I closed my eyes to absorb the impact and, when I opened them, I saw lots of faces looking down at me. There were the twins, Clarissa and Raíssa, there was Romina, who was with me before I fell, and Wallace, Thomás and Gabi, who looked like she was about to cry. Then Ulisses approached us, holding hands with that girl. That reminded me of the reason I had fallen, and I started bawling my eyes out. I cried so much that anyone would think I had broken a bone.

After doing a quick test, and realizing that, in spite of my scraped right knee and forearmI could move both legs and arms, and slightly scratched forehead, Jana put the crying down to he chock of tripping and rolling all the way down the cement stairs. But she wouldn't know that something did break in a thousand pieces: my heart. And what made it hurt even more was that I realized I was faling in love with someone, but that love was unrequited. Not only that, but it was clear he liked someone else. 

I couldn't understand. I didn't remember him bringing up a girlfriend in our conversations, or even to Jana. But why would he mention someone he was seeing to me? I thought we were closer, but apparently, not that close. I tried to remember any girl names he might have mentioned in passing. What's worse, he wouldn't even look me in the face! I tried to ask him without words, to survey his features for some answer, when he approached me. But all I got was a vague and distant expression. I lowered my gaze, and saw his fingers intermingled with a well-manicured hand, that belonged to that girl. Not only that, but he walked away with the girl, as soon as Jana proclaimed I would be fine.

She was even prettier, from up close. She was probably about 18 years old. Her makeup, creamy nude pink lipstick and light brown eyeshadows, looked natural and so sophisticated! Her blond hair was short and wavy, darker in the roots. She wore a plaid white, mustard yellow and black shorts skirt, with a mustard tanktop tucked in, and black bra straps showing under it.  I looked down at her legs. She had two mechanic legs! She was pretty, she was stylish, she was older and probably more experienced (Romina's words about his own experience haunted me), and they had a lot in common. She must know exactly what to say to him. Next to her, I looked like a whiny, scraped kneed little girl. The only plus side to having everyone witness my public humiliation, was that the pain in my eyes and the tears that fell could be put down to the fall. 

"I still think you should have some X-rays done. And then go straight home." Jana said. "As for you, guys, back to class. Malu will go ahead with the warm-up for me."

"But... what about rehearsals?" I said. "If I miss practice everything will get behind schedule, and we are late as it is"

"Are you insane, kid? Just this minute you were crying your eyes out like you had broken every single bone in your body. And I won't have you back here until we make sure that nothing is wrong with you. Don't even think about coming here until at least Monday A gente dá um jeito enquanto isso."

"Tia Jana, I sent a voice note to my mom. She is on her way to pick us up..." Gabi said.

"Where do you think you're going?" I asked. "I'm going. You didn't get hurt, Gabi. And I won't have you miss practice because of me. You have responsibilities here. I'll see you at home. And there is the Halloween party we're getting ready for, this weekend."

When I mentioned the party, Jana's eyebrows furrowed so heard at me they almost reached her mouth. 

"Estrela, don't go making any party plans before we know you can make it to the recital."

I felt fear take over me, a lump went up my throat, and I was about to cry all over again. That was another thing I could lose in one day.  

"But you said I didn't break anything!"

 "I'm not a doctor! I was making sure you didn't have a concussion and that you could move, which is probably a good sign. But you are going with your aunt, to have these X-rays done. If you are clear and if you are okay by Monday, we'll talk. I do not want case of... " and she looked over at Ulisses, who still sat looking pale and mute in a bench on the corner. 

"Excuse me" The girl that was with Ulisses went over to us and knealt next to me. "There is a very good hospital, just across the street. My dad works there. Are you insured... what is your name again?"

"It's Estrela. And I have no idea if they take my health insurance. I need to check with my aunt. she is on her way."

"I can ask them for you, if you want."

What business did she have, being so nice and helpful and making it so hard for me to hate her?

"It's ok. My aunt is taking me"I said, and I realized I sounded raspier than I intended. What was going on with me? The girl's eyes bulged open. "Thank you", I added. to be polite. 

"It's Beatriz. Call me Bia." She smiled at me. "I'd say it's a pleasure to meet you, but I can tell you look anything but pleased. 

