C13 Plotting against Fábio

GRANJA SQUARE - DAY

Ed is listening to a plan by Sandra and Cassio against Fabio in favor of Fabia Peres. He remains in the background; the two will not see it.

Cássio objects: "He will be surprised that I never asked him to talk about this subject. We don't speak normally, since we were children."

"Well, so as not to be so direct, start by asking another matter and be subtle", she continues, smart, manipulative, "My love, are you sure you can do it? It's because, if not, I can call someone else/"

Manipulation works. Cassio gets up. "Hey, what is this talk? Of course, I can! I'm not as dumb as you think, dear."

"That's what I thought. So, let's put that plan out this afternoon."

Ed straightens up and leaks out of his bike without going through them this time. He's reacting upset.

"Jeez, how Sandra is sick! What does she want with this gossip?"

MALTHUS SNACK BAR

Annie returns after plans and early morning celebrations. Aurélio was attentive to the television nailed to the ceiling, but he turns around as soon as he realizes her presence. Aurélio smiles at her.

"Speak, princess! What do you wish for this time?"

Annie is sweet. "Seu Aurélio, you have done so much for us, I feel I have a duty to help you with something."

"Calm down, girl. I don't do any of this expecting anything in return. I want to help, I like you very much."

"Okay, that you help us with the posters is one thing, but inside here..." She opens his bag and looks for the credit card, "Eating snacks all the time on the house is not going to pay the same house bill."

Annie finds the credit card and holds it out to Aurélio, but he doesn't take it. He looks at her seriously, somewhat offended.

"Really, Annie? What did I do to you?"

Annie reacts humanly. "That's not it, Seu Aurélio. I don't want to harm you. As I told you, making a free meal I can even accept it; but we were in four, and I saw that Cassio ate three shrimp pies. Let me pay at least what I ate."

Aurélio reacts tenderly, compassionately. "My daughter, don't worry. You know, I wish you and Carina were my daughters."

"You don't have one, do you?"

Aurélio does not respond immediately.

Annie continues: "Oh, sorry, my missing..."

"Calm down, flower," Aurélio tranquilizes her, "No, I don't have a family. I think that's one more reason to see you like children."

"So you behaved like a doting dad the other day, preventing Monica and Célio's kiss?"

Aurélio starts to laugh. "Did you see? Célio must have been a beast..."

"Please, Aurélio, relieve my conscience and accept the credit card."

Aurélio, melted, gives in and accepts Annie's card. He brings the machine close and swipes the credit card to the reader. Annie types the password. Transaction accepted. Aurélio cuts off the receipts.

"This is the last time, huh?"

Annie gets jolly. "Seu Aurélio, you have to learn to receive too, and not just give yourself."

Annie comes out of the shop. Aurélio chuckles, he's feeling sorry for her.

FÁBIO’S LIVING ROOM

Ed arrived in time, took a shortcut. Fábio welcomes him with interest.

"Ed, does your mom know you're here?"

"Does she need to know? I'm taking a bike ride around the neighborhood."

"And what exactly did you come here to do?"

"I came to prevent you from being trapped."

Fábio raises an eyebrow, "A trap to me?"

"Yes. I was riding my bicycle when I casually..."

Fábio makes a gesture and the two sit on a sofa each. "I know you are 'casually', but come on."

Ed ignores the irony. "Incidentally, I found Sandra practically ordering Cássio to come here and ask if you have a naked woman's magazine."

Fábio bounce on the couch. "What is this story? Why does Sandra want to know?" Fábio soon realizes, "Ah, I understand! It's not Sandra's idea."

"If it's someone else, that explains a lot. I just don't understand what those two have to do with it."

Fábio rubs his hands. "Thank you very much, Ed, you helped me a lot. Now when Cássio shows up/"

Cássio's voice sounds strong outside. "Fábio Danceee!"

It's Ed's turn to bounce on the couch. Fábio is taken by surprise...

RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION

Tito is listening to Célio, Monica, Carina, and Rosa about the police station's propaganda.

"Boys, you are to be congratulated. You got your first sponsorship!"

"Don't get carried away, Seu Tito", says Rosa, "Seu Aurélio is contributing with his heart."

"Now we need to run after a good and reliable printer," says Monica, "You can let me take care of that."

"And I take care of the design, Mayor Tito."

Tito's eyes watered when Carina repeats the title 'mayor', "My daughter, when the population here wants to change the names of the streets, I will order one to be 'Carina Sousa Street'. First, the leaves, and now you offer the drawing?"

Carina reacts modestly. "I am aware of my duties; I am not one of those who only demand rights."

Tito speaks vibrantly. "Yes, this is the spirit!"

Célio says: "And when everything is ready, Cássio and I will spread it throughout the neighborhood."

Rosa says: "Now I hope the residents will think and be convinced that our safety is important."

Tito promises: "Of course, I will provide all the necessary support."

