Chapter 12

Isabella: Shall we do something? I said, trying to change this awkward atmosphere

Nicolas: what do you have in mind?

Isabella: I don't know, anything

Nicolas: What do you like to do?

Isabella: Oh, many things, eating, going out for a walk, shopping, movies, etc.

Nicolas: so, choose something you like, and I'm in

Isabella: a movie? I suggested

Nicolas: sounds cool he said, smiling.

Shall we watch the movie right here?

Isabella: I don't know, my father will arrive early today, and as he is overprotective; I think he would not like to see you here.

Nicolas: We can watch it at my house if you wish.

Isabella: what about your mother?

Nicolas: what about her? She is working, and my brother is going to school. I am home alone

Isabella: oh yes, okay, I said, smiling a little distracted, frightened by the idea of being alone with Nicolas at his house

Nicolas: so, how does it sound?

Isabella: alright, I answered, trying to look secure, but in fact, I was almost regretting my decision. Would you wait for me to change?

Nicolas: Okay, go

I went up the stairs, put the roses in a glass of water on the nightstand next to the bed went to the closet, put on a patterned red skirt with a high waist, a black blouse put on a beige flat sandal, let my hair run on my shoulder, put on perfume, took out my cell phone bag, and looked at myself for a few seconds through the mirror, I wasn't sure if being alone with Nicolas at his house would be a good idea. Just thinking about it made me feel butterflies in my stomach.

Wow, stunning, he said, smiling sideways while I was coming down the stairs

_thank you!

Nicolas: is this whole look just for a movie-watching?

Isabella: Yes, let's go, I said while opening the door.

Nicolas: okay, Ms. Isa. Let's go; we passed the door, and then we walked towards the car. Ice cream first?

Isabella: I'm on board

Maybe the coolness of the ice cream made me chill a little.

(Minutes later at the ice cream parlor ...)

Isabella: chocolate with vanilla for me

Nicolas: and I'd go with prestige* and lemon

We placed orders, took the ice creams, put some additional frosting and syrup on top, and sat at a comfortable table near the door.

Isabella: geez Nicolas, you got me jealous now, I said, pouting and looking at the chocolate flakes he had; I admit it, his order looks way more delicious than mine and I wanted to switch

Nicolas: sorry to hear that; he giggled

Isabella: hey, now I'm jealous and sad, I said, smiling. Shall we change?

Nicolas: Nop Nothing will I switch

Want some? I can't! He said, teasing me, pouting and smiling as I squinted. Yummy! these chocolate flakes here in my ice cream are so good; he said, devouring them from the ice cream topping

Isabella: alright. go on

Nicolas: Really, it's delicious! What a pity that yours doesn't have it, he said,

_______________________________________________________________

*1 prestige cake: a kind of Brazilian dessert usually served with Ice-cream

And I grabbed a spoon. I took some ice cream from mine and put it on his cheek, and laughed.

Isabella!! Nicolas gasped at me with the face of someone who couldn't believe what I did. I can't believe you did that, he said, smiling and wiping his face with a napkin.

Isabella: you started it, I said, smiling

Nicolas: hold it. I'm hurt, he said, frowning

Isabella: Oh, really? Don't be such a baby

Nicolas: just wait, saying in a threatening tone

Isabella: wait for what?

Nicolas: for this, he said, taking a spoonful of Icecream and rubbed it all over my face.

Isabella: Oh my God, Nicolas! I will kill you, boy, I said indignantly, cleaning my

Nicolas: I need to take a photo, he said, holding his cell phone. Oh, my belly.

Isabella: no! Don't take a picture!

Nicolas: too late, but you look even cuter like he said, smiling helping me with the napkin.

Isabella: so funny! I can't see any fun in that; I said through the ice cream, still on my face with my arms crossed

Nicolas: you look cute angry, you know? He said, pinching my nose. Come here, he says, gently pulling my chin and gently wiping the rest of the ice cream that was still on my face. You're not really angry, are you?

Isabella: be careful

Nicolas: sorry, it was just a joke. You started rubbing ice cream on me, he said, justifying himself, and I just

remained quiet.

Nicolas: (ox ox ox, black-faced ox, take this girl because she is tantrum!* ) he sang, forcing me to wave with him from side to side.

Isabella: stop being a clown! I said, smiling.

Nicolas: If I have to be a clown to make you smile like that, I'll do it

Isabella: that's ridiculous

We stayed there for a few more minutes until we finished eating the rest of the ice cream, and shortly after we finished, we went to his house

Isabella: Your house is beautiful, I said, sitting on the couch.

Nicolas: Thank you, do you want to watch the movie here in the living room or my room?

Isabella: I prefer to watch It here in the living room, but I imagine that if your mother arrives or someone else, I think it would be uncomfortable

Nicolas: she doesn't care much for that, plus, she would be spoiling you at least offering you juice or a cookie all the time

Isabella: I understand; I still would feel uncomfortable.

