In what seemed to be a classroom, dozens of young people were scattered around, talking and laughing as if the world were a perfect place. There was an interesting diversity there—tall, short, white, black—it looked like an inclusion ad for an institution. The walls were decorated with generic motivational posters, and bookshelves adorned the corners, though it was obvious no one ever used them.

  The noise was intense—a mix of laughter and chatter that filled the space with an almost infectious energy. Almost. Because for Marcos, it was nothing short of unbearable.

  Sitting in a secluded corner, he tried in vain to concentrate on a thick book titled “Introduction to the Stock Market - Part 2.” It wasn’t exactly his preferred reading, but he needed to master the content to keep his grades flawless. Even so, a small part of him wished he was reading something lighter—maybe one of those online fantasy stories he devoured at night. But that would have to wait.

  He sighed, glancing at the crowd with tired eyes.

  ‘These idiots don’t have anything to study? All they do is talk. We’re all in the same classroom, but I’m the only one actually trying to be someone in life?’

  Marcos adjusted his glasses, which were sliding down his nose, and tried to focus back on the text.

  ‘But whatever. Better for me. Less competition. They can laugh all they want while I build my future. One day, they’ll be serving me coffee in some big company and…’

  His train of thought was brutally interrupted when something hit his head. An eraser.

  — Hey, dumbass! Didn’t see you there! Get over here, you little shit… — A sharp voice echoed through the room, drawing laughter from some nearby students.

  Marcos closed his book with a defeated sigh. He already knew what was coming.

  Slowly, he got up, his awkward posture making him seem even shorter than he really was. He looked toward the source of the voice: Eric.

  Eric was tall, skinny, and always had that cocky smirk on his face. Surrounded by a small group of friends and a few girls, he was the typical bully who got a kick out of putting others down.

  Marcos hesitated but walked over with his eyes lowered.

  — Not gonna say hi, dumbass? Gonna leave me hanging? — Eric threw an arm around Marcos’s shoulders in an aggressively casual way.

  Marcos flinched at the contact but mumbled weakly:

  — G-good morning…

  — Good morning? The hell, man? No one says good morning here! — Eric laughed, followed by his group, who seemed to find everything hilarious.

  Eric squeezed Marcos’s shoulder harder and looked around at the girls.

  — We were just talking about Jo?o’s party last weekend. It was wild, dude! And these girls? Man, they killed it, if you know what I mean…

  He made an obscene gesture with his hands, making one of the girls roll her eyes.

  — Fuck off, Eric! — she snapped, crossing her arms with obvious irritation.

  — Chill, babe, I’m just telling it like it is… — Eric grinned before turning back to Marcos. — And you, Big Marc? How many girls did you hook up with this weekend? At least ten, right?

  His tone was clearly mocking, and the laughter started before Marcos could even respond.

  — I… I…

  — Huh? Speak up, dumbass. — Eric cut him off, gripping his shoulder even tighter.

  — N-none…

  The group burst into laughter.

  — None? No way! Look at this guy! You really think he’s ever hooked up with anyone? — one of Eric’s friends laughed.

  — What a shocker!

  — Hahaha, poor guy…

  Marcos wanted to disappear. He was used to this kind of humiliation, but that didn’t make it any easier.

  — Wait a sec… — Eric suddenly widened his eyes in fake shock. — You’re a virgin, aren’t you?

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  Before Marcos could answer, a loud voice cut through the air like a blade:

  — Hey! Can you guys shut the fuck up?

  Silence spread instantly across the room. All eyes turned toward the back, where the person who had just spoken was now standing.

  The guy had gotten up and was walking toward them. The attention wasn’t just because of what he said—it was because his presence was impossible to ignore. He had an almost magnetic aura.

  His name was… Adrien.

  Adrien was… different. His blond hair was stylishly messy, his sharp blue eyes seemed to pierce through people, and he carried himself with a relaxed yet undeniably confident posture. His sporty jacket highlighted his broad shoulders and toned physique, which almost felt out of place against his slightly delicate facial features. He was the kind of person who drew stares effortlessly, like he was sculpted to be admired.

