Chapter 11

GABRIELA

I don't know what time of the morning it is; I just know I'm still in Ana's room and I woke up. I didn't realize there's someone else inside until he put a blanket over me. When I turn to look, I see it's Carlos who changes his face as soon as he notices I'm awake.

"I'm sorry for wake you up." Carlos said and I denied, because he hadn't exactly woken me up. "Don't worry, you didn't wake me up." I assured, "I hope so, I would feel bad if that were the case." He stated and I laughed "Do you know what time it is?" I asked, "Half past five."

"Wow." I said sighing "What's wrong?" He asked, "I'm not sleepy." I answered, covering my eyes. "You stayed up late." He responded convinced, "I think." I said "You should sleep more; you didn't sleep almost at all."

"I know, but I'm not going to be able to sleep, there's something that's not letting me." I responded and he frowned. "And what is it?" He asked, "I don't know, but something." I stated, "Maybe it's because of your grandmother." He started and I shrugged, because I really doubt that's why "Maybe." I finally responded "I can't sleep either, if you want, we can go down to the kitchen. There we can talk or do whatever you want."

"Ok." I got up, careful not to wake Ana and as soon as I did, she moved, turning towards our direction. "Don't go." I's sleeping and it's funny she said that. She had put one of her arms around mine and I slowly untwisted it from mine and put it under the blankets so she wouldn't get cold. As soon as we're sures he wasn't going to wake up, we left the room.

"You know, you will be the best mother a person can ever have." He stated and I turned in his direction to see what he was talking about. "Why do you say that?" I asked. "The way you treat my sister, that's what tells me you'll be a great mother."

"I don't think is that big of a deal." I said rolling my eyes, because for me, at this moment he's exaggerating. "Yes, it is." he assured. When we got to the bottom there was no one there, which made me wonder where my siblings are.

"Don't worry about your siblings, Mario is in Marcos' room and María is in mine." He said when he saw the look on my face. "And where were you supposed to be?" I asked, frowning. "On the couch, I'm a gentleman." He responded, shrugging his shoulders. "You shouldn't sleep on the couch."

"Maybe, you shouldn't have slept with my sister either, you deserved better." He assured and I rolled my eyes, because that's stupid to think "Why? It's the best place I could have fallen asleep, honestly." I confirmed "My sister adores you."

"No idea." I answered sincerely, "But I'm telling you, whenever you're here with you, she doesn't separate from you." He said, "But that has nothing to do with her adoring me." I refuted, because for me, it's true, "Well, believe me, she does. Always ask when you will be back once you leave home."

"I adore her too." I answered honestly, "She's not the only one wondering when you'll be back." He said and I frowned, because now I'm beyond confused. "I don't understand." I muttered "I do it too."

"But we can see each other whenever we want, that's not the problem." I answered and he denied, "I know, but for me I would never be far from you." I'm not understanding anything he's telling, but something told me this is going to go somewhere I didn't want it to go. "You're an drama queen. You're almost never home when I come." I laughed, because in the last couple of months I came here, he's never home or too busy doing other things.

"That's the intention." He responded, leaving me more confused than I was a couple of seconds ago. "What?" I asked, "I know you must not be aware of anything, but it seems like you're ignoring me." He answered and I started to deny, because I would never ignore him, he's like my older brother "I don't Carlos, what makes you think that?"

"You don't realize how I feel about you, do you?" He inquired and I frowned more if possible. "What are you talking about?" I questioned, confused, "I've love you Gabriela since we were kids, that's why I'm not home most of the time you come."

"But isn't it because you're looking for a job?" I asked and he nodded. "That helps me not be around the house so much, but did you hear what I told you?" He asked with hope in his eyes, but I don't understand what he had hope for. "Of course, you love me, I do too, I love you so much Carlos, I really do."

At that moment he began to slowly approach, and the truth is, I didn't have a very good feeling. I had the impression he's going to kiss me and I don't want that to happen, so I moved away from him a little and he looked at me, surprised by my reaction. "What's happens?" He asked and I moved a little further away from him, studying him. "I think there's a miscommunication here."

"What are you talking about Gabriela?" He asked "You love me." I confirmed and he nodded. "How exactly?" I asked, "As a way to spend the rest of my life with you." And that's what made me shit on everything. I didn't want to hurt him; it really is the last thing I wanted to do. I had to tell him I don't love him, tell him about Alex and try to make it easier for him, but I don't think there's any way to make it easy, much less make him not suffer.

"But I love you as a brother Carlos." I assured him in the softest way I could, "Yeah, I imagined something like that." He responded, "Hey, don't be sad, I'm sure there will be someone there who will love you the way you deserve, but I'm not that person."

"Can you answer a question for me?" He asked dejectedly and I nodded, because it's the least I could do. "I've heard from a few people you're dating someone, but it doesn't make sense who they say you're with."

"If you tell me, I can tell you if it's true or not." I said, shrugging my shoulders, but hoping it wasn't Alex's name they said. "They say you're with that asshole who hurt you." I took a deep breath, trying to think of what to say to him so that he wouldn't get too angry at least.

From what Marcos told me a few hours ago, Carlos hated Alex after what he did to me and this would really hurt him. We looked at each other for a while and I could see how his face was changing into one of anger.

