Chapter 43

CARLOS

We are worried about Gabriela. We didn't have the slightest idea where she is and I couldn't think of any place she could be. We had been looking for her for hours and her parents had already called me to ask me about Gabriela's whereabouts, to which I still couldn't answer. I didn't want them to worry about her, so I ended up telling them I'm with her. Around eight in the afternoon I called Marcos to go home to be with Ana, since my parents would take a while to arrive, tomorrow they would leave early for a trip.

After continuing for another hour, a place Gabriela could be in came to mind. I remember whenever we went to her grandparents' house and she got angry or something, she went to a hidden place behind one of her grandparents' houses. It's a good place to hide and where no one would find her or hear her. From there it could see and even reach the beach so I headed there.

As soon as I got in front of Gabriela's grandparents' house, I didn't see her car anywhere, which is smart of her if what she wanted isn't be found. I got off and headed towards that place. As soon as I'm about ten steps away I could see her. She looked terrible, and I don't know if my eyesight is deceiving me or what, but it looked like she has a bottle of something and as soon as I'm close enough I can see it's a bottle of alcohol, which is already indication things aren't right, she doesn't drink any alcohol until now apparently.

"Gabriela." I called her and she turned around and I could see she had been crying for hours, but as soon as she realized it's me, she looked back ahead, ignoring I'm there. I approached her and sat next to her looking at the sea.

"You shouldn't be here." She said dryly, "Maybe, but you look terrible and I could say you're drunk. What's happening Gabriela? You're not like that." I responded, looking at her and trying to figure out what's going through her head. "Of course, I am, don't you see?"

"Tell me the reason you hit Paula." I asked even though I had the idea of what had happened "That bitch deserved that and much more... Alex stopped me from to hit her more... I would have killed her at that moment for messing with who she shouldn't have."

"I didn't say you didn't have reasons; I just want to know." I answered, because if what was going through my mind was what had happened, I myself would want to finish her off. "It was her fault my siblings ended up in the hospital.... She ordered them to be beaten to give me a message."

"She's a complete slut." I whispered, trying to keep my anger down. "They weren't to blame for the problem she has with me. They have nothing to do with this matter." It didn't take long for her to start crying and I really hate seeing her like that. Right now, she's devastated and something told me she felt guilty for what had happened to her siblings, which she doesn't have to do.

That girl hates Gabriela for the simple fact Alex loves Gabriela instead of her, and Gabriela wasn't to blame for that at all, she didn't deserve anything happening to her right now.

We had been hugging for a long time, but I didn't care, all I wanted is for her to relax and stop crying. At this point it's not like I could do much, I have to call Alex, I'm hoping he could do more than me, plus then I would stop being so worried about her.

"Gabriela, Alex should be here." I said and it didn't take long for her to deny "No... I don't want him to see me like that." She asked, "But he's worried about you." I admitted, "Carlos, I'm serious... I don't want to see anyone... I want to be alone."

"I'm not going to leave you like this." I assured my brother best friend, because I'm not sure what she intended to do. "I want to be alone, Carlos, seriously." She reiterated, "Well, right now I'm not going to leave you here, much less with that bottle, I'll stay."

"Right now, I hate you, Carlos." she informed, even though I know she's not being completely serious. "I know, but listen to me something and I hope it sticks in your head, Gabriela. You weren't to blame for what happened to your siblings." I said, knowing that right now she must be blaming herself for that. "Of course, I have, they must hate me right now."

"They don't, they still adore you as always, they know it wasn't your fault." I insisted "It was Carlos, if I hadn't fallen in love with Alex and he hadn't fallen in love with me, I wouldn't have this problem right now, I'm stupid for thinking our relationship was going to work and even more so if I thought with her here everything is going to be fine, I'm stupid."

"You're not thinking about breaking up with him, are you?" I asked, not liking to ask the question, "That's the problem Carlos, I'm too weak to break up with him, but it's not right, I'm going to end up hurting my family with that, I don't want that to happen."

"Look Gabriela, you're not weak, you just love him with all your being, that cannot be changed, you tried and you didn't succeed, second, you won't end up hurting your family, if that's because they don't accept your relationship, I know they will. Stop saying stupid things, it doesn't suit you." I asked "It's not stupid, I'm serious."

"So are you going to tell me you would let go of your happiness you have been fighting for for a long time? Are you going to let that witch win? That's not the Gabriela I know." I responded, trying to make her see it wasn't bad at all she's with Alex. "The Gabriela you know died a long time ago, Carlos, there's nothing left of her."

"Don't say that, the Gabriela I know is still there, only now she's being monopolized by the depressed and grumpy Gabriela, but you will see when the half bottle you drank goes down a little you will realize what you just said it's not at all true." I responded, taking the bottle from her hand. "I may have drunk half a bottle, but I'm not drunk, so stop saying it."

"You never drank, it's normal for you to be." I gently insisted "I'm not, I know well what I'm saying and I mean it completely." She assured, "So you're telling me, if you were able to break up with Alex, would you, do it?" I asked and she nodded "Yeah."

"Well, that's what makes me think you are. You would never say that." I countered, because it's something I knew she wouldn't do. "Well, I'm doing it. Now if you can go away and leave me alone... I want to be alone. I don't want to get angry with you or anyone."

"But…" I began, "But nothing, you're leaving, I'm being rude enough right now, I'm asking you as a favor." She pleaded, "Ok, I'll go, but you can call me." I asked, "I'm not going to do it." She said, shrugging her shoulders. "Well, I'm not going to leave then."

"Ok, I'll call you, happy?" She asked, angrily. "Very much." I responded, standing up and walking away from her. I'm thinking of leaving her alone? Of course not, I'm just going to let her think she's alone, stay hidden and call Alex to come over. As soon as I called him and told him he had to come get Gabriela, he didn't hesitate for a millisecond to accept, so I sent him the location and I stayed, waiting for him to show up, apparently this is going to be a long night for everyone.