Two days later, Valentine's Day came to an end and classes returned to normal. Dan was sitting at his desk as usual, but today he was feeling bored.
Josías, Brandon and Jhonatan approached him.
—What's up, Dan? Are you feeling very bored?—Asked Brandon.
—Yes, extremely bored.
The three of them sat down at nearby desks and formed a circle around Dan to come up with ideas to fight their boredom.
—So what do you think about going to the mall library to study—Josías suggested the idea—That way, you guys can also help me understand the things I don't get in math.
—Hmm...That sounds like a good idea, I'm in—Said Brandon.
—What about you, Dan? Can you come?—Asked Jhonatan.
—Yes, I'm free today.
—Then it's settled. We'll head straight to the library right after school—Said Josías, excited by the plan.
Meanwhile, in Noemí's classroom, Sofía brought up the exact same idea.
—Noemí, Noemí!, would you like to go to the mall library? We can study together.
She thought about it for a few seconds and then nodded.
—Yes, that sounds good.
Sofía was delighted and hugged Noemí tightly.
—Oh! Thank you! Thank you so much!.
Emily, who was sitting close by, overheard them and walked over.
(Emily is in the same class as Noemí)
—Hey there. Are you guys going to the library after class?.
—Ah! Hi, Emily—Said Sofía, still holding Noemí in her arms—Yes! Do you want to join us?.
Emily beamed at the invitation.
—Yes! I'd love to! Thank you for asking! Honestly, I was already getting tired of studying all by myself all the time.
Sofía gently pulled Emily closer to include her in the hug.
—Then this will be an outing for three beautiful young ladies.
Emily let out a laugh while Noemí just gave a soft smile.
(Sofía and Noemí already knew Emily. They had chatted a few times before).
Classes continued until the bell rang signaling the end of the school day.
Sofía stood up immediately.
—Come on, Noemí, hurry up.—She gently tugged at her arm.
Noemí quickly gathered all her belongings into her backpack.
—Okay, I'm coming.
Emily was already waiting for them by the classroom door.
—Let's go! We have to get the best table to study at!.
Back in Dan's classroom, Josías was the first one ready.
—Let's go. We should buy some snacks to eat while we study.
—Alright, but don't get distracted eating again.—Said Dan as he stood up slinging his backpack over his shoulder.
Josías shook his head.
—I won't, I promise.
—Last time you ate every single snack we brought. You didn't leave any for us—Jhonatan reminded him of the incident.
Josías crossed his arms defensively.
—You guys weren't eating anything so I figured you were already full. I ate them so they wouldn't go to waste.
Brandon laughed, knowing full well that Josías was just hungry.
—Sure, sure. Whatever you say.
—Alright, let's get going. I want to grab the best spot—Said Jhonatan as he walked towards the door.
The four of them left the school together. They stopped at a shop to buy various kinds of snacks and then walked along the streets towards the mall library.
—So how are things going with your girlfriends?—Dan asked Brandon and Jhonatan.
Jhonatan looked at Dan, his face lighting up with joy just thinking about his partner.
—Everything is going great. You have no idea how much I love her. I want to marry her someday.
Brandon grabbed Dan by the shoulders and shook him playfully.
—Same here. I am completely head over heels in love.
Dan rolled his eyes as he was shaken back and forth.
—Alright, alright, I get it. You two are madly in love... You guys are so cheesy.
Josías laughed at the dreamy expressions on his friends' faces whenever they mentioned their partners.
Brandon turned to look at Josías.
—You know, Josías, you should really find yourself a girlfriend too. It's the best feeling in the world.
—Maybe. I'll think about it.—He pretended to ponder the idea, though the truth was he had been trying to work up the courage to talk to one particular girl for a long time.
—What about me? Aren't you going to give me the same advice?—Asked Dan.
Jhonatan moved behind him and covered his eyes with his hands playfully as they kept walking.
—Why would we? You already have Noemí.
Brandon laughed as he remembered the bet they had made.
—That's right. You already have your future girlfriend.
Dan pulled Jhonatan's hands away from his face.
—Huh? But the deal was just to make her fall in love with me, and that's it.
—Are you really going to reject her after making her fall for you? You're so cruel, Dan—Said Brandon in an amused tone.
—You guys are the worst—Dan muttered under his breath.
Josías thought back to their previous conversation about Noemí.
—But who knows, maybe you'll end up falling for her for real.
—Do you really think so? She seems like quite an... interesting girl.
Brandon nodded his head in agreement.
—Absolutely. Plus, she's really pretty. She's just a bit shy, that's all.
Jhonatan gave Dan a firm pat on the back.
—As I said before, the bet was just about winning her heart first. After that, you can keep talking to her and take things further if you want.
Dan fell silent for a moment, turning the idea over in his mind. Soon after, the boys arrived at the library and took a seat at a table in the corner.
—Alright. Less talking, more studying—Said Jhonatan as he pulled out his notebooks.
The rest of them did the same. In the very same library, but in a different section, Noemí and her friends were already hard at work studying.
Both groups focused on their books, yet from time to time, their thoughts drifted towards each other.