The sound of a clock boomed inside the room. His alarm clock exploded like a bomb, no one was injured, but this time, Leonardo got out of bed as soon as he turned off the alarm clock. He looked at the dirty clothes and the clothes looked back at him, and he was the one with the most debt exposed in that situation. He needed to organize everything, but he left it for another time, when he felt the same energy he felt in the race, or at least when his body stopped hurting.

The lack of habit took a heavy toll, “I should have exercised more” he thought to himself, trying to understand and stifle his body fatigue.

He got up early, did the old ritual of observing himself in front of the mirror, without fear, but also without confidence. This time he had something else to look at, and he admired his sore legs, which despite the pain, did not appear to have any serious injuries. He went to have his usual coffee, he was already a person practically given over to this same routine. Without much difference, he ate, worked at home a few times a week, and listened to music, a lot of music. It had been a while since he really liked a series, he saw flaws in all of them and would have done a lot of things differently in several of them, perhaps because he watched so many of Jane's videos, he ended up learning to deal with relationships in a different way.

Something broke the silence of Leonardo's routine, his cell phone was ringing, he still hadn't looked at his messages, as usual, as he hadn't been in contact with anyone for some time.

"Hello, Jonathan?" Leonardo asked without showing his joy and curiosity.

"yes, how are you? Are you okay?" Leonardo asked in a friendly way

"I have some pain and it feels like my legs are tingling, but other than that everything is fine" Leonardo replied

"Don't worry, take some pain medicine for the first few weeks as your body will get used to it, but other than that, I have to say that we hardly talked yesterday. I was happy, because I'm the only man there, I hope we have more time today to talk" Jonathan seemed excited

"Yes, I'll try to keep up with you, and I'll leave the water bottle at home" Leonardo said simply.

"But, I forgot to ask, are you seeing anyone now?" Jonathan asked.

Leonardo looked at the television, a clip from the band Kyuss was playing on silent.

"Seeing someone? I was listening to music here" Leonardo replied.

"That's not it, I meant if he has a girlfriend at the moment" Jonathan said while laughing a little.

"No one currently, as I work from home I don't usually go out at night, I'm a little rusty about these things" Leonardo replied.

"Just to know, I think Isabela was interested in you, but I'm not sure, I can ask Fernanda to check this with her" Jonathan said.

"Ah... I don't know, I'm not looking for anything at the moment, I even deactivated some applications that I have here, I don't think there's any need to say anything. I'm more interested in running" Leonardo said with a bit of nervousness.

"Well, who knows, I need to hang up here, I'm at work, but we'll talk later, see you at 4pm then" Jonathan hung up soon after.

It had been a while since Leonardo had thought about this subject, at least not seriously, he always thought about an old acquaintance from some work that he still had contact with, or about the few female friends he had throughout his twenty-eight years of life, and It wouldn't go much further than that. He knew it was strange to try to get closer after so many years.

He decides to get a haircut, as his hair is very frizzy and unruly he needs to cut it quite often. Leonardo ends up exceeding these limits and only cuts his hair every few months. That day he decided to update his look, new hair, a shaved beard and a new running set. now, something that was more comfortable for his size. A pumpkin shirt and black shorts, very simple, he didn't want to look more flashy than the others, or be more flashy than Fernanda.

Leonardo had some work to do, but he decided to do it after the race. After he returned from the barbershop and shopping, he watched some videos about running techniques and some YouTubers on this topic. He found everything very motivating and exciting for him, but he was enjoying the topic, he did a series of stretches before lunch and really felt relief from the pain. Right after lunch, he continued watching videos about running until he finally received a message from Jonathan to meet up and start running.

The day was very hot, the sun still shines brightly and warms the streets of Rio de Janeiro. A blue sky with few clouds in the air, a clean picture, to paint the drawings of memory, almost always crowded buses go up and down taking their passengers to the comfort of their homes, returning from their offices and commercial buildings.

Some birds sing their sounds of love, and passing through this almost aphrodisiac scenario, Leonardo. He has been walking slowly, breathing deeply and with light thoughts about what is yet to come, and with an almost visible lightness of spirit.

After crossing some streets and arriving at the Flamengo waterfront, Leonardo soon sees that everyone is already present, he is the last to arrive. Almost everyone is wearing the same clothes, only Jonathan is wearing a green shirt and has sunglasses, Leonardo takes a brief look at Isabela, trying to see if something about her catches his attention, she was very friendly and despite being shy, she seemed very happy. with yourself. Marcelle was dressed all in black and dressed as if she were a professional runner. She seemed annoyed, perhaps because Leonardo was late, he thought.

