2 PM
Little by little the crew started rolling in. It was a straight-up pool party, no prissy decorations or any of that bullshit. The backyard was massive, with a huge pool right in front of the house, and everybody was ready to party, dance, and drink until they blacked out the rest of their lives.
Felipe already had the sound system blasting at full volume. Júlia dropped an “oh fuck” and bolted to her room, but not before throwing me a warning:
— Girl, enjoy the party. And watch out for these boys!
Monique and Fernanda showed up right after—classmates of my sister. They hopped in the pool all hyped and came straight over to me. Within minutes we were talking like we’d known each other for years. Both of them were chill, fun, and had that easy way of pulling anyone in.
They were part of the popular crew at school and were always glued to Felipe in every conversation circle. Monique was the one who really stood out: blonde, long straight hair down to her tits, bright brown eyes with that special spark, and a little rhinestone nose piercing that caught the light every time she moved. She was loud, charismatic, extroverted, and zero filter—loved being the center of attention.
Problem was, not everybody could handle that much personality, so she caught all the petty comments: “slut,” “whore,” “skank.” But her? She didn’t give a single fuck. She just kept being exactly who she was—hot, confident, leaving every guy drooling. I’ll admit I felt a little sting of envy at that kind of self-assurance.
Fernanda was different—way more reserved. But all it took was being around Monique and she’d loosen up completely. And who wouldn’t loosen up with Monique around, right?
Fernanda was gorgeous too: super fair skin, long straight black hair, expressive brown eyes. Right below the nape of her neck she had this killer tattoo that caught my eye immediately—a butterfly with one wing shaped like a heart, surrounded by little flowers. On her face she had a little hoop nose ring that matched the one in her ear. Plus a belly-button piercing. That one was obvious because she was in a bikini. I loved her whole vibe. Fernanda was straight-up stylish.
Speaking of which… around that time I was obsessed with getting a tattoo. I wanted something small and delicate, like a tiny star or a butterfly like Fernanda’s, just smaller and more subtle. I also kept dreaming about a shiny nose piercing exactly like Monique’s. That little stone that sparkled every time she laughed or turned her head had me completely mesmerized. I was convinced it would look insane on me. I’d already begged my mom, full of hope, but the answer was always the same: “You’re still way too young.”
We kept talking and talking until Felipe called me over to meet his friends. Most of them I only knew by sight. The second I stepped out of the pool I felt his eyes drag over my body from head to toe—that hungry look sent a mix of shame and nerves straight through me. I could feel my face burning, you know? I just didn’t want him to notice.
He introduced me to everyone, and even though I was the youngest one there and didn’t have the fully “developed” body those senior girls had, I caught a bunch of guys’ eyes landing on me. Like they’d never seen a girl in a bikini before. On one hand I liked feeling wanted; on the other it made me kinda awkward. I felt exposed and a little out of place.
Felipe handed me vodka with energy drink. I took it and knocked back a big gulp, trying to fit in and show I could hang. Meanwhile the sound system was pounding some filthy funk with straight-up pornographic lyrics. I watched some of the girls from his crew twerking down to the floor in dental-floss bikinis. I had to hold back a laugh inside, thinking, “My God… look at these show-off sluts.”
— Rafaella, you into funk? — Felipe asked, curious.
— Nah… I’m more into rock and electronic.
— Oh, so you’re into psy — Pedro Henrique jumped in. He was one of Lipe’s friends. He meant psytrance, that rave electronic shit with fast, repetitive beats, trippy sounds, and hypnotic melodies that basically put you in a trance.
— Yeah, I am — I answered, already feeling more comfortable.
— Nice! I’ve got a psy playlist. We’ll throw it on later — Felipe said, smiling.
Then they wanted to know if I’d ever been to a rave. I told them no, but that I was dying to go one day.
After that Felipe took me over to the gourmet area, saying he wanted to introduce me to his cousin Arthur, who was around twenty. According to him, Arthur was basically a master mixologist and could make anything.
We got there and right away I was face-to-face with this gorgeous guy—tall, with a killer smile that hooked you on the first look. My brain immediately went: “Holy shit, he’s hot!” He was basically as good-looking as Felipe.
He was behind the bar making drinks for two girls when Lipe asked him to whip up something special for me.
Arthur shot me a quick, amused glance and asked:
— So, cutie, you ever tried a piña colada?
I shook my head, curious, and asked what was in it. He answered right away:
— Rum, coconut milk, and pineapple juice.
When he finished, he handed me the glass and told me to try it. I took a sip and… damn. Love at first taste. Sweet, creamy, refreshing. Instantly became one of my favorite drinks.