Chapter 21

GABRIELA

On the way to the party while Marcos and Carlota were talking about, I don't know what, I was thinking about what the hell I said about Alex. At the time when I told them, I was sure, but now I'm not. I don't know what I felt for that boy, I just know what I felt when we were together. Now whenever I was with him, I felt many things, I don't know how to describe it, I basically liked him. In his eyes I could see something different, but at the same time the same as when we were together. I don't know when we got to the party or when the car had stopped, I just know suddenly I notice how someone touches my shoulder to tell me we've arrived. 

"Gabriela, are you okay?" Marcos asked with evident concern on his face "Yeah, I'm fine." I assured "Well, I'm not so sure because you don't know anything about what we asked you." supported Carlota "I'm really fine Carlota, it's nothing." 

"If at any time you want to go home, you tell me and we'll go." Marcos affirmed to which I smiled, because he always did the same thing "Marcos, won't be necessary, we have to have a good time." I declared, because it was true. 

We laughed and started walking towards the door. It was already open so we just had to go in and to my surprise there were already quite a few people. "Okay guys, what do you want to drink?" Carlota asked. "A soda." I asked "Other." Marcos replied "Okay, wait here for me." 

Carlota went to I don't know where and Marcos makes me turn around so I can see him. "Are you sure you are alright?" Marcos asked to make sure I guess "Yeah, really, don't worry." I assured him with a smile on my face "I will always worry; you are like my sister Gabriela." 

"I know, the same for me." I affirmed and a smile appeared on his face. "So will you tell me what you were thinking?" he asked and I denied, because apparently, he wasn't going to leave the topic "Nothing important." 

"So, you wouldn't find out what we were talking about, it did have to be important. Was it Alex, right?" he asked, but basically just stated "I want to clear my head Marcos, I really need it." I asked him and he agreed "Okay, I'll stop talking about him, but let me tell you, you are beautiful Gabriela." 

"Thank you, you are handsome. When was the last time we dressed up so much?" I asked and he laughed "A long time ago." At that moment Carlota arrives next to us and gives us the drinks. "What are we laughing at?" she asked with a smile on her face "It's nothing important, we were just wondering when was the last time we got so dressed up." 

"Well, you should do it more often because you're beautiful Gabriela and you, Marcos handsome." Carlota said and both Marcos and I grew our eyes "Gabriela, did you hear what she just told me? When I remind her, she will tell me she hasn't said it, I have you as a witness." 

"I don't do that." Carlota protested. "Yes, you do, you told him once a couple of years ago and you still deny it." I answered honestly "Because I don't remember telling him." We started laughing again when a boy approaches us. He was tall, well-groomed and in a boxy suit. The first thing he does is give Carlota a hug and then I notice how he fixes his gaze on me, which makes me nervous. 

"Hi Carlota, I thought you wouldn't come today." said the boy giving him a kiss on the cheek "I told you I was coming, by the way I convinced them to come, you wanted to meet them." he affirmed and the boy happened to look in my direction "I suppose it's Gabriela and Marcos. Nice to meet you." 

He shakes Marcos's hand and he took my hand and kissed it. I really didn't like him doing that, I felt like I was betraying something, when in reality it didn't make sense because I don't even have a partner. 

"To tell you the truth, I think you fell short when you said your friend was beautiful, she's much more than that, she's a goddess." he said and I stopped myself from rolling my eyes, because it was exaggerated "No big deal, I'm normal in that way." 

"You are anything but normal, my beautiful angel." Right at that moment I noticed how someone was looking at me from somewhere, so I started looking everywhere and saw someone leaning against a door. 

I didn't need to look too closely to realize who it was. Tall, a tight suit showing off all his muscles, the way his hair was and the way he was leaning. All those clues told me he was the only person who made my heart race like he did. 

At that moment I felt like I was short of breath and my hands were starting to sweat, I wanted to know what the hell I was doing here because it seemed strange to me this was a coincidence. I had to get some fresh air for a while, I had to clear my head that it was about to explode. 

"I have to go out for a while." I said to the guys, but without focusing my gaze on them. Marcos and Carlota turned towards me to look at me and then they turned to look at each other. "Are you okay?" Carlota asked and I nodded "Yes, it's just I'm hot here, I just want to get some fresh air." 

"Do you want me to accompany you?" Marcos asked and I denied "No, it's not necessary, I'm really fine." I once again assured "As you wish." He replied unconvinced "You can go to the garden; you can go through that door if you want." 

"Thanks Diego." I thanked him and with that, I went to the door Diego indicated. I noticed how as soon as I started to walk towards the door, Alex does the same and in the same direction as me. It didn't take long for me to walk out the door and when I saw the garden I was impressed. This one was quite wide with short grass, it had to be mowed this morning because the smell was still in the air. 