There's an embarrassing situation because so far Tito has done nothing. Everyone looks at each other; Tito does not get how ridiculous he is.

FÁBIO’S LIVING ROOM

Fábio gets up quickly, gestures for Ed to hide in the bedroom.

Fábio whispers: "Come on, Ed! Gone hiding in my bedroom! Hopefully, he didn't notice your bike."

Ed whispers back: "Damn, it looks like he also came by bicycle to come so fast!"

Ed gets up and goes to Fábio’s bedroom. Luckily for Fábio, the door was closed. Fábio goes and opens it.

Cassio talks with a forced intimacy. "What's up, Fabio? How are you?"

Fábio also forced affinity. "Well, man, what’s up? I think you missed home. If you want to listen to 'The Four Seasons', it's next door."

"Célio ties up in Legião Urbana too?"

Fabio takes a deep breath. This is going to be difficult. "No, it's Vivaldi's. Classic songs, he keeps bothering me with these boring songs."

"Wow, he said that you are the one who bothers with your Axé music on high."

It's the most clueless moment. Fábio looks at him coldly. Cassio disguises. "But, I didn't come to talk about Célio! After all, as you said, I don't have that classic affinity. My thing is magazines."

Fabio sits on the couch, already figuring out where Cassio wants to go. He gestures to the innocent to sit where Ed was.

"I think I remember. You were always collecting the 'Star Wars' and Marvel magazines. Do you still have the collection at your parents' house?"

"Are you crazy? I took it with me to my house! Maybe my mom thinks it's taking up space and decides to get everything cremated."

"I know how it is."

"And you, did you also bring your collection here?"

Fábio replies drily: "I brought everything here."

"Including the magazines? Of course, right, because your mother couldn't know/"

"And why would I hide it from my mom?"

"Because knowing you well, I know very well which magazines you collect, ha, ha, ha!"

Cássio's totally pierced laugh, he doesn't limp at how ridiculous he is being. Fábio decides to stop this.

"I think you're wrong, Cássio. I don't have those magazines you're thinking about."

Cassio stops laughing. Fábio breaks Cássio's legs by saying he doesn't have any inappropriate magazines for minors. "Don't you have any, none?"

"Look, Cássio, I confess I even did, but these days Fabia Peres and I made a deal. To have no reason to complain, we mutually decided to tear up our collections. She threw away theirs and I threw mine. Now we have one pure and decent dating."

"Fábia also had/"

"It was men mags, dude! One day I showed up at her house and caught her with one of those women's magazines with a guy on the cover who/", cut himself off, "I'll save you the details!"

Cassio reacts in revolt. "Spare me; my business is football!"

"So, there you go, if she couldn't have magazines like that, I couldn't either. And so our dating continues."

Cassio suddenly gets up. "Good, man, I'm happy to know that you're straightening up. Whoever would like to know is Monica."

Fábio is surprised. "Monica?"

"Yeah, don't you remember that she liked you? How quickly do we forget things, huh?"

"Monica is not a 'thing' and I never forgot her."

"Good to know that too. Well, I'll be right there, buddy; see you later."

"Wait, Cássio!"

Cássio was already going to the door. Fábio is being cunning.

"You still haven't told me exactly the reason for your visit."

Cassio pales. "And do you need a reason? I just came to see you, to know how you were. I'm seeing the old gang. Do you know who I met here yesterday? Luis! He was a little weird, Sandra thought he was a mugger, but after all, was him."

Fábio pretends to fall. "Um, in fact, there is time that I don't even go with Monica. I saw her another day, and I also saw the Célio pasting posters of Chamex paper, what a ridiculous thing!"

"I'm in the job too."

Fábio is more false than ever. "Get over it, Cássio! You don't deserve it; you have more content, more vision. Didn't you say you were going to be a soccer player?"

"How do you train with that 'field' on the Praça da Granja? It seems that the chickens have scratched the whole lawn! That's why Célio said he will be more involved in the Residents’ Association to have more influences and be able to recover the field."

Fabio gives a good laugh.

"That loser is getting involved in politics? I'm already imagining his inaugural speech! It's going to be a bummer! What's more, getting involved in this dirty and dishonest world already reveals a little about your friend's character. He had always this mania of greatness of to 'own' something. Now he wants to go to parliament?"

"If he wants, he can go now, by bus!"

After a new laugh from Cássio, he waves goodbye and leaves. Fábio doesn't stop him this time. A moment pass. He looks out the window and then goes into the corridor.

"Come on, Ed!"

Ed returns, relieved. "Wow, man, thanks. Didn't he notice the bike?"

"Cássio is so stupid... I could see it was all bullshit, he doesn't know how to be subtle, is more transparent than a lace tablecloth. You can go easy now, friend, this will be our little secret."

Ed winks. "Leave it to me..."

Ed leaves too. Fábio closes the door. He talks to himself.

"So this is how you want to play, Fábia Peres... Ok, let's play..."

Fábio gives an ironic smile.