Chapter 75

GABRIELA

For once in a couple of months, I'm calmer, not thinking about anything that had happened at Jack's apartment, and I'm happy, especially after Ana played that melody.

Right now, we were all in the dining room, and I could notice my father's gaze on me and Alex from time to time, which made me nervous, because I have no idea what's going through his head. I suppose they are arguments that Alex wasn't right for me, and honestly, I didn't want to argue with anyone, not now I'm in a good mood, and from the calmness the others showed, I'm more than sure they don't want to make my mood change.

We were all talking, and my father didn't intervene much, but I don't know why exactly, when he called me, I got ready to argue, I guess it's because it was the only thing we're doing lately. "Gabriela, can I talk to you?" He asked, "If that's what I'm thinking about, you can forget about it, because I don't want to argue, not now I'm in a better mood." I said sincerely, "And we're not going to argue, I promise."

"And you can't tell me here?" I half-protested, "I'd rather not." He said and Alex turned to look at me, telling me with his eyes I should talk to him, which I didn't feel like, because I'm more than sure we'll end up arguing, which will make me get in a bad mood. I would have refused to talk to my father until Alex left the house if it hadn't been for the fact he smiled at me, that crooked smile he always gave me whenever he wanted to convince me of something. I'm more than sure he realizes the effect it has on me, because it's practically systematic whenever I'm going to refuse to do something.

"Alright." He got up from the chair he was sitting in and headed out of the house. I followed him until he stopped and was quiet for a couple of minutes, it was at that moment I realized this wasn't going to end in an argument, he's calm as he never been when he knew I was in a relationship with Alex.

"I wanted to apologize for not understanding your relationship with that guy, I think I went too hard." He responded, putting his hands in his pockets and I have to say I wasn't understanding anything right now, Dad apologizing for being hard on Alex? I think I just missed something.

"Why the change, Dad?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. "Since I don't want to argue with you anymore and I might realize he's helping you with your anxiety problems and all, I must admit I have to give him the benefit of the doubt since he's the one. The only thing that makes you calm down at that moment."

"Mom talked to you, right?" I asked, knowing the answer, "Maybe so, but I was also watching you, that's how I realized. But I have to ask you a question, and I want you to be honest, ok?" He said "Alright, ask"

"Are you happy with him?" He asked and I raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it obvious?" I returned the question "I want you to tell me Gabriela." He asked, "Dad, I am happy. Alex makes me happy. Right now, I have everything to be happy, so don't worry." I said, "When did you not have everything to be happy?"

"I always had everything to be happy, both you and my mother took care of that, but everyone says since Alex had broken up with me, I was missing something, and I'm not going to deny it to you, I was missing something, but I still don't know what it's what I was missing, but now I have him back in my life, I know he's the only one capable of giving me that thing I was missing." I responded "Then I have no choice but to accept him"

"I'm not going to pressure you with that, the only thing I ask of you is you don't tell him anything about what he has done, I can assure you he already regrets it and punishes himself; you don't need to add more fuel to the fire." I asked "I will avoid doing it, but it won't be easy." He assured and a smile appeared on my face automatically "At least you'll try, that's the most important thing. Thanks for trying dad."

"Everything is for your happiness, in the end that is what matters." He said, with a smile on his face, "Thanks dad, but can we go inside because it's starting to get cold?" He started laughing and we went inside the house. If a while ago I was already happy, now I'm really happy, because finally after all this time my family knew I was with Alex, my father had accepted our relationship, he would do everything possible to make things easier for Alex, at least would try, which is better than nothing.

Today we had decided to go to Marcos and Carlos's house so Ana could spend a little more time at their house, because basically now the three of them were spending their time at my house, and it's not that my parents cared at all they were at the house, but I think they deserved something more than sleeping on the mattresses that had been put in the my room, so I told them today we would go to their house to sleep there

After dinner, Marcos, Carlos Ana, Alex and I left to go to the first ones' house. Alex had not left me at any time and I could tell he's a little happier than he had been in recent days, which made me happier if that's possible. When we got home, we went to the living room to talk for a while, and there's a moment when Ana sat on my lap and leaned against me. I hugged her and soon I noticed she fell asleep.

"Gabriela, you can go home now, you should rest." Carlos said, "Are you going to kick me out of your house, Carlos?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "No, I'm not going to kick you out, but I think you must be tired of having my sister stuck to you all day. I just want you to have time to not be with her, to spend it with Alex who I'm more than sure he would like to have more time alone with you."

"Don't mess with me because you know I don't care if she spends time with Ana." My boyfriend responded with a laugh, "For once you could support me, I'm trying to get you to spend time with your girlfriend." Carlos protested, "And I spend time with her every day."

"But alone, I'm more than sure that's what you want most." He said "What are you talking about Carlos?" I asked the same question Alex had all over his face. "I don't think you want me to say it out loud, Gabriela."

