CHAPTER 5

Saturday started very early for Leonardo, he didn't have any work to do. Normally Jane sent him the material to edit on Saturday night, and in this case she was more urgent. She always posted on Monday morning, it was a simple job that Leonardo chose for himself, but it kept him alert and with his mind fixed on his own profession. Even though he was paid well below what he used to receive, he was satisfied with what he produced. 

Some coffee with music, Offspring playing loud in the apartment, a youthful energy in his body, loud screams echoing off the walls of the room. The heat of the coffee on your hands and the lack of appetite. Everything that made up the picture of Leonado's Saturday morning. It made him even more sad about something he couldn't say what it was. He felt the taste of coffee clinging to his tongue, a few deep breaths and the desire to do something more. Go beyond what he was feeling. Before this feeling made him fall into another tent of mental pain, the loud and angry screams from that classic album from his youth made him come to his senses. He could breathe again, relieved. 

Leonardo's mother had already left. He thought she preferred to be like this, in contact with other people, doing other less emotional things. Working and acting as if she were in control of everything, managing every action, moving every piece for better performance for everyone around her. Bringing out the best in everyone. For a long time this worked with Leonardo. He was already participating in activities at home from an early age, he learned to work very early, and very early on, he started working with video editing. Very early on he fell in love with his work, and for a long time that worked, but at some point something changed. He no longer acted the same way and didn't even have the same passion as he did in his youth. He started to leave these things aside, and his mother also started to leave them aside, it's difficult to say who decided to untie the knots first. Currently, things continued like this, both of them detached from obligations to each other, and this became normal in their lives. 

He decided to go out for a bit. It was still eleven o'clock in the morning, but he felt unusually hungry. It was the muscles demanding the energy they had spent, perhaps, perhaps that was what Leonardo felt. He was definitely uncomfortable, with something he couldn't define. So he left the house, not knowing where to stop, not even knowing what he would eat. He just went out, looked at the clear, cloudless sky, the warm weather. As if he had been taken over by a spirit, he breathed a sigh of relief at being out of the house, as if he were coming out of a prison. He felt the greatness of the world and walked through the streets with relief. Waiting to see what else he could do. 

He still hadn't decided what he was going to eat. The Flamengo embankment had people going up and down, Saturdays are really busy. Many families arriving to spend a day at the beach. Mothers, fathers and children, happily heading into a day of joy and peace. Eating ice cream, covering their skin with sunscreen, while Leonardo was still thinking about what to eat. He felt hungry, but apparently he wouldn't be satisfied with just anything. He continued walking, he saw couples passing by hand in hand, some kissing, it was something common apparently. And after walking a few blocks, he remembered why he hardly left the house anymore, he hated to admit it, he swallowed that truth, but other people's happiness bothered him. 

Leonardo was about to return home. He was really touched by some situations. It wasn't something he thought much about, maybe he just resigned himself to not having much luck in that area of life. He had felt this for a few years, the emptiness of incompleteness and bad emotional luck. He felt, he felt, until one day he didn't feel it anymore, he had emotions, he fell asleep. Covered by fine white snow, which caused a different sensation in the heart. But the sun, and the heat of those lovers on Saturday, made Leonardo's body warm. And it melted all that snow, which was on top of the emotions he tried so hard to hide from others. And of yourself. 

He now walks hurriedly, almost running. An old enemy appeared before him, and his incompleteness almost made him suffocate, the tightness in his chest grew. He felt relief. He saw an open door that led to a restaurant that was almost hidden, on the second floor of a shirt store. Just a sign with the options of the day to signal that that distinct place was a restaurant. It was almost hidden, and that was the best Leonardo found. He threw himself into that place as if it were a safe place, far from what was attacking him without knowing it, with no intention of hurting 

anyone, but it did. Leonardo protected himself from these invisible attacks that hit his flesh. 

The restaurant was practically empty, it was a very cozy place. Rustic wooden tables, old wooden floors, some paintings of the Rio landscape on the wall. A very distinctive painting caught Leonardo's attention, a faceless man was holding a guitar at his side, he was not playing the instrument, it seemed to be a portrait of a samba musician. As they hadn't drawn his face, and he was holding the guitar at his side with no intention of playing, the painting gave off a certain melancholy. It hit Leonardo squarely. The restaurant attendant had to ask Leonardo three times what he wanted until he came to his senses. 

Leonardo ordered a homemade barbecue, it was served with rice, beans, potato salad and farofa. That was all he needed, to gorge himself on food until all those sensations went away. He sat at a table right by the window. He could see people passing by on the street, and from afar, that picture of the samba musician, watching him without eyes, playing a song without strumming the guitar. Leonardo was far away, and it didn't affect him, he looked to the side, through the window, and saw a couple kissing at a bus stop, but that was also far away. It didn't affect him. 

