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At home
Lavinia threw her bag on the floor and lay down on her bed, staring at the ceiling with a face half confusion, half threat.
"Did I… go crazy!? Damn it, it was just a dream, but it felt so real!?"
She put a pillow over her face and screamed lightly:
"I need a vacation from all this!"
---
The following days...
Life began to return to its routine—or so she thought.
Mira had transferred to another school.
She gradually disappeared from her life, without a goodbye or anything, as if she had never been part of it.
True, she was the only girl Lavinia used to hang out with…
But Lavinia didn't stay alone; she managed to make new friends and returned to being that popular girl everyone gathered around.
---
In one of the quiet corners of the schoolyard...
Lavinia sat next to Fred under a cherry blossom tree, holding a juice box in her hand while he read his book.
She looked at him and said:
"Fred, where are the people who have an album like mine? Do I know them?"
He closed the book quietly and gazed into the distance:
"That's a long story… You don't need to know its heroes."
She pursed her lips with childish determination:
"But I want to know! I'm excited!"
He sighed, then said coldly:
"You don't know them… and they no longer have the album."
She raised her eyebrow, surprised:
"Huh?! How?"
He lightly tapped her on the head and said:
"Simply… because they failed."
She fell silent, then murmured:
"Failed…? Did they… die?!"
He quickly shook his head:
"No, they didn't die… but don't ask. Just forget it."
"But—"
He raised his hand, cutting her off:
"I'm leaving."
He stood up and walked away quietly, while she looked after him, talking to the air:
"Fred! Come back! Tell me who they are! I'm dying of curiosity!"
---
After school...
In the basketball court, Mikel was cleaning alone.
Balls were scattered around, trees were shedding their leaves onto the ground, and the sound of his broom whispered over the concrete.
Lavinia entered quietly, then picked up a broom and began helping him in silence.
He looked at her in surprise:
"Oh… a volunteer today?"
She replied with a small smile:
"Yeah… maybe I just wanted to escape some weird fans."
He chuckled lightly.
"Can't blame you."
The two started cleaning the court together, tossing leaves back and forth as if they were a ball, racing to collect them.
Then she suddenly said, placing her broom down:
"I didn't expect Mira to leave. That was surprising."
He paused for a moment, then continued sweeping softly:
"I know. I heard she requested the transfer herself."
"Are you… sad about that?"
He shook his head slowly:
"We were friends, but I felt she started to hate you, and… that made things weird."
She went quiet for a moment, then murmured:
"Me too… I no longer know who Mira really was."
On their way back:
The sun was setting, painting the sky in a warm orange hue.
They walked side by side, their steps in sync, and the silence felt unusually comforting.
Suddenly, Mikel asked:
"Lavinia… what's your relationship with Rocky?"
She looked at him, puzzled:
"Huh? Why are you asking?"
He lowered his gaze and spoke in a soft voice:
"Do… do you like him?"
She stopped for a moment, then laughed, pointing at him:
"Ooooh! Are you jealous?!"
He didn't answer. He just stayed silent.
She looked at him and realized the topic was sensitive…
So she quickly changed the subject and said:
"And you? Haven't you ever loved a girl before?"
He stopped.
She looked at him…
A faint shadow of sadness crossed his face.
"I did love a girl… but I was a fool, and I missed the right moment."
She looked at him with growing interest.
"Do you still… love her?"
He smiled bitterly:
"Sometimes… we don't realize we love someone until it's too late."
He glanced at her briefly, and she quickly turned her face away.
Her heart skipped, but she pretended not to care.
"The sky is beautiful today, isn't it?"
"Very."
They walked in silence, but between their steps lingered unspoken whispers… and secrets hidden within the beating of their hearts.
---