âThey haven't found the trophy and without a damn evidence, he won't be convicted", Samu worried as I approach him and Guzman. âDon't you have tennis lesson?", the taller boy asks me. Well, it's not quite difficult being taller than Samu.
âOh, yeah, I quit early. Didn't feel well", I lied again as Guzman shouldn't know that I've met Ander. That was my lie during summer. Whenever I came late to him because Ander and I met quickly, I thought tennis is the best excuse.
âCarla is going to make him pay", Guzman tries to calm us down, âUnbelievable what's going on when they're together. She just has to give him a quick sexy look and he's doing anything for her. He-"
âYou don't know that!" âBut he deserves it, Samu", I try to help Guzman calming each of us down. We're all nervous. âYou've got money, so it might surprise you to hear that not everyone is getting what they want", Samu snaps at Guzman before he leaves. âHe's just worried."
âCan I be honest, Em?" âAlways."
âI'm worried, too. I don't take it as easy as I tell Samu but if I didn't play cool, I would probably slam Polo's head again a locker until-"
âI get what you're saying, Guzman", I interrupt him before I start imagining the situation, âI'm afraid, too. It's already enough that he's out on bail. And I honestly don't know if Carla is going to tell the truth or not. She's lost a lot. Why would she help us? But we can't change what's going to happen, we have to wait and hope for the best."
âCan we go to the lake? I.. I know we've been talking a lot during the past months but I feel like I need more. Samu and you are the only ones who care for my sister after all." âYou do remember for how long we're friends right?", I chuckle lightly, âYou don't even have to ask. Just grab and carry me to the lake." âAlright", Guzman laughs and lifts me up carrying me through the hallway out of school and down to the lake where we sit down and talk. It's quite late and already dark but the time and weather doesn't matter in that moment.
âEnough workout for today." âI'm surprised you could even lift me up or carry me." âDoes that mean I look weak or you are pretty heavy?", he teases me.
âIt means that..", I stop as I suddenly become serious and sigh, âI'm just glad that we're still together. After all that's happened." âAre you okay, Em? Is it about Ander?" âHe's the only person I ever loved. What if I don't find someone like him anymore? What if I overreacted?"
âYou didn't overreact, Em. He tried to prevent you from telling us the truth, even when everyone thought your brother disappeared. Marina wasn't only your friend. You belong to the family." I just realized Guzman taking my hand as he's been talking. âCan we lay down?"
âAnything you wish." Guzman takes off his jacket to lay it under our heads and I turn around to have a better view on the lake. Then he turns into the same direction, faces my back, but lays his arm around my upper body to link our hands again and lets his head rest in my neck. âWe've only got each other anymore. I'm always here, Em."
âYou know what's really sad?" âTell me. As if we're not sad already", he chuckles ironically. âMarina would have loved to see us like that. She would have laid herself on top of us and told us how stupid we look but deep down inside of her, she would have liked this."
âWhere have you been, Emilia?", Mamá snaps at me as soon as I enter the apartment. âHola, mamá, I'm glad to see you too", I reply rolling my eyes. âI was worried. You know that I'm afraid that something could happen to you when you're out that late. Samuel came back two hours ago." âI know and I'm sorry for not telling you. I was just sitting at the lake with Guzman and forgot to let you know that I'm coming back earlier", I admit and look at her shyly but when she just pulls me in for a hug, I sigh relieved. I didn't want to cause her any problems.
âYour brother has sent us a portcard." I take a look at the postcard. Yes, that's his writing. Nano. I missed him a lot. We always got along extremely well. I would say that out of the three of us, Samu and Nano fought the most. Not a lot, but more than I did with each of them. Whenever Nano and I had a dispute, it was mainly about me being too young to stay out late or meeting a boy. I know that he only cared about me, especially as I didn't have a good relationship to my dad to that time and mom wasn't able to look after Samu and I a lot as she had to work a lot.
âWe've been waiting for you so we can call him together", Samu tells me and gives me the phone and I smile at him thankfully. I let mom and Samu talk to Nano first. I'm still overthinking after spending the afternoon with Guzman and I worry too much. Nano shouldn't have to listen to me only telling him that I miss him. He should enjoy whatever he's doing right now. âWhere's Emilia? Is she dating-"
âI'm here", I quickly say before we can talk about boys again, âI'm here." âEm, it's fine. I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me." âLast time you said that was when you owed money to some guys from jail and stole watches", I remember him before I even thought of what I was saying, âI'm sorry, Nano, I didn't mean to say this." âI know but you're right and I'm sorry for everything. I wish I could change it but I can't."
âYou could at least come back." âThe police said that as soon as Polo admits what he's done, you can come back", Samu helps me. âDid they really say that?" âThey did." âPlease, come back." âOkay, I promise you that as soon as possible, I'm back with you guys. And I miss you too."
âLet's follow Nano and leave this city", mom suddenly suggests, âWhat can happen? There's nothing that we could lose anymore." I think about it for a second but Samu is quick enough to answer. âNothing to lose? How about my scholarship? Em and I go to one of Spain's best schools. We've got a lot to lose. And if we leave now, we give up. And I won't do that. Yes, we may think we don't have a lot to lose with everyone talking about Nano and us, but that's the reason why we should stay and fight for justice."
I don't even need to think of an opinion anymore. My brother said everything. I look at him proudly and hug him tightly. And one day, it will be us three again, my brothers and I.