It was Saturday night, Leonardo was watching a movie on television, his mother was watching it with him, but she was sleeping soundly sitting on the sofa. For her, the film didn't matter, she just wanted to have one more activity, with her son, but tiredness overcame her. She almost snored, made some lip sounds every now and then, but that didn't cause Leonardo any discomfort.

He wasn't paying any attention to the film, not even to the obvious tiredness that his mother felt. His heart was racing a thousand kilometers per hour, it felt like a part of him had stayed on that race track. Running at a fast pace, while the other part of his body was trying to understand everything that happened that day, so different from his own routine.

As he had already lost the entire plot of the film, Leonardo turns off the television and soon after, shakes his mother a little. He woke her up, so she could find her way to the bed, and the moment she woke up from her deep sleep, a look fell on Leonardo and asked if something happened.

He seemed very distant, very different, Leonardo said nothing much had happened, he went out a few times during the day, had lunch outside, went to the beach. That's all he talked about, certain things he preferred to keep to himself, as if they were private secrets, or well-guarded treasures. She just smiled, ruffled his hair a little and said she would go to bed, and then went to the bedroom. She really needs to get an undisturbed night's sleep now.

In the living room Leonardo looked at the turned off television screen, he saw a bit of his reflection on the dark television screen. He saw himself, at the same time, he felt something different, an unusual sensation, an emotion swirling between him and the television. And the more he focused on it, the more he remembered everything he experienced on the beach.

He felt that clean, icy water on his body, the comforting heat of the sun, the wind causing a musical sound in his ears, her curious gaze running towards him. He took a deep breath and felt the scent of the perfume that was exuding from her neck, the moment he felt the sea water touching his foot, the moment her body touched his body.

Leonardo had no appetite, so he went out to buy a soft drink. He needed to breathe a little, feel the streets growing around him, making him part of the world again. It was almost midnight, there were very few people on the streets. But something caught his attention. As it was Saturday, the bars were packed. But he just wanted to buy something and get home quickly, and without realizing it, he was practically ignoring the people in the bars. Friends in groups laughing loudly, couples holding each other's hands under the tables, couples hugging each other on the dance floor. None of this caught Leonardo's attention, who continued walking alone along the night street lit by the bright lights of the bars.

He was avoiding sweet things as much as possible, but his insides were asking for something different, he had spent a while without eating anything that would make him too fat. Trying to go on a diet, and with emotions out of tune with your own plans. He sighed, he went like that, looking for the best place to stop and eat something. Until he saw a snack bar on a corner, almost empty, just a couple sitting at one of the tables talking about something that Leonardo couldn't hear.

He went in and ordered a glass of açaí, he had changed his mind, the street seemed so harmless to him, that he decided to stay a while longer. He seemed to have been well received, with the sidewalks well lit by lights as clear as daylight. And the cold and refreshing sensation at night, like a late afternoon. Leonardo finally decided. He would continue down the street that welcomed him so much.

As soon as the açaí arrived, Leonardo's phone rang, and he got a surprise. Marcelle calling him, and right at that time. But he answered, and, a little afraid, of saying something strange or embarrassing, to Marcelle, or, that someone around could hear.

"Hi Leonardo, are you able to speak?" Marcelle asked.

"Yes, I can, is everything ok? Did something happen?"

"I just wanted to talk a little about what happened today, it was something more of the moment, there's no need to talk about it with the others."

"Okay, we can keep this just between us, but... there's nothing more to it than that, right?"

"Nothing beyond that? What do you mean? I don't understand."

"Ah yes, about seeing each other again you know, just the two of us."

"Are you currently with anyone?"

"I left the house alone, I'm in a café close to home, drinking an açaí."

"That's not what I'm talking about, if you're dating someone, or seeing someone."

"Oh, no, I'm not seeing anyone, in that sense. Or in any other sense."

After a short pause, Marcelle continued.

"Changing the subject, is the açaí at this place good?"

"Yes, I'm taking it very slowly. The street was so quiet that I decided to stay outside for a while longer."

"Lost sleep? What happened? Wanting to get away from home, something happened?"

After a brief pause, Leonardo continued.

"Ah, actually I wanted to think a little, sitting at home, all I could think about was that."

"On that?"

"Ah... on the beach, I thought about the two of us on the beach."

"I understood..."

Leonardo didn't know what else to say. He hadn't had this kind of conversation in a long time, he was very agitated. In the cafeteria he only heard a small sound coming from the television. The cafeteria attendant was calmly watching an interview program. The couple who was sitting at the table laughed about something, they looked at each other, laughed a little, a pleasant laugh, which filled the environment, and in the middle of this environment, was Leonardo. Sitting at the counter, phone in hand, and not a word coming out of his mouth.

