Valerio Montesinos

Act 1: The Arrival of Spring The episode begins on a sunny spring morning. Valerio is in the Las Encinas courtyard, sitting on a bench, a coffee in his hand. He looks at the blooming trees. He smiles.

Lu approaches.

Lu: "You look weirdly happy."

Valerio (without looking at her): "It's spring, Lu. Trees are blooming. Birds are singing. And I feel… alive."

Lu: "You feel alive? Usually, you feel dead?"

Valerio (looking at her): "Usually, I feel empty. But now… I don't know. Spring makes me want to believe that things can change."

Lu: "Things don't change, Valerio. People don't change."

Valerio: "I want to change."

Lu: "You want to change? Why?"

Valerio: "Because I'm tired of being the bad guy."

He stands up. He leaves. Lu watches him go, puzzled.

₊˚⊹♡🍰🍓♡⊹˚₊₊˚⊹♡🍰🍓♡⊹˚₊₊˚⊹♡🍰🍓♡⊹˚₊

Act 2: The Encounter with Carla Valerio runs into Carla in the garden. She is alone, sitting on a bench, reading.

Valerio (sitting next to her): "You're reading? That's new."

Carla (without looking up): "I read often."

Valerio: "No. You manipulate often. You rarely read."

Carla (looking up): "What do you want, Valerio?"

Valerio: "Nothing. I just want to talk to you."

Carla: "About what?"

Valerio: "About you. About Samuel. About what you really feel."

Carla: "I feel nothing."

Valerio: "Liar."

Carla: "What?"

Valerio: "You feel things for Samuel. You're in love with him. And it pisses you off."

Carla (standing up): "You don't know what you're talking about."

Valerio: "I do. Because I'm also in love with someone I can't have."

Carla: "Lu?"

Valerio: "Is it that obvious?"

Carla: "Yes."

Valerio: "Then you understand what I feel. So stop pretending. Go see him. Tell him."

Carla: "What about you? Are you going to tell Lu?"

Valerio: "I just did."

Carla (surprised): "And?"

Valerio: "She said it was impossible."

Carla: "She's right."

Valerio: "Maybe. But at least I don't have to lie anymore."

₊˚⊹♡🍰🍓♡⊹˚₊₊˚⊹♡🍰🍓♡⊹˚₊₊˚⊹♡🍰🍓♡⊹˚₊

Act 3: The Spring Party Valerio organizes a party to celebrate spring. The whole school is invited. He decorated the garden with fairy lights, flowers, cushions. There is music, alcohol, good mood.

Valerio is at the center, a glass in his hand, smiling. But his eyes are sad.

Cayetana (approaching): "Nice party."

Valerio: "Thanks."

Cayetana: "You look sad."

Valerio: "I'm always sad. I just hide it well."

Cayetana: "Why are you sad?"

Valerio: "Because I'm in love with someone I can't have. Because my family rejects me. Because I don't know who I am."

Cayetana: "I don't know who I am either."

Valerio (looking at her): "You do. You just pretend to be someone else. I don't even know who I really am."

Cayetana: "You're Valerio. That's not bad."

Valerio (smiling): "You're nice."

Cayetana: "No. I'm just honest. For once."

They clink glasses.

₊˚⊹♡🍰🍓♡⊹˚₊₊˚⊹♡🍰🍓♡⊹˚₊₊˚⊹♡🍰🍓♡⊹˚₊

Act 4: The Confrontation with Polo Later in the evening, Valerio finds Polo alone, sitting off to the side. He sits next to him.

Valerio: "Why are you alone?"

Polo: "I don't like crowds."

Valerio: "You don't like crowds, or you don't like looking at yourself in a mirror?"

Polo (looking at him): "What do you mean?"

Valerio: "I know about Marina."

Polo (turning pale): "What?"

Valerio: "I know it was you."

Polo: "I don't know what you're talking about."

Valerio: "Stop lying, Polo. It's eating you up. It shows on your face."

Polo: "Why don't you say anything?"

Valerio: "Because it's not for me to say. It's for you."

Polo: "I can't."

Valerio: "Why?"

Polo: "Because if I tell the truth, I lose everything."

Valerio: "You've already lost everything. You just don't know it yet. But the lie is killing you."

Polo is silent. Valerio places his hand on his shoulder.

Valerio: "Spring is the season of renewal. Maybe it's time to start over from scratch."

Polo: "What if I can't?"

Valerio: "Then you'll slowly die. But that will be your choice."

He stands up. He leaves. Polo stays there, devastated.

₊˚⊹♡🍰🍓♡⊹˚₊₊˚⊹♡🍰🍓♡⊹˚₊₊˚⊹♡🍰🍓♡⊹˚₊

Act 5: Valerio's Crisis At the end of the party, Valerio is drunk. He is sitting on the ground, leaning against a tree. Lu finds him.

