~CALI~

We were walking for a few minutes, we followed Lana who still did not tell us where we were going and wanted it to be a surprise, I really trust her so I feel safe but Evan fears that it is a joke in bad taste. I don't really know Lana very much, but I don't think she's one of those typical teenagers who like to humiliate others or do bad things, I see her totally different and I hope I'm not wrong.

  "This is a bad idea, Cali," Evan whispered to me as he looked at Lana who was in front of us.

  "Don't be scared, nothing will happen," I replied and took his arm to keep her walking.

  We walked a few more meters until we reached a house that was a little away from the town, it was a huge lot and it was full of trees that covered it. We both looked at Lana, she turned to look at us and pointed to the place.

  "This was my grandfather's cabin, no one comes here anymore so we can be calm," she replied, Evan looked at me raising an eyebrow and I ignored him, "want to come in?"

  I nodded and she stepped aside for us to go through, I went first and Evan followed me, he felt a little scared and understood because it was all very dark. Lana closed the door behind us and turned on the light. The cabin was beautiful but it was full of dust and furniture covered by fabrics so that they would not get dirty, she removed the fabric from the sofa and sat down, she looked a little nervous to be judged, but I seemed like a nice gesture to leave that we stay here. I looked at the fireplace and on top of it there was a photo, I approached to see it, there was a man and a girl on a swing you could tell they were having a nice time, I assumed it was Lana because her red hair was shining. I smiled and Lana came over to me, took the photo with her hands and gave her a sad smile, then put it away.

  "Is that girl you?" she just nodded and sat back on the sofa, I didn't want to ask any more and I just kept silent.

  Evan was looking carefully at the books that were on a shelf, they seemed to be concentrating and I didn't want to disturb him, I sat next to Lana and took my cell phone to check the time; It was already almost eleven at night and I was thinking about how to get back to Wendy's house without her noticing that I left, perhaps not even noticing if I did not go for a few days but I prefer not to find out.

  It was very quiet, none of the three spoke and I did not want to be the first to speak, so I looked at my cell phone and started playing, while Evan continued with the books and Lana was still looking at the photo that was previously in the fireplace. I sighed, I was getting bored and I didn't want to spend the whole night in silence, neither of them dared to speak or perhaps they were distracted.

  "What do we do?" I finally said and they both turned to see me.

  "Here's a card game," Evan pointed out, "Shall we play?"

  We both nodded and he came over to us, sat on the floor and began to remove the deck of cards. I loved playing cards, I always played with my old friends on weekends when it was almost dawn, they were very nice memories and I love to remember them again, they were a big part of my happiness. I would like to create a bond of friendship like that with Lana and Evan, they are both very good and although I do not know them much they behaved very well with me, I see them full of good energy and I would like to surround myself with people like that, I hope we become too confident and be great friends.

(...)

  I woke up suddenly, I had slept on the couch next to Lana while Evan slept on the floor, I quickly checked the time and it was almost time to go to school. I got up quickly and took my things, apparently I picked up Lana since she was looking at me confused and I made a face.

  "Is something wrong?" she asked and sat down on the sofa.

  "It's almost time to go to school, if Wendy wakes up and doesn't see me in the house she'll kill me," I said and her eyes widened.

  "Shit, we fell asleep" she got up and began to shake Evan to wake up, he seemed not to want to do it, "Evan!" She yelled at him and he got up with a start.

  He frowned: "Are you crazy? You almost scared me to death,” he replied.

  "It's late, idiot," she told him, "get up, if you don't want to be late."

  He seemed to notice and got up from the floor, rubbed his face and looked still with a frown. They both took their things and we left the place.

  "Can you lend me some clothes, Cali?" Lana asked me and I looked at her confused.

  "Sure, but first I have to see if Wendy is in the house."

  "It's just that I can't go to my house, my mother will find out that I wasn't with Federick and she'll be angry, but I can't go to school like that either," she commented and I nodded.

  "I'll go to my house to change and see you at the institute," Evan said and we both nodded, "see you later girls."

  "See you later, Evan," we salute in unison.

  We started walking towards Wendy's house, inside I prayed that she was not at home and would not scold me, I was not used to going out without permission and in general my parents always let me go out wherever I wanted but I never abused it. We finally arrived and I could see the lights off, so she wasn't there or she was still asleep, I made a sign to Lana to wait for me and I went into the house, I looked at the whole place and luckily she didn't seem to be here. I sighed and made a sign for Lana to enter, she obeyed me and entered the house. We went up to my room and I began to look through my clothes for something that she would like. She sat on my bed while looking around the room, I was terrified to think that she might be judging how ugly the room is but a part of me was sure she wasn't, she looked at me and smiled at me. Finally I gave her some light blue jeans, a yellow shirt and a white sweatshirt, she gratefully accepted them.

  "You can change here, I'll wait for you downstairs," I said and she nodded.

  I went to the kitchen, leaving her alone in the room, so that I would not bother her and I was too hungry, I needed to see that we could have breakfast. I opened the refrigerator and there were not too many things, I took a jam and started to toast bread, while the toasts were being made I sent a message to Evan notifying him that we had already arrived at my house and that we would see him at the institute, he answered me instantly telling me he was about to go to high school. When Lana appeared in the kitchen the toasts were already made and I was spreading the jam on them, she looked very pretty with the clothes I gave her and I think she was fascinated, she looked totally different than when she wears her daily outfits of basic colors. I offered her a toast and she accepted it as she sat down at the kitchen table.

