"Perfect! That's it ! Yes, Freya! Keep on going !"
Freya held her position with a broad smile on her lips despite the pain and fatigue flowing along her veins. Hugo seemed to share her enthusiasm, leaving Denitseï to observe the duo with pride.
She rested her two crossed hands on the top of her cane before tilting her head."Well, that's a big improvement. I don't know what you did Hugo but Freya is finally in it."
"Ah, I wish I could say it came from me." Replied the brown immediately as he looked admiringly at his partner."But obviously, it all comes from Freya."
The brunette felt a slight blush color her cheeks under the praises of the duo before being caught up by her perfectionist spirit."We're not yet completely ready. There is still much to master to achieve perfection."
"Perfection is not attainable, Freya." Denitseï declared seriously as she observed the brunette attentively."But if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence."
****************
"So are you going to the future Mrs. Montesinos?"
Freya widened her eyes at Rebecca's hint before giving an alert look at Nadia. The latter straightened up immediately in confusion before giving a look in sign of question on Rebecca.
The latter immediately left a laugh at the ignorance of their Muslim friend."Oh I see. So I wasn't the only one who didn't know anything. Kind of reassuring."
"Are you finished?" Freya breathed, rolling her eyes in embarrassment.
Nadia gave Freya a new look at the insistence. "What is she talking about?"
"Do you tell her or am I doing it?" Asked the tall brunette immediately, raising her eyebrows in the challenge. Freya clenched her jaw in response."I caught Mister Chile sucking her face in the locker room the other day."
"Oh... uh," Stammered Nadia in shock before immediately turning to Freya with an incredulous smile."Valerio?"
"Shhhh ..." Immediately intervened the brunette as she gave a nervous look around them before grimacing as she gave an imploring look on her two friends."You can't tell anyone."
Nadia frowned in confusion before giving her a curious look. "But ... are you together or it's just ..."
"What? No! We are ... well, I really like him."
"No, fucking way!" Rebe exclaimed in disbelief."Mister Chile knows love?"
This time Freya gave a flat look to the brunette letting Rebe raise her hands in surrender.
"Okay, does the Latin barbie know?"
Freya's eyes widened immediately, shaking her head fiercely."No, no, no. And you can't tell her."
"Why ? He's her brother. And then she's your friend, right?" Nadia asked in confusion.
Freya tilted her head taking a deep breath before puckering her lips."I don't know why, but Valerio doesn't want her to know. He accepts my conditions. I can't ask him too much."
"Well, I can't really blame him. Barbie latin is a bitch. She would probably try to harm you if she sees you happy."
Freya immediately shook her head in the objection."She wouldn't do that."
Rebe hummed in objection letting Freya immediately look at Nadia in the hope that she would back up her words. However, the brunette just avoided her gaze by looking back at her lunch.
Freya immediately left a scoff before turning to Rebe again."Lucrecia is not as bad as you imagine."
"She told me that I shouldn't even exist." Rebe reminded, letting Freya give her a flat look.
"Right after you spilled a glass on her dress." Argued Freya before giving an insistent look at Nadia in the hope of gaining her support."Come on, Nadia. You've known her for longer than us."
The brunette immediately left a strangely bitter scoff."Trust me, Lucrecia is not what you imagine. She's much worse in reality."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
Suddenly Nadia got up from her chair to hurriedly pick up her things."Look, she's your friend and I respect that. But she's not who you think she is, Freya. You should beware."
Freya and Rebe found themselves staring at the slender back of the brunette before turning to each other, puzzled.
"What was that ?"
"No idea."
***************
"So, what do you think of a shopping spree? Do you think you would have time after your piano lesson?"
Freya leaned against the locker next to Lu with her arms crossed over her chest before giving a puzzled look at the brunette."Shouldn't you be revising for future exams?"
"Mhm, I don't think I need it." Replied the brunette with a secret smile letting Freya frown on the brunette Montesinos.
"And clearly, what does that mean?"
Lucrecia closed her locker with that same strange smile before throwing her hair on her shoulder confidently."It means I made sure I got the highest mark. That's all."
"You mean a bit like what you did earlier with Guzmàn?" Freya said somewhat wary."Why did you help Samuel?"
Lucrecia slightly lowered her smile before swallowing as she turned to Freya."Look, you know me. I always have a hidden agenda. But you're probably not going to like the answer so..."
"So I'm supposed to close my eyes, right?" Freya replied, annoyed by Lucrecia's behavior."No matter what you plan, don't take it out on my friends, Lu."
"Your friends ? And what about me?" Argued immediately Lu, signing her herself with her finger.
