"Now that everyone's gone, tell me, Sophie, what's bothering you?" Flavia didn't hold back when she wanted to know something.
"I caught Marcos in bed with another woman last night." I speak coldly. How I hated him.
"Friend, I can't believe that bastard did that! He doesn't deserve you. You've always been the perfect girlfriend." I know Flavia only wants to help me, but I don't want to talk about what happened. My mood was already terrible enough.
"Can we not talk about this now? I don't even want to remember what happened." I turn my attention to the papers on my desk.
"Okay, friend. When you're ready, I'll be here to listen." Fla has always been understanding and caring.
"Hey, bitches. What are you up to?" Meet my best friend, Henrique. Besides everything, he's my neighbor and also a great interior designer. All the furniture in my house was designed by him. As you've probably noticed, Rick is loud, which irritates me sometimes.
"Hi, Rick!" Fla and I speak at the same time.
"What are we going to do today, ladies? I'm dying to go out. Work is killing me. I need to get some color on this pale skin of mine."
"The people from the studio are going to the beach today. What if we go too?" Fla suggests.
"Forget it. I'm not in the mood to go out today." I speak and Rick looks at me curiously. He approaches and leans on the table.
"Since when do you turn down an afternoon at the beach, Soph?" It was impossible to hide anything from these two. I had to give them something so they'd leave me alone.
"Marcos and I broke up. Are you satisfied now? Can I get back to work?" Rick's look of contentment didn't surprise me, he never liked Marcos.
"Hey, babe, you'll be fine. There are plenty of nice guys out there, I know from experience. You're coming to the beach with us, even if I have to drag you there, and Fla agrees with me." The two made gestures as if they were going to pick me up.
"Fine, okay, I'll go." I said, avoiding them. "But no throwing guys at me. I'm fine on my own and that's how I want to be."
I go to my room to change clothes, before Henrique starts interrogating me about wanting to stay single.
FLAVIA AND HENRIQUE'S POV
"Can you tell me what that scumbag Marcos did this time, Flavia?"
"Sophie caught him cheating on her, but that's all I know."
"What? I'm going to kill that bastard. Who does that to Soph? She's the most devoted girlfriend I know."
"I want to kill Marcos too. So, get in line, honey. Soph needs our support right now. Let's act like the good friends we are and let's make her have fun."
"Of course, friend, this outing will be good for her."
"And a certain person will be there too."
"What, what do you mean? Did I miss something?"
"Calm down, gay boy! It's not certain, but even a blind person would feel the sparks flying between them."
"You mean it's a woman? Oh my god."
"It's not just any woman... It's ELIZA FRANCO, internationally renowned model."
"You don't have to remind me who ELIZA FRANCO is. She's like my fashion goddess. Wow, Soph hit the jackpot!"
"What did I hit the jackpot for?" Sophie returns to the room, startling the two.
"You hit the jackpot by accepting to go to the beach with us." Flavia disguises her words and then looks at her friend. "Friend, what bikini is that? It leaves nothing to the imagination."
"It's just one of my many bikinis. Stop it, Fla. And you two, stop gossiping, let's go before I change my mind." Sophie heads towards the door.
"YOU-KNOW-WHO is going to have a heart attack when Sophie shows up at the beach." Rick speaks quietly so only Flavia hears, and they both start laughing. Sophie can't hear and becomes curious about the reason for their laughter, but she says nothing. She's already nervous enough and doesn't know why.
ELIZA FRANCO
After the rehearsal, I go to my mother's house. Dona Claudia will only arrive for dinner, so I take anything from the fridge and heat it up for lunch. I go to my room and try to find a bikini, which doesn't go very well. I hardly ever go to the beach, so my wardrobe is lacking in bikinis. I'll have to go shopping before going to the beach. I hurried because it was almost time I had set with Flavia.
When I arrived at Ipanema beach, Flavia came to talk to me. She was with two guys that I recognized from earlier today.
"I'm glad you came, Elisa." I hug her and then greet the guys.
"Where's the rest of the gang?" I ask. Actually, I wanted to know if Sophie had come.
"They're over there. Let me show you."
We walked for a while until I saw a volleyball net and some people playing footvolley. Among them was a beautiful brunette wearing a tiny bikini, which made me drool over her sexy body. She noticed my presence and gave a discreet smile. If I hadn't been paying attention, I wouldn't have seen it. I sat down with other people and Flavia.
"Elisa, this is Henrique. He's a big fan of yours." The man greeted me with two kisses, which I found funny, he seemed quite nervous. He was quite tall, maybe about ten centimeters taller than me. His black hair contrasted with his fair and pale skin, which stood out even more among so many tanned skins.
"Hi, Henrique, nice to meet you. I'm very happy that you appreciate my work." I speak sincerely.
"I love your work, Elisa. You inspire me to be creative in mine." He speaks excitedly.
"Really? And what do you do?" I ask curious, although I can only concentrate on the brunette in front of us. Those toned legs and that perfectly sculpted abs.
"I design furniture and also do interior decoration..." I swear I try to pay attention to what Henrique is saying, but the scene in front of me ends up irritating me. Sophie's partner, a short and fit man, who can't take his eyes off her ass.
