Your Eyes

Alice

According toan incredible mood, today there is a medieval fair at Quinta da Boa Vista, I have not been excited about something for a long time. I hear my mother complain on the other side of the door, but I ignore, I go straight to the bathroom that is inside my room. I get out of the bath and I can hear an argument coming from outside, I’msure they’re my brothers. I leave my room and go towards the kitchen, as I thought the fight and Maicon, with Marcela again, my mother this time is not participating. I resolve not to meddle, that these two keep away from me. I sit at the table and start preparing my coffee. They still fight over something useless probably. While I carry an apple in my mouth I hear my mother’s voice coming from the hallway and now that the fight will get more serious or it will end for good. Dona Marcia enters the room says something I do not understand and the two stop the show, what a pity, just now that she was really enjoying. I keep eating pretending that I had not seen anything, I"m the oldest and Maicon and Marcela are younger and twins. I finish my coffee when my mom comes into the kitchen.

"Goodmorning, dear, woke up early today and Sunday, could have slept more" my mother says. Doesn't look like it was in my room complaining, trying to wake me up.

"Goodmorning, Mom, I'm leaving in a little while, I want to enjoy the day on Thursday well," I say clearing the table.

"What will be there this time?" Márcia asks.

"A medieval fair," I say.

"How nice, but how are you today, daughter?" my mother asks with an apparent concern in her eyes.

She knows everything I've been through in recent years and how hard it was to overcome, it was in her lap that I cried several times.

"I'm fine mom" I say giving her the best smile.

"You look very lively today, but do not forget to tidy your room" Dona Marcia speaks and leaves the kitchen.

Shes right, I'm very excited today, it seems that something good will happen. I leave the kitchen and go straight to my room to fix it, I do not know how I still live in the middle of so much mess, I have to start being more organized and leave the room tidy, if my mother enters here will have a heart attack. But let me introduce myself to you, my name is Alice Monteiro I’m 20 years old and I live in Rio de Janeiro, in a building in Tijuca with my parents and my brothers. The last few years have been a whirlwind of events all at once, breakup, thought of which college to enter, college entrance, the death of grandpa, life outside the bedroom, the birth of my prince, a family being destroyed, Losing people for life gets to be naughty fate, worse until losing to death. Every step was taken in its due time, no hurry. Grandpa always told me that my forte has always been to be calm in the middle of a hurricane, because even if the world is falling on my head, I can handle everything, even if it is slow the process, but I do not run over anything, patience is not my forte in 100% of the time but in the chaotic it is something essential and only in these worst moments that everything I need is adjusted. What a terrible way, I know that, but it’s the best I can do. Aunt Lana always says that life is a constant change, being good and bad, that the scars we gain are to strengthen us for what will come. I'm so distracted by the music that comes out of my headset that I don’thear my mother enter my room, I only realize her presence when she pulled my phone.

"I think you go to another planet when you put these headphones on, I'm calling you for a while. What a mess this room is in "dona

Marcia speaks to look, wrapped.

"You know how I am during the week, I hardly have time to tidy up my room with college and work," I say trying to defend myself.

"I know that, but it is not necessary to leave in this area" dona Marcia says very angry "But that’s not what I came to tell you, I came here to ask you to call your cousin Luana and Rodrigo to go with you, they both need to talk more are avoiding, you’re the only one who even doing nothing will get these two to understand each other" my mother says.

I knew I had something, I deserve to be their cupid once again.

"Mom, I told you to let these two work it out on their own," I say.

"I leave, but they keep calling me to talk and I want them to stop and

only stop, when they resolve" Dona Marcia speaks in her defense.

"Okay, Mom, I'll call them," I say.

"Thank you my love, you will be saving me and tidy this room before leaving" Dona Marcia says leaving the room.

I take my cell phone and send a joint message to both of them.

"13 o'clock at my house, we’re going to a medieval fair on Thursday, I don't take no for an answer, I know you have nothing to do today, I'm waiting for you-Lice."

