Chapter 25

GABRIELA

Am I being asshole? Of course, I am. Even above the fact Alex could be at the party having a good time, I go and tell him that. I didn't want to hurt him, but it came out, I was angry and I didn't want to be with anyone. Right now, we were in a cafeteria and it was eight in the morning, a good time to have breakfast really, I usually had breakfast later, but right now it was the same, I was with Alex and it's been a while since I had such a good time. I can even say I'm having a better time now than when we dated eight years ago. 

"Didn't you really see The Walking Dead? Alex asked in disbelief "No, I haven't seen it, how many more times do I have to tell you?" I replied laughing "I just can't believe it, it's one of the best series out there. One day we have to see a marathon of the series." 

"Are you already thinking of meeting up?" I asked raising an eyebrow "Of course I think so, but we'll do it whenever you want, I'm not going to pressure you with it. I'll settle for this." He assured and I denied with a smile on my face "You settle for very little." 

"No, I don't, it's you who thinks less." He answered and I rolled my eyes "I don't think so, but this time I'm going to listen to you. Let's see if we do that marathon soon." As soon as those words came out of my mouth, Alex looked at me with a surprised face, I don't know if it's because I had said something I shouldn't or what. 

"Can I know what's wrong with you? Did I say something to upset you?" I asked frowning, because I was like this before coming to breakfast "No, of course not, I'm just surprised." 

"Surprised why?" I inquired "Would you like to meet soon to do that marathon?" he asked and I nodded "Sure, is there something wrong with that?" I questioned, because I wasn't understanding what he meant with it "No, it doesn't, I just didn't expect it." 

"Why?" I automatically asked "I don't know, since you didn't want to kill me recently and that's why I was surprised." He said "Before I wanted to do it. Is it possible to know why you didn't leave me alone when I told you?" 

"Because apart from the fact right now you could be in a hospital or worse, I don't think I should leave you alone like that, it's not good, in my opinion." He replied with a smile on his face, but something told me he was just trying to change the subject and not focus on him. 

"Yeah, I must thank you for taking me out of the middle of the car, I didn't notice when I was crossing." I thanked him, and it was partly true I shouldn't be alone when I'm angry. I tended to do things maybe I shouldn't. "It doesn't matter, really, I wouldn't hesitate to do it again." 

"It's the same, thank you." I thanked again "You know, I wish I could always talk to you." He said after a few seconds in silence "I'm not really interesting at all, but you can always talk to me." 

"I can always talk to you if is face to face." He exposed and I denied, because he could always talk to me on the phone, in the end, I never deleted his phone number, I just blocked it "No, it doesn't have to." 

"So can we talk on the phone?" he asked surprised "Sure, it won't bother me. Also, we're friends and friends talk on the phone." I assured him "Yes, it can be. Do you want me to give you, my number?" he inquired.

"Do you still have the same number as before?" I asked "Yes, why?" He returned confused, I would say "Because then you don't have to give it to me, I still have it." I explained "Wait....if you still have it.... did you see all the messages I sent you?" 

"No, I never saw them, I had you blocked." I honestly replied "Why didn't you delete the number?" he asked curiously "I don't know. Despite everyone telling me to delete it, I never did. I convinced them I had deleted it." 

I had my mobile in hand to unlock it when I received a call from Carlota, but I hung up, I didn't want to talk to her. As soon as I unlocked it, I put my phone down on the table and turned to look at Alex, I couldn't get enough of looking at him. 

"Shouldn't you answer them? They must be very worried about you." He said and now I was the one who was confused "What are you talking about?" I asked and I pointed to my phone where I could see I had many missed calls from Marcos and Carlota "Marcos is calling you, and I suppose every time your phone rang, they were the ones who called you." 

"I don't want to talk to them now." I argued, at least I didn't want to talk to Carlota, and right now, talking to Marcos would imply talking to her for sure, "Are you still going to be angry with them?" 

"I'm not mad at them, I just don't want to talk to them, now I'm with you." I said with a smile on my face, and I wasn't lying, I wanted to be with him right now "You can talk to them, I won't care. They are your friends." 

"I know, but I just don't want to talk to them, not yet. I'll text them if so, so they know I'm okay." And again, at this moment my phone starts ringing and I wasn't going to answer. 

I didn't want to talk to them and it's not because I was angry, but because I was having a great time with Alex for me to talk to Carlota and get angry again because of the same story from the last two times, I was really having a good time right now, even if that meant it was with Alex. It made me feel better and I don't quite know how. 

"So, you won't answer your mother either?" he asked with a small smile on his face and I quickly look at my phone and see what he says is true, so I answer quickly so she doesn't have to worry anymore. "Can I know where you are Gabriela? Marcos and Carlota called to ask where you were." 

"I'm having breakfast mom." I responded taking a breath of air " Then why are they calling to find out where you are?" he asked, and I didn't need her to tell me names, since I knew who she was talking about " Because I'm not with them, I'm with a friend mom." 

