"A well-read couple," I added.
"And boring! I'd rather annoy you two. Your face every time I interrupt something is so much fun," Vitor said, laughing at me again.
I think he took the day to annoy me, just because he can!
"And what were you doing until now? You definitely weren't helping Fernando and Andressa," Lucas asked, shutting down our little argument again.
Oh, how he likes to stop arguments between Vitor and I, specially when I'm going to win.
"I was pissing off Bruno. He was with his little criminal friends behind the school, tagging a wall. I don't know how no one sees these things," he complained, irritated.
"The same way no one sees that we throw parties in our room, or that you skip classes sometimes to play video games," I answered, shrugging.
"But playing video games is not a crime. We just needed to have some fun. Besides, Andressa almost joined us when we told her we had Guitar Hero," Vitor defended himself, pretending to be offended.
"Not just Andressa. I remember you asking if we had The Sims," Lucas said, smiling evilly.
I didn't want to play video games instead of going to the wonderful class on geopolitics, but I couldn't show up in class alone. People would've asked where my friends were and I wouldn't be able to lie.
"On that day I thought that Lady Sith had finally been beaten. The Force was going to save us, but I was mistaken," Vitor said, a sad look on his face, pretending to hold his light saber.
I still don't understand how he can like Star Wars so much. I love My Wife and Kids, but I don't go around quoting it.
"But coming back to Paula's little friend," Lucas said. "Have you given up on the idea he's your admirer?"
"Not really. Yesterday he had a rose in his hand, very suspicious for someone that can't smell flowers."
"Well, I say it isn't him. I don't know where you get these ideas, Paulie," Vitor said, rolling his eyes.
"And why are you so sure that it isn't him?" I asked, unsure.
Why does it seems like everyone knows who's sending the flowers but me?
"For the simple fact that he can't find you at school not even when he needs to, much less to send you flowers, specially when we're around," Vitor said lightly.
"He's not that lost," I answered, on the defensive.
"What about that time he searched the whole school for you to give you the teacher's message and didn't see you in the dining hall?" Lucas asked me.
"Did he really search the whole school? He could've have sat there waiting for me to show up then said he had been looking for me," I answered.
"You were friends at the time. No real friend would've done that if it was important," Lucas said, thoughtful.
"So there's no chance it's Bruno?" I asked after some time in silence.
"There's even a chance it's Andressa having fun with you, but I don't think he's able to do something like that. He's too busy with his cigarette for that."
"Let's forget about it!" I said at last, to put an end to the discussion.
"And have you found out what the verse in the rose means?" Vitor asked excitedly.
"Not even close. I was thinking of other things and didn't have the time," I answered, feeling defensive again.
I'm not going to say that I've spent the whole day, or at least since I woke up, thinking about the dream I had with Lucas, right?
"Shall we go in? It must be almost lunch hour and today there's pavé for dessert," Vitor said, excitedly.
"I love their pavé. My mom can never do it right," Lucas said, getting excited and running off to the dining hall.
Obviously we ran to the hall, since Lucas and Vitor only had pavé on their mind, and it wasn't even lunchtime yet – fine, it almost was, just ten minutes to lunchtime.
We stood outside the doors waiting until it opened for lunch. Vitor had smuggled a phone and was exchanging messages with Fernando. He wasn’t happy with ruining just one couple. Who knows if they're not finally getting it on somewhere!
Fine, it's not probable, but it's not impossible, right? After Fernando had stared at Andressa sleeping Sunday morning, I don't doubt he's a romantic and shows up with a ring.
"Again in Paula's world?" Vitor asked, waving a hand in front of my face.
As if I wasn't seeing Vitor's stupid hand.
"I was just thinking about what Fernando and Andressa have been doing alone all morning," I said, teasing.
"You'll only believe it when you see it," Vitor said, smiling mysteriously.
I hate it when they're hiding something. I'm a curious person. It's evil to do this!
"What exactly won't I believe?" I asked, curious.
Maybe he'll tell me.
"You'll find out when they get here, or at least I hope it's pretty obvious," Vitor said, thoughtful.
