Chapter 54

"I still don't know why I went to agree to let you drag me to parties," I grumbled next to Mariana, while she greeted everyone who passed by us. I choked when we passed by an improvised barbecue, where a man was roasting several skewers and extended two when Mariana asked. She gave me one with a smile, without even seeming to have paid attention to what I said. "So far, I haven't heard any good gossip here.

"Ai, Juju, stop being boring," she mumbled back, although she turned to smile at me. "You promised me that you would be sulky, but quiet.

I rolled my eyes and shook myself with one hand due to the heat.

It was a sunny Sunday. Besides being my third full week in the favela. After I gave Mariana's friendship a chance, she started chattering less, because she had already made me aware of all the most interesting gossip. In fact, because of her, I recognized one of the women who was the target of the so-called "peacock radio" in the favela, who was nothing else a wa