"I would love to see your work sometime." I say, still distracted.
"Are you serious?" He claps his hands happily, which makes me smile. "I'll show you my portfolio another time.
"That would be perfect... But let's stop talking about work and have some fun. Does anyone here want to be my partner in the game?" I stand up and start warming up.
"I have to apologize, Elisa, but I'm terrible at this game." Flavia makes a face that makes me laugh. She makes it clear that she doesn't like footvolley.
"That's okay. And you, Henrique, can you play?"
"Yes, I was just waiting for a partner, but it seems I've found one." He stands next to me and starts warming up too.
"Great, let's rock it."
"Just one more thing." Henrique says.
"What?"
"You can call me Rick, everyone calls me that. When I hear Henrique, I just remember my boss scolding me." This time I don't hide my laughter. Rick was a clown.
"Really? Alright, Rick."
"Alright. Now let's crush Soph's team because she's been winning too much and thinks she's all that." Rick says loudly for the brunette to hear.
Sophie provokes him with a challenging look and I take the opportunity to take off my dress and stay only in my bikini. I chose it carefully. Even though I didn't know if Sophie would come, I chose it thinking of her. My bikini was a thong, strapless, in blue color and the top formed an X in the front while the bottom was fastened by bows on the sides of my hips. My satisfaction increased when I noticed the brunette looking at me and her gaze was anything but discreet.
SOPHIE LOPES
I was still trying to regain my sanity when Elisa enters the sand court. Now, she ties her blonde hair in a ponytail and laughs at Henrique's jokes. I knew she would be here, but I didn't know that my body would be playing tricks on me. Everything was getting hotter now, including the V between my legs. I fanned myself trying to alleviate the heat, what was happening to me?
Elisa positioned herself in a way that I could see the top part of her breasts. I swallowed hard and she smiled, knowing very well how much it affected me. What was happening to me? Her emerald eyes were challenging, and that awakened my competitive side.
I positioned myself in a corner of the court, placed the ball on a mound of sand, and kicked. Rick received it with difficulty, but Elisa took control of the ball and returned it to his head, and he didn't need much to score a point. The two of them were ecstatic, hugging and celebrating. That scene irritated me, I mean, I knew Rick was bisexual. Despite his preference for men, he could very well be interested in Elisa. And what does that have to do with me? I have to focus." Come on, Sophie, stop thinking about these things."
Elisa was next to serve. Her kick was precise, which surprised me. I controlled the ball and passed it to Pedro, who was my partner. He placed it high and close to the net. I headed it and Rick couldn't gain control. I smiled, victorious, taunting Elisa, and she looked at me as if saying "the game is just beginning."
It was Pedro's turn to start. He kicked towards Elisa, who passed the ball backwards to Henrique, and he returned it to her a few inches from the net. She propelled herself and literally pushed the ball with the sole of her foot, then fell to the ground and quickly got up. It was impressive! The ball hit Pedro's chest and he couldn't control it. Elisa looked at me, raising her eyebrow and biting her lip. What a damn tease. She was really good. Poor Pedro. If they hadn't just met today, I would think she was mad at him.
We won the first set, but Elisa and Rick won the second. The game was intense, and all our friends were ecstatic on the sidelines. The score was 19 to 20 in our favor. If we scored, we would win, and I was desperate for that to happen.
Henrique had the serve. He positioned himself and kicked. I controlled it on my chest and passed it to Pedro, who returned it to me. I headed it near the net. That point was already ours. The ball was close to the ground when Elisa threw herself and recovered it with the tip of her foot. It was enough for Henrique to place the ball in the back of our court. It was a quick play, and now it was a tie. The game would go to two sets.
Elisa served, and Pedro controlled it, lifting it to me. I played for the opposing team, and they returned the ball. I caught it with my back facing the net, and Pedro set it up perfectly for me to perform a bicycle kick. The ball landed in the opposing team's court, and the crowd started cheering my name. Elisa was sweaty and visibly tired. For someone who didn't practice, she was in really good shape. I couldn't help but stare at the sweat dripping down her toned abdomen, disappearing into her shorts. The sun was setting, and her eyes had a very bright color. Her butt was covered in dirt, and my hand itched to touch it.
Pedro served, and Henrique returned it in a panic. I took advantage of his instability and headed it towards him again. Rick fell with the impact of the ball, and Elisa threw herself to try to recover it, but it was too late. We won!
Pedro came towards me and lifted me up. I tried to push him away, but he was too excited. When I finally managed to free myself from his arms, I looked at Elisa, who was staring at me with a serious expression. Her eyes were dark. It sent shivers down my body.
The sun had already disappeared, giving way to the moon and the stars. I approached where she was and extended my hand to greet her.
"Congratulations! Where did you learn to play?" She held my hand, and I felt her soft skin against mine.
"I used to play indoor soccer in school, and I guess you don't forget those things. By the way, you were amazing!" I thanked God for being sunburned, so she wouldn't notice my red cheeks from embarrassment because of her compliment.