Message sent, I hope they decide to go anyway, after all I have no way to force anyone to do anything, I leave my cell phone on the desk and finish cleaning my room. After finally being able to see the floor of the room, I will look for a clothes to go to the fair. Luana and Rodrigo answered me saying they will, I knew they would not tell me a no, my mother knew that, so she asked me to call them. I take my clothes and go to the my bathroom, privilege of being the oldest and having a bathroom in my room, so I do not need to wait hours when the twins enter the bath. I finish my bath and go back to my towel room. I start to dress, I put black short jumpsuit the day is fresh for a lot of clothes, as I’m not a fan of much makeup, I pass only mascara, pencil and eyeliner with a lipstick in nude color and to highlight my light eyes,. I sit on the bed to get my camera that is in my nightstand. I send another message to Luana and Rodrigo.

"I'm ready, where are you? - Lice."

I send a message and then one of Rodrigo arrives.

"I just picked up Luana, come on, she’s waiting for you outside theRodrigo building."

I get up, take my bag, put my camera, my cell phone, keys and a canga,

on the farm there are not many places to sit except on the floor.

Next to my door is my black sneakers, I put it. Before leaving I take

one last look in the mirror and I like what I see. My phone vibrates

giving a signal of a new message.

"We're down here, so the weather is strange, she’s not talking to

me-Rodrigo."

I laugh when I read the message and then write another.

"Converse one, I am descending-Lice."

I turn off the lights and close the door of my room, I follow hallway and when I get near the door I see that my mother is in the room

watching TV with the twins.

"Mom I'm going, Luana and Rodrigo are downstairs, I don’t know what time I' ll be back" I say leaving, I don’t expect my mother to answer.

I live in the, 4! floor and not even dying go down stairs. The elevator arrives with a lady from the fifth with the grandson who to look at me smile, I pretend that I did not see. Arriving on the ground floor I greet the doorman and soon I see Rodrigo’s car, we could very well go walking, since it is very close, if he came by car and, because you want to get out of here and go somewhere else, I’ve seen that I won’t have to worry about making these two get back together, great because I wouldn’t touch a nail. I get in the car and Rodrigo already comes with the jokes.

"Don' t you think about wearing anything that isn’t black?" Rodrigoasks.

"Leave me, I like black" I say looking at the window, he already starts the car.

In less than 10 minutes we arrived at Quinta da Boa Vista. Rodrigo parks the car very close to one of the entrances, as soon as I get out of the car I see that it is full, because of the medieval fair, people dressed everywhere, arenas mounted. We walk until we find a huge arena, I will stop right here, when I turn around I end up bumping into someone and when I look I see, Marcus a friend of the school, since the year past that I do not see him, for sure he was even more surprised with me, because it took a few minutes and hugged me, it surprised me, I wonder what he was doing there.

"And my clan is making this arena," Marcus says and points to the arena in front of me.

"Swordplay clan?" I ask confused, I don’t remember him involved in that either.

"That, remember the year going by when you found me here, so that was my clan and today we are here too, plus what are you doing here?" Marcus asks.

"I came to the medieval fair, remember I work in a publishing house?" I ask "So, I came today to photograph the event, to put on the publisher’s blog and see if my boss finally looks at this sport" I say showing the camera that is already in my hand.

"How cool do you want help?" Marcus asks.

"I do" I say.

I feel relieved, the face of Luana and Rodrigo will not even want to walk around this place with so many people here, at this time my cousin calls me.

"Cousin let’s sit there, anything just call" Luana says.

At least they’ll have plenty of time to talk and I won't be sailing.

"Okay, I'll be walking around, taking the pictures" I say going with Marcus in front of the circle that is around the arena. I sit next to Marcus who is explaining to me what they are doing.

"They are now preparing to fight," Marcus explains to me.

I look to the side and I have the biggest surprise, Sophia is here, for years we have not spoken and we have not seen each other after our fight. Marcus calls her and I realize the surprise in her eyes when she sees me, however, we treat well, she hugs me, we were raised together as sisters born the same day, grew up as sisters, briefly everyone thinks we’re twins, should have tried everything not to separate us, It took me all these years to finally be aware of everything I did was to find the easy way instead of trying to

understand it.

"You're still the same" Marcus says laughing.

"Shut up Marcus" Sophia and I talked together.

And I guess some things never change.

"What are you doing here?" Sophia asks.

"I came to photograph the event for the work blog" I say tinkering with my phone.

"The one from the publisher still?" Sophia asks.

"Yes, it’s been about two years since I took him on alone," I say paying attention to what people are doing in the arena.