"Now I'm the one who's curious. What are they up to?" Lucas asked.
"Totally changing the subject, today I was thinking of that crazy sentence on your flower, and I think I know it from somewhere," Vitor said after a few seconds in silence.
I think he only brought up my flower so he could escape Lucas's question. I don't just think... I'm sure!
"You're dodging the question. Besides, that sentence makes no sense," I answered.
"Of course it makes sense. He was sending you red roses, but when he sent you one in a different color it said that roses are not always red. It makes a lot of sense," Vitor said, dejected.
"Maybe it makes sense, Vitor, but he didn't have to write that down so that I'd understand it was a rose. Does he think I'm dumb or something?" I asked, angry.
"Maybe it was a subliminal message or something, like, a part of a poem he wants you to read or something," Lucas said, thoughtful. "Who knows what goes on in the head of secret admirers."
I looked at him, suspicious. He was the only one to suggest something more to the message than what was written. Weird! Is Lucas my hated admirer? Or maybe he's trying to help?
"You're the one that should tell me what’s going on in the head of a secret admirer, specially an annoying one like this one," I said.
"How will I know, Paulie? I've never sent someone something anonymously. I don't need it. One smile from me and the girls swoon," Vitor said with that movie star smile of his.
"And you, Lucas?" I asked nonchalantly, but inside I'm screaming tell me!
"What about me? You think I'd send anonymous flowers to a woman? Paulie...I send flowers with sweet cards so they'll be floating on air," Lucas said, also arrogantly.
"And who writes this cards? I doubt it's you!" I said, frowning.
"I'll let you know I have my romantic side," he said, serious.
"So Luks is a romantic girl? That I didn't know!" Vitor said, snidely.
"I'll show you romantic girl," I heard Lucas say before they start a little war, little fight, or whatever it is they call it when they start play-punching each other.
"Look, boys! The door is open. Let's eat!" I said, uselessly.
Not even food got Vitor to let go of Lucas's head or Lucas let go of Vitor's arm. Who was winning? Vitor had his arm around Lucas neck, and Lucas was twisting Vitor's arm behind his back. I don't understand a thing about a boy's fight!
"Stop that right now!" I yelled, beyond angry. "If someone starts to cry, I'm not going to help," I complained.
My aunt always says that to my cousins, it never help, but there's no harm in trying.
"Cry? I think she's talking about you," Vitor said, laughing at Lucas.
"I wasn't the one spilling tears because of a hurt finger during last year's soccer game," Lucas said, laughing.
"My finger was messed up. I thought it would have to be amputated," Vitor defended himself.
"Drama queen..." I singsonged. "Can we eat now?"
"We're not waiting for Andressa and Fernando?" Lucas asked when Vitor and I started walking.
"We've been waiting forever to go eat and you want to wait for them? I'm hungry," Vitor said, shrugging. "Let's eat!
" He added, pulling me into the hall.
We sat and started quietly eating. Like my mom says, we were noshing away.
While I ate and saw the boys eat, I got distracted again. After all, Andressa hadn't arrived yet to satisfy my curiosity, so nothing better than to think of nothing. The problem was that I didn't think of nothing and ate, I got totally distracted thinking about that dream.
Once again, I ask myself if it's normal to have those kinds of dream about a friend, and think so long about something that didn't even happen.
I confess that the dream was very different from what I usually dream about with Lucas, after all it's not always, actually not ever, that I have dreams of hooking up with people I know. If I tell Andressa she's going to say I'm always glued to the boys, but I do it without second intentions, you know how it is...I grab my friends, I hold their hand and pulled them around, give them a tight hug and so forth, but I don't go around kissing anybody!
Is dreaming that you're kissing your best friend a sin? What if you're best friend is gorgeous, nice, and a sweetheart, is it still a sin? Lucas is gorgeous, that I can't deny, I love those dimples – specially I after I found out that they existed –, his soft hair, his face – specially when he shaves and smells like aftershave and with his skin soft—, not leaving out his legs, like every soccer player, his legs are muscled and handsome. What can I do...men like women's asses and boobs, and women like the face, legs, stomach, the whole body if I'm being honest – or at least, I do, and I think Andressa does too!
