Chapter 7: The Beginning of Something

Chapter 7: The Beginning of Something

Part 1: The Broken Promise

October 1st.

- Adolfo, get up, I feel sorry for you, you think you'll change something if you start whining. I didn't know you were so miserable. 

He didn't say anything, he just lay there listening to what I was saying.

- You lose something and instantly you start crying. Adolfo!"I..." he paused before completing the word. Me! You know what better forget it, leave me alone, please, okay?

He stood up and walked silently to the exit.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly as she left the room.

The young woman's cry echoed throughout the room.

— I would have liked too...! To fulfill my dream.

The boy was walking slowly down the hallways, with no fixed direction lost in his thoughts.

""

His thoughts are interrupted by the voice of a well-known girl.

- Adolfo, I was looking for you. I came to pick you up to go to the club together.

""

- Are you feeling okay?

He turned to her as if his words had touched a sensitive place.

- Can you leave me alone, please — I bring his hand to my head.

- Adolfo, what's going on? - asked his voice, barely a whisper.

Adolfo took a deep breath, knowing that there was no easy way to say it.

- Isabel... I can no longer keep the promise I made to you.

Isabel frowned, not quite understanding. She approached him.

- What are you talking about? What promise?

Adolfo looked her straight in the eyes, feeling the weight of each word before uttering them.

- I'm going to stop playing the piano. And the promise we made that I would play on your birthday, I won't be able to keep it anymore. 

The silence that followed his statement was deafening. Isabel looked at him, incredulous, as if she couldn't process what she had just heard. His mouth opened, but no words came out at first. Finally, he managed to utter something.

- Leave the piano? he replied slowly, as if he was testing the idea out loud. Why would you do something like that?

Adolfo averted his gaze, unable to face her. Every word that came out of his mouth hurt him more than the last.

- It doesn't make sense anymore... I can't go on.

Isabel looked at him in disbelief, and then with something deeper: anger.

- Is this about Sofia? he asked, his voice heavy with frustration. Is it because of what happened in class? I knew what you were saying wasn't just a joke. And then now you will leave the piano. Did she hurt you for her, do you want to leave the only thing you really love?

Adolfo couldn't help but take a step back at the intensity of his words. Isabel, who had always been his support, now seemed more furious than ever.

"You don't understand, Isabel... She has nothing to do with this," he turned away, trying to hide the lie.

- No, Adolfo! It's you who doesn't understand. You can't just give up because something didn't go the way you expected. You know how much the piano means to you... are you going to throw all that away for a girl who doesn't even remember what they went through together? You don't know how important that promise was to me…

Adolfo felt a lump in his throat. Everything Isabel said was true, but the pain was so deep that she could not think clearly. Every time he remembered the coldness in Sofia's eyes, he felt himself dying a little inside.

- Isabel, I'm sorry... I'm not strong enough to go on.

Isabel's eyes filled with tears, but they were not tears of sadness, but of restrained fury. She took a step towards him, looking at him determinedly.

- If you really believe that, then I never really knew you, Adolfo.

Part 2: The Confrontation

After Adolfo left the classroom, Isabel remained standing, feeling the frustration boiling inside her. He knew he couldn't stand idly by. I had to do something. And deep in her heart, she knew exactly who was responsible for all of this.

Without wasting another second, he began to walk quickly through the corridors in search of Sofia. Although she had tried to stay out of the relationship between Adolfo and Sofía, the situation had come to a head. Adolfo was willing to give up everything he loved because of a girl who had emotionally destroyed him.

Finally, he found her in the courtyard, chatting with her friends as if nothing had happened. Isabel felt a knot in her stomach when she saw her so carefree, as if she had no idea of the chaos she had left in her wake.

- Sofia! - he called her, his voice charged with fury.

Sofia looked up, surprised by Isabel's aggressive tone. Her friends fell silent, feeling the tension in the air.

- Isabel? Sofia replied, clearly confused. What's the matter?

Isabel wasted no time in explanations. He quickly approached, making it clear that he was not in the mood to play.

—You know perfectly well what's the matter—" he replied, his voice steady. Adolfo. You broke her heart and now she's about to give up the only thing that really matters to her in life. Why did you do that?

Sofia looked at her with genuine surprise, as if she didn't understand what she was talking about.

- Adolfo? What does he have to do with this?

Sofia's response only angered Isabel more. How could I be so indifferent?

- He's willing to give up the piano because of you! - Isabel cried, unable to contain herself any longer. After what happened between the two of you, he's devastated. And you're acting like you don't care?

Sofia frowned, now clearly upset by the unexpected attack.

- I... I don't know what you're talking about, Isabel. I barely know Adolfo.

Sofia's words were like a slap in the face to Isabel. Did you barely know him? After all they had shared?

"You can't be serious," Isabel whispered, her voice shaking with disbelief. Do you really not remember anything that happened between you two?

Sofia shook her head slowly, her expression still confused.

- I don't understand what you're talking about, Isabel. If Adolfo is going through something, I am very sorry, but I have nothing to do with it.

- You're a…

Isabel slapped Sofia with a slap that echoed throughout the courtyard. The action was impulsive, but I couldn't bear the thought of Sofia getting away with it. Sofia was stunned, touching her cheek as if trying to take in what had just happened.

"You have no idea what you've done," Isabel said, before turning around and leaving that place.

Part 3: The Refuge in the Library

Adolfo, for his part, had fled to his place of refuge: the library. It was the only place where he could be alone with his thoughts, away from the emotional chaos that enveloped him. As she walked among the bookshelves, her fingers brushed the backs of the books, searching for something, anything, that could give her answers.

He dropped into one of the nearby chairs and leaned his head on his hands, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. The silence of the library was comforting, but also crushing. It allowed him to face his own demons, without distractions.

While trying to calm his mind, he heard footsteps behind him. He turned slowly, expecting to see some student, but to his surprise, it was Matilda.

-I thought you wanted me to leave you alone... - he muttered, without strength, for another confrontation.

Matilda stood in front of him, her expression still serious, but with a look of determination in her eyes.

- I'm sorry about earlier, but I can't do that, Adolfo. Not when you're about to make the worst decision of your life.

Adolfo did not answer immediately. He just looked at her, not knowing what to say. Finally, he let out a long sigh.

- Sorry about earlier, but this is different, Matilda. I have no reason to keep playing anymore. The piano... it's just not the same anymore. I'm not that strong.

Matilda looked at him sadly, but also with renewed firmness.

- Adolfo, before I ended up in this wheelchair I had a dream... Running was everything to me, as the piano is to you. But there is no salvation for me anymore, I would give anything to run one last time, although that will never happen.

Matilda burst into tears and Adolfo could do nothing but watch.