Since I was 15 I work in publishing, I went there for first time on my 14th birthday, my grandfather was a partner and I begged to work there with him so every day of the week I would go there to read possible good stories that were sent to the publisher, at the age of 15 Ientered courses that could help me in this editorial environment, I did thousands and do not regret, spelling, scanning, proofreading, diagramming, administration, computer and English, these some are among many others I did in the midst of my incredible adolescence, by pure pressure from my father and grandfather, but I do not deny that it was the best thing I did, well at least that’s what I think at the moment.

"What are the topics you still have on the blog?" Sophia asks.

"A little literature and also a little bit about the geek universe, sports, economics, but you know I’m passionate about literature, so it’s one of the topics I like a lot," I say content.

Sophia seemed to travel in memories.

"As I know, I could never get you out of a library," Sophia says laughing.

"Yeah, yeah, I guess I haven’t changed that much, Marcus, what's happening now?" ask really confused, know the swordplay, morethan where I am I can not really see what is happening.

"They will fight with those swords and shields that are holding "Mark responds as if I had no idea what they would do.

"I know they’ll use their swords and shields, I want to know what they’re doing?" I ask half angrily.

Doesn't Marcus know I’m swordplaying?

Probably not, I never told anyone but Stefany and I haven’t seen him since last year either. But when we met we didn’t talk much that day.

"These pieces of equipment are very heavy, the newest and sturdy material we found to manufacture them, when I entered the clan I was in doubt of what would be my weapon, finally decided to use the bow" Sophia tells me giving me some details she did not know.

"Do you use a bow?" I ask surprise, as it is the same weapon I use the most.

A costumed couple approaches to talk to Marcus, the boy is a warrior and the girl of something that looks more like a warrior princess.

"Take pictures of them, they’re warriors," Marcus says the obvious.

"I can't just go out photographing others without permission," I say looking at the couple.

"Mariana, can she take a picture of you for her work blog?" Marcus asks

like that in the face of a stick leaving me red as a bell pepper.

"Of course you can, but come take with us" responds.

Not successful and I will soon be in the middle of them, Marcus who hits the photo, thank them and tell where the photo will be available.

"So Marcus, where do we go now?" I ask.

Strange Sophia, from the look on her face I could tell she didn't understand a thing.

"Marcus will be my guide here today, he will help me in the photos" I say.

"I get it, Marcus takes her there to where our clan is," Sophia says.

"I will take yes, come on Alice has many photos to take yet" Marcus says walking out of the arena.

We left the arena and soon I see a group in costume, I’m very curious about their costume.

"What's that fantasy?" I ask Marcus who’s next to me.

"You're two warriors and a murderer, you want to take a picture of them?" Marcus asks.

"Of course I do," I say excited.

"Let's go talk to them," Marcos says and we walk to them.

As I thought, they let me take a picture of them. Where we're going something catches my attention and I stop to take pictures, Marcus is being a great guide.

"Now explain, did you talk to her again?" I ask what I remember he was in love with her and when she did not respond to his feelings, both were very hurt since they were great friends.

"With Sophia?" Marcus asks.

"Who else would it be?" I ask.

"Look you haven’t changed anything in, continuous ironic, we come back more or less, we always see each other because the clan still has the question of our mothers who are still friends" Marcus answers.

"I get it, you were great friends," I say.

"You were also great friends, or rather twins," Marcus says reminding me of the nickname she called me and Sophia in school.

"That's in the past," I say stopping to admire the sunset reflecting on the lake.

"How are you Lice?" Marcus asks.

"I'm fine," I say turning my back, maybe he will.

"You're lying," Marcus says.

"Maybe," I say convinced that lying is useless.

"I heard you and him broke up," Marcus says not touching his name.

I'm glad he realized it’s not to bring it up!

"Yeah, life stuff," I say kind of sad.

It still hurts me.

"Lice,are you all right?" Marcus asks "You’ve lost a certain

sparkle in your eyes" he says looking preocupado.

"One day I may regain this brightness, until then I will just continue living, let's change the subject, the day is beautiful to be talking about the past" I say with an apparent pain in my voice.

We walked all over the farm of good view, took a thousand photos for the matter, the day was worth it. We talked until we reached the last place that Mark wanted me to see, his clan. There were some people gathered, they were organizing for a battle, I think, I’m not paying much attention.

"Look at Sophia and her dad over there," Marcus says pointing at two people next to a tree.

Let's go to them. Before we get to her, her father goes out to talk to someone, I didn’t see where he went.

