.
"Something tells me I shouldn't leave you alone here," the man said calmly, but his tone contained a fair amount of irony.
I stood up from the ground and decided to look at this utterly inconvenient man. I intended to tell him to go away, but now, looking directly into his eyes, a certain disarray in my heart made me question if I had done the right thing.
He's tall, I believe over six feet, and his appearance blends rebellion with seriousness in a rather complex way. His expression indicates a man who rarely smiles, and even the social cut of his hair suggests a more closed personality.
His eyes and hair are as black as night, and there's no sign of a beard on his face, revealing a dimple on his chin that might make some women sigh. His athletic body is well-defined, as he's wearing a button-up shirt with sleeves rolled up to the elbows, showing no signs of a protruding belly.
Completely out of place, there's something about him that made me question that pretentious personality. The man wears an earring in his left ear, and that truly stands out. A smirk on his well-made masculine face made me realize I had been staring at him for longer than socially acceptable, bringing me back to reality.
"I just want to be alone," I spoke again, rudely. "If you don't leave, I'll move myself."
"I don't know what happened to you, but that doesn't give you the right to be rude to me."
What an idiot!
"You're being intrusive, and I'm rude!? Oh, please!"
The man stared at me attentively for a few more seconds before calmly, yet still condescendingly, saying, "I'm looking for my girlfriend and thought I was helping her, but it seems I was mistaken."
He turned his back and began walking back to the busier part of the beach, and before I could control my bitterness and acidity, I ended up speaking loudly enough for him to hear:
"Maybe she's out there with one of your cousins..."
My words made him stop and look in my direction, leading me to conclude with cynicism.
"Do you not have any cousins? Then it must be your best friend, or whatever! Probably cheating on you with someone on New Year's Eve."
Yes, I was bitter and cruel to a stranger on the first day of the year. Well, I truly don't care.
"I'm just trying to help, but it seems you're a venomous girl," the stranger pointed out disdainfully. "That's probably why you're here alone, waiting for the water to cover you once and for all."
The harsh words – understandable in response to what I had said – left me perplexed and speechless, and the man walked back in the same direction as before without saying anything else. It wasn't necessary; he had been as cruel as I was, and I couldn't accuse him of exaggerating. I was the only one to blame for the scene that unfolded at home, and I was the one who overreacted the most that night.
I remained still on the sand, stunned by the exchange of abrupt and poisonous words. I didn't use to be like this, not so bitter and unpleasant. I could have replied, I could have tried to explain, but the words seemed stuck in my throat. Instead, I watched the stranger walk away.
HeitorI should just go my way and continue searching for Catarina, who had drunk more than recommended the last time I saw her and for whom I am responsible. That was my intention, but as I walked just a few meters, I noticed some visibly drunk men heading toward the unbearable girl, and that was enough to make me uneasy in a disconcerting way.I didn't have to worry about that girl, but it was impossible to keep walking without making sure those individuals wouldn't bother her. I slowed down my steps completely just to confirm that they wouldn't notice the presence of the lonely girl sitting by the seashore."Look what we have in front of us, my friends," one of them spoke loud enough for me to hear. "A beauty like that alone here. Must be lost...""Or she's just waiting for someone to find her," another suggested. "I think today's your lucky day, beauty."I didn't need to see what was happening to understand clearly where that would lead, and I was sure nothing good would come out
Lizandra (Lily to her friends)Today was quite busy at my aunt's inn, and I barely had time for even a simple meal. My arms were already sore from the repetitive effort with the broom and various other tasks I had been doing since I woke up in the morning. It's always like this in the summer, especially on the last day of the year when the chalets are fully booked for the traditional New Year's Eve celebration in São Miguel do Gostoso.It was a great relief when my work hours finally came to an end, and I began dreaming of a good shower and meeting up with my boyfriend. I was in the process of putting away the cleaning tools for the guests' chalets when I smelled the sweet and strong perfume of Aunt Lucrecia, and a sense of dread crept over me."Lily, dear," she said immediately, and I shuddered with disgust. "I know you were finishing your shift, but one of our best guests just arrived, and you need to provide some extra towels for him.""But, aunt..." I began to protest."No complai
LizandraI'm in shock. Were my ears deceiving me? The female voice moaning like a cat in heat, and the name she repeated incessantly, was what I thought I was hearing. Maybe it would be better to leave and pretend that none of this was happening."Delicious!"Now it was a male voice's turn to speak and then release something very similar to a roar, which left me completely disgusted, and a strong feeling of indignation with the situation I was experiencing at that moment started to form within me. I needed to take action, but my feet seemed to be planted on the expansive veranda floor."Let's get up, Jú. I'm covered in sweat and need a shower."There was no doubt about the owner of the male voice anymore, and I was facing a harsh betrayal."Wait, let me fix my dress, Sam," Juliana requested with a smile in her voice.I could hear their steps and the laughter getting closer. I was at the front of the veranda, and I deduced they were right at the beginning of the lateral part, as quick
HeitorAfter much insistence from Heloísa, I had agreed to accompany her to spend New Year's Eve in São Miguel do Gostoso, and now I questioned why I always ended up giving in to the whims of my annoying and impulsive sister. Soon, I answered myself: I love her, despite everything."You should try to have some fun, Heitor!" Heloisa repeated the same phrase for the umpteenth time that night. "You're always so proper.""I'm a responsible guy, is that what you meant?" I suggested ironically."A bore! That's what Heloisa meant," Bernardo said, butting into the conversation."I don't remember anyone asking for your opinion, Bernardo," I replied rudely."Guys, can we just enjoy New Year's Eve?" Heloísa tried once again. "Is that possible or not?""Heloísa is right," Catarina says in a conciliatory tone. "What do you think about going down and joining the other guests to watch the fireworks?"Everyone agreed to Catarina's suggestion, and we asked for the check for the drinks we had at the ho