"Wait, are you with a friend? Aren't they with you?" she asked surprised, I would say, to which I rolled my eyes, because sometimes they thought my only friends were Marcos and Carlota, which was not entirely true " No, they're not with me, but don't worry, I'll call them so they don't worry further." 

"Okay, then I won't bother you anymore, and have a good time with that friend of yours. By the way, we are going to be at your grandparents' house, if you need us to pick you up or you are going home, let us know." She said calmer and I nodded " Yes mom, I'll let you know." I answered even though I wouldn't unless I couldn't find another alternative, " Then I'll leave you with that guy." 

She said it in a tone I couldn't quite tell what she was expressing, but I'm pretty sure she was thinking something it isn't happening, in the sense he wasn't a friend but something more and it seems she was happy about that, but right now I wasn't going to pay attention to that, I would see later what I will do. 

"Bye mom." I said goodbye rolling my eyes " Bye Gabriela." She hangs up and I stared at the phone for a moment and then decided I better text them I'm fine, not to worry about me anymore. 

"Your mother was worried, am I not mistaken?" Alex asked and I denied laughing, because apparently it was true, he hadn't forgotten anything "No, you're not wrong." I affirmed "Do you have to go now?" he asked and I denied "No, besides I have all the time in the world because they're going to my grandparents' house." 

"How is Angela doing? She was a good lady and it shows you love her, well, I should say it showed, but I guess that's still the same." He commented and I agreed, because it was true, I'm still close to my grandmother and I don't think it would change in life "She's the best grandmother I could have, and yes, I still love her, she's my grandmother, you also want yours. Besides, she's doing well, she has her problems like everyone else, but she's fine." 

"I hope those problems are solved soon." I denied, because it would never do it and we all knew that. At least the Parkinson's was going slower than normal thanks to the meds, which was great "I doubt it, but as long as the meds work and slow its progress all is well." 

"Does she have something serious?" he asked with concern "It depends in what sense, but well, I don't want to talk about it anymore because I don't want my head to start thinking only about it." I asked him and he nodded "If you want, I'll take you to your grandparents' house." 

"You don't have to, really, but thanks anyway." I thanked him "I'm happy to do it, so I can spend more time with you." He assured trying not to show the big smile it wanted to appear on his face "So if you do it with pleasure you can take me." 

"We are leaving now?" he asked and I shook my head "We can go for a walk before we leave, we won't eat until two in the afternoon so…" I stood up, giving him a smile "Then let's go for a walk." 

We left the cafeteria where he wouldn't let me pay my share and we went for a walk near the river. We talked about everything a bit and we laughed a lot and at some point, he put his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him, which I really liked. When we considered it was time to leave, we went to his car since I had come in Carlota's. Along the way we kept talking until we got to my grandparents' house, where we stared at each other for a few seconds. 

"I'm going to miss you, my queen." He said with the same look he had years ago when he was saying goodbye to me "I don't know about you know I had a great time. I think it's been a long time since I had so much fun with someone since that." 

"I had a great time too, but with you I always do, so it's not surprising." He said sincerely to which I laughed, because this guy could be over the top "I doubt it." 

We started laughing and at that moment I noticed as if someone was staring at us so I start looking at the windows and the door, because I'm sure they were looking at us and when I see someone at the window and says something to someone else, I know they're watching us and I didn't want them to think something wasn't happening so I was going to have to leave so they wouldn't focus as much attention on Alex. 

"They're looking out the window, aren't they?" he asked and I nodded "Yes, and I don't want them to think things that aren't real." I answered sincerely, because I'm completely sure ideas began to mount in their head that should not be there, let alone find out it was Alex who was with me "I wouldn't care." 

"We will see that over time." I declared "So see you later gorgeous." He said goodbye "Bye." I returned him. I was going to get off, but before doing so I gave him a kiss on the cheek which makes him turn to look at me. 

"What's that for?" he asked surprised, but with a big smile forming on his face, which makes mine start to show the same "That's for having saved me at night and for coming closer to my grandparents' house." 

"There's nothing to be thankful for." He assured, but I denied, because if there was, especially the first part "For you, but for me yes." 

" Okay, we won't talk about it anymore, but you should get out if you don't want them to keep spying on you through the window." As soon as he said that I looked towards the window and I noticed how the curtains moved, so surely, they had been looking to see what it was I was doing to keep out of the house, because I am sure they knew I was the one who was outside and not just any other person. 

"You're right, there's no longer going to be a way to make them understand you're nothing of mine." I sighed, beginning to think about what I could say so they wouldn't believe there was something between Alex and me. "I'm sure you can convince them." He responded convinced, "I'm not entirely sure, but I'll do everything in my power to make them aware." 

"We'll talk later beautiful." He said and I gave him a smile "Okay, bye." I said goodbye again "Bye." He returned with a smile planted on his face. 

I got out of the car and stared at the car until it was out of sight. Now what I had to do was convince my family between him and me there was nothing, surely, they were thinking, I hated when they were gossips, but something I had assimilated and what I would have to face as soon as I walked through the door.