  — What’s up, Adrien? — Eric asked, trying to mask the nervousness in his voice. — We’re just messing around… right, Marc?

  He looked at Marcos, clearly expecting him to agree, but Adrien didn’t give him the chance.

  — Did I fucking ask? — Adrien said flatly, his gaze locked onto Eric. — You guys are annoying as hell, making way too much noise. I’m trying to read. Shut up and leave the kid alone.

  Eric opened his mouth to respond but thought better of it and stepped back.

  — My bad, Adrien… we were just about to sit down anyway.

  He gave Marcos a pat on the shoulder before walking away with his group, muttering something under his breath.

  Marcos looked up at the imposing figure of Adrien. The contrast between them was undeniable—there was a massive gap between their existences. One was respected without even trying, and the other was ridiculed for no reason. Or maybe there was a reason… but Marcos had no clue what it was.

  They were worlds apart.

  “Th-thank y…”

  “Don’t mention it.” Adrien cut him off without even looking, already focused on his phone.

  ‘Shit, now I lost my place in the book!’

  In his hand, Adrien held his phone open to a book titled “The Economics of Love: Why Being Rich Makes You Hotter.”

  —

  “Move your legs more, dammit!”

  “Get him on the ground! He’s weaker on the left!”

  “Come on! That punching bag is your ex’s new boyfriend—break it!”

  Several people were training barefoot on a black mat. The smell of sweat and the sound of strikes echoed through the gym. It was a mixed martial arts academy where fighters of different styles gathered to train. In the center, a punching bag swung violently as a young man unleashed a series of precise punches and kicks.

  “10, 9…” Hearing the countdown, the young man intensified his strikes, hitting the bag even harder, making it swing wildly.

  “Alright, we’re done for today, Adrien. Good work,” said the coach, holding a timer.

  “Thanks, coach!” Adrien replied, wiping his sweat with a towel and drinking an energy drink he had set aside earlier.

  After leaving the gym, he checked his phone and saw several unread messages. Most were from his college group chat, discussing a group project due next week. As usual, he ignored all of them.

  He walked through the streets of S?o Paulo, listening to music in his headphones and trying to ignore the numerous stares—mostly from women.

  One particularly attractive woman with long, flowing red hair whistled at him from a sleek sports car.

  “Hey, pretty boy! Need a ride? There’s room for one more…” she teased with a playful smirk.

  Adrien paused, pretending to think as he looked at the car and then at her. “Hmm… I don’t know, the driver of this car looks kinda dangerous.”

  “You’re right,” she said with a wink. “But I bet you like danger, don’t you?”

  He chuckled, walking over to the car. “Well, if I’m gonna take a risk, at least the car is nice.”

  He opened the door and slid into the passenger seat, closing it carefully.

  As she shifted gears and the car smoothly pulled away, Adrien glanced at Laura, who seemed perfectly at ease behind the wheel.

  “So,” he began, “how long until you admit that you only picked me up because you were too lazy to wait at my door?”

  Laura laughed, shaking her head. “Please, Adrien. I just wanted to pick you up to remind you who’s in charge of this… relationship.” She said in a seductive tone.

  “Oh, of course,” he said, pretending to be serious. “You’re in charge of the car, but at home, I pick the movie.”

  “As long as it’s something I want to watch,” she retorted quickly, without taking her eyes off the road.

  Adrien chuckled, shaking his head. “And where are we going, anyway? Because if it’s another one of those endless meetings with your friends talking about K-dramas, I’m gonna need a warning in advance.”

  Laura glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, smiling with satisfaction. “Worse. Dinner with my dad.”

  Adrien frowned, surprised. “Seriously? You’re throwing your dad at me on my peaceful Friday night?”

  “Relax,” she said, changing lanes with the confidence of someone who owned the streets. “He’s not as scary as he seems. He just likes to ask uncomfortable questions and judge you in silence. No big deal.”