Freya glanced over the brunette's shoulder, clenching her jaw before giving an almost pleading look at the brunette Montesinos."Don't make me choose, Lu."
"Yet life is a matter of choice." Lu insisted as she walked over to Freya before adjusting the collar of her blazer. She looked up at her face again with that same wicked smile that Freya hated to see on her lips."I love you very much, Freya. You're my closest friend. But if you can't bear the truth, you shouldn't be asking for it. Okay, darling?"
She pressed her index finger against the tip of her nose condescendingly before jumping on her high heels as she turned around.
Freya let out a sigh as she watched the brunette's back move away before shaking her head in exhaustion. She didn't have the time or even the inclination to manage the consequences of Lucrecia's actions.
******************
Her finger absently dragged along the wide selection of snacks available to the machine for sale.
She whispered under her breath the number of calories of each before suddenly startled as she felt a familiar warm breath against her neck."You should choose the cherry candies."
To support his point, Valerio pressed the number corresponding to his choice of snack for her.
Freya rolled her eyes with a small smile as she saw the brown through the glass of the vending machine before leaning to retrieve her snack. She turned to brown just to raise her eyebrows with a secret little smile."You just like the taste it has on my lips."
"I plead guilty, Mrs. Judge." Valerio recognized raising his eyebrows, suggestive.
Freya watched him with a smile before taking a discreet look around them. Once she made sure there was no one around, she hoisted herself on tiptoe to steal a kiss from him.
She took advantage of his surprise to withdraw almost immediately before puckering her lips with a snort as she hurried away.
She heard the brown leave a gasp."How could you?"
"It was a good luck charm for the test. God knows you're probably going to need it." Hailed Freya over her shoulder.
However, she soon heard the quick steps of the brown hastening to join her. He put his arm on her shoulders before leaning into her side."You're a dick tease."
Freya rolled her eyes as she entered the classroom before settling in her seat just to frown somewhat at the sight of Polo and Carla speaking together. Except that the duo hastened to straighten up when she arrived. She wrinkled her lips in embarrassment before sitting in silence.
"Good morning! What tired little faces you have. I hope that's from all the studying."
Freya gave Valerio a look with a smirk knowing full well that he was still exhausted from going out to the club before opening her kit with a sigh.
However, it was not long before she straightened up as the professor began to distribute the copies. She hastened to write her full name when her sheet was placed on her desk before pausing suddenly at the scream coming from the hallway. She watched as Guzmàn tried to get around his suspension but Azucena remained uncompromising.
Freya shook her head before looking at her test again.
****************
"Hey, Freya, wait! "
Freya paused in the hallway at Samuel's call just to display a broad smile at the sight of the little brown hastening to catch up with her."Samuel. How are you ?"
"I'm okay. I spoke to Nano." He replied, shrugging before walking to Freya's side.
Freya immediately looked sideways at the brown in the plot."Yeah? So? How did that happen ?"
"I told him we needed him." Samuel explained leaving Freya to nod her head with a small smile.
She was quick to enlarge the latter at the sight of Nadia and Valerio before heading to the duo.
She noticed Valerio suddenly get up from the sofa he was occupying to whisper in Nadia's ear.
Freya was quick to frown, however, as she saw Nadia clench her jaw while lowering her head.
Valerio also seemed tense as he looked at the brunette running away from his gaze before turning to pick up his bag.
However it didn't take long for him to freeze with wide eyes of panic as Freya stopped at their height as she gave a confused look at Nadia."Are you all right?"
Valerio gulped as he immediately gave Samuel a look of warning before turning to Nadia to see her looking between Freya and himself. It was obvious that Rebecca had sold the match for both of them.
However, he hadn't expected Freya to be this close when he told Nadia the truth. He couldn't lose Freya for such a stupid mistake.
He immediately straightened in agitation before rubbing his jaw."Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Uh, do you think you could come with me to the library?"
"Now ?" Freya asked with a small smile totally unaware of the situation.
Unfortunately the situation soon became complicated as Lu rushed straight on Samuel clearly oblivious to the presence of Freya."You're a dead man, you son of the bitch."
"The hell, Lu?"
The brunette paused with her lips parted in panic at the sight of Freya standing beside all the parties involved in her dirtiest secret."I, uh ... Freya ..."
"No, Lu." Freya stopped her immediately before shaking her head."I don't know what your problem is at all but I don't have time for that."
She pointed her finger at the strangely acting quartet before raising her hands in abandonment as she started walking backwards. She finally turned on her heels before continuing to move away clearly unconscious from the eyes fixed on her back.
