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Just ahead of them, two children were playing at pointing at the pictures on the tree trunks. A few meters away their parents were following them with watchful eyes, smiles on their faces as they appreciated the innocence and excitement of childhood. They did not see what their children could see.
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Lola came running from an area in the park that was under the cover of a huge tree, where she and her group of friends were doing a botellón. The girl, who was always dressed to the nines, was wearing a tight, long-sleeved dress with a notablecleavage, high boots, and so much makeup that she could paint a picture rubbing her face against a canvas. Her body was also covered with those light tattoos, but in her case they were so faint that in contrast to those on the nearby trees, they were barely visible. In fact, none of the group showed such intense light marks as the three of them.
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“queimada, Sara. Too bad the effects last so little,” she said, standing so close to Dave that she brushed his arm with her hand, causing the boy to take a deep breath and run his tongue over his lips several times.
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“her. Too bad, I would have liked to be the one to share it with you, but there''s still time,” said Lola, standing in front of him to touch his chest with a finger while she offered him the glass.
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To Sofia''s surprise his body language had suddenly changed. Every muscle in it tensed. His chest began to rise and fall in long, deep breaths. His gaze remained elusive and his tongue ran across his lips, also tense, as if he was holding back a grimace that was struggling to peek out. All that display of language along with the raised shoulders made it clear that he didn''t want any trouble, but that he would have no qualms about responding in kind if they kept pushing him.
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“she has a name.”
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Suddenly aware of what Dave had just said, Sofia forgot all about Lola and turned to face him. The glow in his marks had become a little more intense and seemed to be pulsing across his skin to the rhythm of his heartbeat. Because of that brightness the blush on his cheeks went almost unnoticed, but even so, when their gazes met briefly Sofia could see it. She could also feel her own skin responding in kind, perhaps because it had been a long time since anyone had seen her as anything other than ''that jerk''.
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“Sara, it’s ok. You don''t need to fightbecause me. I''d better go home,” said Dave with a little apologetic grimace.
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“You know, Lola? Maybe you should learn how to flirt without rubbing against guys like a doe in heat. You''d do much better and you wouldn''t attract so many assholes who only care about wetting the sausage,” Sofia said with a cynical grimace.
“What did you say?” Lola turned red with anger and the other girls, upon hearing the exchange, stood up to stand by their friend.
“That you can be heard ranting even from the back of the class. The whole class knows about your affairs with the boys. I''m saying this because of that thing of calling the only guy with enough judgment to not want to date such a stupid and obtuse girl an idiot.”
Without waiting for her to respond, on the one hand because she had said all she had to say, and on the other because she was finding it increasingly difficult to suppress her urge to growl, Sofia turned around and rushed away. She walked aimlessly for several minutes, becoming increasingly enraged as her head boiled with thoughts about what had just happened. It bothered her because, ever since she made it clear she didn''t want to make friends, Lola had looked down on her and treated her with contempt. It bothered her because, even if she activelyignored people, having to put up with certain comments and looks was annoying. It bothered her because she was treated as a freak and a jerk, and they didn''t know anything about her life.
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That voice took her so much by surprise that she jumped, startled. When she turned around, she saw Dave walking along the dirt road as if he were taking a simple stroll. The tattoos on his skin were still glowing, but they seemed to have dimmed considerably and no longer throbbed as if driven by his racing heartbeat. Embarrassed, Sofia looked away abruptly and ran her tongue over her lips.
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“I know what that kind of girls are like. In my previous high school they made my life miserable. Not just me, but also my friends’ lives by association. I couldn''t stand by and say nothing while she looked down her nose at you,” he said, and Sofia saw his tattoos pulsing more intensely again.
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