JOÃO FELIPE
She was next to a strong guy, about her height and good-looking. He was hugging her around the waist and it irritated me so much that I had to control myself, closing my hands into fists.
An insane desire to punch that guy's face, but he wouldn't do that at all. There would be no plausible explanation for such an attitude and I would not expose myself in this way.
João Pedro was the first to see me arrive and immediately showed a smile of satisfaction.
"Brother! What a surprise you between us" she joked, pulling me and putting her arm around my shoulders, taking me to everyone at the table.
The whole time I was looking at Viviane, paying attention to see how she would react to my presence in the club.
" Girls, I don't think you know my brother, João Felipe " João Pedro continued, introducing me to the two girls who were at the table, beside Vivi.
The fifth person at the table was the guy who was hugging Viviane and I immediately recognized him from high school. It was César, he used to go to the same class as JP and Vivi.
" Felipe, this is Júlia" João Pedro made the introductions, pointing to a brunette in a short light pink dress "And this is Cecília," he said pointing to a girl with a well-defined body in black pants made of shiny material and a strapless blouse, also black, that left her flat stomach on display.
The two were beautiful women, but I just greeted them with a quick handshake and turned my eyes to Vivi, who was still hugging Cesar.
" And you, César? How are you? " I said, already stretching my hand in a greeting, to which he replied without releasing Viviane from her arms.
" I'm great, as you can see," he said, squeezing Viviane even more in his arms. " It's been a while since we've seen each other, right?”
" It's true, " I answered only.
I tried to hide my displeasure. He would wait for the appropriate moment to speak with Vivi. It wouldn't draw people's attention to us.
Soon I had a glass of drink in my hand and everyone was exchanging a word or two among themselves. It was difficult to engage in a longer conversation due to the loud music inside the club, despite being at a much lower volume than in the lower hall, where there was also the dance floor.
Hours passed and I didn't get any opportunity to talk to Viviane discreetly. I was already thinking about leaving and postponing our meeting until tomorrow, as she had suggested by message, after all, I couldn't lose everything by impulsive gestures when Vivi approached João Pedro, who was next to me and I could hear clearly what she said.
" Let's go, João Pedro," he said and made a gesture to the watch on his wrist. "It's past two o'clock and you know I don't like to stay later than that."
Viviane was a little upset, I could tell by the way she spoke. I couldn't understand why, despite not having tried to talk to me at any time, nor to her, I had been attentive to her movements and I didn't see anything that could have caused her apparent bad mood.
" Would you be very upset if I begged for another thirty minutes? " My brother said, smiling and putting his hands together as if in supplication. " Please…”
Viviane ended up smiling with the puppy dog face my brother was putting on and at that moment I saw the opportunity I had been waiting for all night.
"Feel free, brother. I'm already leaving anyway, I can take Viviane home " I said in a carefree way, with an air of boredom and even so my brother looked at me suspiciously.
" Are you sure you don't mind taking Vivi home?”
" I don't need anyone to take me home. I'll wait for you, JP" Viviane said, looking at me with an upset expression.
She didn't even look like the love-struck girl I held in my arms a week ago. And I tried to contain my temper, I didn't like to be contradicted, and I just said:
" It's up to you. It wouldn't be a problem for me, after all, we live on the same property," I looked at her firmly so that she understood the message.
" Go with Felipe, Vivi! What's the problem? I know you're not the best friends in the world, but it's just a ride " João Pedro insisted, helping me without even knowing it.
" Guys, I'm leaving. Want a ride, Vivi? " The girl named Julia spoke, making me extremely upset.
Why did she have to show up right now with this offer?
" Are you leaving with the guy you met here at the club? " Viviane asked her friend.
From the expression on her face and the way she asked, I understood that she didn't like the idea, which turned out to be a good thing for me.
" Yes, friend. But no need to worry, he lives in the same building as me. Look what a coincidence! " she said excitedly.
" I don't like the idea, Júlia... You just met! Who says he actually lives in your building? And even if he does, that doesn't guarantee he's a good person. You better take an Uber. I can accompany you."
" Oh, friend! You are so straight! I'm going with Max. I have decided. And you, are you going with us or not?”
While the two debated, my brother and I just listened without interfering. We waited for Viviane to decide, without pressuring her, no matter how much I wanted to get involved and decide for Viviane, it wasn't right.
I was quite relieved when she finally said to her friend:
"Go with Max then. I'm going with João Felipe. He's already on his way out, and you don't have to go out of your way to drop me off."
Júlia said goodbye to us and also to César and Cecília, who were dancing next to us, and left accompanied by Max.
" Shall we go, Viviane? " I called when I saw that she was talking to her friends. I believe she was saying goodbye to them because soon she was hugging César and his friend.
" JP, are you sure you won't leave now? You're not even drinking today! Why are you staying here? " Viviane questioned my brother and I found his behavior strange.
After all, it was great that João Pedro stayed at the club and that it was just the two of us leaving. That way we would have our moment alone without arousing suspicion.
" I have my eye on a kitten I saw near the bar, " my brother explained, smiling.
" But I just saw you talking to your friend Jack!”
" It was exactly at that time that I saw the cat, Vivi.”
" I understood. All is well then. Take care! " said Viviane, hugging and kissing my brother as if they didn't see each other every day, I thought, upset with Vivi's delay.
I said goodbye to my brother and his friends with just a nod and we finally left the club.
We went in silence, with me directing Viviane by the waist, but she seemed aloof and I just touched her lightly, just to indicate where my car was.
When we were already in the car, on the way to the mansion, I decided to break the silence, because I was already feeling uncomfortable.
" Why are you upset?”