Episode 5

Nick smelled Rafaela's hair, closing his eyes for a moment as he gently slid his nose across her neck. Her warmth still enveloped him, and he could hear Rafaela's light, paused breathing, as if she were trying to catch her breath. Rafaela smiled involuntarily, still so lost in those first-time sensations that she barely noticed the time passing.

"You smell so good..." Nick said softly, almost without realizing he had spoken.

Rafaela felt her cheeks blush and smiled, embarrassed.

"You're talking nonsense, Nick..."

Before he could answer, the muffled sound of voices came from the hallway, followed by a louder call:

"NICK! WHERE ARE YOU?" A male voice called, clearly coming from downstairs.

Nick's body tensed, and his eyes opened in alarm. Rafaela also jumped, the magic of the moment instantly dispelled. They looked at each other, both in panic.

"Damn it!" Nick cursed, quickly sitting on the edge of the bed.

Rafaela got up looking for her clothes scattered on the floor, feeling her heart race. They dressed in silence, the sound of voices downstairs mixing with the hurried beat of their hearts. As Rafaela put on her t-shirt, she saw Nick standing near the door, looking restless.

He rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding looking directly at her.

"Rafa..." Nick seemed hesitant. "Don't tell anyone what happened, okay?"

The words were like a punch to her stomach. Rafaela stopped mid-movement, her fingers still trying to adjust the hem of her t-shirt. She looked at him, surprised, feeling something bad in her chest.

"What?" Her voice came out low, almost a whisper.

Nick finally looked at her, his eyes full of a tension she didn't understand. He seemed about to say something more, but couldn't find the words.

"Just... don't tell anyone anything, okay?" He insisted, looking away.

Rafaela felt a sharp pain in her chest, as if something broke inside her. Don't tell anyone... The phrase echoed in her mind, bringing with it a bitter understanding.

"I understand..." Rafaela tried to remain steady in front of him, but was failing miserably.

Nick frowned, as if he felt something was wrong.

"Rafa, it's not what you're thinking..."

"It's not what you're thinking..." She cut him off. "You don't want people to know you were with me, right?"

Nick opened his mouth, surprised by her conclusion, but couldn't deny it fast enough.

"You don't need to worry..." Rafaela continued, forcing a bitter smile. "I'm not going to go around telling everyone that the 'star of the school' was with a girl like me."

"Rafa, that's not it!" He finally said, taking a step towards her. "I..."

She raised her hand, interrupting him.

"I get it, Nick. Don't worry."

Before he could say anything more, Rafaela left the room, slamming the door. Nick stood there, frustrated, his hands clenched at his sides.

The truth he couldn't say was that he didn't want his schoolmates to know that he was a virgin until that night. Nick was afraid of losing his reputation, afraid of what his friends would say about him being a virgin, and of becoming the target of everyone's mockery. But now, seeing Rafaela leave hurt, he hated himself for not being able to say why he made that request to her.

Outside, Rafaela went down the stairs as quickly as she could, her eyes burning and her chest tight, not understanding why it hurt so much. Maybe because, deep down, she had believed that Nick could be different.

As she passed through the living room, Ava called her, but Rafaela pretended not to hear. She needed to get out of there, she needed air.

Upstairs, Nick threw himself on the bed, staring at the ceiling. He brought his hands to his face, letting out a frustrated sigh.

"Idiot..." He called himself that way.

On the street, Rafaela walked with quick steps, trying to hold back tears. The cold night wind blew against her face, but she barely felt it. Nick's words hammered in her head.

"Don't tell anyone..."

She knew she shouldn't care so much. After all, he had always been the popular one, the boy everyone admired, while she... well, she was the invisible girl he used to tease, the enemy. Even so, it hurt. It hurt because, for a moment, she allowed herself to believe that Nick really saw her.

"Rafaela!" Ava called, running after her. "What happened? Why did you leave like that?"

Rafaela stopped, took a deep breath, and forced a smile before turning to her friend.

"It's nothing, Ava. I just... didn't feel well. I better go home."

Ava frowned, clearly suspicious.

"I'll go with you."

"No need, seriously. I want to be alone for a bit."

Ava hesitated, but eventually gave in.

"If you need anything, call me, okay?"

"Okay."

When Rafaela arrived home, her father was already asleep. She entered the room silently, and as she sat on the bed. The tears she held back all the way finally began to fall. She didn't know why she felt so idiotic, so broken.

"I shouldn't have expected more from him... I shouldn't have liked him..." She said hugging her own knees, thinking about the moments they spent together that had been magical, but that in the end ended in bitter tears.

A part of her couldn't help but wonder if Nick wasn't as lost as she was. This doubt gnawed at her, but, at the same time, she knew she couldn't keep hurting herself for someone who didn't seem willing to be seen with her.

She lay down, staring at the ceiling, while tears streamed silently down her face. Sunday would be a new day, and she would need to be strong. Even if it meant leaving Nick and what happened that night behind.

And, at that moment, she promised herself that she wouldn't let anyone treat her as if she were invisible again.

"Don't tell anyone what happened, okay?" She repeated the phrase said by him, confirming her decision.

As for Nick, he didn't enjoy the rest of the party, and as soon as everyone left, he threw himself on the bed, unable to sleep, smelling Rafaela's scent that had stayed on his pillow. He couldn't stop thinking about the moments they spent together, and the hurt expression she had when leaving.

"I didn't want it to end like this..."

He sat on the bed, running his hands through his messy hair, trying to organize his thoughts. He knew he had messed up, and thought about what he could do. He thought about going after her, apologizing, telling her that he was afraid that people would discover that he wasn't the confident guy everyone thought.

Nick huffed, frustrated with himself. For the first time, he felt small and vulnerable, as if the weight of his own choices were crushing him.

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