Lu: "Valerio, are you okay?"

Valerio: "No. I'm not okay. I'm never okay."

Lu: "You drink too much."

Valerio: "I know."

Lu: "Why do you destroy yourself like this?"

Valerio: "Because it's easier than building myself up."

Lu (sitting next to him): "You don't have to be perfect, Valerio."

Valerio: "I don't want to be perfect. I just want to be loved."

Lu: "You are loved."

Valerio: "By who? By my father who hides me? By you who push me away?"

Lu (silence): "By me."

Valerio (looking at her): "You love me?"

Lu: "I shouldn't. But yes."

Valerio: "Then why won't you be with me?"

Lu: "Because I'm scared. Scared of what people will say. Scared of what my father will think. Scared of myself."

Valerio: "I'm scared too. But I'm tired of being scared."

He moves closer. He rests his head on her shoulder.

Valerio: "Stay with me. Just tonight."

Lu: "Okay."

They stay there, under the stars, spring around them.

₊˚⊹♡🍰🍓♡⊹˚₊₊˚⊹♡🍰🍓♡⊹˚₊₊˚⊹♡🍰🍓♡⊹˚₊

Act 6: The Resolution The next day, Valerio wakes up in his bed. He has a headache. Lu is gone. There's a note on the nightstand.

Lu's note: "I can't be with you. But I love you. Sorry."

Valerio reads the note. He cries. Then he gets up. He goes to the bathroom. He looks at himself in the mirror.

Valerio (to himself): "You're Valerio. You're a mess on two legs. You're toxic. You're self-destructive. But you have a heart. And that heart is still beating."

He goes out. He goes to the courtyard. The sun is shining. Trees are blooming.

Cayetana is there.

Cayetana: "Are you okay?"

Valerio: "No. But I will be."

Cayetana: "Do you want to go get a coffee?"

Valerio: "Yes. But without alcohol."

Cayetana (smiling): "For once."

They leave together. Valerio doesn't look back. He looks forward. Spring is there. It offers him a new chance.

Valerio (quietly, to himself): "Let's start over."

End of episode.

Dialogue 1 – Valerio and Carla (advice) Carla: "Why do you care about what I feel for Samuel?"

Valerio: "Because you're scared too."

Carla: "I'm not scared."

Valerio: "Yes, you are. You're scared of losing control. You're scared of not being perfect anymore. You're scared of being vulnerable."

Carla: "And you? Aren't you scared?"

Valerio: "Yes. I'm scared all the time. But I'm tired of being scared."

Carla: "So what do you do?"

Valerio: "I go for it. I tell the truth. I take risks."

Carla: "What if you lose?"

Valerio: "At least I'll have tried."

Carla: "You're brave."

Valerio: "No. I'm desperate. That's different."

₊˚⊹♡🍰🍓♡⊹˚₊₊˚⊹♡🍰🍓♡⊹˚₊₊˚⊹♡🍰🍓♡⊹˚₊

Dialogue 2 – Valerio and Polo (the secret) Polo: "Why don't you say anything?"

Valerio: "Because it's not for me to say."

Polo: "You should want to turn me in."

Valerio: "Why?"

Polo: "Because I killed someone."

Valerio: "I know."

Polo: "And it doesn't bother you?"

Valerio: "It does bother me. But it's not for me to play vigilante."

Polo: "Are you scared?"

Valerio: "No. I just want you to turn yourself in. Because it's the only way for you to get out of this."

Polo: "What if I don't?"

Valerio: "Then you'll slowly die. And that will be your choice."

Polo: "You're harsh."

Valerio: "No. I'm honest."

₊˚⊹♡🍰🍓♡⊹˚₊₊˚⊹♡🍰🍓♡⊹˚₊₊˚⊹♡🍰🍓♡⊹˚₊

Dialogue 3 – Valerio to himself (final monologue) Valerio (alone in his room, looking at himself in the mirror): "19 years old. I'm 19, and I just did the hardest thing of my life. Not surviving my father. Not facing Lu. Stop lying."

(He smiles bitterly.)

Valerio: "I told Lu I loved her. She said it was impossible. I told Carla to go see Samuel. She said I was brave. I told Polo to turn himself in. He said I was harsh."

(He runs a hand through his hair.)

Valerio: "I'm not brave, nor harsh. I'm just tired. Tired of playing a role. Tired of hiding. Tired of being afraid."

(He looks out the window. Spring is there. Trees are blooming.)

Valerio: "Maybe that's what spring is. Stop lying to yourself. Accept your weaknesses. Accept being loved. Accept suffering."

(He takes his coat. He leaves.)

Valerio: "Good night, lies. Hello, truth."