"Look who came back, took lots of pictures?" Sophia asks.

"I did, so this is your clan?" I ask looking at everyone.

There's a flag in Sophia’s hand, with a shield with crossed swords, I like it, but something tells me I’ve seen that skull before.

"What clan name?" I ask curious.

"Black Army" Marcus responds.

"I think I’ve heard the name somewhere," I say half thoughtfully,

when I get home I’ll look over them.

"Look Lice! They will fight now" Marcus says pointing to two groups that have advanced against each other with shields and swords.

I take my camera and start filming. I am so amazed at what I am seeing that I do not notice a spear fall next to me and with that I take a fright when it hits my foot, one of the reasons to train alone nwithout a clan, I leave unharmed from injuries.

"They're at full strength," I say chuckling, I walk away afraid the next one won’t just hit my foot.

"It must have been Ryan who played," Sophia says laughing.

"I don’t want to meet him with a spear in my hand," I say

jokingly.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, I pick it up and see that it has two messages: one from Rodrigo and another from Luana. Oh, my God, I forgot them. I open them thinking that Luana should be trying to eat me alive for disappearing:

"Cousin, Rodrigo and I are back together. Do you have a problem leaving alone?

We want to be alone-Luana."

I knew this would happen, I laugh and open Rodrigo’s.

"Lice, Luana and I are well again. Do you have a problem going home alone?

I'm hanging out with Luana now, anything, we’re back to get you without problem-Rodrigo."

I hold the laugh I want to give, so I answer:

"Go and tell my mother that I helped you get back together for God's sake, she’ll kill me if I say I left you two alone and didn't lift a finger. You can rest assured, I’m leaving alone, I still intend to stay a little longer. If you love and stop fighting, that's

boring-Lice."

I send the message and go back to the conversation, now besides Marcus and Sophia her father approaches.

"Hi! Uncle" I say as soon as I see him.

Uncle Roberto comes to hug me as soon as he sees me.

"So good to see them together again, but now I have to go, I'll take the night shift at the hospital girls, plus Alice will one day have dinner at home" uncle Roberto talks while hugging Sophia.

I say that I shared something with Sophia and soon he goes saying goodbye to people along the way. I talk to Sophia and Marcus.

"Do you still live near here?" Sophia asks.

"Yes, I live very close to here to tell the truth, and you still live in Jacarepaguá?" I ask.

"I live, but I intend to move at the end of the year maybe" Sophia says.

"I was planning to move too, but I gave up, my mother will move with the twins to São Paulo next month and the house will stay for me" I say.

I still can't believe it.

"What about your father?" Sophia asks.

"He is already in São Paulo, he can not stand the river and then went there" I say.

We sat there talking watching Marcus and Sophia’s clan finish training.

"Alice finished training, will she be here or will she go?" Marcus asks.

"I think I'll stay a little longer," I say looking around.

"I'm staying too, what do you think of our clan?" Sophia asks.

"I liked it a lot, a lot better than the others I know," I say.

"Do you know other clans?" Marcus asks.

"I know, I think I didn’t speak, more practical swordplay for a while" I say.

"You didn’t really talk, little surprise box," Marcus says laughing.

I shrug, it was a secret of mine, for some reason wanted to share.

"Do you have a clan?" Matheus finally says something.

"I don't actually have almost no time with work and college," I say very sincerely.

"What do you think about joining our clan?" Sophia asks.

"I don't know, like I said I don’t have much time," I say.

But that wouldn't be a bad idea.

"Training is on Sundays, you don’t have to go at all, enter if you don't like it, but I guarantee you won’t want to leave" Sophia says.

Should I come in?

I promised Stefany that I would live again and that I would look for new things. And that's a new thing, fuck it, I'm going in.

"Who

do I need to talk to to get in?" I ask anxiously.

I see Sophia getting all smiley.

"Come, I'll show you," Sophia says taking me to a group that is leaning against a tree.

"Manu, my twin wants to join the clan" Sophia talks to a blonde who is leaning against the tree.

"Yay! I'm Manoela the general of the clan, what's your name?" Manoela asks.

"Alice" I say introducing myself.

"Okay, Alice, give your phone to him, who will contact you, to explain you

about the clan" Manuela speaks.

He who?

When I turn in the direction that Manuela was looking, I come across the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen in my life.