Nicolas: So, let's go to the room

Isabella: but…..

Nicolas: no buts, come already, he said, leaving me behind, and I had no option but to follow him

I sat on the bed with my cell phone in my hand; his room was vast, there was a very

a comfortable chair and some shelves full of books; I put the bag on a dresser and sat on the

edge of the bed while he looked for a movie on TV for us to watch

Nicolas: feel at home

If you want to go to the bathroom, it's right there

_______________________________________________________________

* ox ox ox. black-faced ox: a verse of a Brazilian children song usually sang when a child throws a tantrum

Isabella: thank you.

Nicolas: Do you have a movie or series in mind? He said, turning on the TV on Netflix

Isabella: I like romance, supernatural, science fiction

Nicolas: just name it

Isabella: Um. I hesitated to pick out a romance film, but this one, I pointed to a movie, so he did.

Nicolas: If I have stinky foot, don't complain," he said, laughing and taking off his sneakers.

Isabella: Oh no, seriously? you have stinky feet?

Nicolas: Of course not, just kidding, said chuckling

Isabella: that's better; you joke a lot

Nicolas: are you going to stay there? He asked me, sitting against the headboard while I was still

sitting on the edge of the bed

Isabella: I'm good right here, I said, and he rolled up his eyes

Nicolas: you are timid, Isabella! I don't want you to be uncomfortable like that; if you don't sit next to me, I will think that you're scared of me or something; if you don't want to continue, we can stop.

I felt so guilty for the uncomfortable moment I created.

When you're uncomfortable with something, just let me know, please, he

continued

Isabella: I'm fine, it's just ... I've never been alone with a boy before.

Hours later, I was thrilled; the story was so beautiful and moving that when we finished watching, I was still kind of sad with tears in my eyes. Nicolas kept smiling and telling me it was just a movie. He turned off the TV, and we sat there talking about movies and series.

Isabella: I think I should be leaving, it's late_ I said, looking at the clock that was already 7:12

Nicolas: I will drive you home

Isabella: Okay.

We went down the stairs .no one had arrived yet.

We went to the garage, got in the car, and headed for my house.

Nicolas: here you go, safe and sound, he said, opening the car door as soon as we arrived

Isabella: Thank you. I loved the movie and the ice cream

Nicolas: so, did I? Thanks for saving my afternoon.

Isabella: see you tomorrow.

Nicolas: see you tomorrow Isa, may God be with you, bye he said, kissing me on the cheek and leaving; this way of saying goodbye caused me a chill down my spine and left me smiling with the wind. Afterward, Upon entering the room, I soon found the roses on top of the nightstand, so I took them and

hid them under the shaggy carpet on the floor, and I reviewed everything like the scenes of a movie, every detail of him, every feeling that he caused me to feel.

Nicolas

I had just left Isa, and by the time I got home, my mother had already arrived.

Luana: hi son

Nicolas: Hi mom, I said, kissing her on the forehead

Thomaz: who was that girl, Nicolas?

Nicolas: how do you know there was a girl here?

Thomaz: I was coming when I saw you going out with her

Luana: What girl? She said, smiling. Are you dating son?

Nicolas: No, mom, It was just a friend

Thomaz: just a friend, you say, he said with a wide smile. "just a friend."

Luana: Ah, got it. I will prepare us dinner; she said, leaving for the kitchen.

Nicolas: and I'm going to take a shower.

It was Bedtime, and as always after reading the bible, I knelt by the bed to Pray.

"Dear Lord, I thank you for another beautiful day, for your kindness, love, and mercy. I ask you to work on me, unfold my heart, give me another one according to your will, a pure heart full of love, humility, and whatever pleases you, may I walk in your paths bearing fruit and growing in life, taking your seed, fulfilling here all my duty as a child, may people look at me and see you through me, may I express you in the best possible ways, in my actions, words, thoughts, make me a new person with every new day that comes. Never allow me to be away from you, keep me from everything impure, evil, empty, and without your love, everything that hurts and adds nothing to spiritual life; make me pure, make me holy, make me a man! I know you are faithful; I still wait for your answers; Lord, I pray, and by faith, I thank you. Amen "

When I lay down on the bed, I soon felt something strange, and when I looked to see what it was about, it was over there Isa's cell phone. I placed it carefully on the dresser next to mine, and when I was about to go back to bed, I heard a notification popping up; I couldn't help but notice on the screen; a message

had arrived via WhatsApp from a boy named Lucas

"Why didn't you go to training today? I bet you were sleeping"

Soon he sends another message

"Lucas: dreaming about Nicolas again."

Again?

And for the third time, I lay down, but this time with several thoughts in my

head. I started asking myself, have Isa been dreaming about me? Is it just an

ordinary dream or a prophetic dream? I was already anxious to ask her if she

had even dreamed about me and how it had been, for that could be a sign for

our future. After all, God reveals the future to us in dreams; a certain

confirmation comforted my heart that Isa could be the chosen one for me.