Building My Life

Chapter 23 Waking Up From the Enchantment

Josias does not understand how a person who barely knows him can afford to express such a negative opinion about him. "Excuse me, miss, but you don't know me well enough for such a heavy and cruel judgment."

"And is there anything more interesting for me to know?" The question comes out of Pamela's mouth laden with disdain.

Josias, faced with the situation, decides to shut up. He looks over Pamela's shoulder and sees Uélton talking to Melissa and Pamela's other friend. Uélton "cleans" his hands in the shorts he's wearing and then with the same "clean" hand takes more slices of meat to eat.

Josias narrows his view, considering that if Pamela knows about the few clothes he has, it was thanks to Uélton. Why did Uélton tell this despicable girl that he had nothing to wear to come here? Would it have been unintentionally, or on purpose?

Upset, and unable to say goodbye to Melissa (she is well involved in the conversation, and the boys from Saint Gabriel are around her like Marylin Monroe in "Men prefer blondes"), Josias simply asks Pamela for an "excuse" and withdraws, going down the stairs to the ground floor. Pamela smiles triumphantly; she had managed to get rid of what she considers deadweight for her friend... but, not for herself.

"You stay with the guys from Saint Gabriel, Melissa..." Pamela chuckles, "While I stay with the mason right here."

Meanwhile, Josias is walking among the party crowd in the living room, where the radio is playing "You Shook Me All Night Long" by AC / DC. When Josias goes to the door to leave, he ends up looking at another boy who is going to leave. When he faces him...

Everaldo?

The boy leaves first, because Josias stood there, gaping. Some guys who are already drunk, when dancing to the music, bump into Josias.

"Hey, don't just stand in the middle of the room!"

Josias says sorry, but the guys are too drunk to listen. He then runs off to follow the likely Everaldo. However...

... Now, is it possible? There is not a soul around the entire length of the street! It is not possible unless the boy had entered another house, it would not be possible for him to evaporate like that! Josias continues walking hurriedly to Teodoro's building, hoping to reach him. But, no Everaldo, or a copy of him. Josias then gives up, thinking that Everaldo would not be at that party, where non-Christian music was being played on the radio, and where everyone was drinking beer non-stop.

From the terrace, Uélton manages to watch Josias go and spits the soda on top of Pamela and Melissa's friend.

"Oh, you pig! Aren't you looking where you spit?"

Uélton barely listens to the girl and goes to the group where Melissa is. "Hey, Melissa, did Josias tell you he was leaving?"

Only then does Melissa remember Josias. It was as if she was mesmerized by the boys from Saint Gabriel. She searches around and finds Josias no more. "No, is he gone yet? He didn't tell me anything."

"He's gone, and in my brother's clothes." Uélton once again says without thinking. The leader of the group of boys smirks and puts his hand on Melissa's shoulder.

"So, shall we continue the conversation?"

Melissa frowns and takes the guy's hand off her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I need to go."

Melissa hurries away and goes down the stairs. Pamela looks at those who are left, not understanding what is happening.

After that, Josias enters Teodoro's building, he is not there. Josias goes to the other side of the counter and takes his key. Then he jumps up the stairs two at a time and arrives at his room. Inside, Josias rips off Uélton's brother's shirt in anger.

Damn it! Why did Uélton say that to Pamela? She must be thinking that Josias is a relaxed man, someone who doesn't mind going up in life! But, that is not it. And Melissa, without knowing his motives, never cared about that. Who was this Pamela, who felt entitled to decide for her friend?

He saw her drag Melissa to those better-off guys as if she were promoting an arranged marriage. And as far as he stayed at the party, he saw Melissa quite at ease; and the boys also enjoyed her company.

Josias was going to take Uélton's brother's jeans to sleep and realizes that he had left his sweatpants and his underwear there at his friend's house. Damn it!