"He slept?" Marcelle asked.

"No, I didn't know what to say."

"And what do you think? About what happened on the beach."

"It feels like I can still feel it. All the things I did there, like, if I was still there. In the water. holding you."

"Hugging? Is that all you think?"

"Ah... I remember practically everything, but when I think about the kiss, your mouth, the feeling of your skin in my hands, I get a little nervous, I even had to leave the house."

"Now I understand, so you were moved by our kiss?"

"Yes, I was, I haven't been with anyone for some time, like that..."

"So... that's why? That it got messed up?"

"Not exactly, from the moment we ran, together. Just the two of us. I've been feeling that, I almost couldn't look to the side. Your image was very graceful."

"Since the race time?"

"Yes, from that point on, I was already completely attracted to you, I don't know if I realized, but at the time you ran towards me, on the beach, I was beside myself, I even felt intimidated. Your brown eyes were... growing towards me."

"Yes... I thought maybe you felt that way, but I wasn't sure... and after... we went into the sea?"

"Thought?... well... it seems like I can still feel the touch of your mouth, your soft lips, your gentle tongue, I still feel it all in me. I feel every kiss we gave. I still feel your skin. I feel- in the palm of my hands. Your flesh between my fingers, your wet hair, I feel it, my mouth touching your neck..."

A brief silence took over that conversation, a few more people entered that cafeteria. Coming from a nearby bar, or couples coming from a date. Maybe they were lovers coming from parties, some people alone, maybe they lived nearby. They looked at each option, they wanted to try something different. And in the middle of it, Leonardo, in silence. Almost in disbelief that he had said all that. He needed to talk, thinking about it was already tormenting him. Saying those things was the best thing for him. Now he continued with the same silence he felt several times.

While the attendant looked subtly, Leonardo's açaí melting, the voice on the other end of the phone continued.

"So... are you going to run tomorrow?" Marcelle asked.

"Yes... I should go, at the same time."

"So... tomorrow we'll see each other again, I'll meet you at the track, at the same time. Then, we'll run together... and talk a little more."

"It's agreed then, we'll see you tomorrow at the same time."

"Okay, I'm going to hang up, so you can go back to drinking your açaí, I also need to rest."

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

"No problem, I loved talking to you. Your voice is wonderful. Tomorrow we will talk some more."

"Are you already thinking about it? Tomorrow we'll... run, anything else, we'll see after the race."

"I'm not thinking about anything yet, I'm just saying that your voice is very beautiful. I hope to enjoy it more often."

"More times?" "Yes, more times..."

"So... I'm going to hang up now. We'll talk tomorrow." Marcelle spoke.

"See you tomorrow. A big hug."

"Until tomorrow..."

Calmly, Leonardo, went back to enjoying the açaí, looking around, no one seemed to have paid attention to what he was saying. He remained silent, the attendant was now talking to one of the customers, saying something about a frustrated relationship he had. Leonardo enjoyed the açaí with granola and strawberry topping, while he heard a bit of the conversation between the attendant and the customer. He said he had to change a lot of plans, and that ruined his life. Maybe he was just venting to a stranger, or he was a regular customer, either way, the attendant spoke in detail about what it was like to overcome betrayal.

These topics, dating and breakups, seemed to be everywhere. Many people said out loud, the problems they faced, about what they will do later with their loved ones, and things like that. The cafeteria attendant was talking about possibly the worst moment of his life. This was something that, in a certain way, Leonardo admired, this ability to say anything, with anyone, was something that he lacked. Leonardo thought about trying this a few times. Go out at night, and find someone to vent to, who doesn't judge you. Someone who could just listen to what he had to say.

With his inner eyes hovering over his thoughts, about what that attendant said, he remembered the things he didn't say, to so many people in his life. He started to remember how it was earlier, with vivid images, like a movie, but still, they were harder things to remember. Things now had emotions imbued in the images, just thinking about Marcelle, stretching, gave him goose bumps, seeing the entire shape of her body, Leonardo just had to close his eyes, and he saw Marcelle.

Marcelle seemed to be there, completely in front of him, stretching vividly. The muscles in her leg stretching and contracting, and little more than emotion. In this thought, he even remembered her perfume.

Then came the tiring run, the nervousness that took over Leonardo's body and made him completely forget the hot pains he normally felt in his body. He was anesthetized, for all the fatigue that was almost metallic, he only felt a slight discomfort, as if he were a feather pillow being touched.

