Written in the stars

The last rays of sun disappear on the horizon, being cheered by an excited group of four surfers who sat on the beach with their boards watching the last sunset of the summer shared between them:

— That's it guys, this was the best ending of the rest of my life. - said one of them emotionally while watching his other friends.

— Calm down, Gabriel. - asks one of them, laughing at his friend's drama. He gets up, insistently adjusting his shorts over his bulging belly, to no avail. — You still have this year, partner. There's graduation…

— There’s Nilton’s Bike.Incidentally, I just want to know what will happen to that email you sent to the bride who took a foot in the ass of the guy a few hours from the altar... You were very cheeky in the answer, so try to be in the store when this bomb bursts. - Says the friend with wavy brown hair, seriously.

— Well. - agrees the other dread friend, standing up while cleaning his shorts. — Today was just the beginning of the end.

—I know, I know. - says Gabriel, also standing up. — However, admit it, this moment will never be repeated... Each one will go their own way, Lucas. - points to his friend who is still fighting his belly. — You already have your place guaranteed in Canada. Jonathan... - he points to Dread's. — In a few months, he intends to get married…

—Man, you're too dramatic. - mumbles the wavy-haired boy who still faces the orange horizon. He gets up in a jump and takes his board. — Let's live in the now, okay? This drama you can leave for the closing speech of the class.

— And you, Bruno — continues Gabriel pointing to his friend:  — Are you going to… Are you going to… I don't know, what do you want?

— Picking up kittens. - replies the wavy-haired boy as he walks.

—Really. - Gabriel insists, practically running alongside his friend.

—Gabriel. – Bruno hugs his friend at the same time. – The only thing I have on my mind right now is that there are several kittens walking along the shore looking for company to admire the stars… And I am that company.

— I know, Bruno. But what do you want in the future? – Gabriel asks curiously. “Like, we all know what we want after college, but you… you never brought it up.

— That's true. - agrees Lucas being accompanied by Jonathan who faces Bruno.

The boys walk in silence until they reach the boardwalk, where they wash themselves in the shower. As soon as Bruno finishes his bath, he comes across his friends who are still waiting for an answer.

— Guys, you need to relax with this future thing... Even because no one knows what's in store for us up front…- He wears his tank top. He smiles as he rides past a brown-haired girl, distracted by listening to music. — For example, I can marry this girl in a few months... or get rich in four years, or die at 30... Or even tomorrow... Nobody can say what our future will be like.

—I can. - says a female voice behind them.

The four found themselves startled to find a woman with long black hair, a red scarf of coins covering her entire head. Her body was almost entirely adorned with jewels that covered the red blouse that matched her long skirt full of layers of the same shade. In his ears, big rings. Her eyes looked like two big jaboticabas that stared at Bruno without blinking.

— I can tell you what the future will be like. – says the woman who smiles, showing her golden teeth. — Allow me to show you your future, for only fifteen reais… each one.

— Thank you. — thanks, Bruno: — But we don't believe in these things.

—We? - Asks the woman staring at the boy. — Even you?

—I'm the one who least believes it. - Bruno reinforces, laughing.

— Then you won't mind if I read your hand. - says the woman, raising her hand towards the young man.

—I'm not really interested. - Bruno replies, rolling his eyes at his laughing friends.

— Is he afraid? - provokes the gypsy.

—What would I be afraid of? – Bruno asks turning around.

— Of your future. - Answers the brunette.

—You mean fear of a bunch of generic words that lead to generic sentences, about facts that can happen to anyone about an obvious thing... – Bruno retorts.

—Put your hand over mine, and we'll see…

— No, thank you very much. Maybe you can get something from them. - argues Bruno.

—Well, that's fine with me. - Jonathan says as he extends his hand towards the gypsy, who holds tightly. — Hey…

— Jonathan… - Gypsy analyzes the boy's hand. — You have two paths in your life… a path that will begin soon, but it will end as quickly as it started… another, longer path… lasting. Well, that's it, fifteen reais, sir. - Finishes receiving the fifteen reais from the boy.

—And my future? - Lucas asks, extending his hand to the gypsy.

—Lucas… You'll find in the cold… the warmth you need to warm your heart. - The gypsy prophesies before letting go of Lucas' hand, who looks at her, surprised. He practically rips the bills out of his pocket and hands the woman over.

— What about me? - Asks Gabriel, nervous. —Please be nice.

—Gabriel… hmm… I see your fate intertwine with other people's after a tragedy… Have the wisdom to deal with when the time comes.

—Thank you, thank you very much. - Thank Gabriel also paying the amount for the gypsy.

—What about you, my boy? - Questions the gypsy staring at Bruno.

—Look, I'm not really into it and I don't have any money. - Bruno replies, turning around…

—For you, I make a point of not charging you anything. - insists the seer.

—Go on, Bruno. - asks Gabriel, curious.

—Yeah, man, get this over with. - Jonathan says.

— Yeah, brother. Make the stop soon, so we can pick up the kittens. – encourage Lucas.

—Okay. - Bruno accepts, raising his hand towards the gypsy.

The seer holds the boy's hand tightly as she carefully traces the palm lines...

— Hmm… interesting — she comments, admiringly.

—And the obvious session began... - Bruno grumbles.

—You will marry...

— They saw it, obviously! – Bruno mocks, making his friends laugh.

—Young man. - completes the gypsy, pinching the line with her fingernail.

— You will have children… – she digs through the other lines. — You will die younger than your father… But first you will become a very rich man! - Finishes the gypsy being watched by the boys, who were silent. Until Bruno laughs, staring at the psychic with an air of contempt.

—Are you sure this was all in my hand? – Bruno asks, looking at his hand.

—Yes, I'm absolutely sure. - answers the gypsy.

— Okay, now I want the game numbers. – Bruno mocks.

—You may not believe what I say. - continues the woman. —But fate is never wrong.

—Okay. - Bruno replies, shaking his head. — I mean, I'm going to die earlier than my father... But if my father lives to be 100... Like, obviously I'm going to die sooner.

—Ah, I see… You want more precise numbers… – understands the gypsy. — It's all right. Give me your hand...

—Not really. - Bruno refuses. —You've been with her too long, and I bet you've even memorized my lines. In fact, if it's that good, I would have guessed without looking...

—You're right, Bruno. - the woman says seriously. She stares at the boy, saying. — You'll be married until you're 24, you'll have four kids. You will get rich, but not doing what you love, and even less through gambling. Your father will die at age 60, and you will die two years younger than him. And then, did it get better?

Bruno takes her seriously. His father was already fifty years old, and that woman had the gall to say that she only had ten more years to live?

—Yes… – whispers the boy. He clears his throat and then continues. —Can I ask you a question?

— Avoid brunettes. – the gypsy replies as if she were inside the boy's mind. — Your destiny is linked to a young woman with brown hair … Your greatest joy is your end. - she finishes, moving away from the boys.

— It's cool. Only blondes. –the boy mocks, not paying attention to the prophecy.

—I'm glad you don't believe these things. - says Lucas.

— It's like they say: The future belongs to God. - says Bruno.

—Yeah, but just in case… I would never look at any brunette again. - Jonathan comments.

— It's fine for me, because I've always liked blondes better. - Bruno jokes with his friends. —No brunette will ever enter my heart.