Arka Mukhopadhyay
Developed by Ricardo Tiezzi, Michel Carvalho, Ana Pacheco, and Natalia Piserni, teen romance telenovela ‘Summer Heat’ (Original title: ‘Temporada de Verão’) is a celebration of youth with all its pent-up energy and existential angst. The story revolves around a bunch of freshly recruited staff members who experience love, friendship, and heartbreak at the Maresias hotel. One of the most eccentric characters in the pack is Helena, and you may wonder if she ends up with her childhood classmate Leo. If the question is troubling you, let us look for answers. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Do Helena And Leo End Up Together?
Helena comes off as a shy and dreamy girl who withholds a wild side in her. A virgin girl binging on popular Netflix shows like ‘Elite’ and ‘Sex Education,’ Helena is almost always lost in her head. She joins the summer internship at the hotel, adamant about losing her virginity. However, her first misstep entails making out with Rodrigo on the same night he engages with Catarina. Although Helena initially does not know about Rodrigo’s engagement, she is uneasy when the truth comes out in the open. However, a confrontation between Helena and Catarina clears out the air.
After her stint with Rodrigo, Helena is smitten by the angelic voice of Conrado. She starts hitting on him, and Conrado plays along. However, when kissing Conrado at the back of the hotel, Helena realizes that Conrado is not enjoying the make-out session. Conrado comes out of the closet shortly after revealing his orientation to his crush Miguel. Meanwhile, Helena still looks for a soulmate or some sex. According to Helena, when Mercury stays retrograde, the environment turns tense in the hotel.
Meanwhile, the sudden appearance of Leo calls for more tension. Leo recognizes Helena from 5th grade, while Helena tries her best to avoid Leo. He was her bully in school, and the bullying has caused much trauma in Helena. Helena remembers how people used to call her “Free Willy” in school, presumably following the 1993 film of the same name. However, Helena seems spirited after her girl-bonding moment with Marilia and walks to Leo, determined to stand independently.
However, Leo is not the bully that she expected. Leo has grown past his school phase, and although he used to follow his peers in tormenting Helena, he states his apology after all these years. After overcoming the past anguishes, they hook up with each other. The following day, Helena is childishly excited to let go of her innocence finally, but she shudders from fear at the thought of pregnancy. Marilia’s interrogation regarding them using a condom only adds to Helena’s anxiety.
But Helena feels relieved when Leo states that he blocked to bypass the pregnancy. Leo also says that he is in love with her. While Helena is astonished at Leo’s upgrade from bully to a booty call, she is unsure whether she loves him. Meanwhile, Leo’s vacation comes to an end, and he prepares to go back to his home in Hawaii. He also coaxes Helena to leave with him, but Helena feels more and more puzzled. A shot at the season finale reveals Leo waiting for Helena and anxiously checking his phone. He receives a text from Helena declining his offer, and with the revelation, it seems that they do not end up together after all. Helena decides to help Marilia, her newfound best friend, gather money while Leo goes back to his hometown.
Read More: Is Summer Heat Based on A True Story?