"Wow! Did you cut your hair? It looks better this way" Fernanda said, with a big smile on her face

"Yes, it really is, it suits you" Marcelle said

Isabela quickly looked at Leonardo, but didn't say anything about it, just commented that she felt a little heartburn. She continued saying that she would just walk this time.

Leonardo thought to himself if he was walking to try to get closer to Isabela, but he didn't have that much interest in her, and from what he noticed, she didn't have much interest in him either, but it was worth a try. But before she could even delve into the subject and make a decision, he was already at Jonathan's side trying to keep up with him.

Really, this was the best time to run, the calm atmosphere of the late afternoon. The wind seemed to leave the ground towards the heavens, leaving its own marks on the skin. And the light, the always docile and gentle light at this time, with golden rays and some colors beyond the blue of the sky, the few clouds turning a more orange tone, caused an extra painting in the hearts of those who ran. Even more so, from someone who ran for the passion of running, touching the ground with the soles of their feet in the same way a pianist plays his own piano, there seemed to be something magical about it all. However, Leonardo was so focused on keeping up with Jonathan that he neither saw nor felt any of these things, just trying to keep his own breathing in some rhythm, in conjunction with the movement of his own feet. He inhaled when his left foot stepped on the floor, exhaled when his left foot stepped on the ground again, like the beat of a song, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Leonardo was like this for some time, controlling his inhalation and exhalation, scoring with his left foot, trying not to fall behind, but it was increasingly difficult. Shortly after two kilometers he slowed down, following his friend to that mark had already been a considerable effort, and Jonathan couldn't stop. He accompanied Marcelle, who seemed even more focused than Leonardo.

No sign of Fernanda and Isabela, but now, at least Leonardo could feel more of the atmosphere, perhaps because his heart was racing and his blood was boiling. He could feel every step he took, as if he was touching his palms to the ground, it was a wonderful sensation, feeling the ground beneath his feet. He indulged in this emotion for some time, as he felt the gentle touch of the sun on his own face. It had been a while since he felt that way, even though he lived so close to the sea he almost never came to smell the salt that lingers in the air. Without wasting so many moments in this discontinuity in his own race, he returned to the rhythm of his left foot, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale.

Jonathan arrived at the four kilometer mark accompanied by Marcelle, around three minutes later Leonardo caught up with them. The expression Leonardo had on his face was clearly not one of the best, he had certainly exhausted himself in those four kilometers and he didn't even need to say much about it, he just breathed a sigh of relief while Jonathan came to talk to him, about how well he was doing. Marcelle also congratulated him, but she was more withdrawn, in her own corner, it seemed like she really had few words, but she tried hard.

"This is the best weather for running, don't you agree? It reminds us of the times when we would skip school to stay at the beach, swimming and being knocked over by the waves. Jonathan smiled as he talked about the falls that Leonardo took, how he didn't know how to swim , even the smallest waves on the beach hit him and knocked him into the sea. Many times Jonathan had cried with laughter watching Leonardo being knocked down by the sea, sometimes Leonardo almost drowned and was taken by the sea, but some bather always rescued him, they They only swam where there were many people gathered, and even though Leonardo had almost drowned several times, he had never given up going to the beach in those times.

After Jonathan's speech, for a brief moment Leonardo remembered when he went to the beach with Jonathan.

"Remember that time we came to the beach and found the school principal in a bikini? When she came to school just in a bikini and with a beer in her hand, she asked why we weren't at school?" Leonardo said while laughing.

"If I remember? I still have nightmares about that" Jonathan laughed as he spoke.

"Seeing the director in that situation and with everything out of the question was completely out of the plan, and it almost traumatized me" They both laughed while Jonathan said that sentence.

"So you, Jonathan? completely straight-laced these days, but did you skip school?" Marcelle was participating more.

"At that time I was more relaxed, I didn't know Fernanda and I didn't even have a daughter, now I have to behave and be a good family man" Jonathan said while smiling.

"Okay, I also did my cat jumping in high school, but I liked going to the mall more" Marcelle said.

"We only went to the mall when we wanted to see a movie, but I haven't done that in a while." Leonardo barely spoke anymore, covered in sweat and very tired, he suggested they go and have some coconut water. Fernanda and Isabela would still be a few minutes away.

The flavor of coconut water mixing with the heat of the blood right after the race made everything sweeter, the natural flavor was like honey itself. Leonardo drank two coconuts and still hadn't had enough.

