Chapter 13

ALEX

I'm worried about Gabriela; I hadn't heard from her since I had left the hospital. I hope nothing happened to her grandmother, I know it will affect her and I want everything to be ok. I decided I should call her, to see how she is and not think so much about how she might be if I wanted to keep my sanity. I was going to hang up until suddenly I heard a voice, Marcos's voice, which seemed too strange to me, I'm calling her.

"Marcos? Are you in the hospital with Gabriela?" I asked confused, and made sure it's Gabriela's name I had seen on the screen. "No, I'm home, and yes, I'm with her." He confirmed and I frowned. "What are you doing with her phone?" I asked, "She's asleep, she fell few minutes ago and it's best she rests after everything that happened."

"What happened? Is Gabriela, ok?" I asked, worried once again. "You can do me a favor, right?" He asked and I nodded even though I knew he couldn't see me. "As many as you want, but tell me what's wrong."

"Gabriela isn't well, she needs you." He assured and I quickly got out of bed starting to look for my things and go to her side, or at least go for her. "But is something wrong with her? Is she feeling unwell?" I questioned, "It's not something physical if that's what worries you, but she has to tell you that."

"You know what it is?" I asked, stopping for a moment. "Yes, but she doesn't want to talk to me about it. Can you come to my house to see if she talks to you? She won't do it with me." He assured and again, I nodded, resuming what I was doing "Sure, I'll go right now."

"Well, I'll go out for a while with my sister and her siblings so you can convince her to go with you for a while, let me know if you can convince her." He asked, "Ok, thanks for answering Marcos." I thanked "You're welcome, it's the least I can do."

I hung up and went to Marcos' house. It wasn't too far from mine, in fact, the three of us lived relatively close. I took the car and as soon as I arrived, I could see Marcos with a group of two guys and a little girl in the distance. I went to the door and knocked, I just hoped she's awake, I didn't want to enter without permission, even though technically I had it.

A couple of minutes after knocking at the door and with my cell phone in hand to call Marcos, Gabriela appears at the door. It seemed she's not well, and that in itself, is strange. As soon as she saw me, her eyes crystalized and she hugged me, which I didn't hesitate to return. It didn't take long for her to start crying and if I wasn't already worried enough before, I certainly am now. We stayed like this for I don't know how long until I decided it's better to take her somewhere else so Marcos and the rest could return home, it's too cold to walk outside.

"Let's go for a ride, beautiful." I said softly, "I can't leave, I can't leave Marcos alone." She responded, "He told me to come look for you, that you weren't well. If you want us to stay, we will stay, but your siblings are there."

"Ok, let's go." I took her hand and we went to the car, I opened the door for her and as soon as she's inside I closed it. I sent the message to Marcos to let him know and decided it's better to wait to see them from a distance at least, lest someone enter his house. As soon as I saw them in the rearview mirrors we left. I decided it's better to go home, more than anything because it would be warm there and we could talk quietly since there's no one.

When we arrived, I got off and I could see she's staring at nothing. I don't know what's wrong with her, but it had to be something serious for her to be like this, I hated seeing her this bad. I went to her side of the car where she is, opened the door and it's at that moment she realized we arrived, she got out and waited for me to go to the door. We entered the house and I took her to the couch, I think we would be better there.

"Beautiful, tell me what's wrong with you." I asked and she denied "The thing is that I'm an asshole, that's what happens." She stated and I frowned, because I didn't understand why she said it. "You're not." I countered, because the last thing she is, is an asshole and whatever is going on in her mind right now "Yes, yes I am."

"I don't believe it, but can you explain to me what's happening to you? I will help you with whatever you need." I tried, "You're not going to be able to help me with this, Alex, I appreciate it, but you're not going to be able to." She assured and I shrugged. "I can try." I insisted "It's not necessary, besides, it's something I have to face alone." Gabriela responded "Can you explain to me?" I tried one more time "It's Carlos."

I hadn't heard of him in years. We were best friends at school, I never had a friend like him until what happened with Gabriela happened. At that moment he started to hate me, he couldn't see me and threatened to beat me up, something that almost happened when he was involved in the world of street fights, it's a miracle he didn't beat me up, from what he said, he promised someone. Since that time, I haven't heard Carlos's name again, at least as far as it refers to him.

"What's the matter with him?" I asked, "We were talking this morning because I couldn't fall asleep again and he told me he had a crush on me since we were kids." I never knew that. I had no idea Carlos felt that way about Gabriela and now I can understand the reason for everything he did for her, that he gave her everything she wanted and protected her from everything, he loved her just as much or more than I loved Gabriela at that time and honestly made me jealous of him, even though there's no reason.