"Really, I'm not understanding you at all." I said sincerely, "Oh come on, that day you both had such a good time. Do you really think I wouldn't realize something more than kissing happened between you two?" He asked, crossing his arms.

At that moment I blushed like never before in my life. I hadn't told anyone I'd had sex with Alex, mostly because it's no one business. The face Marcos had at this moment is one of great interest and his smile was growing with each passing second, which made me more nervous.

"You had sex with Alex and you didn't tell us anything? Wait, when Carlota finds out she won the bet, she will laugh in my face." Marcos said, and this time I frowned "What bet are you talking about? Are you going to tell me you bet when I would have sex with Alex." I asked without believing it, "Marcos, that's something ugly that you shouldn't do to your best friend from my point of view."

"Don't act innocent Carlos, you were also involved in the bet, so don't act saintly now." Marcos pointed out and I looked at my best friend's brother, "You too? I can't believe the kind of friends I have; I really tell you."

"Come on, don't be angry, we even bet how long it would take you to resist going back to Alex." He confessed and it bothered me even more "And you tell me so calmly? Because let me tell you, Marcos, if I want, I can talk about many of your secrets, for example, about you and Carlota." I suggested, knowing fully what his response would be, "Don't even think about it."

"Well, I'm seriously considering it since you dared to bet on my relationship with Alex." I said "I'm not understanding what you're talking about Gabriela." Carlos said with a frown. "It's not like Carlos's care about it either." Marcos quickly said, "Oh, believe me, he would care, but we can make a deal." I said with a big smile on my face "What kind of deal?"

"One that suits you if you don't want Carlos and the others to find out about that." I assured "It's ok, tell me." He said, "You guys don't make a bet about me and Alex again and I won't tell Carlos. If I find out you have bet again, you three are going to regret it."

"Eh, I was just a bet." Carlos protested, "But the worst of all, so yes, you enter into that deal." I said "That's not fair." He responded, pouting, "That's not what you guys do, if you get bored, find something else to distract yourself, but leave my relationship with Alex alone."

"And you don't say anything to your girlfriend? She is threatening us." Carlos protested, focusing his gaze on Alex. "That's up to you. I guess you should already know how she would react if she found out about that. Also, I must say it was Marcos' fault she found out, she would end up finding out, right? But by telling her she found out sooner."

"Wait, you're telling me you knew and you didn't tell me anything?" I asked turning in his direction with a frown. If before I didn't understand anything, now much less. I don't understand why he hadn't told me anything about knowing about the betting, and even though I wasn't angry with him, it bothered me both the boys and Alex knew about the betting and I always didn't have the slightest idea. I was the last one to find out about things.

"Someone's in trouble…" Carlos murmured. "Not just him, you're all in trouble too." I assured, "Beautiful, I knew they were betting on us, but I had no idea they were betting on that, I'm as surprised as you are."

That little smile he's trying to contain right now told me clearly, he did know what the bet was about, and I would kill him, I really would, but I also have to admit I'm amused by the attempt he's making to convince me. I wouldn't know it, and I wouldn't know it if I didn't know him as much as I know him.

"Oh love, you know you don't convince me, but we'll talk about that another time, now I have to take Ana to the room, who, unlike you, is the only one who can say she really loves me." I said jokingly, "I adore you, my love." Alex protested, "Yes, of course, I have to think about it if it's true."

I got up from the couch to take Ana to her room, and I couldn't help but smile, it bothered me a little they talked about it as if they knew, I don't even know how they had found out, because it's more than clear to me I didn't know. I didn't tell anyone, and I'm more than sure Alex hadn't either. What bothered me the most, so to speak, was they found out I had sex with Alex and said it like that, as if it were nothing, with Ana in front of me. When I put Ana to bed, I gave her a kiss, left the room and headed to the living room, which was where the others were.

"You should go home today, Gabriela. We can take care of Ana." Carlos assured once he stopped laughing, "I know you can take care of her, but it's not necessary, I like to take care of her." I assured, "What if you go for a walk with Alex? Then you can come if you want."

"But…" I began to protest "But nothing, as your older brother I tell you to go for a walk with your boyfriend." He said, trying to contain a smile, "Oh, now don't say that like an older brother, because in theory it should be the other way around, you shouldn't let me go out for a walk with him."

"And would you listen to me if I told you that?" He asked, crossing his arms. "No, but generally that's what you should care about, look at my father as he was." I said, "But he's accepting it, right? That's what matters, at the end of the day."

"I know that's the only thing that matters, but that's why I'm telling you, and ok, I'll go with Alex, but you know tomorrow morning I plan to be at the door and you better open it up quickly because otherwise you'll have problems with me." I said, pointing to him "Ok, I won't be long before I open it for you."

With that we left the house and went to Alex's car to go to his house and talk about anything that came to mind, or sleep, because I'm too sleepy to do anything honestly, the only thing that mattered to me was I would be with him.