[Scene 1 – Sunday morning, Isa's house]
The sun filtered through Isa's curtains. She and Rafaela lay on the couch after the previous night's party. Isa's head still felt heavy from the noise, but Rafa looked more worn-out than usual.
Isa (yawning): "You drank more than you should've, didn't you?"
Rafaela (trying to joke): "Me? Never! Just… a few cups. Light stuff."
Isa (raising an eyebrow): "You're not fooling anyone, Rafa. I saw the way you were."
Rafa gives a nervous laugh, but silence quickly takes over. Isa finally blurts out:
Isa: "There's something between you and Claws, isn't there? Every time you talk to him… you look different."
Rafaela freezes. For a moment, Isa feels she crossed a line, but Rafa breathes deeply and decides to open up.
---
[Scene 2 – The Weight of the Past]
Rafa adjusts herself on the couch, hugging a pillow to her chest. Her eyes drift away, as if reliving a memory.
Rafaela (softly): "Isa… I never told anyone this. But you deserve to know. I don't want you to get the wrong idea about me and Claws."
Isa stays quiet, listening.
Rafaela: "The last time I went to a party with the crowd… it was awful. Claws and I argued right there. He accused me of drinking too much, I said horrible things to him. Told him he had no right to run my life. He got pissed and… we decided it was better to just stay friends. Nothing more than that."
Isa's eyes widen.
Isa: "You and him… almost had something?"
Rafaela (swallowing hard): "Yeah. But that night… everything changed."
She takes a breath, her gaze heavy.
Rafaela: "I drank way too much. More than I ever should've. In the end… some guys offered me a ride. I didn't even think, I just went. I could barely walk straight."
Isa holds her breath, her heart racing.
Rafaela (voice trembling): "They weren't taking me home, Isa. I realized too late. One of them had already… already put his hands on me. I couldn't fight back. I just remember the panic, thinking I was about to… about to be raped."
Isa squeezes her hand, eyes filling with tears.
Rafaela: "That's when Claws and my brother showed up. They tore those guys apart. Claws looked like a demon, he was so furious. My brother went crazy at me, but… he also fought with Claws, saying it was his fault, that he didn't protect me. But the truth is… I put myself in that situation."
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[Scene 3 – The Promise]
Rafaela wipes away a tear, trying to smile.
Rafaela: "After that night, I made two promises. The first, to Claws: that I'd never again put him in that position, having to choose between protecting me and throwing himself into trouble. The second, to my brother: that I'd try to control myself, stop using alcohol as… as an escape."
Isa stays silent, absorbing every word.
Rafaela: "And that's why there's nothing between me and Claws besides friendship. Because if there were… I'd end up dragging him even deeper. And he already carries too much."
Isa squeezes her hand tightly.
Isa (emotional): "Rafa… you don't have to carry this alone. I'm here. If you've got a problem with drinking, we'll face it together. You won't fall again, I promise."
Rafa forces a laugh, but her teary eyes betray her.
Rafaela: "You don't know how much that means to me, Isa. I just… I just don't want to disappoint anyone again."
---
[Scene 4 – Hospital, late afternoon]
The two go to visit Claws. He's still in the hospital, but smiles when he sees them.
Claws (teasing): "You two are turning into official visitors. Pretty soon the hospital's gonna start charging tickets."
Rafaela (quickly, to hide her emotion): "Shut up. We brought real food, so be grateful."
Isa notices the way Rafa looks at Claws — not simple affection, but something deeper, a mix of admiration, pain, and gratitude.
Isa (thinking): "She'll never admit it… but that bond is stronger than normal friendship. And yet… it's not love either. It's something different. Something even I can't understand."
As they chat, Rafa laughs and cracks jokes, but Isa notices her eyes always shine when Claws speaks.
---
[Scene 5 – Midnight, group chat messages]
Back home, the group chats over text.
Matheus: "Claws, once you're out of that hospital prison, we're throwing a barbecue."
Lucas: "As long as I'm not paying for the meat."
Diego: "Lucas the cheapskate detected."
Rafaela: "Isa and I will handle dessert. But no strong drinks, got it?"
Claws: "Wow… it's like you actually know what I like."
Isa (thinking, reading the messages): "Rafa really is trying to change. But she still has a long way to go."
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[Final Scene]
Rafaela, lying in bed, stares at the dark ceiling. Her hand still holds her phone, open to the last message she sent Claws:
> "Thanks for always saving me, even when I don't deserve it. I'll try to be better. For you. For my brother. For myself."
She closes her eyes, resolute.