books, and terms from the city, he says that everyone there had some kind of power, and that they were called “Turra”, which the people of Itapuã laughed, because in their language “turra” was what they called a stubborn person.

“Turra...” - Davi sighed. – “Then there are others like that!”

“Yes.” – Pedro replied with a sad smile.

From then onwards, the meetings between the two friends, instead of playing games, they were dedicated to learning to control their powers.

Davi's mother found out about her son's power, he didn't tell her, even a year after discovering the ability. So she told Davi that most of the people of Rio das Dores had similar power, and when the boy asked why no one used power, the mother gave the last answer Davi could have ever thought: their power couldn't be used for anything useful.

“My power is not useless!” – Davi shouted, walking agitatedly from one side to the other in front of Pedro, who remained impassive, sitting under the Ipê. – “It isn't!”

“Of course it is not.” – Pedro tried to calm his friend down, but the other was practically fuming, so he gave up.

“There must be a way! I already control it well, but there must be a way to get better, to be of some use.”

Despite not answering, Pedro was left with the idea ruminating in his mind.

“Hurry up, you tapir!” – The smaller boy whispered loudly as he dragged Davi through the dark streets still lifeless in a September dawn.

“Pedro, the sun hasn't even risen, for lord's sake!” – Davi whispered back, which in his style was the same thing as screaming.

"But do you know what day it is?" – Pedro retorted with a sly smile, when Davi's eyes sparkled with joy, and another emotion that Pedro didn't know yet, Pedro continued. – “Today, when the first sunlight hits the Ipê at the top of the hill, it will shine in two different colors! Isn't that amazing?”

“Oh. That.” – Davi withered a little.

“Let's go!” – Pedro pretended not to notice his friend's joy fading, and smiled to himself, everything was according to plan.

Davi had always been the taller of the two, but six years after their first bump, he was almost a foot taller. Pedro, thirteen years old now, had barely grown up since he was ten years old. And that went into the list of things Davi and Pedro didn't have in common. Davi was also slender, but he kept saying that he would like to be stronger like Pedro, which Pedro replied by asking if Davi was calling him fat, to which Davi just replied yes, and that Pedro was very, very handsome.

“Tired?” – Davi asked, taking his friend out of his reverie.

“Why?” – Pedro looked confused, they were almost at the top of the hill.

“You're all red.” – Davi pointed it out.

Pedro felt his face burning with embarrassment, and he walked even faster up the hill, the sun touching the Ipê canopy just ahead. The boy walked, picking up the basket he had left under the Ipê, removing a lining from it and spreading the cloth on the ground.

When Davi finally caught up with him, Pedro was already seated, arranging trays of sandwiches, sweets, and a chocolate cake. Davi felt tearing up.

“You don't need to get all emotional. You know very well that this Ipê have just one and only color.”

“Did you prepare all this for me?” – Davi said with his voice almost a whisper, which was impressive for Pedro, Davi never really whispered.

“Of course not, I made it all for myself, it's just a coincidence that it's your fifteenth birthday.”

“Yea, right.” – Davi said throwing himself next to Pedro, and almost dropping everything in the process. Pedro wanted to be angry, but there was no way he could be angry with Davi smiling at him as if he had put all the stars in the sky. – “What's the special occasion then? You didn't wake me up at dawn just to have a snack, right?”

“Okay, I will grant you. Happy birthday to you tapir.” – Pedro muttered, crossing his arms, until Davi threw himself on top of him, holding him in an embrace that looked more like an attempt at strangulation.