Curing His Love Allergy

Chapter 25 - A Strained Relationship

Finally, it was time for me to leave.

"The road, the street, the sky," I said, greeting them. My friends laughed at my enthusiasm. "Hey, I haven't seen them in a while," I defended.

"Tiara, we need to talk," Alejandro said.

I sighed, "Okay fine, let's go to Sunrise Roast. I'm dying for some waffles." I smiled.

"Do y'all agree?" Noah asked.

Did he not hear that Ale and I had to talk privately?

"Yeah," everyone said, steadily agreeing.

"Plus, I've never been to Sunrise Roast," Dom said.

"Fine, Tiara, come drive with me," Alejandro said, and I nodded.

As I was walking to Ale's car, I spared a backward glance to France, who had my bags. "Hey, leave them in your car. You can take me home after we get to the diner," I told him.

"Ouch," I winced as a pain shot through my stomach.

I could walk and move the hand that got shot, but my stomach hurt like a bitch.

"You okay?" Alejandro asked, running to my side. I flinched, and he cleared his throat, then stepped back.

"Right," he whispered, walking to his side of the car.

When I entered his car, he drove off in the direction of Sunrise Roast.

The silence that consumed us stretched over the whole car.

I cleared my throat, deciding to break it. "Alejandro," I said, dreading the words that would come out of my mouth. "I don't think we're working anymore."

"Tiara, don't do this, please. I'll tell you everything, I promise," he said, his eyes flickering over at me.

"You're lying, a-and you're keeping secrets. You're distant, and I don't think the initial spark is still here," I said, gesturing between us.

"B-But I love you," he whispered.

"But that's the thing too, I don't know how I feel about you anymore. Plus, my dad is on my back. This is too much pressure. We're just not okay, we can't ignore it, thinking it will go away," I told him, a frown etched onto my lips.

"We can work this out?" he asked instead of saying.

"How? You won't even tell me what you're hiding. Alejandro, we're over."

He pulled the brakes, and the seatbelt squeezed my stomach. I winced, and a lone tear fell from my eye.

"Shit, sorry," he swore.

"I-i-it's okay," I said.

After that, a tense and awkward silence ensued.

"Is it because of France?" he asked, his voice accusing.

"Didn't I just tell you? Did you hear me call his name?" I asked.

"You guys always had this bond, and it's beautiful. I know partly it's because of him, and deep down, you know it too," he said.

"What's gonna happen to the band?" I asked him.

"You just got shot. I don't know. Let's just take a break and focus on ourselves. I guess we'll need some time apart too, so I can sort my shit out," he said, pulling into the parking lot of Sunrise Roast.

I unbuckled my seatbelt, then hopped out of the car, careful not to hurt myself. France was the only one already here; his car gave him away.

"So... I guess this is the end?" he asked.