I went towards the trees and where nobody couldn't see well, because I'm sure at some point, they would come to see how I was doing and if Carlota came and saw me with Alex, we were going to have a problem because she didn't like him very much. and she wanted me to kill him or something because it's clear to me I wouldn't let him do anything, no matter how much feeling towards him impressed me. 

When we were far enough from the entrance and where there wasn't much light, he caught up with me and grabbed my arm, making me see him. "May I know what are you doing here?" I asked irritably "Hello princess, I'm also delighted to see you here. You could at least say hello." 

That smile he had made thousands of butterflies fly in my stomach and I really had no idea what it meant that I always felt when I saw him smile. "Hello, now could you answer my question please?" I inquired again "I'm here because Diego has invited me, he's a friend of mine from the other school." 

"Oh." I simply replied "Now you just say that? were you worried I was following you?" he asked with a smile on his face "It's what you do most of the time." I said and this time, Alex got serious "But I can't go near your house because of what happened" 

"I know." I confirmed, because it was something I knew "Now answer me a question." he asked and I shrugged. "Depends on what you're asking." I replied "Why were you so mad at me in the morning?" he asked and I took a breath before answering, 

"Because I heard something they said about you, it bothered me and I believed it. I shouldn't have, but at the time it really bothered me." I said as sincerely as I could "And can I know what they said or do I have to wonder?" He asked. 

What was I going to tell him? I was jealous of what those girls said? No, I wasn't going to tell him, I was too embarrassed to tell him, besides, I'm sure if I told him, he wouldn't stop insisting he loved me and everything he had been saying to me the whole semester. 

"You're not going to tell me." he practically stated "You're right, I'm not going to do it." I confirmed "I love when you blush Gabriela, by the way, you look like a goddess." he said with a big smile on his face to which I denied, because people tend to exaggerate "You're the same exaggerator you were a long time ago. You didn't change anything." 

"I changed, I realized every word you say, every second I spend with you I love you more." he assured and if it wasn't because it was all dark, I could almost guarantee that he would see me blush like a tomato "I don't see it that way." I simply said "You still don't believe I love you, do you?" 

"I believe you up to a point." I declared "So you believe me when I tell you I love you?" he asked surprised "Yes, I believe you, your eyes never deceived me." I confirmed, because it was true and at least it was still just as easy to know what was going on through them. "So what don't you think?" 

"That I'm like a goddess, I'm not." I assured him and he rolled his eyes "Of course you are, you're still the same Gabriela as always. You haven't changed in that." He stated, "I haven't really changed as much as everyone thinks." 

"I can see." I don't really know when we got so close, but right now he had his lips close to mine and there were a few millimeters left for our lips to touch each other and a part of me was hoping it would happen, but it's something I shouldn't allow. 

"I love you Gabriela, more than I have ever loved you and always will. I will do everything in my power to have your love, you forgive me and if it is possible to be your partner again, that person you could trust, to whom you told some of your worries, I want to be that person again for you Gabriela. I was turning red as a tomato when Carlota starts calling me. If it hadn't been for the fact she called me, I'm one hundred percent sure we would have kissed. 

I moved away from him and started walking towards Carlota's direction. "Wait, can't we just keep talking for a while longer?" He asked and I refused, because Carlota would end up coming, I have no doubt about that "I can't, I don't want Carlota to see you here with me, I don't want her to hurt you." 

"I won't mind if I can be with you." he assured and I denied again "But it does matter to me. Don't worry, we'll talk at another time, but now it can't be." I insisted and he nodded "Okay beautiful, whatever you want." I was going to leave when he grabs my arm, pulls me closer to him and kisses me on the cheek, I move away and stare at him for a moment. 

"You're beautiful." he said after a few seconds in silence. As soon as he smiled at me, I noticed how I did it too, I always managed to make him do it. "I really have to go." I said "I know, see you." He let go of my hand and I started walking in Carlota's direction. It doesn't take me long to see her and when I see her shoes in her hand to go looking for me. 

"I was going to look for you, are you sure you're, okay?" Carlota asked and I nodded "Yes, yes I am." I assured her, but her gaze appeared glow she has when something is on her mind "Uuuuhh, I see now, what were you doing to make you feel so hot and red? Were you with someone and you didn't tell me? May I meet him? she asked and I denied, grabbing her arm to prevent her from going there "I wasn't with anyone Carlota, I told you I needed to get some fresh air." 

"I don't know if I believe you, but hey, let's go inside before Marcos also comes out." We were about to go into the house when Marcos comes out the door and stares at us for a while, but soon he starts to smile like us and we enter the party to have a good time, yes, noticing Alex's gaze at all times in me, which made me happier than I already was for myself.