"I'm coming with you, Estrela". Romina. "I don't have have rehearsals until later. We can meet your aunt by the door, go to the hospital in a jiff, in and out, you get checkked and I come back to keep everyone posted."

"Look for Gil", Bia insisted. "I'm calling him!"

What was with this girl? Why did she have to be so impossibly kind? And what was up with Ulisses? How come he just looked from afar, and didn't say a single word to me?

I ended up agreeing with Jana and Bia. I couldn't reject Bia's offer without sounding stubborn or snobbish, especially after Jana called and found out my health insurance did in fact cover that hospital. My aunt was already by the door, and looked relieved at the sight of me walking, even if I was limping. Apparently, Gabi's message to her made my accident look scarier than it had been in reality. By the time we got to the hospital, Dr Gil, doctor in his forties, was waiting for us at the door, and he met us after I had my X-rays done. He was just as reassuring and kind as Bia.

"How did you get that Estrela?" perguntou ele. "Was it during skating? I thought you had to wear protection."

"I do wear pads in class. We wear all kinds of protection. But I didn't fall in class per se. I fell down cement stairs in the garden outside." I felt embarrassed just recanting that. 

He made a face. 

"Were you running down those stairs again?" Aunt Alicia asked, looking exasperated and angry.

"I promise I didn't run." I said.

"We were just sitting on the steps, all the way in the top, she stood up wrong and tripped on her own foot." Romina volunteered. "I was with her."

"Your daughter was very lucky". o Dr Gil said, looking from her to my X-ray results. 

"Erm... she is my aunt." I corrected him awkwardly, just as she asked "Lucky?".

"Extremely. With that kind of fall, she didn't bump her head, break any bones, and didn't even tear a ligament. You could have died, young lady. But all you had was a light contusion on your right knee and where you scraped your forearm and elbow."

"Oh, to be fourteen. These days I get a stiff neck from sleeping wrong." Aunt Alicia mused. 

We won't have to put it on a cast. I'll just have the nurse clean it and cover it for you. I'm prescribing some painkillers, ice and rest, for three days. And I want you to come here on Monday, if it does not get better."

"Don't worry, Doctor." she said. 

but we weren't done with surprises. When I was finally free to go, and we were leaving the hospital, me with bandaged hand and foot, using my aunt and my friend as crutches, the very last person I wanted to see stood before us. 

"Excellent. This day just gets better and better." I said out loud. "Did you call her, tia?" I asked, feeling betrayed before even knowing the answer.

She shook her head vigorously. "I wouldn't go behind your back like that, sweetie. I promise." she said to me. And then she let go of my arm, and walked up to her sister. 

"What are you doing here, Camila?" she asked.  

 "Yeah, who did call you here?" I said, feeling my heart race and my face warm, all signs of an iminent anxiety attack. 

"I came to see my daughter! I went to try and see you in that skating school of yours and someone told me you were in the hospital. That you had just been in an accident!"

"It was nothing serious, Camila", Aunt Alicia said, trying a conciliatory tone. If you want, later I can just...".

I felt myself getting short of breath. My heart was beating even faster.

"I dont want to hear from my daughter from a lousy email or text message!" she yelled, but the word she used wasn't lousy. I'm over this! You think I don't know you and mom have been putting my daughter against me?"

It was my second public humiliation that way. My second scene in front of a lot of people. 

"People are looking, Camila." Alicia insisted. "We are all very nervous. Can we please talk later?"

That was my cue.

"No!" I yelled. 

Everyone looked at me, still hunched over Romina. 

"I'm the one who is over this. I'm the one who does't wanna see you, mother!" I kept on bellowing, letting out all the frustration I had been feeling since this late morning. "What are you really doing here? Are you doing a react video? Are you here to film me losing it at you, to get pitty likes? Or do you want to take pics of my leg and expose the school for the stairs? Why don't you film me crying too, to get more impact! Isn't that what you did every day in the car, exposing my report cards and showing everyone every time I cried?" 

A Romina looked like she wanted very much to be swallowed by the earth. She turned to me, in a quiet voice. 

"I have to go, Estrela. I'm letting Jana and everyone know you are okay. I'm calling later to check in on you, okay. and will try to pass by your house with Gabi after practice."

"Thanks Romi. I smiled. Just go, before she makes you a part of her video!" 

And then I broke down for the second time that day.