  "You have a good taste in clothes," Lana said and took a bite of toast.

  "Thanks, I don't usually wear flashy colors anymore," I replied and ate my toast.

  "Why not?"

  "Because I just lost the taste for it, I feel like I look more mature with darker colors."

  "It's ridiculous, I love vibrant colors but my mother doesn't," she made a face, "says I'm a little girl and men don't like that."

  I couldn't help laughing.

  "Sorry, that's ridiculous," I commented and she giggled.

  "I know, but my mother is raised the old fashioned way and thinks I need a man to live."

  That was true, most parents think that way about their daughters, they do not see us as independent people but as an object for men and that has been implemented for centuries. It is too unfair, we have the right to live on our own without being tied to any man and we can do the same activities as them. We are women with skills, strengths and performances, we can also fend for ourselves, we can work and earn a living without the need for a man who mistreats us to support us, I really don't see my life like that and my mother used to tell me since I was a child, I am a powerful woman and all women are.

  "I understand you, my grandparents thought that way too," I commented.

  "It's an ugly thought, thank God that society is changing."

  "You're right, but good things have bad consequences," I sighed and she nodded.

  "I long for the day when women have the same rights as men, that they listen to us."

  I really shared their thinking, we do not seek to be superior to them but we seek equality, we want to be considered as people and not as objects, that they stop sexualizing us and take us seriously.

  "I hope the same," I checked the time on my cell phone, "we should go now."

  "Won't you change?" she asked me, it's true, I was wearing the same clothes as yesterday.

  I grimaced, nodded and went up to my room, took the first thing I found and put it on, grabbed my things and quickly went downstairs. I made a sign to Lana so that we could leave, she followed me and we walked to the institute, I was still hungry but we could eat something at the institute or maybe later when we go out, I would love to invite you to a picnic day or something like that, since they were very generous with me. We finally got there and Evan was waiting for us at the door pointing at his watch.

  "A little late, ladies," he notified.

  "We know, but we were talking and the time has passed," Lana commented, "Have you been here long?"

  "A few minutes ago, but no one has entered class yet," Evan replied.

  "Lucky for us, we won't be the only ones to scold," Lana said and we laughed.

  We entered the institute and I had class with Evan so we said goodbye to Lana, she went to her class and we went to ours. History, it is not something that I liked very much but I understood it, so I was not going to have a problem with that subject this year or that is what I hope.
I sat next to Evan at the end of the room, by the window, he was reading a book while he waited for the teacher to enter and I was just watching through the window. Today was a quiet day, it was not too cold or too hot, it was a pleasant environment and I liked that. There weren't many people in the room and I liked that too, they were all focused on their things and I was enjoying the silence, Evan was still in his book, it seemed interesting. The teacher entered the classroom and everyone fixed their attention on him, he was a tall and very skinny man, he seemed to be about fifty-something years old, his face expressed the feeling of fatigue and in his right hand he carried a black briefcase full of protruding leaves. He sighed and put his briefcase on the desk without saying a word, then he sat down and began to arrange more papers, something told me that this class would be completely boring. Now I sighed, I did not feel like being here, Evan looked at me and made a face of disgust and I knew that I was not the only one who would not like the class, maybe the appearance deceived us and ended up being a funny teacher, or that is what I want to happen. I grimaced, nodded and went up to my room, took the first thing I found and put it on, grabbed my things and quickly went downstairs. I made a sign to Lana so that we could leave, she followed me and we walked to the institute, I was still hungry but we could eat something at the institute or maybe later when we go out, I would love to invite you to a picnic day or something like that, since they were very generous with me. We finally got there and Evan was waiting for us at the door pointing at his watch.

  "A little late, ladies," he notified.

  "We know, but we were talking and the time has passed," Lana commented, "Have you been here long?"

  "A few minutes ago, but no one has entered class yet," Evan replied.

  "Lucky for us, we won't be the only ones to scold," Lana said and we laughed.

  We entered the institute and I had class with Evan so we said goodbye to Lana, she went to her class and we went to ours. History, it is not something that I liked very much but I understood it, so I was not going to have a problem with that subject this year or that is what I hope.
I sat next to Evan at the end of the room, by the window, he was reading a book while he waited for the teacher to enter and I was just watching through the window. Today was a quiet day, it was not too cold or too hot, it was a pleasant environment and I liked that. There weren't many people in the room and I liked that too, they were all focused on their things and I was enjoying the silence, Evan was still in his book, it seemed interesting. The teacher entered the classroom and everyone fixed their attention on him, he was a tall and very skinny man, he seemed to be about fifty-something years old, his face expressed the feeling of fatigue and in his right hand he carried a black briefcase full of protruding leaves. He sighed and put his briefcase on the desk without saying a word, then he sat down and began to arrange more papers, something told me that this class would be completely boring. Now I sighed, I did not feel like being here, Evan looked at me and made a face of disgust and I knew that I was not the only one who would not like the class, maybe the appearance deceived us and ended up being a funny teacher, or that is what I want to happen. Evan put his book aside and gave me a half smile, then he looked back at the teacher who still did not say a word, we were all silent and apparently no one would speak until the teacher did.