Liar's Desire ✔️

26| Familia

Carlos's POV

Sometimes I forget that there's more to my family than just my mother and father. I had aunts, cousins, uncles, and the random people that married some of them. 

"Chiquito, why aren't you dancing?" my aunt said with a glass of tequila in her right hand, "Come dance with me!" 

I backed up a little, "No thanks tía." 

She shrugged and started dancing with my mom. My mother had already asked me around four or five times if I wanted to try some alcohol which I responded 'no' to. 

"Mijo, why don't you want to dance with your family?" my mother asked me. I was sitting in the corner and I hadn't interacted with anyone at the party. I was about five hours away from home for the family gathering and I didn't know anyone there besides my parents. 

"I'll be fine," I assured her, "I'm fine over here." 

When she left, I took out my phone. I had no notifications and had no idea what to do to entertain myself. 

"Carlos, right?" asked a guy who looked a little bit older than me but not by too much. 

"Why do you know my name?" I asked, "Who even are you?"

"What a way to talk to your cousin," he said. 

"Right," I responded, "There's a lot of cousins here." 

"Want to try the tapas?" he asked, "I made them myself." 

"I guess I can take a break from being a loner," I said. 

I got up and put some food on a plate. I sat down at a table with my cousin, "You don't like family gatherings, Carlos?" 

"No, it's not that I don't like them," I responded, "It's just everyone is so lively." 

"Do you have a girlfriend?" he asked me, "I'm just trying to make small talk."

 "No," I responded. I could see my mother and father dancing on the dance floor to spanish music and they looked so happy. My father usually always works but lately, he's been having a bit more fun in life. 

I still couldn't help but think about Tristan though. I was worried about him, really worried about him. He fainted and I could tell it was because he wasn't taking care of himself. 

"Something's on your mind," he said, "Oh yeah, I'm Alejandro by the way." 

"I'm just worried about someone," I responded. It was getting dark outside and I really just wanted to go back to our hotel room, "He's been acting off." 

"Off?" he said, "How 'off' has he been acting?" 

"He fainted," I responded, "He was crying so I hugged him but he just fainted." 

"Sobrinos!" another aunt yelled, "You two don't want to dance?" 

"No thank you, tía," Alejandro said. I couldn't help but feel like I was disconnected from my culture. Everyone else was dancing and having fun but I was just sitting in the corner with my cousins. 

"You want to dance?" he asked, taking my hand. I was already dragged out of my chair so I guess it was more of a statement than a question. 

Before I knew it, I was standing in the middle of a bunch of people dancing. I was standing alone awkwardly and just watched everyone else dance. 

I knew how to dance. I had danced with Stephanie at our schools winter dance. But this was different, these people were family members I had no idea existed and most of them seemed to know me but I had no idea who they were. 

"Boo!" exclaimed a voice behind me, "Did I scare you?" 

"Not really," I responded, "Let me guess, you're my cousin? 

She looked around my age and I remember seeing her speak broken spanish with my mom, she was a no sabo kid but I guess she was trying. 

"Look at all the gringos," she said, "They seem so confused." 

I laughed but I could barely hear her over the music. She took my hands and started dancing, "You know how to dance, right?" 

I wanted to just disappear there and then. Dancing with my cousin? No thank you. 

But to my surprise, she danced really well. She stepped on my foot a couple of times but I was having a lot of fun. Maybe I wasn't as disconnected from my culture as I thought.