Two bricklayers still covered in paint were talking loudly and laughing even louder. talking about the strange job they were doing, the strange house they were painting, and a few more words about one lover and another. That day was not at all pleasant for Leonardo. He felt persecuted even in his corner, where he thought he was a safe haven, and everything got even worse when a couple arrived suddenly, without warning, and sat at the table opposite Leonardo's. Exchanging laughter and caresses, without even seeing Leonardo shrinking more and more in front of them. 

He felt again, as if he had just emerged from a prison, or a cave. He felt the world becoming more and more gigantic and open before him. He walked with a certain regret, a certain slowness. He devoured all the food in one sitting, in almost record time. He left that bitterness that gripped his chest. He left her sitting at the table in that restaurant, while he fled, almost aimlessly, through the streets of that charming neighborhood. That day was dull in the face of Leonardo's sadness. 

He was alone at home, but it looked like he was still on the street. Feeling the cold in the eyes of those who observe the flames of passion from afar. Without understanding why they ignite so much heat in the human body. Alone at home, he thought more calmly, he should try something different in his own routine. Lunch was still weighing heavily on his stomach when he decided to get ready to run. watched a stretching video. He endured the section of pain for thirty minutes, pain that eased the mind. The tiredness he suffered, the sentimental pains, every time he touched his toes, a little of his sadness came out. For 

thirty minutes, he stretched the pains out. He started to sweat a lot, he was out of breath at times, but he soon regained his inner peace. 

When he looked at the clock, he saw that it was already four in the afternoon, in fact, he planned it to be like this, he would run alone. He was willing to do his best to accompany Jonathan and Marcelle. He accompanied them on the race from start to finish, and with that thought in mind, he left the house again. He abandoned his own cocoon, and now covered in sweat, he went to the edge of the beach, running, running, and leaving everything behind. 

 . . . 

He walked without almost looking to the side, he didn't see anything around him. His eyes focused on the objective, his foot gently massaged the ground beneath his feet, and when Leonardo approached the place where he usually meets Jonathan and his friends to run, he saw something that stopped him for a few moments. Marcelle. She stretched happily, and alone. Leonardo was more introspective that day, but he just went towards Marcelle to talk to her a little. Marcelle was wearing very short, dark gray running shorts, this time she wasn't wearing lycra pants under the shorts. Her legs were visible, they were very thin, but 

there was some sign of muscle. It looked like her leg was gently drawn. As usual, a black jogging top, and her hair tied up. She appeared to be someone who didn't like attention. As she stretched, a voice came towards her. 

"Marcelle! What a surprise, I didn't expect you here today, I thought I would run alone." Leonardo said. 

"Leonardo! What a great thing, meeting you here, on Saturday, without arranging anything, I always come alone on the weekends. I'm even used to running alone." Marcelle said. 

"Ah yes, I understand you, I came more to practice. I need to get stronger to keep up with you and Jonathan, go faster and hold on until the end." 

"Yes, running on the weekends is what made me go further, achieve the best of myself. I'm very happy that you also made this decision." 

"But you don't have to worry about anything, run at your own pace, I'm going to run mine, you don't need to follow me. I know you must like running alone too, I won't interfere with your private training, don't worry." 

"Stay calm, you don't even need to worry, since you're here, let's run together, usually I run alone because no one comes on Saturdays and Sundays, but since you came, let's do our best together." 

"Ah, if it's better for you, it'll be fine for me too. Better than being alone at home, for sure." 

"Don't worry. Just by coming today you will see the difference it will make during the week, you will progress much faster than you think if you continue like this." 

 "Then it's agreed. Let's run and hope that I catch up to your pace and can accompany you more often." 

"So let's go." 

Marcelle and Leonardo ran well, side by side. He felt like Jonathan, for some indescribable reason, and it made him smile for most of the race. He smiled with a happy expression on his face, he felt like someone who was dear to him. And that was special, doing something like that with someone he admired so much. The wind was hot, hot like the lunch he devoured in one sitting. And the rhythm of their breathing seemed to match the sway of the sea waves. It attracted him for some reason. After a while, his feet stepped softly and calmly, like a stroll, on a perfect Saturday. 

Leonardo practically didn't look at Marcelle. She intimidated him. He greatly admired her as a runner, and now that he was running alongside her, he could see that she was the bearer of a beauty far beyond what he could perceive. Between one thought and another, he would get goose bumps, only having small glimpses of her beauty. A thin face, full lips, skin that seemed super soft. Surreptitiously, he tried to see the details that he didn't see before, because he wasn't paying attention, as he should have. 

Saturday was a different day, there were more runners than usual on the track. It was super crowded, Leonardo and Marcelle had to dodge lots of people. The vast majority just walked, many families, young people drinking beer and dogs. They walked without caring about the weather. A lot of new things, a lot more. Leonardo was quite surprised. He didn't expect that many people, nor did he expect him to be able to accompany Marcelle for so long. 

