Chapter 12

Bruno and Helena turn towards the owner of the voice that accompanied Jonathan. The girl should not be over twenty, very thin and wore a long-sleeved dress that did not match much with the heat that made that night. Jonathan’s escort straightens out her long brown hair while waiting for the boy to pull a chair for her, that does quickly, almost in a tone of despair. She faces Bruno and Helena as if she expects something to be said.

— Helena, this is Raquel. - Presents Bruno pointing at the girl. — Jonathan’s girlfriend.

—Bride. - Corrects the girl, looking very serious for Bruno. She then turns to Helena. — And you are the famous Helena. 

— Dude, let’s go get some drinks? - Proposes Jonathan to Bruno, who gets up and goes with the boy.

The boys leave, and it perpetuated the silence among the women. Helena even wanted to talk more with Raquel, but the girl made sure to stick her face on the phone screen without giving much space to the blonde. When finally the young woman raised her face in his direction, she managed to elaborate some speech.

— I’m very happy to hear that Jonathan has spoken about me to you. - Says Helena, extending her hand, smiling at the girl who offers none in return. 

—Yeah. I heard wonders. Incidentally, the only thing I was sure of is that you were blonde. - Comments Raquel with minor case.

— Did you imagine me being blonde? - Helena asks, curious.

—Well, every Bruno girl is blonde. - Loose Raquel, serious. — It is a mandatory requirement. 

— Mandatory requirement? - Asks Helena, surprise. — How so?

—Did they not tell you? - Ask Rachel, arching her eyebrow towards the young girl. When she notices that Helena’s expression remains surprised, she then says. — Oh, my God… I don’t believe you don’t know.

— Helena doesn’t know what? - Asks Bruno, approaching back at the table with Jonathan.

— Bruno, I can’t believe you didn’t tell her… – Drop Raquel. — I can’t believe you didn’t tell her…


—No.
- Bruno speaks between the teeth. — Change the subject.

— Didn’t tell what? - Helena asks Bruno who was facing Raquel, seriously.

—Nothing. - Bruno replies by sitting next to Helena. 

— It’s nothing, right, love? - Says Jonathan, sitting next to Raquel, slightly squeezing his arm. — Let’s change the subject?

— If that’s how you want to leave things… – Responds Raquel, enigmatic. She faces Helena. — The only thing I can say is that Bruno does not get involved with any woman who is not blonde.

— Well, in life everything has a first time. - Comments Helena, smiling.

— I doubt... - Hit Raquel. — That doesn’t work with Bruno.

— How about we change the subject? - Jonathan proposes rubbing his hands.

— I’m a brunette. - Reveals Helena facing all the tables that are paralyzed with the revelation. She puts her hand lightly on her chest and continues: — I’m blonde now, but it’s not natural. You might have noticed, right?

— That’s perfect! - Raquel exclaims, laughing while clapping. — Just perfect! Don’t you think so, Bruno?


Bruno keeps looking at Helena, shocked.
What do you mean Helena wasn’t blonde? He could not process any sentence, because he had stopped in the previous moments when Helena was revealed to be a brunette. His mind was buzzing, recalling the speech of the gypsy: “avoid brunettes, avoid brunettes...” And now he was sitting there next to one with whom he had spent seven incredible days. 

— Back! - Gabriel speaks, excited, until he notices the face of Bruno’s wake on the table. — Is everything okay?

—What’s going on? - Asks Lucas, facing everyone at the table.

—Hi boys. - Greet Raquel, the only lively at the table. — Guess what: Helena is a brunette.

—Hi? - Release Gabriel, surprised. — What do you mean?

—Is it serious? - Asks Lucas, sitting next to Helena. He touches the hair of the girl, who feels uncomfortable. — Man, how can you?

— I must admit that looking better now... You are not a natural blonde. - Comments Raquel facing the young woman’s hair. — Maybe it’s the tone of the eyebrows being lighter…

—I painted my eyebrows when I decided to radicalize. - Explains Helena to Raquel. — I wanted to get rid of that image… 

—Guys, let’s change the subject, okay? - Ask Jonathan one more time.
—Ok, so besides you being a brunette...
- Begins Gabriel, trying to find some theme. — What do you do?

—Currently I am a legal assistant in Assis and Brandão associate lawyers, a law firm that is on Paulista Avenue... – Begins to speak Helena.

The conversation in the group continues, but Bruno simply spent the rest of the night in silence. There was something strange in the air for Helena, and it saved the answer she wanted with Bruno, who no longer seemed to be there. The festival ended and everyone left. Although Bruno’s friends tried to disguise the distant way of Bruno, when he was alone with Helena, everything was very evident. Even more when they started walking down the street towards the inn of Helena, who was doing a monologue next to the boy who did not seem to care.

— Are you okay? - Asks Helena, holding Bruno’s arm and thus attracting his attention.

— So you’re a brunette? - Asks Bruno back to the blonde. 

— Yes, what’s the problem? - Helena asks, stopping in front of the inn. 

— What kind of brunette are we talking about here? - Bruno asks, ignoring Helena’s questions.

— What do you mean? 

— What’s the tone of your hair?

—Brown... – Helena responds to see the vein of Bruno’s neck jump. — What was it?

— Why didn’t I say I wasn’t really blonde? - Asks Bruno, irritated.

— Ah… Why didn’t you ever ask me…? - Claims Helena, raising her arms before the boy’s exaggerated irritation. — Bruno, people have dyed their hair for centuries… I didn’t commit any crime.

— No? You lied to me, Helena. - Accuse Bruno. —Or rather omitted.

—How could I lie or conceal something I didn’t even know would affect you so much? - Helena questions without understanding the attitude of the boy. — What is happening, Bruno?

—What is going on?

— Yes, what is happening here? Because I feel that I am missing something in this discussion. - Says Helena, serious.

—What’s going on is I can’t trust you. Helena, you had to have told me you were a brunette. Look, we better stop here today. - Says Bruno, seriously. — Good trip to São Paulo.

— Okay. We’ll see you in São Paulo on your vacation. - Helena replies, approaching the boy to take a kiss, but he walks away.— What is it, Bruno?

—Helena, don’t count on it too much. Actually, that’s not going to happen. 

— Wait, are you breaking up with me because of my hair color? - Helena asks surprise.

— No. - Says Bruno, turning to Helena. — You can’t finish something you never had.

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