A woman arrived, alone, and sat next to Leonardo, wearing a tight black dress, short blonde hair, dark green eyes, a strong, very eye-catching perfume. She ordered an açaí, and two more cheese breads, she said she was starving. Leonardo almost didn't look at her, he was very worried, with his own memories of salt and sand, and something else. When he heard the word açaí, he looked to the side, instinctively, and recognized that woman.

"Jane?" Leonardo spoke.

"Good evening! Do you know my channel?" Jane replied.

"Yes, I know, I'm Leonardo, who edits your videos." Leonardo said, with a sincere smile on his face"Leonardo! Wow! I didn't even recognize you, it's the first time I've seen you in person! Come here, give me a hug."

Leonardo was a little shy. Without giving any chance for negative reactions, he got up and went to hug Jane, she reciprocated with an even more affectionate hug. She was acting differently than when she is in the videos, maybe she drank a little more, or something happened. She wasn't that out of the ordinary, she was very explosive and spontaneous, like a typical YouTuber. She looked very similar to practically everyone in that diner.

Night parties, attracting more people than Leonardo could imagine, only he was different. A simple gray Alice in chains shirt and black shorts and flip-flops. He was completely detached from all the people in that place, so he was going about it all in a very ordinary way.

"How are you, Leonardo? It's a surprise, and a pleasure, to find you here." Jane spoke excitedly.

"I live nearby, I just came to have a snack. And you: I know you live in Humaitá, what are you doing here?"

"Wow, do you know where I live? I came to a party, my friends are still there, I just had to come here quickly, because I love this snack bar, I love these cheese breads."

"Yes, I watch all your videos, so I know a lot of things, including where you live, but now, I really see that you have good taste, at least for açaí, it's the first time I've come here and I found it very tasty. Could you start giving cooking tips too."

"Cooking? I don't understand much, but I can give it a try, record some videos about it. It could be a good experience to bring to my channel."

"It could work! Normally, cooking-themed channels grow a lot, but do you think I should change?"

"Yes, I see that people are always searching for many things besides relationships, you can start making some cooking tips and posting on a separate day of the week, it will only benefit you. You could attract a new audience to the channel."

Jane thought for a moment, raised her hand to her chin, turned her eyes up and to the side, and twitched her eyebrows a little. After a few moments with a serious expression, Jane suddenly burst into great laughter, surprising Leonardo and everyone around her.

For the first time that night, everyone was looking towards Leonardo, or, at least, it was the first time he noticed. He tried to laugh a little, to hide it, but, he knew, they looked at Jane, she had a special magnetism, he could notice it from afar. Watching the videos you could already see this, but in person, the essence of who she was even more noticeable.

"Yes, talking about relationships was something even more difficult than I thought, before starting the channel, I thought it would be the simplest thing in the world, and of course, I was completely wrong. They sent me some cases, which I didn't even have the means to to comment on the channel. In some cases, I even worked on it, but I decided not to post on the channel. So I decided, either, I would respond in private, or, I would tell them to look for a professional therapist, because in certain cases I really wouldn't be able to. to help."

"Yes, in some cases I can't believe how strange people can be, they have no respect for each other, they still lack empathy, and understand that on the other side, there is also fear, insecurity, trauma, jealousy, there is all this in the other, but we still need to realize it in our fellow humans, and let the other perceive our traumas and insecurities, without fear of what the other will think, because then we will know that we are with a human being. subject to mistakes, and to suffer because of the mistakes of others, like anyone else."

Jane stopped again for a few brief moments, she stared at Leonardo. Her mouth was half-open, with a relaxed, thoughtful expression on her face, until her reddish mouth began to move. A mechanized smile opened on her mouth, slowly forming a pattern on her face. Her face was completely transformed, a completely genuine smile opened before Leonardo's eyes, and by reflex, he smiled in return. A smile almost as beautiful as Jane's smile, but it still lacked a little sparkle. Leonardo still needed changes, he still needed something more.

"What you said is really beautiful, I didn't know you could be like that, so emotional. From what I understand, from my audience, generally people in the technology field are more rational, they don't usually show so many emotions. I liked that, I didn't know you It was like that."

"It must be because I usually listen to a lot of rock, despite the more abstract appearances and the more striking sound, the lyrics are still... like you said, emotional. They talk a lot about sentimental life, and relationships too. I always listen calmly, paying attention. Pay attention to the lyrics and the meanings."

