Chapter 19

ALEX

I'm happy to see Gabriela here, but I also know today she was going to her grandparents' house for dinner and I'm ruining her night. I know if I insisted, she wouldn't leave, she's too stubborn to do so, but I didn't want my mother to see her, more than anything because I didn't want Gabriela to have a bad time because of her, because I'm sure that's what will happen in when she sees my girlfriend here, she'll make a fuss to see Gabriela next to me.

"Hey, you're not mad because I told your grandma you were here, right?" Gabriela asked, and I denied, because I'm not. I'm not even angry. "No, I'm not, I'm sure she was worried I didn't arrive." I admitted "Yeah. I noticed she was relieved when I answered your phone until she realized it was me talking and not you."

"I suppose." I simply said, "Are you ok?" Gabriela asked in a worried tone "Yes, don't worry about me. You shouldn't be here; you should be at your grandparents' house having dinner with your family." I protested and she denied, "I told you before. Right now, the only place I want to be is here, with you, and I'm not going to leave just because you tell me to."

"I know I won't be able to convince you otherwise, but it's what I would like." I said, "Well, you're going to be disappointed because I'm not going to move from here." My girlfriend assured and the smile appeared again on my face. "I'm really delighted, but you look tired, beautiful, what time is it?" I asked, looking at the walls for a clock. "I have no idea, honestly. It must be around midnight."

"You should be resting, why don't you sleep for a while?" I asked and she denied "I'm not going to do it, I'm not sleepy yet." She stated, "You seem sleepy to me, you had strong impressions today, you must be exhausted." I tried, "Don't worry about me and worry about getting better so you can go home."

"I'll always worry about you, why don't you sleep with me here?" I asked with a small smile. "I don't see it appropriate." Gabriela said and I denied "We are not going to do anything; you are just going to sleep."

"Your grandmother is going to be here." She tried again and I shrugged my shoulders, because if there's one thing I knew, it's she wasn't going to care at all. "She won't care, she's delighted with you." I confirmed and her eyes increased a little their normal size. "Do you think?"

"Of course, didn't you see the smile she had when she saw us?" I asked "I don't know her Alex, I thought she was always like that." she responded, shrugging her shoulders. "Partly yes, but she's not always as happy as she was a moment ago." I said, "I think you're exaggerating."

"Well, don't believe it's true. Now do me the favor getting on the bed, even if it's just for a little while." I asked, "Alex…" she started and I denied, making her stop in whatever she's going to say. "I'm really telling you, my dear, you have to rest." I insisted "You're the one who has to rest, not me."

"Ok, we do something, you lie down here next to me and I go to sleep." I negotiated and she raised an eyebrow. "I don't see it, your grandmother will end up thinking something strange." she countered "She won't, don't worry about her, I swear I won't sleep."

It's difficult to convince her of something and I know that better than anyone, but I also realized how I can convince her sometimes, I hope this time I succeed. I smiled at her like she told me she liked it and she smiled too.

"Ok, I will, but just this once you know." She said with a small smile on her face. I moved to give her space, she lay down, puts her head on my chest and I started running my hand through her hair. I could tell she's a little tense, I guess because of what had happened this afternoon.

"Hey, my love." I said after a few minutes in silence "What?" She asked, "Don't worry about what happened this afternoon, you shouldn't feel bad about what Carlos did." I said and she ended up leaning on her elbow to get a good look at my face. "How can I not worry; he broke your nose? That's a reason to get angry and worried."

"Don't be angry with him, Carlos wasn't his usual self, you said it yourself, something is wrong with him." I responded, "That's not normal for him, but that doesn't mean I don't get angry with him. What he did is wrong, Alex." He assured, "Don't worry about it anymore, really, everything is fine." I insisted, "You're a good person, that's what happens."

"If Carlos was someone else, you can be sure I would gladly return it, but it was Carlos and he was my best friend and you asked me not do it." I said sincerely, because if it were a different person and a different time, there would be no hesitation in breaking his face. "Well, thank you for that, but next time I'll be the one who breaks his nose." she assured and I laughed, because sometimes it made me laugh at how overprotective she could be. "Ok, but don't think I'll let you do it."

"Now are you the only one who can hit someone?" Gabriela asked, raising an eyebrow. "No, of course not, but I don't want you to hurt your hand." I stated, "I won't do it, but now you're going to promise me something."

"Whatever you want beautiful." I responded without hesitation, because for her, I would do anything. "If something happens between us, you won't get into fights again." She asked and I couldn't help but frown, because I had no idea what she's talking about, or how she knew. "What are you talking about?"

"You heard me and I mean it, you won't get into fights if we break up again." asked "How...?" I started. I had no idea how she had discovered it until I realized it could have been my grandmother who told her. This was something Gabriela must not have known, I guess grandma had thought I had gotten into some fight, because otherwise she wouldn't have even mentioned it.

"The scars on your hand say a lot, and especially that you improved at fighting." Apparently, my grandmother hadn't told her anything about the fights and if she had I don't think she would tell me, but well, that wasn't the case. I'm sure if she hadn't told my girlfriend, she would have found out on her own.

"You're going to promise me, there will be nothing that can prevent it." She insisted and I nodded "Ok, I promise. I'm not going to get into fights in case something happens to us." I promised "Thank you my love." Gabriela thanked "You're welcome."

I started running my hand through her hair and after fifteen minutes she fell asleep peacefully. I liked watching her sleep, she seemed calm at least this time, because when she stayed at my house, she wasn't calm at all.

I had been watching her sleep for an hour when my grandmother entered the room with a jacket in her hand and because Gabriela's starting to get a little cold, I covered her with the extra blanket I had.

"Hello my boy, how are you doing?" Grandma asked "Well grandma, really, you don't need to worry. Better tell me if you convinced mom not to come." I asked and she nodded, making me release all the air I was holding in my lungs. "I convinced her not to come today, but she will come tomorrow." She confessed, "Grandma can't come, she'll make a fuss when she sees Gabriela here."

"Yeah, I know. If you don't want that to happen, you'll have to convince her to go home." She said and I denied, because it wasn't going to be easy to convince her. "It's hard to get an idea out of her head, grandma" I responded, "I realized it, but you also have to realize at some point your mother will have to find out you're with her."

"I know, and I plan to tell her this week, but I don't want Gabriela to be here so mom don't say atrocious things to her." I admitted. I don't want her to feel worse for something she shouldn't even worry about. "Don't worry, if that happens, I'll be there to prevent this girl from having a bad time. By the way, you're lucky she has forgiven you, she's a great girl of which there are few left."

"I know grandma, I am the luckiest man to have her." I said, looking at Gabriela, who was still sleeping peacefully. "She was worried about what had happened to you and couldn't talk about it. She told me you're like this because of her. Can you explain to me why she said that?" grandma asked curiously. "It's a long story to explain, Grandma."

"I have all night." She responded "It was Carlos, he was the one who broke my nose." I told her everything that had happened and she said the same thing as Gabriela and I, that something was wrong with Carlos because he was not the same as he was a couple of years ago and she believed the fact he's in love with Gabriela had nothing to do with it.

We spent the rest of the night talking until we both fell asleep and it can be said its one of the best days I have ever slept in my life, with the person I love the most by my side.