I wasn't just kissing Lucas in my dream, he was kissing me back, I remember perfectly that I stepped back to get a sweet – kisses are even better if you have candy in your mouth –, but he pulled me back and wouldn't let me get the candy. He's also totally guilty about what happened.
Fine, I was the one that went to him to talk, and it was also my fault for lying on his lap while the watched TV, and I have to add that watching soccer isn’t worth it, so I was being all compassionate going over to talk with him and distract him from watching that awful thing that was on TV. It's not my fault if some people like watching a bunch of people running after a ball, even worse because it's people I don't know.
After I distracted him from the boring game, we kept talking until there was no one else in the room, that is, everybody else went to bed. We had the whole school to ourselves, but instead of going exploring – like Lucas wanted to do – I thought it best to stay and enjoy that time we had to be alone.
In the dream I was the one who was uninhibited and started brushing my hand over Lucas's sexy abs, but no one can blame me, I've never done it because I don't have the guts, but in a dream I can do what I want. I did pet him and then after he told me I was tickling him, which I have to deny, he simply wanted to tickle me. Naughty Lucas! I was just petting him innocently, but he wanted payback, and you can imagine!
When I realized it we were fighting on the couch, trying to tickle each other, both of us laughing our asses off, until we finally looked into each other eyes and that was it. We were serious, looking at each other, me looking at his mouth then at his eyes, and he...I have no idea, I was too busy looking at him. It was just like in romantic movies, when the cute main couple looks at each other wanting to kiss each other and not knowing whether the other wants it too.
We just stood there for forever, or at least it seemed to be, until finally, from me looking at his mouth for so long, Lucas got the message and kissed me. See how he's the perverted one? He kissed me. I was just quietly there, lying on the couch underneath him, while he tickled me, and he went and kissed me!
We kissed for a while until his girlfriend came into the room. Yeah, in my dreams Lucas had a girlfriend. It wasn't a dream, it was a nightmare. What a stupid girl! She started making a scene, yelling, cursing, and then took off running. Such a drama queen! And Lucas left me there on the couch and ran after his girlfriend. Fine, if I was the girlfriend, I'd expect him to do something like that to at least try to make up some kind of excuse, but what's the use in making a scene? He already cheated on me, right? Better to break it off and never look at his face again.
Moving on, after that tragic ending I woke up with an awful back pain, and even though it didn't stop me from lying in the garden with Lucas, reading my little book, it was an unnecessary back pain. And who's fault is it? Lucas's, of course. If I hadn't dreamed about him, then none of this would've happened.
"Paulie!" I heard someone screaming in my ear.
I'm not deaf!
"What is it, ungodly soul?" I asked, frowning. "Did you need to scream?"
"Of course I did. I've been calling your name for half an hour. I've finished eating and you're there staring unblinking at nothing," Vitor complained.
"I was just thinking how ugly you are," I answered, annoyed.
"Me, ugly? Were you really thinking about me? I bet you were thinking about Lucas. He's the ugly one around here," he answered, shrugging. "Just don't tell him, so he doesn't get upset," he said, whispering.
"I'm still here, Vitinho," Lucas complained, crossing his arms on his chest with a huge pout on his lips.
"I thought we'd be the center of attention today," I heard Andressa saying.
When did she get here? And why aren't we sitting as usual – Fernando at the head of the table, me and Andressa on one side with Lucas and Vitor in front of us? What is happening here?
"Admit it! You were in Paula's world again," Vitor said, ignoring Lucas and pointing an accusing finger in my face.
"I wasn't anywhere. Don't start again with that Paula's world story," I said, emphasizing "Paula's world".
"So what exactly were you thinking about?" Vitor asked, doubting me.
"Nothing that's any of your business, nosy," I asked, annoyed.
"Stop fighting. That's all you two do," Andressa complained.
"When did she get here?" I asked Lucas, who was sitting next to me.
