Chapter 18

GABRIELA

While we were in technical drawing class and after getting scared because of the class I heard some girls talking about him and I involuntarily began to pay attention to what they were talking about. As soon as I heard he was interested in them, I got really angry and he better not cross my path when class ends because I wouldn't hold me responsible for what I was going to do to him. 

At the end and I was about to get out of it, he approaches with a smiling face, it makes me feel worse than I am. "Hey, can you explain what you told me before?" He asked "I don't have to talk to you about anything, I'm still angry, maybe more these days." 

"Can I know what I did?" he asked confused and I rolled my eyes "Better go with those chicks and leave me alone, I'm better off without you." I assured and Alex ended up frowning. "What are you talking about?" he inquired and I didn't even bother to answer him. 

I left class and college where my siblings, Marcos, and to my surprise, Carlota, were waiting for me. I don't really know what she's doing here. Marcos was with a big smile until he must have realized I wasn't in a good mood. 

"What's the matter?" asked Marcos "Nothing, can we go?" I asked and I could almost see how Carlota rolled her eyes "Thanks for saying hello, Gabriela." she protested, but right now I didn't care, all I wanted to do was go home and be away from Alex "Sorry Carlota, I'm not in the mood right now." 

"I don't want to imagine why." Carlota snorted. "Well, don't do it, but why did you come here?" I asked, trying to put Alex out of my mind. "I came to see my besties and spend the afternoon together, but I would understand if you didn't want to." she said and I denied, because I wanted to do it and at the same time, it would help me not to have Alex on my mind. "Of course, I want to, but I have to take my sibling's home. I'm sure mom will invite you to eat. Then we can go if you want." 

"Sure, I haven't seen your mother in a while, I don't have a problem with that." She said, "Then let's go." At that moment I saw how Alex wanted to come with us and I think for my luck and his I was the only one who saw him because if Carlota had seen him, she would have killed him and that would have given my siblings a light who it was, something I didn't want them to know who he was. 

Alex's face changed radically when Marcos took my hand, which he always did when he was angry or worried, but apparently something crossed his mind like when he broke up with me, his look was the same as when he left me because he was thinking I was cheating on him and that made me feel bad again, because that meant he didn't trust me, but while I was turning around, it changed again to something similar to how he was looking at me now, which made me think either I had to re-prescribe the glasses or he was bipolar, or both, I had no idea. When we got to my house my mother wanted me to go out for a walk to see if they could make my bad mood go away or improve something. 

While we were at home I thought I had exaggerated everything about Alex, because as much as they thought he was paying attention to them, it doesn't mean it was true, besides everything pointed to Alex telling me the truth about what he felt and I noticed how he had changed, it could be said my reaction seems to be of a jealous person, which I don't know, I don't know what I feel for Alex, I like he cared about me and everything, and it didn't bother me he talks to me like he did at the beginning of the semester and I felt weird sometimes when he was around me, I felt butterflies in my stomach which made me remember the times we were together and we were happy. 

I don't know what I feel for him, or more or less I had an idea of what I feel, but I was afraid he would hurt me like he did once, I don't think he was capable of it, but I was still afraid. When we finished eating and I left everything in my room we went to my car to go for a walk and thus be able to clear my head that right now was full of doubts. I drove for an hour and we went to the beach because they knew it was something it relaxed me, even if I couldn't get in the water. 

"Can I know what's wrong with you? You've been weird since you got out of college." Marcos said with concern and I denied "Nothing is wrong with me." I assured him "Marcos's right Gabriela, you left there angry. Did something happen to you with Alex?" Carlota asked and I denied again "There's nothing wrong with Alex, it's my business." 

"But it has to do with him." Carlota practically affirmed and what makes me half angry with her "Why does my bad mood always have to be Alex's fault?" I asked irritably "Because in the last few months you were mad at everyone because of him." 

"Well, it has nothing to do with him this time, strange as it may seem to you. Plus, it's a piece of bullshit I was mad about." I affirmed and Carlota rolled her eyes "Now you get angry because of bullshit? You never did that." 

"I get angry over bullshit like everyone else. It didn't make sense why I was angry. Those eyes never lied to me; they lie." I assured and they both frowned. "I think I just missed a bit." Marcos said after a few seconds "Nothing, forget it, I understand myself." 

"Well then I have good news for you and your head Gabriela." Carlota replied with a big smile on her face "What good news?" I inquired "Since we are on Friday, I thought we could go to a party with me. A friend from college invited me and since according to him I talk a lot about you, he would like you to come too and of course I would like you to come too. What do you think?" 

Marcos and I looked at each other for a few seconds thinking about what we could do and for my part there was no problem, it would help me clear my head and maybe I could sort out my feelings a bit too, which I really need, and she knew the answer before any of us answer. 

"Now that you have accepted, you have to take out good clothes." she said and I frowned, because it wasn't something it fascinate me, really "Why?" I asked, "It's a black-tie party, Gabriela, and knowing you, you're going to need my help." 

"I know how to choose my clothes; I don't need your help." I said, "I'm not saying that, Gabriela, but you don't like to put on makeup, and you could wear makeup." Carlota said "Don't even dream about it because I'm not going to do it." I protested, I didn't like putting on makeup and I wasn't going to start doing it now "Gabriela, a little, I don't ask you for anything out of this world." 

"Well, you can be sire I'm not going to put on makeup, if someone doesn't want to look at me, they should look the other way." I assured "Everyone is going to be looking at you Gabriela, they always do. You are beautiful, even if you don't put on makeup, and Carlota will understand that." 

"Okay, I'll won't say anything on one condition." Carlota replied, "What condition?" I asked because there was something didn't sound right. I didn't understand what it was about put on make-up, only one thing was clear, I was not going to put on make-up for the world no matter how much Carlota told me to do it. If she insisted, I wouldn't go to the party, period. 

Also, when Marcos named Alex, I could see some hate in her eyes and I don't know what she was up to, something told me it wasn't good, but I wouldn't focus on it right now, I'd have time to find the solution to what was going through her head. Right now, I just wanted to clear my head and have a good time. 

"Let me help you choose the dress, I know it's difficult for you to choose between several models and I want to help you." she stated and I frowned, because there was something didn't quite fit me "Just that?" I asked, suspecting that wasn't what she really wanted. "Just that." 

"So, there's a deal, but we have to go now because the party starts at eleven." Carlota said and Marcos looked at the clock "Carlota we still have time, it's half past nine." He protested and she rolled her eyes "No, we don't have time, because we should eat something, change and then it takes about an hour to get there so no, we don't have time." 

"Well then let's go, let's not wait any longer." We went to the car and home. On the way I heard Carlota say something like maybe I could find a boyfriend and I don't know if it's because they could tell my doubts about what I felt for Alex or because Marcos had told her something about what she said to me the other day, but now I seemed to understand what was the reason why Carlota wanted us to go to that party. I wasn't going to draw conclusions until she told me directly.