SMILING PINK MILKSHAKE

31 (ENGLISH)

Fiat looked at his old friend's face closely, especially his black eyes that, for the first time since he began to relate what happened three years ago, were shining with a light that was far from the sad and guilty look that he had always seen him have everytime someone mentioned his name.

But no more...

It was time for Krist to move on and hopefully, at the end, he would also be able to leave behind that past that was bounding him so he could continue ... with what?... He didn't know, but he certainly intended to find out.

- "I know that the police and all my family think that what happened was because I wanted to carry out that bet but the truth is quite different ..."

THREE YEARS AGO...

- "Wow ... so you're going to get into the canoe with the tuxedo..." - said the young boy who, with a surprised look on his face, was watching him from one of the seats of the small boat.

- "I hope it does not bother you ... I know that it is not very normal to want to go down the rapids in this way but I can assure you that I have the experience for that ... this is my fourth year here".

Gun smiled and nodded with a much calmer expression on his face.

- "The truth is that this is my first year ..." -  he muttered while, with some nervousness, he turned around the glasses he had in his small hands - "a friend of mine was supposed to come with me but, at the last moment , could not come ".

Fiat nodded, understanding what Gun was going through. It was not easy to face a situation like the one they were going to live, much less if  he was going to do it completely alone.

- "Don't worry, as I have just told you this is my fourth year here and also I've been in the competition team  of my school for two years already..."

- "Then... Aren't you going to compete?" - asked Gun, interested - "one of my friends is in one of the groups that are going to compete today. I think that in the third one ... I could not join them because I do not have the required experience needed".

Gun, while saying the last part, grimaced briefly, bringing a slight smile to Fiat's lips.

- "As I was not going to be able to come because of the wedding, my position was filled by one of the substitutes" - he explained as he watched as one of the guards approached them with a small notebook in his hands - "Look, it seems that it is our turn" .

Gun turned his face and, with a smile, greeted the man that was wearing the organization's shirt.

.....

- "Wait a minute ..." - Singto intervened, not caring that he was interrupting the story of Fiat - "Are you telling me that you and Gun were in the same boat when the accident happened?!.

Fiat nodded with a serious expression.

- "That is exactly what I am saying ..."

....

The waters of the river were turbulent but it was certainly nothing new for Fiat who, with the help of his young companion, began to steer the small boat with the speed and safety that only experience gives you.

- "It seems that the others have already crossed the resting point" - Gun commented while using one of his hands as a visor.

- "Those who compete are surely already in the final stage" - commented Fiat after checking the time with his wristwatch - "and, from what I see, the other boats that were in the starting group have not yet reached our position. We are the first of our group".

Gun smiled broadly.

His eyes observed the rocks that, in the shallowest area, were shining from the rays of the sun that were hiting the water that occasionally covered them.

- "Do you think we can stop for a moment to take some photos?" - Gun asked as he took out his cell phone from one of his pants pockets.

Fiat's eyes widened with surprise and also with the bewilderment he felt at having forgotten something..a little detail.. that was extremely important.

"How could I have forgotten the bet?" he thought as he nodded to himself and, without even answering the question, changed the direction of the boat.

A few minutes later they were near the stones, in an area where the water flowed more slowly and calmly.

They quickly took several photos. Fiat, with a mischievous smile, sent one of them to his brother.

- "Well, we should better continue before they catch up with us ... we have wasted a lot of time already" - Fiat commented as he turned the oars.

However, just as he was about to start rowing, a voice several yards away caused him to stop and both men turned towards the shore.

There, waving with one hand as he began to jump from rock to rock, was a young boy who was smiling without taking his eyes off the figure of Gun.

The latter, with an astonished expression on his now pale face, was just looking at the newcomer who, with each passing second, was getting closer and closer to the canoe.

....

- "But ..." - Krist muttered as he turned towards Fiat with a questioning expression on his face - "I don't understand anything .. What the hell was that person doing at one of the stops?".

Fiat shrugged, not sure what to say ... the truth is that he did not remember very well what happened from the moment they stopped to take the photos onwards. Everything was confusing ... only brief fleeting images came to his mind that, during those three years, he had tried to find a meaning without success.

- "I don't know ... I can't remember well what happened next. I only see brief images, feelings that flood me sometimes ... but nothing else"

Singto, frowning, stared at the living room floor as he tried to make sense of everything that was happening.

RIIING RIIING

A cell phone rang in the silence of the room making two of the three figures startle and direct their eyes towards the place where the ringtone came from.

Krist, seeing the screen of his phone on, got up from the sofa and walked over to see who could be calling him at that time of the night.

Krist, I will arrive tomorrow on the train from 9:30 

You told me that your classes ended at 3:00 pm, right?

I'll be waiting for you at the front door

See you, your brother Win