That Spanish Tutor (BxB)

CAPÍTULO 13

"Are you really okay? You were just standing there." Jorge asks me.

I get out of my trance and Mikel's face flashes in front of me, before Jorge appears. I open my mouth, but no words come out. I settle for a nod instead. Pablo is already looking at the menu provided by the waitress. Jorge puts his hand at the back of my waist, and I take a deep breath. Mikel has been on my mind that it's ruining every moment for me.

The confusing part is I really don't know why.

Okay, yes, we've hung out together, and there's a fair chance that I'm just missing him and his company because Mikel is so easy to be around with. If I'm hanging out with him, I feel like more of myself naturally–awkward and funny, and I feel like I don't have to change anything. And we've told each other about ourselves that we've never told anyone about. For him, it's his ex-girlfriend and his dreams. For me, it's about my family that I dearly miss every single day.

It's so easy to lean on Mikel and tell him about problems because he'd understand. It feels like we've stepped on the same stones, and there's some sort of connection between us. Friendship connection, maybe?

The walk to the beach, his smiles, the way he talks. Maybe I miss all of those. We haven't been hanging out with each other a lot, and I guess our tutoring session has been put on hold for the meantime. I haven't really had a connection with anyone like I have with Mikel. It's different somehow. I know I can always rely with my friends, but sometimes, I question whether I'm really part of the group or if they forced themselves to include me. Either way, most of the time, I don't feel like I fit in. Maybe that's anxiety talking, or maybe it's just my head making it up because... well, I haven't really a good friend.

But with Mikel? I could always tell that I feel welcome. Tarifa reminds me of him–every inch of him. Tarifa belongs in Mikel, and I feel like... I am, too. I belong in Tarifa, I mean.

I look at Jorge, and he's looking right at me. I don't have that connection with him but I know he's definitely my friend. He makes me feel welcome, and he's basically babysitting me and helping me on my journey. But he doesn't have the same effect on me as Mikel does.

"Hey... we can always postpone this." Jorge tells me. I shake my head.

"No, I'm alright." I touch his shoulder and give him a small smile. "I just want to thank you for everything. You're a great friend."

For a moment his smile falters, and I definitely see a sad feeling there, but he immediately puts a huge smile and nods his head. I wonder if I've said something wrong. He flicks my forehead, and I groan in pain. Jorge only laughs.

"You know what? I haven't eaten at all, and I'm really, really hungry." Jorge chortles and I laugh, apologizing in the process. "Come on. I'm craving for some gambas, and oh, they have hamburguesa. Hamburger. Muy bueno. Oh, oh, this one, too. Bacons!"

"Bacons! Y huevos." Pablo shouts.

"Yeah, bacons! And eggs."

"Stop hyping up the bacons," I chortle. Jorge rolls his eyes playfully. He grabs the available chair for me to sit on. "Eggs are his favorite, so I have to buy him that."

"I can pay," Jorge offers.

"No," I say to him sternly, shaking my head. "You've been treating me, and you're wasting money on me. I can definitely pay. I have my own savings. But you don't have to worry about it. My aunt gave me some euros to spend. For me and little Pablo. So as long as I have this money, and as long as it's still enough to buy us something, food or whatever, I'm using this. Okay?"