"Wow, apparently you really like coconut water" Jonathan said while looking at Leonardo, he drank his own coconut without any rush, patiently savoring it, it was something a little different from Leonardo, who liked to go all out, until he felt fully sated.

"I could drink about three more of these, but I think it's better to stop here" Leonardo was a little shy.

Without even thinking much, Marcelle asked Leonardo for another coconut

"You can drink without fear, this will only do you good" Marcelle laughed to herself, and soon after asked for another coconut for herself too.

Leonardo was already more comfortable in her presence, she seemed very calm and easy to talk to, despite being very closed, he took his third coconut now more slowly, tasting it even more and feeling the cold going down his throat.

"What do you work with?" Leonardo asked Marcelle.

"I work at an architecture firm, I make digital drawings and plans, and I warn you that I don't know anything about architecture, I only make the drawings that are asked of me" Marcelle said.

"Fernanda worked at that same company, but she left after our daughter was born" Jonathan said.

"We got along really well, our friendship went beyond work, it was good that I found a friendly shoulder there, this is increasingly difficult" Marcelle said.

"At least your friendship continued, at least this way the work starts to pay off" Leonardo said

"This doesn't happen often, it's more because of Fernanda, she gets along with everyone, she's a friendly and trustworthy person" Marcelle said.

"Look at her getting there, she doesn't even look tired" Jonathan said while looking at Fernanda and Isabela coming from afar.

Walking calmly, Fernanda wore her own smile as if it were an extension of her body, a trademark. On the other hand, Isabela seemed sad and crestfallen, she didn't feel as happy as Fernanda, perhaps she was really feeling very bad and sick.

"Is everything okay Isabella?" Marcelle I ask, a little worried when she sees the expression on Isabela's face.

"I think I'm just thirsty, I didn't drink much today, I need some of that" and he pointed to the beer on the counter, and Marcelle laughed a little and said "Get a grip, focus on the race, leave it to drink at night" and laughed a little more.

They exchanged some more conversations about some things. Leonardo talked about his work as a video editor, he said he loved the job he had, he hid from everyone the fact that he was in an internal crisis and desperately wanted to change his profession. He just didn't know which one he would change to, perhaps, change to no profession at all, despite liking music, he didn't want to work with it, he felt more comfortable just as a spectator, watching artists making their own art.

Leonardo didn't talk about music, nor about Rihanna, he just kept the conversation going with the few questions directed at him. Trying to keep to himself, everything he had faced in the last few years.

The shore was now full of people, after 5:00 pm everyone approached the sea and the beach sand to practice some sport, everyone had already gone home. Leonardo walked calmly along the shore, he saw everyone as fellow runners, or cyclists, now it seemed like he was part of something else, something bigger than himself, and he liked that feeling, of feeling like he was part of something more. Looking at the sand on the beach he remembered what Jonathan shared earlier.

Leonardo remembered everything, about them skipping class and going to the beach, how precious those moments were for Leonardo, but, in those days, he didn't know what how precious it all was, how much he would miss the simplest things. At that time, Leonardo's smile was more sincere, but he could not say that, because at that time he was not yet friends with the mirror, he did not yet know his own face intimately, nor did he see the shape of his own smile, or the same serious face. every morning. He changed, and he couldn't notice any of these changes.

He looked deeply at the sea, he remembered a song by Dorival Caymmi. he thought about his own youth, Leonardo, now, he no longer felt like part of the runners and walkers on the shore, he was himself again. Discredited at work, thinking about music and with a great emptiness inside his own body, and still looking towards the sea, after spending a while listening to the sound of the waves, he finally decides to take off his sneakers and walk barefoot on the sand.

He felt a different sensation on the soles of his feet, it was different from when he was running, but it was just as pleasurable as the sensation he felt earlier.

The sky was multicolored, a little lilac, a little orange, a little red. It's always good to be out of the house to witness this, Leonardo thought to himself, and he walked further, arrived at the edge of the sea, and felt the cold water hitting his feet, the rhythm and sound of the waves calmed him. He felt like himself, but most of all, he felt whole, as if his entire past was there, in that moment. Feeling the cold water hitting his legs, the tiredness after the run, the taste of coconut water still fresh in his memory, he felt this and shared it with his past, as he looked at the horizontal line that separated the blue of the sea from the orange of the sea. sunset sky. He tried to remember that old song by Dorival Caymmi, he hummed the melody and soon after the lyrics came to his memory. "...The sea, when it touches the beach, is beautiful, it's beautiful...".