When Chris set foot in the cafeteria, Theo bombarded him with questions, struggling to come to terms with what had just happened.

"You lucky bastard," he exclaimed, jostling his way through the throngs of new students shuffling about like zombies during the start of the school year. "Of course, this has to happen precisely when I'm not in your class."

He nudged a wide-eyed freshman out of the way, torn between an unappetizing hamburger and a greasy coxinha, and grabbed a bag of cheese snacks. "Do you think I can eat this one?" he asked, squinting at the fine print. 

"You know better than I do."

"Best not to risk it then." He made a face and returned the package to the lunch lady. "But tell me, how were your holidays?"

Chris felt acutely aware of his absence over the summer break, and oh, how he yearned to gush every minuscule discovery and every little secret he cleverly hid. But he was too much of a coward for that, so all he managed was a feeble smile. 

"I finished the last Mario game," he declared.

"Really? That's beyond lame. Well, at least you have the chance to do something worthwhile today. Don't you dare waste it."

A couple of hours later, as Chris walked to detention, he did precisely what Theo had demanded. Maybe, just maybe, it would help alleviate the guilt that gnawed at him from within—with each little lie, with each carefully crafted half-truth. In fact, guilt had become a constant companion for Chris, a persistent buzzing that ranged from a dull ache to an intolerable roar. On that particular day, its buzz was deafening.

Vinny leaned casually against the wall, engrossed in his phone and chewing gum with a brisk rhythm. Laura's group of friends passed by, and Clara strained her neck to catch a better glimpse of him. "Oh my God," she murmured, loud enough for Chris to overhear. "He’s so hot. I’m wet like a pool." The girls burst into impudent laughter, but their smiles faded as Samanta approached from the opposite direction. However, she seemed oblivious to their presence, pausing only momentarily to study Vinny as if he were a caged creature in a zoo. 

"Are you going to stand there like a fool? Let’s go," she called, shooting a quick glance back at him.

Vinny’s gaze widened, and Chris hurried to catch up, surveying the dreary and sterile surroundings as they entered the room. It was as if the place had been meticulously chosen to amplify the torment of detention. A small guillotine window provided meager illumination to the cramped space, barely able to accommodate ten individuals.

Inspector Claudio peered over his glasses, momentarily distracted from the faith-filled book he held. On the cover, two pious blue eyes stared back at Chris: "With His help, you can achieve anything." 

"Yeah, right," Chris scoffed, retrieving his cellphone and exhaling with a tinge of exasperation. But before he could delve into his messages, Vinny prodded him sharply.

 "Get ready," he hissed through gritted teeth, just as the classroom door banged open, causing the inspector to fling his book across the room.

Julia leaned breathless against the doorframe, perfectly tousled like a divine intervention. "Two girls are tearing each other apart in the courtyard. Hurry!" she managed to pant out between breaths. 

Claudio grumbled a curse, uneasily hoisted himself up and lumbered out of the classroom. "Stay put and keep an eye on them," he instructed, before disappearing into the hallway. 

The girl nodded and peered down the corridor, her breathing miraculously steadying. Then, she turned to the group, a mischievous smirk revealing the small gap between her front teeth. "Quick, now. Time is running out." 

Samanta trembled with excitement while Chris quivered with fear, his eyes darting from student to student. But he had no choice but to follow along.

Julia led the way, guiding them stealthily, their footsteps treading cautiously. But just as they slipped through the door, the inspector turned around, scowling at the teenagers frozen in terror, like statues trapped in a museum, the momentum stretching out endlessly. Claudio shifted his weight slightly, and a wave of horror washed over Chris. They were caught, there was no way out.

Julia made a face and screamed, "Run!" bolting wildly in the opposite direction, with Chris nipping at her heels, their sneakers squeaking on the polished floor.

They turned a corner, passed through a row of locked doors, and suddenly, the hot wind hit Chris's face like a blast from a bonfire, and he found himself in the middle of the spiraling green lawn. Julia's laughter danced ahead, her hair fluttering in the gusts like a vibrant flag. But as they neared the exit, she abruptly halted, causing Chris to collide into her back.

That was when he realized they were all alone.

"Where did they get themselves into?" she wondered aloud.

The answer came in the form of a piercing scream.

"Don’t you freaking let me fall!" Vinny yelled, dangling from one of the detention room windows as Samanta tried to assist him by grabbing his foot. 

"Just let go!" Samanta hollered back, and Vinny collapsed into her arms, sending them both tumbling into the nearest bush.

They clumsily picked themselves up and raced towards Chris, shouting for him to hurry, fear giving way to unbridled exhilaration.

One by one, they piled into Vinny’s car, Chris leaning against the trunk while Samanta wiped the sweat from her forehead. Silence hung in the air for a moment until they all looked at each other and erupted into laughter.

"We best be off before anyone catches us," Julia said, mischief glistening in her eyes as she climbed onto the car bed. Vinny and Samanta squeezed into the truck, leaving Chris to gaze at Julia in the sunlight. Her cascading hair framed her face and shoulders. And in that fleeting moment, Chris believed he never saw someone so maddeningly beautiful as she was. 

Only when she extended her hand, did he snap out of his daze. "We’ll drop you off at home." She grinned, the narrow gap between her teeth evident, the imperfection that, somehow, made her all the more perfect.

Chris took her hand, lingering in it for a second, and the truck roared back to life, its engine revving with untamed energy. Vinny thrust his arm out of the window, flipping off the school as they sped through the entrance, leaving the building shrinking in the rearview mirror. 

The truck surged forward on the open road, music pouring out of the speakers like a flood, inundating the truck bed with its powerful sound. Chris captured every word of the unfamiliar pop song, a tale of striking a bargain with God to switch places with a loved one, and finally understand the depths of their emotions—the tempest of feelings of loving someone. 

Julia caught his eye and stood on her feet, fingers gripping the edge of the driver's cab as the wind twisted her hair. And even though Chris was firmly planted in the back of the truck, for a brief suspended moment, he also knew what it was to fall. 

Then, Julia's eyes descended from the heavens, locking onto his, beckoning him to follow. 

He rose to meet her, lost in a trance, until he nearly touched her slender fingers, each nail adorned with a glimmering star shape, and everything became magnified. What was previously lost in a blurred background was overwhelmingly expanded, from the vibrant green of the leaves to the chocolate brown of Julia’s eyes. Suddenly, she opened her mouth and screamed—a wild, raw sound that echoed into the infinity before them.

Chris stared, awestruck, at the girl with whom he had exchanged mere fragments of conversation. And without warning, he was screaming too; emptying all the air, shattering the doors of his body wide open.

Everything was real.

Everything felt present.

Everything was in that moment.

He closed his eyes, letting the hot wind beat against his chest like a hundred butterflies' wings, while the sound escaped his lungs. 

Yes, he had already felt that: the breeze caressing his skin, the warmth of the sun; he had seen the achingly blue sky. But this time it felt different. It was like the first time. And it felt like heaven.