Yeah... Don't ask me how or why he's here. I don't remember him here.
"A few minutes ago. Aren't you going to ask what she was doing?" Lucas asked me, laughing at some joke I didn't understand.
I can't even think about my dream without missing half the stuff that happens here. I don't know why the boys changed seats, I don't know why Andressa is upset with me, I don't know why Vitor is making up Paula's world again. Lately it seems like I know nothing.
"Paulie, concentrate!" Lucas asked suddenly, shaking my shoulders.
I took a deep breath so I wouldn't say something I'd regret. Can no one leave me alone to think? That's when I finally looked at my friend, who was sitting across from me. I know I'd looked before, but I wasn't paying much attention. I couldn't believe my traitorous eyes. It's not possible! Is that really what I think? Does Fernando really have his fingers intertwined with Andressa's?
"Oh my God!" I yelled, taken aback. I must be hallucinating right now.
"She finally noticed!" Vitor said to Lucas, who let out a quiet laugh. I took advantage and elbowed him.
Is it real? Is my friend really dating the love of her life? Aren't they gorgeous?
"Ha!" I yelled, ecstatic. "You're dating!" I singsonged.
I always wanted to do that. It's stupid, but it's fun to embarrass someone.
The first thing I saw, or better, heard was Vitor's high laugh filling my years, then Fernando's face went from white to red in seconds, but to my surprised, Andressa didn't blush. Who's this person that has taken the place of my friend? Andressa blushed easily. It's impossible she didn't feel embarrassed with my teasing.
"We're not dating. Don’t get any ideas, Paulie," Andressa said, and I was appalled at her quiet tone of voice – she simply said that as coolly as you can and went back to eating.
How can someone say something like that then go back to eating?
"What do you mean you're not dating?" I asked threateningly to Fernando.
"We're hooking up. You know how it is...it's happens sometimes," he answered, awkward.
"Just
hooking up?" I asked, disappointed.
"Paulie, nowadays people just hook up. They don't need to be dating to make out, no commitment," Vitor said, like I was still a child.
"Then at least there's kissing? But what about happily ever after? And the wedding ring? What do you mean hooking up?" I asked, desperate. "Who accepts this no commitment ridiculousness? Where's the ring? The greatest part is the boy with a beautiful ring all shyly asking you to be his girlfriend."
"Paula, that's called a marriage proposal, not a will-you-be-my-girlfriend question," Fernando said.
"Is she always like this?" I heard Vitor asking Lucas.
"Sometimes she's worse!" I heard the traitor answering.
"Fernando, you insolent. I won't let you take advantage of my friend like that. Either you commit or it's done," I said, decided.
As if I'd let them just hook up. That's no fun. Besides, I won't be able to tease them.
"Paulie, thank you, but I can stand up for myself," Andressa said, shrugging.
"No, you can't, Andressa!" I said, beyond myself.
What happened to these people? What an absurd idea to be together without commitment. Does that mean if they want to go around kissing other people they can? Absurd!
"Hooking up is pretty normal nowadays, Paulie, no one dates anymore. You're an incorrigible romantic!" Vitor said, looking bored.
"But hooking up is so...available!" I answer, dejectedly.
"That's the point," Lucas said, laughing.
"We'll talk later, missy!" I said to Andressa to avoid comments.
I want to know exactly how this happened.
"Be serious, Lady Sith, you never hooked up with anybody? Always dated?" Vitor asked, disbelieving.
"I..." I opened my mouth to lie, but Andressa already knew.
"Tell the truth or I will," she said, singsonging.
Bad Andressa! Very bad! What a great friend she is...
"I've hooked up once or twice, oh-annoying-one! You make out with someone and then can't call, can't hang out to talk, you don't even know if the person likes you. I didn't like it!" I answered, irritated. "But we're not talking about me... How did this happen?" I asked, curious.
"Guys, I'm going up, I remembered something. I'll find you later," Lucas said before quickly downing a huge glass of juice and running of from the hall.
Hated Secret Admirer Page 14