— And that’s how a guy broke up with me because of the tone of my hair. - Concludes Helena the story that told Lucia, her co-worker, as they walked along the busy Paulista Avenue towards the office.

— I don’t think so! You left here because you took a foot in the ass just before getting married and went to Parati and... – begins to say Lucia before taking a generous sip of coffee.

— I took another. - Completes Helena, lifting her cup of coffee towards her friend. — Congratulations to me.

—Seriously, drinks later will be on me. - Tell Lucia.

— Thank you, I will need it. Until I still need to face my mother that I already hear horrors that warned me and that I did not listen to her.

—In the end, mothers are always right. - Concludes Lucia.

—Well, at least I knew wonderful places and a decent still. - Comments Helena. — I even brought a souvenir cachaça for you.

— Thank you, friend. - Thanks, Lucia, entering the building with her friend.

— The worst of all is that when Leandro dropped me did not hurt as much as this one I received from Bruno. - Comments Helena pressing the elevator button. — Seriously, what’s wrong with me?

— Relax, Lena. Don’t make a big deal out of it. I bet he’s not even bothering...

— True. - Helena agrees with her friend.

***

Bruno takes a deep breath as he watches the sun finally take its place. I had not slept at all that night, especially after the whole situation. For some reason, that feeling of betrayal did not come out of his chest. However, the feeling was not with regard to Helena but against himself. How could he let himself get carried away by a girl in such a short time? Soon he, who was always attentive to any deeper feeling and suddenly was there completely involved by her. He shakes his head and then gets up from bed. At least he had the strength to finish everything before… before… Before what? To fall in love? Did you give yourself time not to fall in love with her?

— Good morning, my son. - Greets Nilton entering the room of Bruno that at that time in the last days would reciprocate with the best of smiles, quite different from the face tied in place. — Is everything all right?

—All great. - Bruno replies, walking towards the bathroom. — What do you want?

— Xiiii... What is it? You’re not meeting Helena today?

—Helena left. - Replies Bruno before starting brushing his teeth.

— Ahhhh, so the bad mood. - Says Nilton, approaching. 

— I’m not in a bad mood. - Hit Bruno washing his face. He walks back to the bedroom to the wardrobe as he says:  — In fact, I’m feeling great.

—Son, it is natural to miss the girlfriend, especially when dating is the distance. - Nilton speaks, walking behind the son. — I say this with propriety. When I met your mother…

—Dad, Helena and I are not dating. - Bruno interrupts

— Well, as far as you’re concerned, I believe that your relationship will lead to this...  - Nilton argues with his son.

— Believe me, this will not happen

— Why do you say that, my son? Did Helena break up with you? - Nilton asks, worried.

—No, I decided it was better to face our reality. Her life is in São Paulo and my life is here. We would never work. And you know what? It’s better. - Bruno replies, wearing the uniform of the store.

—Better for whom? - Asks Nilton.

— For both of us. Believe me. - Bruno answers before leaving.

***

In the store, the questions were almost the same as Nilton, but there Bruno was sincerer with his friends, who watched him as the boy narrated how he ended up with Helena.

— It was better for both of them. - Ends Bruno crossing arms. — She was going to end up getting involved in a relationship that did not exist, you know? And that will never happen…

— I know... – Gabriel speaks, not very convinced by the words of his friend. —  Especially because only she got involved in those days.

— Yes, just her.

— Sure, Bruno? - Asks Lucas, making a face. — Because yesterday I saw the way you were with her.

— Believe me, I did not get involved. Just as I did not delve into any relationship so far and so it will be.

— How long, my friend? - Jonathan asks. — How long will you live like this?

— Just like that? - Bruno asks his friend.

— So, without clinging to someone. Without you letting the person into your life…

— Man, no one better come into my life. You know, I don’t have a lot to offer anyone, so it’s better to live like this.

— Alone? - Asks Gabriel. — Man, no one deserves to live alone.

— I prefer to live alone and for many years…

— Oh, so you believe the prophecy. - Concludes Lucas. — You really took seriously what the gypsy said, my friend.

— No, my choice has nothing to do with the prophecy. - Bruno answers, really. — I’d rather live alone than have to get married, forced by my girlfriend’s parents because of her religion. - Tell the boy your friend Jonathan. — Or move to another country after a girl you don’t even know and don’t even know if it will work. - Points to Lucas. — Or just like you, Gabriel, who stands there pretending not to love Leticia because your family believes that her sister struck the chest at your brother. 

— Dude...–Start saying Gabriel.

—I’d rather live alone than have to live like my father, searching for crumbs of forgotten love in my mother’s empty mind. - Interrupts Bruno, moving away from his friends. — I hope you respect my choice and do not be touching it all the time.

— Bruno? - Asks a boy at the door with an enormous package in his hands.

—It’s me. - Replies Bruno, turning to the boy.

— A guest left this package at the inn for you. - Says the boy, delivering the package to Bruno. — Have a good day.

Bruno holds the package in his hands without understanding what it could be. He then tears the package, finding three cycling suits inside. Two, he acknowledged, were his mother’s, but the other was bigger and new. Then Bruno remembered that Helena said she would give him a new cycling suit. The boy spends time staring at the clothes and then walks out of the store thoughtfully.

***

Helena tries to concentrate on work, but at all times she finds herself thinking about the wonderful days she had with Bruno and also the way in which everything ended, which makes her sad. It was not possible that Bruno was the kind of person so insensitive if he were to take into account the way the boy treated her the entire trip. 

— Is there a Helena in that sector? - Asks the courier with a gigantic bouquet of red roses in his hands.

—My name is Helena. - Helena speaks, rising from her place, shy.

— Sign here, please. - Ask the delivery man to extend his clipboard towards the blonde who signs quickly. As soon as she finishes, he delivers the bouquet that the young woman can barely hold. — Hold here and have a great day.

Helena squirms with the bouquet, being admired by surprise by all her co-workers. In all those years, she had never even received a rose at work, and now she was there with a countless amount for her eyes. Lucia gets up from her place and helps her friend in the search for the card that would reveal her sender. After a few seconds, Helena’s friend locates the white card, reading next:

— I apologize for my rude words... that’s all.

— What? What do you mean? - Asks Helena, throwing the bouquet in her friend’s lap as she picks up the card in return. — I apologize for my rude words...

— That’s what I said. - Says Lucia. — Is it his…?

— It is not possible–Helena speaking facing the white card. — Is it?

***

Helena and Lucia leave the office talking, excited. The subject basically boiled down to the bouquet in the hands of Helena, who passed all her trip and the behavior of Bruno to a friend who analyzed carefully. 

— Before everything you told me… Maybe he repented. - Concludes Lucia, thoughtful. — He realized it was pretty lame the way it ended between you two.

— Oh, I hope. Because I can not imagine who else these beautiful flowers would be. - Comments Helena smelling the roses.

— The roses are mine.