Episode 6

Luan

Great, as if everything else wasn't enough, now Rafaela thinks she has the right to lecture me. I'm going to tell her to get lost in a minute.

When I was about to say something, I decided to keep quiet to preserve the friendship, but you know when it's on the tip of your tongue, and you hold back? Yeah, it wasn't easy.

Rafa: What was your punishment?

We looked at each other and didn't say anything.

Rafa: Well? Are you two going to stay mute now?

I rolled my eyes and started talking.

Luan: We're suspended for 3 games in the state championship...

Rafa: That's it? You got off easy.

Luan: If you let me finish talking, you'd see that's not all, dear.

I called her "dear" on purpose because I know she hates it. She narrowed her eyes at me, already angry, and gestured with her hand for me to continue.

Luan: Any and all work in pairs or groups, the two of us have to do together. And for that, they changed our classroom. We'll have all our classes together until the end of the school year.

I looked at him and rolled my eyes when I finished speaking.

Rafa: I still think you got off easy.

Luan: Easy? Are you kidding? Besides having to put up with this being every day, I'm also going to miss 3 championship games. And you think that's not much?

He looked at me angrily and got up, coming at me.

Rafa stepped between us, separating us.

Rafa: I think it wasn't much either, but I'm sure if you two fight now, it'll be much worse. So behave.

I rolled my eyes again and turned to face forward.

We spent 40 minutes in detention, doing absolutely nothing. The point of detention is theoretically for us to think about what we did wrong, and for that, there's nothing else to do inside that room. That's why the students cause such a ruckus, and the inspector who stays in the room watching the students couldn't care less. There were about 11 students in the room besides the three of us, and everyone was making a huge scene. And while I wasn't doing anything but staring ahead, the two of them started talking. Rafa simply didn't give a damn about the fact that we had fought and everything. She always supported me a lot, but ever since this Marcos guy started at school, everything's been different, even my friendship is different. I can't believe this, damn kid.

Detention time was over, thank God, and I set off for home, and Rafa came right behind me, trying to keep up.

Rafa: Hey, why are you running?

Can't we walk home together like we always have?

Luan: We could do a lot of things like we always have, including being there for each other, like we always were. But you know what, never mind. Let's just go home, and that's that.

She looked at me, not understanding at all, but she didn't say anything either, just accompanied me with long strides back home.

And when we got there, we took the elevator, and she got off on her floor, and I kissed her on the cheek, already kind of wanting to avoid further conversation. She noticed and quickly got off the elevator, so I continued up to my apartment.

When I got there, it was full of boxes everywhere.

Luan: What's going on here?

Paula: Your father and I, dear... we're getting a divorce, and these are my things.

Luan: Hahaha, well you can unpack every single one of them. If he wants to break up with you, that's his problem, but I'm of legal age, and this apartment is mine since it was in my mom's name. It's my inheritance from her side, and I won't accept you leaving... If he wants to leave, then he can leave.

Paula: Dear, it doesn't make sense for me to keep living with you while your father moves out of your home.

Luan: I'm telling you, the house is mine, and if he wants to leave, he can leave. I love having you here. You're like a mother to me, and you know it. I won't accept living with him just because he decided he wants to separate.

Paula: Your father is interested in someone else, dear. Let him experience other relationships and be happy. I'll be fine.

Luan: Well, then he can be happy, but outside of my house, especially since I wouldn't accept another woman here. This apartment belonged to my mother, and I accepted you here because you are and always have been like a mother to me. Now he thinks he can just separate and kick people out of my house.

Paula: Dear, he asked me to leave, and even if he hadn't, I would have left. After all, the house isn't mine.

Luan: It's not his either, and besides, you've lived here for how many years? It's not fair that now you have to scramble to pay rent and everything because of him. There's no way I'm going to accept that. If you want to leave, that's your choice, but he'll leave just the same, and I'll have to fend for myself, with only the pension that's left from my mother. And about you leaving and him staying? Absolutely not. No way. That's final.

Robert: I thought you had already left, Paula. (My father said as he entered the house with a woman by his side.)

Paula: Well, a little issue came up. (She spoke, very uncomfortable.)

Robert: What issue?

Luan: The issue is that the house isn't yours, Dad, for you to kick out or bring in whomever you please. (I said, looking at the woman he had brought with him.)

Robert: Who are you talking about, boy?

Luan: I'm of legal age, and the house is in my name. This house belonged to my mother, inheritance from my grandparents, meaning you have no claim to it. So I don't see why someone I care about very much has to leave my house, while you bring people I don't even know into it.

Robert: Are you kicking your own father out of the house?

Luan: Look, the apartment has 3 bedrooms. If you want, take the other one for yourself, but obviously no unwanted guests and maintaining total respect for Paula.

Robert: You must be kidding, boy.

Luan: I will not allow you to kick someone I love and who raised me like a son out of my own house to bring some random woman in here.

Robert: Boy, watch your mouth, or I'll slap you across the face. (He said, coming at me with his hand raised, but Paula stepped between us.)... Look, I'm going to a hotel and let things calm down. If your decision is still the same tomorrow, I'll leave your house, but don't expect a penny from me to help you out, and don't expect to ever see me again.

Luan: No problem, I can live comfortably on my mother's pension. And as for seeing you, that's your decision alone.

He looked me up and down and left.

Paula: I didn't want you to fight with him because of me.

Luan: Believe me, whether you were here or not, we would have fought anyway. I wasn't going to let him bring just anyone here. Besides being disrespectful, you two haven't even separated properly, and he shows up with someone else here at home. It's totally absurd.

Paula nodded and went to her room.

My father doesn't understand that I've never been close to him, not even 1% of how close I am to Paula. And I could manage on my own too. My mother died in childbirth due to a ridiculous medical error, something that could never have happened, and I almost died too. So the hospital had to pay a settlement to me in the amount of two minimum wages per month for the rest of my life. It's not a lot of money, but I can survive on it without any problems. After all, many people survive on even less. And Paula works; I'm sure she won't mind if we split the bills.

I went to bed because after today, what I need is my bed. But first, I took a nice long shower, and only then did I lie down, relaxed and calm. I fell asleep quickly, didn't even have dinner, but then again, I wasn't hungry. I had a very long day and wasn't even thinking about food.

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