CHAPTER 2

"Happy birthday to you,

On this dear date,

Many happinesses,

Many years of life…"

"It's a hit, it's a hit,

It's a hit, it's a hit, it's a hit, it's a hit,

It's time, it's time,

It's time, it's time, it's time,

Boom!"

"Helena, Helena, Helena!!" the employees of the Arabic restaurant cheerfully sing, accompanied by the shy birthday girl's family, in front of her chocolate cake with candles that resemble fireworks.

The celebration draws attention from other tables, including Bruno, who until a few minutes ago dialed the same number on his phone for the twentieth time. He smiles as he admires the young blonde girl blowing out her candles.

"With whom will she...?" one of the guests stands up and asks.

"Oh no, Marcelo, please..." the birthday girl pleads, holding onto her guest's arm.

"With whom will she, with whom will she, with whom will Helena get married...?" the guy continues without paying attention to Helena's pleas, joined by the others — "It will depend, it will depend, it will depend if the..."

Then the guests stopped and looked at each other, confused. The guy from another table observes Helena's cheeks turning pink, while her hands explore her hair, tucking the strands behind her ears. Apparently, the birthday girl had no suitors, which caused a strange feeling of satisfaction in the observer.

"Hey, you!" Marcelo calls, drawing the guy's attention.

"Me?" the brown-haired young man asks, awkwardly.

"Yes, you. Come here." Marcelo requests.

"What are you doing?" Helena asks nervously, pulling Marcelo's arm.

"Finding you a suitor, sis," he responds with a smile.

"Marcelo!" the lady seated next to him scolds, tugging at his shirt in vain. "Please, don't do this to your sister."

"What's your name?" Marcelo asks.

"Bruno."

"Do you want to be someone's boyfriend for a 'happy birthday'?" Marcelo asks Bruno.

"I accept." Bruno surprises everyone at the table with his response.

Bruno stands up cautiously; he can't believe he agreed to be part of the other guy's madness. The guests adjust in their chairs to make way for Bruno, who approaches the birthday girl. Helena stares at him with the most intense brown eyes he has ever seen. His eyes can't stop analyzing every detail of her, from her nervously clenching hands to her slightly parted lips, as if waiting for a kiss, something he feels a controllable urge to do. He sits beside Helena, who automatically holds her breath as his arm moves around her back, and his hand reaches her waist. Her hair betrays the tremor running through her body at that moment because something about Bruno has affected her so intensely... as if they had finally found each other.

"Moving on..." Marcelo says, grabbing everyone's attention, including the 'couple', "With whom will Helena get married? It will depend, it will depend, it will depend on whether Bruno will want to... He accepted, he accepted... On their honeymoon, on their honeymoon, they had a little son named Isabel.

At the carousel, at the carousel, they had two little sons named Antônio and Emanuel.

But before that, at the Ferris wheel, at the giant rose, he had a little son named Dante.

After that little son, they separated...

A month passed, month passed, and they got married again!

"And that's enough!" Helena's mother says to Marcelo. "Or we'll be here all night singing your sister's fictional life."

"Okay..." Marcelo grumbles, sitting back down.

"That's my cue," Bruno says, standing up. "Thank you for the invitation and happy birthday." He points at Helena.

Without waiting for any response, Bruno turns around and walks out of the restaurant. He feels like he needs to get away from them as fast as possible, but he can't explain why. He had never felt so confused before. He was already walking on the sidewalk, admiring the starry night when:

"Bruno!"

Bruno turns around and finds Helena standing at the door with a package in her hands. She approaches slowly, or maybe it's just the sensation that the guy has as he watches her.

"Sorry for my brother," Helena says, looking at Bruno. She extends a piece of cake towards him and continues: "I saved a piece of cake for you... as a thank you for being my boyfriend for five minutes."

"Thank you." Bruno thanks, taking the package and gently touching Helena's hand.

He feels a slight shock with the touch, and so does she, as she practically throws the piece of cake into Bruno's hand, taking two steps back.

"Sorry!" they both apologize at the same time, smiling awkwardly at their synchrony.

Their eyes meet once again... A force runs through Bruno's entire body, making him take two steps forward and get closer to Helena, who this time can't seem to move away. Their bodies are so close that Bruno's breath causes Helena's hair to sway, and she can't stop looking at him as their lips part slightly, as if waiting for a kiss, something she feels a controllable urge to do. Bruno's hand moves towards Helena's face, followed by his lips, which are drawn to hers like magnets, and she closes her eyes, waiting for the natural outcome.

"Hey, sorry I'm late." a voice behind Bruno says, making him freeze.

The guy steps away from Helena and turns to the blonde-haired woman behind him, who observes the two with some interest.

"Suzana!" Bruno says, approaching her. "You came..."

"Yeah, had some issues with the folks at home. You know, they threw me a surprise farewell party. Anyway..." Suzana explains, looking Helena up and down. "You didn't waste any time..."

"Yeah, as I thought you stood me up, I found a girlfriend for five minutes... Helena." Bruno points at Helena, who gives a forced smile towards Suzana. "Helena, this is Suzana..."

"The actual girlfriend," Suzana adds, extending her hand towards Helena, who takes it lightly.

"Nice to meet you..." Helena whispers, feeling totally uncomfortable. "Well, I'm going inside... Ah... good night and have fun."

Helena turns around and walks quickly back into the restaurant, leaving the couple alone. She returns to her table, pale as paper, something that didn't go unnoticed by anyone, especially Marcelo, who approaches her, saying:

"So, did you get his number?"

"You're an idiot, you know that?" Helena blurts out, irritated.

"What? What did I do?"

"He has a girlfriend," Helena responds, taking a generous sip of her soda. "You shouldn't have invited him to join us."

"How was I supposed to know he had a girlfriend? You know, sis, not everyone comes with a sign on their forehead indicating their relationship status..."

"Anyway, it's done. He has a girlfriend, and I doubt I'll ever see him again."