"That's not the reason you're like this, is it?" I asked and she denied "Keep talking then." I said, "After he told me that, I told him he's like a brother to me, he asked me if the rumor was true, and he didn't believe it."

"What rumor?" I asked, confused for a moment. "The one you and I are together." She answered and for a couple of seconds, everything stopped. "And what did you say to him?" I asked, "The truth, it's at that moment everything went to hell. Carlos got angry like I had never seen before... he started screaming... he told me I'm giving you a chance after everything you had done to me instead of giving it to him... that I would realize that ...that you're no good for me..."

She's about to cry again and I didn't want that to happen. I could honestly imagine the whole scene and there's no need for her to continue telling me, I know Carlos well enough to know what he's capable of, I just hoped he hadn't laid a hand on Gabriela, because then I wouldn't care nothing at some point was my best friend. He wasn't going to allow Gabriela to touch a single hair.

"You don't need to continue, beautiful, I know how it ends, but answer me a question." She nodded and I gathered all my strength not to get angry, because if the answer is positive, I would go in search of him and kill him, that was clear to me. "Tell me he didn't lay a hand on you." I asked, because if I knew anything, it's what Carlos is like when he's angry like he is right now, and it's very likely he would end up coming for me, even though that wasn't what I cared about.

"He didn't do anything to me, he just screamed. Alex, he hates me, he didn't let me explain him." She said annoyed, "You shouldn't worry about him, my queen, really, if he doesn't want to listen to the other party, he's making a big mistake, I learned that lesson myself, but you shouldn't get upset because of him Gabriela, if he decides to be an idiot, let him be, sooner or later he will realize he's wrong, but change that face, I don't like seeing you like this."

"It's not easy Alex, I want to find him and talk to him, explain to him." my girlfriend said and I denied, because I know it wasn't the best thing at the moment. "I don't recommend it; Carlos has a very bad temper and will do whatever it takes to be left alone. I'm not going to let you take risks."

"It won't do anything to me Alex, I'll be fine." he assured and again, I denied "I can assure you; you won't be. Look at how you are now and he just yelled, I can't let you go with him, much less confront him." I assured "I will do it, as soon as I know where to find him, I will do it, I plan to clarify everything with him. "

I wasn't going to be able to change Gabriela's mind, I know that very well, but I would do everything in my power to avoid it or at least delay it. After that, I approached her to make her relax at least a little and she ended up falling asleep. The hours went by and I was sitting there with Gabriela next to me, at least she's resting and it's the only thing that mattered to me. An hour later Marcos calls me to which I don't hesitate to answer.

"What's wrong Marcos?" I asked without looking away from her. "Tell me Gabriela is better." He asked, "No, she's not, but she fell asleep. Do you need to talk to her?" I asked, "No, it's nothing important." He assured, "I can tell her when she wakes up if you want."

"Really, it's nothing important, it's just her mother called to tell her not to go to the hospital, she left her cell phone here and I answered. She thinks she's asleep." He responded and I sighed, because at least it's believable and she really doing it right now. "Right now, she is, but I'll take her there in a while."

"Don't bother, she's a light sleeper. She can stay there if you want." He said, "My mother isn't home, so she can stay." I thought out loud, "Did she tell you what happened?" Marcos asked with curiosity, but, above all, concern. "Yes, and I didn't know your brother felt that way about her."

"I didn't even know, he never said it." He stated, "Your brother left her miserable, Marcos." I said, taking a deep breath. "I know, and I promise I'll kick his ass for as soon as he shows up." He assured and I frowned. "You don't know where he is?" I asked. "I have no idea, and I doubt I'll hear from him for a few days, I guess he'll be back before my parents get back."

"I hope he doesn't do anything stupid." I whispered, "I hope so, but I'll let you go, my sister wants dinner." He said and I nodded. "Let me know if anything happens to Gabriela." He asked and again, I nodded "I will, don't worry." I assured him, "Thank you Alex, and take care of her, Ok?"

"Always, don't worry." We both said goodbye and I looked at Gabriela for a couple more minutes when I decided it's better to take Gabriela to my room so she could sleep more comfortably. I would sit at the desk or sleep on the couch, but I highly doubt I would do that, I wanted to be there for Gabriela at all times and I wouldn't leave her side until she woke up, of that I'm more than sure.