***************
After such a day, Freya had only one desire and it was to stay as far away from everyone as possible. Including, Valerio.
He was obviously part of Lu's little secret and she wasn't sure if she liked all the lies. She had noticed things about him. He was not always there. And even then, he sometimes seemed to look guilty in her direction. As if he had something to hide.
She wanted to give him time to admit his secrets himself, but she was genuinely losing patience.
She sighed at the thought as she pushed open the door of the mansion. She was about to run straight to her room to retrieve her dance bag only Carmen's voice stopped her."Freya? Is that you?"
"Yeah? "
"Come into the living room, please."
Freya frowned as she glanced over her shoulder at the said living room."I have to go get my dance bag."
"It's important." Carmen insisted leaving Freya to take a break on the first step of the stairs.
She wrinkled her lips as she turned on her heels before letting another sigh as she headed for the living room. She approached the entrance to the huge living room open to the outdoor pool before suddenly taking a break from seeing their father.
The latter immediately raised his head at her approach leaving Freya to swallow before immediately seeking Luís' gaze. The little blond already seemed to be watching her as he motioned for her to join him on the opposite sofa from Sandvik.
Freya gave another look at Carmen in hesitation before giving in as her stepmother also motioned for her to join them. She absently bit onto her lower lip as she removed the strap of her bag from her shoulder before placing it against the foot of the sofa as she sat down.
She felt her Luís approach almost immediately. She took his hand in hers before laying her eyes on their expectant father.
However, it was Carmen who spoke."Your father asked for the right to return. And since he's part of this family, I decided to organize this meeting. From now on this family is a democracy."
"What's the point?" Asked Luís suddenly, looking up at their father resentfully."We already know he's going to come back whether we like it or not. And it will be exactly as before. Because he cannot do otherwise. We're his little soldiers, right Dad?"
Sandvik took a deep breath as he supported his son's gaze before stepping onto the edge of the couch with his elbows resting on his thighs. He rested his chin on his crossed hands as he pretended to think before tilting his head, wrinkling his lips.
"You want more freedom, right?"
"We want to see change." Freya said, speaking for the first time since arriving.
Sandvik immediately set his eyes on his daughter clearly surprised by her intervention before nodding. He looked sideways at Carmen before straightening up, clearing his throat."Fine. I chatted with Carmen. I could agree to agree to some sort of compromise."
"A compromise ? What's this shit?"
"Luís!" Carmen immediately warns severely before tilting her head, beckoning to their father."Listen to what he has to say."
Sandvik watched each of his reluctant children bend under their request. It didn't look like him.
However, he really had no choice.
Luís had told his shrink about their little incident and this little weasel had threatened Carmen to take custody of their child away from them. This had led Carmen to threaten him with a divorce and now he found himself bargaining with his own children.
It was a crappy situation.
However Sandvik was a businessman.
He knew how to negotiate in order to always come out a winner. And he knew his children.
He knew what they really needed.
They were young and as strong-minded as he was.
He had learned something in the past few months.
His children had grown up well and it was time for him to apply a new teaching measure.
The teaching of life itself.
They wanted to experiment? Make their own mistakes?
He was going to free them.
However, he already knew that it would take less than a month for his daughter to seek his advice again. Luís would have been a little longer. He had a harder time understanding what was going on in his head since the incident in Switzerland.
Unfortunately for him, he remained his son.
Sandvik knew it wasn't just a slap that would ruin his love for him.
Because despite everything, there was deep respect and love in this family.
"Fine. What are the conditions of this compromise?" Freya asked with a sigh.
Sandvik smirked as his daughter had just proved his thoughts before sitting confidently in the back of his seat."Only one sport. I leave you to abandon all the others as long as you devote entirely and fully to this sport. The rest of the time outside of high school is yours. And Freya, you won't have to get close to Hugo Escuarto. I admit that I have gone a little too far on this point."
"A little ?" Scoffed Luís before immediately frowning as Freya nudged him in the ribs."Wait, don't tell me you're really thinking about accepting?"
Freya frowned in turn before turning to her brother."Don't pretend you're not interested in his offer. You are mad at him, I'll get it. I am too. But dare to look me in the eye and tell me that you did not miss him during his absence?"
Luís clenched his jaw as he looked sideways at their father before swallowing as he rested his eyes on his sister. Freya arched an eyebrow challenging him to contradict her.
"One sport, you stop forcing Freya to go out with this loser and I want some recognition." Luís added, keeping their father's gaze confidently.
"It seems fair to me." Carmen agreed, looking at her husband expectantly."What do you think, Sandvik?"
Sandvik crossed his hands, nodding his head in agreement."I think we have a deal."