He wrote briefly to Alvaro and had meanwhile reached the cars. He saw Laura leaning against a tree. She seemed to have been crying.
When she saw him coming, she tried to leave. But Juanma was faster. He took her arm and held her tight. "Now you can say I held you," he said.
Laura gave him an angry look. "What do you want from me," she said. He held her arm to her wrist and texted Alvaro that everything was ok.
"You hurt me," said Laura.
"Then don't fidget, rather explain to me why you weren't at the exit, as agreed."
"I did not know it"
"Alvaro told you," said Juanma. Laura looked at the floor.
"Yes what? I can do what I want. You have nothing to say to me."
"Maybe not me, but Ramiro and Mercedes. And if in doubt, your parents."
When Laura didn't say anything, Juanma said a little more calmly, "Don't you want to tell me what's going on."
"What should be going on"
"Well obviously you cried. The second time today."
"You don't want to sing with me and I don't want to talk to you," said Laura in a defiant voice.
"Ok, I can live with that. Then you come with me to the others. We have to go back. And it is customary for us not to leave anyone behind, no matter how bad they behave."
He turned and pulled Laura with him.
"Do you have a handkerchief" she asked a little more meekly. "I don't want that the others ..."
"Alright, will you stay here if I let go of you now?"
Laura nodded. Juanma found a folded handkerchief in his jeans. With a slight grin he said "Just washed with my Jeans twice."
Laura had to laugh. Her mascara was smeared. Juanma took his cell phone and turned on the front camera. "That way you can better see where to swipe," he said as he held the cell phone in front of her nose.
When Laura looked relatively normal again, she said "thank you."
"You are welcome," said Juanma and turned back to join the others. Alvaro came towards him. "She made a mistake about the exit," said Juanma and gave Alvaro a quick pat on the shoulder. " We have to go."
Alvaro nodded and looked briefly at Laura. "Well, she's finally coming too," said Lupe in an extremely annoyed tone. "Very nice, I didn't want to stay here."
"Just be quiet," said Laura.
"You don't tell me what to do. You come here and think you're particularly great. I say what I want and when I want and to whom I want. I've been as good as you for a long time"
Agos and Sofie pulled Lupe back while Alvaro walked between them. "Enough now Laura didn't know exactly where we would meet, but we have to go back now."
"It's clear Laura didn't know," said Lupe to Sofie, clearly audible.
"I didn't know, I'm new here, have you forgotten? In the city, in the country and on the continent." Laura called after Lupe. Lupe turned back around. "Nobody asked you to come here and the way you behave, nobody wants you here"
"I don't want you ..." started Laura and Juanma intervened. "I think you should both take a deep breath and say nothing more"
When they arrived at the school, Laura disappeared immediately, the others said goodbye to Gaspar.
When Juanma and Alvaro were in the room with the girls, Juanma told how he had really found Laura.
"We should watch that and maybe talk to Ramiro. There must be a reason that she was crying.
"Hasn't everyone here cried before? If she has her boyfriend in France, she will just miss him," said Zoe.
They were all tired and snuggled into the beds.
"Lupe gave her a good contra," said Mia. "But I can understand it a little too. She can be really impossible."
"But Lupe might see how she always behaved."
"But we can also see from Lupe's example that we shouldn't give up hope." said Mia.
She snuggled into Alvaro's arms. "All in all, it was a great evening and a great game of yours today." Alvaro gave her a kiss. "I can only play well when you are with me," he said softly.
"I'll never leave you alone at the game," Mia whispered.
"I'll take you at your word" laughed Alvaro. He pulled her close and closed his eyes. He still had the music in his ears.
Juanma and Zoe were on the one hand tired, on the other hand a little exalted by the music in the evening. Juanma was lying on his back and had Zoe in his arms. she rested her head on his chest and focused on his heartbeat.
"I wonder if Laura hoped that it will be you who will find her?"
"I don't think so. Maybe she didn't even think about it. She was pretty upset."
Zoe nodded. "The main thing is that everything is good. It was important that we all get here again together."
"