They tried to exchange a few words, at least Leonardo tried. Running and talking at the same time was a difficult task for him, and his body was beginning to feel heavy. That stretching section was harder than he imagined, but he held up well, until the end. Some pain, as usual, a breathless body, and a lot of sweat. He couldn't see, but he felt that his own face was red, he felt more sensitive than usual. Marcelle seemed to have gotten tired in the same way, even causing relief for Leonardo, he wasn't ready to be further behind than Marcelle, especially when it was just the two of them, on a hot Saturday, full of life, full of people. The smiles that grew inside that dance floor, that carried with them human love, that brought peace, he could now feel, now that Leonardo was equally at peace. 

They took a single coconut this time, and went for a walk on the beach sand for a while. They left their shoes at the kiosk, stored, and continued, barefoot along the beach, completely calm. Marcelle seemed calm, she was confident, you could tell by the expression on her face. Leonardo just looked at her in silence, even, because he had nothing to say to her. He just looked towards her, and she showed a small smile. She smiled shyly, almost imperceptibly. She was really delicate, her delicacy made her seem almost as shy as Leonardo. He could feel, at least, what seemed to be shyness. And that was an extra charm because of his perception. 

"Today the beach is very crowded" Marcelle said, breaking the silence." 

"It's always Saturday, but it's been a while since I've been to the beach like this. I have to say, the first day we ran together, I ended up coming to the beach. Alone. But it was worth it." 

"Did you come to the beach? And how was it? If you had called me, I would have come to keep you company." 

"Ah, I still didn't have any intimacy with you, I could have even called, but I came without any planning. I just saw that wonderful sun and walked along these sands. Then I dipped my foot in the water and hummed a song by Dorival Caymmi." 

"Wow, you did that and you didn't even ask your friends to come with you. I would have come the next day if you had called me." 

"But now that we're here, we can at least feel the water on our feet, it must be very cold. It's delicious for the feet." 

With a smile on her face, Michelle took the coconut from Leonardo's hands and ran to a trash can. He was surprised by her attitude. Even though he was already used to seeing her run, she seemed more graceful than usual. To him, at that moment, she looked like a teenager ready to venture into some fun, some game between two young people. As quickly as she took the coconut from Leonardo's hands, she returned to meet him, running between the people, throwing sand in the air, and without taking her big brown eyes out of Leonardo's path. 

He didn't think he was attractive, far from it. He knew he didn't have the most desirable physical shape of all, he was well overweight and it was evident. For this same reason, he didn't think about anything much beyond a good friendship. When she saw Marcelle running towards him so cheerfully and with such a spontaneous smile, she moved him a little, but he kept his feet on the ground. He left his head clear and thinking calmly. 

"Let's see how the water is, maybe we can even dive a little." Marcelle said. 

"Yes, let's go, but I don't know if I'm going to dive. The water is certainly very cold, just getting my feet wet will be good for me." 

"Never mind, cold water is good too. Over time you will get used to the temperature." 

Leonardo just nodded and went side by side with Marcelle. They walked calmly, and as soon as the water from a wave hit both of their feet, they confirmed that the water was very cold. Marcelle laughed loudly, and Leonardo laughed too, more out of surprise than anything else. She was very closed off, she seemed to be as quiet as he was, and that laugh made him change all the opinions he had about her. 

"It's really cold, the water is very cold, but it's good for swimming, it goes well with this heat, but you'll have to dive with me." 

"Okay, I'm going to go into this water that looks like ice. But I'm only doing this for you." 

"It's agreed, let's go." 

They both ran into the sea, right after Marcelle spoke. As soon as the water was up to their thighs, they threw themselves under a wave, and were completely surrendered to the waves of the sea. The salt washing the body, and the sun washing the thoughts, and there was a whirlwind of them in Leonardo's mind. As his day was diverse, he didn't expect it to end like this. Those two throwing themselves into the sea formed a painting. One with happy and fun shapes. 

The waves rocked them both, they were thrown forward and pulled back, and they found it all very amusing. Between laughter and waves, Marcelle commented on some upcoming wave. Leonardo looked clearly at her and marveled more and more at Marcelle. And that Saturday. She, in this exchange of words and looks, was pushed forward with more force. She had been thrown with great force, and in order not to lose control and be pulled deeper into the sea, Leonardo went towards her and held her. 

And this time, he laughed loudly, and when he looked at Marcelle to say something, he saw that she had a very serious expression, and before he could say anything, she grabbed him, and they both kissed. 

It was a different flavor, the cold lips caressing each other. The taste of salt, of the sea, Marcelle's soft skin in Leonardo's hands. He could finally feel something like that again, it had been a long time since he had been with anyone. For this same reason, he was in no hurry. He felt every bit of Marcelle's thick lips, he felt every touch. After each longer kiss, a touch with the lips, like a goodbye. Then, another long, affectionate, unhurried kiss, waking up the senses in Leonardo's body, he could already feel his blood warming up more than the water. In the middle of one of those longer kisses, a wave arrived suddenly and knocked them over. At the same time, they fell again. Along the sea.