"Thank you. I wasn't going to come, but I changed my mind." I didn't know why, but I felt the need to justify myself to her.
"How nice of you to come." Elisa continues staring at me, and an awkward silence hangs between us. I find myself looking at her mouth and quickly turn my head, embarrassed. Thank God, Flavia calls me at that moment. I sit with some people and try to focus on other things.
ELIZA FRANCO
The atmosphere at the beach was great. I watched some of our colleagues enter the sea, pick up some women who were cold, and carry them into the water. Flavia and Rick updated me on everyone's names, but I still couldn't remember them all.
Sophie was sitting in a beach chair, a lost look in her eyes. I had seen that sad expression since this morning and deeply wished to see her smile again. I stood up and sat on the ground next to her.
"The night is beautiful tonight." I looked at the sky, filled with stars. She also looked at the sky and smiled.
"How were your nights in Paris?" She asked without turning her face to me.
"Very different from here. There, I didn't have time to contemplate the sky; there were so many things to do that simple moments like this were rare." Sophie looked at me, curious, but didn't say anything. I continued, "I'm loving Rio de Janeiro. It's been a long time since I had so much fun.
"Your life didn't seem so good." She said, immediately seeming to regret it. "I'm sorry, that's not what I meant." Sophie became serious and looked back at the sky, avoiding eye contact with me.
"No, you're right. My life wasn't good." I remembered everything my mother and I went through after my father's death, and I felt a little sad. It had been a long time, but it still affected me deeply.
"Seriously, I didn't mean to offend you. That wasn't my intention." Sophie touched my arm, and I placed my hand on hers.
"I'm fine now, much better." Like magic, the atmosphere between us changed. It became tense, but it was a good tension, the kind that gives you butterflies. I stroked Sophie's hand and noticed her biting her lip.
"You're very beautiful." I blurted out without thinking. Sophie looked at me, startled, and at that moment I knew I had been too direct. Pedro and Henrique ran towards us, and she quickly pulled her hand away.
"Hey, girls, want to go swimming?" Pedro said.
"We're fine." I replied, realizing that Sophie remained silent.
They exchanged looks as if they were about to do something. Rick grabbed me and threw me over his shoulder; I screamed, and he laughed. I saw Sophie being carried by Pedro, and they both threw us into the water at the same time. I looked at Sophie, who seemed about to freak out, but suddenly she pounced on Pedro and started to drown him. I joined her team and threw water in Henrique's face, which was clearly a mistake. He grabbed me by the waist and knocked me down. In the end, we ended up laughing a lot.
The rest of the outing was full of laughter and playfulness, except for Sophie, who became quiet again. We didn't have any more opportunities to talk alone, but I got very close to Henrique, who told me more about his work. I also found out that he was Sophie's neighbor and they had known each other for five years, since she moved into the apartment next to his.
My cell phone started ringing in my bag. Excusing myself from everyone, I moved away from the group. It was my mother, and I was eager to talk to her.
"Hi, Mom."
"Hi, my baby. I'm on my way home. Want to do something tonight?" My mother has always been very enthusiastic.
"I'm at the beach with some friends, but I want to have dinner with you. How about watching a movie?"
"Perfect, daughter. See you at home. Love you." I always felt like the happiest person in the world when I was with my mother.
"Mom?"
"What's up, honey?"
"It's so good to be home. I love you so much."
"It's so good to have you home, Lizzy. See you in a bit."
I hung up the phone and said goodbye to everyone. Near my car, I heard Sophie call me, and my heart raced.
"Elisa! You forgot your glasses." She approached me and handed me my Ray-Ban glasses.
"Thank you, Sophie. I'm so forgetful." She smiled, and that silence returned between us.
If I didn't ask, I would never know the answer, so I decided to take the risk of rejection.
"Do you want to go out with me on a date tomorrow?" The question came out in a whisper.
"Elisa, I... It's complicated. I just got out of a relationship and I don't want to get involved in another one so soon." Her confession surprised me. Was she justifying herself?
"Of course. I understand," I managed to say, although I was sad with her answer.
"You are beautiful, and anyone would be lucky to know you, but I am in a confused stage of my life." Her voice became choked, as if she was about to cry. I didn't want to make her cry, so I changed the subject.
"This beauty here almost defeated you in the game today." I joked, and she immediately smiled. I was enchanted! That was definitely the most sincere smile she had given me since we met.
"Next time, you will be my partner." Now I was sure I had a silly smile on my face.
"I'll love it. Until next time," I kissed her cheek." Goodnight, Sophie."
She continued smiling, and in that moment, I could see the true Sophie, a light-hearted and relaxed person. I got into the car, and the brunette waved. I waved back and continued looking at her image, slowly disappearing in the rearview mirror. I thought about what she had said about coming out of a relationship, and I understood her actions since the photo shoot better. She was clearly hurt and angry. I felt the urge to tell off the person who had hurt her. How could anyone make Sophie so sad and still sleep with a clear conscience? That looked like a heartless man. Just imagining Sophie with someone like that made my anger grow. I shook my head to try to push away these thoughts and started the car, heading towards my mother's house.
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