Chapter 66

ALEX

I'm worried about Gabriela because she hadn't come to class for a month, and she stopped talking to me like we did before. I don't know if it's because I had done something that bothered her or if it's because of Jack.

When I found out what had happened, I didn't hesitate to go to her house to see if she was ok, but from what they told me she wasn't there, that she had gone with Ana, and they had no idea when she would be back. From the little Carlos told me, Ana had stopped talking since what happened and didn't want to separate from Gabriela at all, and from the little I was able to talk to Gabriela, she didn't talk about what happened either.

At Gabriela's house they were worried about her and didn't know what to do to make her return to being the Gabriela she used to be. From what I found out, she spent all her time with Ana, she's the only one the little girl talks to, she avoided the rest.

Today I'm determined to go to her house and not leave until she wanted to talk to me, I would stay at the door, if necessary, but I had to know how she is, it killed me not knowing how she is.

To my bad luck, classes passed slowly and as soon as the bell rang, I ran out of class. Marcos and Gabriela's siblings were going to come with me since apparently Carlos's car had broken down and he needed Marcos's car to go to work. At this moment we were in the car, and I could tell the atmosphere is too tense.

"Hey Alex, can I ask you a favor?" said Gabriela's sister, "Of course, Maria." I assured, "Make my sister go back to the way she was before. No matter how much she tries to pretend she's fine, we can tell she's not." Gabriela's sister said and I nodded. "I will do everything in my power to make her the same Gabriela as before."

"Thank you." I nodded and not much later, we arrived at her house. As soon as we got out of the car, I headed towards the door to wait for Gabriela to come out, I knew that both Marcos and her siblings would tell her I'm waiting for her outside. I went to the wall to wait until her mother came out.

"Alex, what a pleasant surprise." Lara said with a small smile on her face. "Hello Lara, is Gabriela here?" I asked "No, she went out with Ana a while ago and if I'm honest I don't know when she'll be back." Gabriela's mother informed "I don't care, I plan to wait for her here even at night if necessary." I assured her, "No need, you can come in so she won't be able to avoid you."

"No need, I can wait here." I assured, "Don't be stupid and come in." She said, taking my arm. "As you wish." I entered the house after her and we headed towards the dining room. Apparently, they were going to eat, so I was going to sit on the couch there until Lara practically made me sit at the table with the others so I could eat.

We finished eating an hour ago when Gabriela arrives with Ana in her arms and without saying anything she heads towards the living room, but a few minutes later she returns with Ana in her arms heading towards the kitchen without saying anything. I could see how everyone looked at her worried, it's not normal for Gabriela not to say anything.

"Ana, leave Gabriela a little." Marcos said and the girl just shook her head and didn't separate even a single millimeter from Gabriela, while she's looking for something in a cabinet. "Ana, Gabriela must be tired." He insisted, "Marcos, it doesn't matter, leave her alone, she'll come down whenever she wants."

With that the conversation ended and she continued doing what he was doing. She asked Ana a question, but I don't know what she asked her, and then she started cooking. When it seemed like she's done, she sat in a kitchen chair with Ana on her legs and it seems she had to insist her to eat.

"Gabriela, what have you been doing away from home for so long?" Lara asked, "Things mom." She simply said, "You always have something to do, but you haven't been to college for a month and exams start." Lara responded, and from her voice, I knew she's worried. "I'll deal with it; I have more important things than college."

"Are you going to tell me you plan to leave your degree in your last year?" She asked surprised. "I didn't say that at any time." Gabriela murmured, but we all heard her. "So, what is it you have to do that's more important than college?"

"Things, by the way, Marcos, I decided to take your sister out of school until next year." She informed the guy and I stood still thinking what she had just said. "Why did you do that?" Marcos asked, "Because I can and because your sister isn't prepared to go to school right now."

"And do you think she will be able to go to school within the year?" He asked with a worried tone. "I'll take care of that." assured my girlfriend, "You shouldn't have done that." Marcos murmured, but Gabriela heard him and turned in his direction with a threatening look. "For me, I should have done that, but you know very well that I'm the one who makes all the decisions that have to do with Ana. Furthermore, Carlos supported me, so you can say I don't care what you think, I've done it and that's it."

"Gabriela, don't talk to Marcos like that." her mother protested, "I talk to him however I want, because first of all I am Ana's legal guardian and second, I have Carlos's support, so I don't need him to agree, and now I'm leaving." With that my girlfriend got up and went upstairs. The truth is, I hadn't realized what she had said, well, yes, I understand it, but it didn't make sense, Ana siblings are well enough for her to have to be Ana's legal guardian.

"I'm sorry you had to put up with that Marcos." Lara apologized to him. "It's nothing, really, she's keeping everything inside and that's what worries me." He said, "Hey Marcos, can I ask you a question?" I asked, still confused by what Gabriela had just said. "Sure."

"What Gabriela said about being Ana's legal guardian…" I began "What's up with that? She's right, she is, and she can do what she thinks is best for my sister." he responded, shrugging his shoulders. "So, it's true?"

"Yes, didn't she tell you?" He asked, now it's his turn to be confused. "We hardly talk, she doesn't answer my calls and when she does, she just listens, that's why I came here today." I said, "Well, it doesn't seem like she paid much attention to you."

"I know, but it's not good at all, what happened to the happy Gabriela and the Ana who didn't stop talking and laughing?" I asked, "I don't know honestly, they've been like this since the day my father died. At least you heard her speak, sometimes we don't have the pleasure of hearing her." He said, "She's not good at all." I murmured, more to myself than to the others. "You don't need to tell us that, I think she's not even eating, she spends the whole day with my sister."

"But doesn't she separate from Gabriela at all?" I asked curiously, "Not at all, not even to sleep." assured the little girl's brother, "I have to talk to Gabriela." I whispered, "Well, good luck with that, she'll be upstairs in the room right now, if you want, I'll call her."

"No, I'll wait for her to come down." I said, "You can go up, rather I ask you to go up Alex, I hope she treats you better than she's doing with us." Lara responded, "I doubt it, but I will at least try to get him to tell me what is happening to him."

With that I headed up the stairs to go to Gabriela's room, I knocked, but no one answered so I risked entering without her giving me permission, I had to help her in some way, I couldn't sit idly by while Gabriela suffered in silence, it's something I couldn't allow to happen, the only thing I want is for her to be well and I would do what's necessary to achieve it.