"Are you going to tell me it's true?" he asked after taking a while to answer, "It's true, everything they say." I confirmed it, because it wasn't going to be worth denying it when he already knew it. "What's wrong with you, Gabriela? How can you be with a guy who hurt you so much?"

"Carlos, listen to me." I asked and he denied, getting up from the couch. "I mean, can you be with him again and you can't even give me a chance?" He asked ironically "It's not like that, let me…" I started, but I'm completely sure he wasn't going to listen to me at all "Oh, of course it is like that. After everything we all went through for you after you broke up with him, YOU WERE DESTROYED FOR THE LOVE OF GOD GABRIELA, and you tell me so calmly you're now with him? I really can't understand you Gabriela, I thought you were smarter."

"Carlos…" I tried again "Carlos nothing Gabriela. THAT GUY DOESN'T VALUE YOU AT ALL. HE LEFT YOU BECAUSE He THOUGHT YOU WERE WITH MY BROTHER, HE DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER TO ASK YOU IF IT WAS TRUE OR NOT, DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT GOOD FOR YOU?" At that moment Marcos comes down, I suppose because Carlos had woken him up with the screams, I just hope he doesn't wake up the others, I don't want Ana to see him so angry.

"Can I know what's going on here Carlos? You're going to wake up the others." Marcos asked, annoyed "I DON'T CARE IF I WAKE THEM UP OR NOT. HAVE YOU NOT FOUND GABRIELA IS DATING THE ASSHOLE WHO HURT HER? SHE DIDN'T TELL YOU THAT, RIGHT?"

I turned to look at Marcos hoping he wouldn't tell him, it wasn't the time for him to tell Carlos he knew, I didn't want them to argue and make Carlos angrier than he already was. "Yes, I did know, I helped Alex myself" he assured and I took a breath, because now it's going to get worse "BUT ARE YOU AN ASSHOLE OR WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU? DID YOU FORGET HOW GABRIELA WAS AFTER HE LEFT HER?"

"I know how she was; I remind you I was there not like you; I know better than you know it, Carlos. Damn, he was your best friend!!!!" Marcos protested "YOU JUST SAID IT YOURSELF, WAS, IN PAST. I COULDN'T STAY FRIENDS WITH A GUY WHO SAID HE LOVED GABRIELA MORE THAN ANYTHING AND THE FIRST QUANTUM THEY TELL HIM SOMETHING THAT MAKES NO SENSE AND I BELIEVED IT. YOU'RE BOTH REALLY BAD."

"Carlos, you shouldn't care what Gabriela does with her life, it's her life." Marcos tried, while I was looking at what was happening, confused and upset, "You know what? You're right, she can do whatever she wants with her life. Then when Alex hurts her, she will go back to the same thing as before and we will have to put the remaining pieces back together."

"CARLOS, HE ISN'T GOING TO DO ANYTHING TO ME." I exploded, because I don't know why everyone insisted I would do it. "That's what you thought last time and look how you ended up." He snorted "Things change, you know? They don't always stay the same." I assured, "Look, I'm not going to argue with you, I'm leaving. I can't stand seeing you in front of me."

"Carlos, don't talk nonsense." Marcos protested "It's not nonsense, it's the truth, I don't plan to see her any longer. Of course, Marcos, stay with her, I don't care about anything." he assured "Carlos…"

"Fuck you both." With that he walked out the door and I'm going to follow him; I'm not going to let him leave angry. HE DIDN'T LET ME TALK THE FUCK!!!! But Marcos stops me before I take another step in the direction Carlos had gone.

"Leave him, it's better for him to be alone." Marcos said, grabbing my arm to prevent me from going after him. "Shit Marcos, I have to talk to him right now." I protested, trying to free my arm. "Believe me, he's not going to listen to you right now."

I'm angry, angry with myself, with Carlos for not letting me explain, with Marcos for not letting me go after his brother. Everything is fucked right now, but as soon as I hear Ana's voice, I automatically relax and turn in her direction with the best face I can have at the moment.

"What's wrong with Carlos, Gabriela?" Ana asked when she arrived next to us. Marcos and I looked at each other thinking about what to tell his little sister about what was happening to Carlos, I didn't want to tell her he's angry.

"There's nothing wrong princess, he was just excited because someone called him for an interview." I said, the last thing I wanted was for her to worry about something she shouldn't. "He sounded angry." Ana answered and I shook my head with the best smile I could put on at the moment. "That was because you're half asleep, now why don't you go to sleep?"

"I want to stay with you, Gabriela." She said and I nodded, stretching my arms in her direction. "Ok, come here." She came closer and I took her in my arms. I went to the sofa, grabbed the blanket there to wrap it around Ana and we sat down. Marcos ended up sitting down and after a while Ana fell asleep.

"You shouldn't have told him Marcos." I whispered "What?" He asked, confused for a moment. "You knew, you shouldn't have done it." After that I didn't say anything else, there are too many things in my head at the same time and at some point, I'm going to end up exploding, I just hope my siblings didn't hear anything, because then I would be in trouble, I had to tell my family as soon as possible before they discovered it from someone other than me.