"Um... it's been a while since I've listened to good rock, I listened a lot when I was a teenager, especially emo. It's been a while, maybe, I need to start listening to more rock again, and we can swap some bands too. You can tell me later send me some songs, I need to be like that again too. Taking care of other people's problems has left me discredited on many issues, I have to believe in certain things again... you know?"

"Yes, I understand, I spent a long time disbelieved, in many things, including love. Music made me hold on to everything, I wasn't shaken by everything I was feeling, and everything I was going through. Many times, music was my own private therapist, telling me about everything I was feeling, and everything I wanted to feel. It gave me hope several times..., but, yes, I can recommend some songs, and, you can recommend some bands too. . I don't know anything about emo. Maybe you can teach me a little."

Right after Leonardo said those things, he barely noticed how the words came out of his mouth. Jane ran and hugged him, and again, everyone was looking at Leonardo, or at Jane, it was difficult to tell, but this time, Leonardo hadn't paid attention to the looks of others. He hadn't been hugged like that in a long time, he hadn't felt this much affection in a long time. Jane's perfume was truly something that would mark that night in Leonardo's memories.

"You really surprised me, Leonardo. You're always so direct, when we talk about work, you need to open up more, talk more about everything you want to talk about. You don't need to be afraid to expose yourself to me, you can talk about anything Don't worry, don't feel overwhelmed talking to me, okay?" Jane spoke.

"Okay, we'll talk more about this, I already have the content for the next video, tomorrow I'll send it to you, it's all edited, and I'll send you some songs that I like, is that ok?"

Jane responded with a smile and a shake of her head. A unique innocence and charm, only she could act that way. It was natural for her, a way of behaving in the world that only she was capable of doing. And that enchanted Leonardo. He found something beyond a simple job, by seeing more of Jane he could further humanize the work he had been doing for her. Without realizing it, that meeting had caused a great change in Leonardo.

Shortly after the hug, Jane's phone rang. Her friends, who stayed at the party, were worried about her sudden disappearance. She explained that she had gone out to get something to eat. And she found a friend, they were talking, but she was already going back to the party. Leonardo watched in silence, nothing was going through his mind, he just saw Jane with new eyes, and maybe she noticed.

"I need to go, have some cheese bread, then you can tell me if you liked it" Jane said.

They hugged again, and Jane came out, smiling and looking changed, acting a little different than when she entered that diner. She also saw something with new eyes, she just couldn't say what it was.

After she left, some people noticed Leonardo, and he could definitely feel that they were looking at him. Jane was a naturally striking person, and what attracted attention spent a little more time with Leonardo. This essence of Jane was like a perfume, which perfumed everything around, and permeated the most sensitive noses.

Leonardo felt nervous in the middle of it all, he was still shy, and this shyness made him finish his açaí and walk home, while eating the cheese bread that Jane had left for him.

The bars were still full, and even noisier, almost, the same thing he saw earlier. This made him think about Marcelle again, now he was calmer, and the first thing he remembered was the kiss in the sea. He relived everything in thoughts covered with love, he felt Marcelle's skin on his fingers, he felt her lips touching his lips, the softness of the skin on her face, he felt it, her waist touching his waist, her trembling, perhaps, due to some nervousness, perhaps, due to the cold water.

Again, her lips touched his lips, and the doubts were washed away by the sea water. He squeezed her even tighter, held her tight, so the waves wouldn't separate them. And her lips met, they were getting used to each other. Two mouths whispering secrets in gestures full of kindness, from one mouth to another.

At the moment of the kiss, Leonardo and Marcelle gave themselves completely to each other, and at that moment, they were both completely attentive to everything that was going on around them. They noticed many things, but they only felt each other's bodies. The sea, the blue sky, seemed to fit in the short space between their bodies, a few more kisses, a few touches, skin meeting and rubbing, with the rise and fall of the sea waves, it was their first dance, and, the wind was the melody that made them dance. In the middle of the dance, another kiss, wet, like the beach, another touch, and then, a wave overcomes, and they finally let go. Without saying much, Marcelle returned to the beach, and without saying much, she said she needed to go, and she went, without much to say.

Leonardo remembered that moment, and felt a gentle tightness in his chest as he remembered it. He had already returned home, at that moment, the sudden meeting with Jane didn't even cross his mind. He looked at the turned off television screen, and saw his reflection, the empty sofa, some pictures on the wall, and a plant in the corner of the room, he decides to turn on the television. He goes on YouTube, puts on a Deftones show, and before they start playing the first song, his eyes close. He was already remembering everything again, the choppy ocean, the musical noise of the wind, her body pressed against his body, and suddenly, another kiss.