  “Oh, great,” Adrien said sarcastically. “You know my life isn’t exactly a shining example of organization. What’s he gonna think when I tell him I’m still deciding whether I want to work or just travel the world?”

  “He’ll probably offer you an internship at his company,” Laura replied with an amused smile. “You’ll love spending your days listening to him talk about profits and market strategies.”

  Adrien sighed, leaning back in his seat. “At least the food’s good, right?”

  “Amazing food,” she confirmed. “And expensive wine, if you know how to suck up to him.”

  “Expensive wine, uncomfortable questions, and silent judgment. What a perfect way to spend a Friday,” he joked, laughing.

  Laura laughed too, but her expression soon softened. “Seriously, Adrien. He’s not that bad. He likes you, even if he never says it directly. Just… don’t bring up any of your crazy ideas about opening a vineyard on a deserted beach, okay?”

  Adrien raised his hands, feigning innocence. “No promises.”

  They both laughed as the car crossed the city, their conversation flowing naturally, as it always did.

  The car’s engine purred softly as they glided down the main road. The afternoon sun painted the sky in shades of orange, and the trees cast long shadows across the asphalt. Adrien watched the scenery pass by, a calm smile on his face, feeling content in that simple, carefree moment.

  “You really are something else,” Laura said, shaking her head. “You know, sometimes I think you don’t take anything seriously. My dad’s going to hate that about you.”

  “Or he’s going to love it,” Adrien replied, looking at her. “Old men always like charismatic guys.”

  Laura opened her mouth to reply, but the loud blare of a horn cut through the moment. Adrien instinctively turned his head toward the window and saw, too late, the massive truck speeding toward them.

  “Laura, look—!”

  The words died in his throat as the truck crashed into the side of the car with brutal force. The impact was devastating. Glass shattered in all directions, the metallic sound of the collision echoing like thunder. The car was thrown off the road, spinning out of control as Adrien felt his body slam against the seatbelt.

  It all happened too fast to process. The force of the impact crushed the side where he was, and the world became a blur of lights, pain, and darkness. When the car finally stopped, flipped over in the middle of the grass, the silence was almost deafening.

  Adrien was trapped. Blood dripped down the side of his face, slowly staining the dashboard. His body ached in places he hadn’t even known existed, but the pain felt distant, as if his body was already shutting down. He tried to move, but it was impossible. Every breath was a colossal effort, and his eyes grew heavier.

  “Adrien!”

  Laura’s desperate voice called him back. He heard hurried footsteps in the grass, and soon after, felt trembling hands trying to reach him.

  “Adrien, please, stay with me,” she pleaded, her voice breaking into sobs as she struggled to pry open the crushed car door. “Don’t do this to me, please!”

  He wanted to respond. Wanted to tell her everything was fine, that she didn’t need to worry. But his throat felt locked, and the words wouldn’t come. He could only look at her, his vision growing hazy.

  Laura finally managed to open the door, cutting her hands on the twisted metal. She knelt beside him, her red hair now dirty and disheveled, her face streaked with tears.

  “Adrien, look at me!” She cupped his face with both hands, ignoring the blood staining her fingers. “You’re going to be okay, alright? I’ll call for help, just hold on a little longer!”

  He tried to focus on her, but the pain and exhaustion were unbearable. Adrien felt as if his body was being crushed from the inside out. He tried to scream, but no sound came out. His mind started slipping into fragments of disconnected thoughts.

  ‘This can’t be happening… Laura… I just wanted to have dinner with her… why now? Why like this?’

  His heartbeat grew weaker, and her voice began to fade, as if coming from far away. He felt her touch becoming lighter, almost imperceptible.

  ‘It’s not fair… I don’t want to die…’

  The last thing he saw was Laura’s face, filled with despair, her eyes locked onto his as if she could save him just by looking at him. Then, the darkness swallowed him completely.

  Adrien was dead.

  —

  Note: This work is originally Brazilian and was written in Portuguese. It has been translated into English using ChatGPT, so I apologize for any errors in meaning or writing.