Saturdays were for brunch with my friends. The café we frequented was nestled in a quiet corner of Barcelona, its rustic charm a perfect backdrop for our weekly catch-up sessions. I sat at our usual table, absently stirring my coffee while my friends chatted animatedly around me.
"You seem distracted, Indiyah," Mia said, giving me a curious look. Her blue eyes sparkled with mischief, framed by her light blonde hair.
"I'm fine," I replied, forcing a smile. "Just a lot on my mind."
Lila, always the perceptive one, narrowed her hazel eyes at me. "Does this have anything to do with the Balde family gathering yesterday?"
I groaned inwardly. I hadn't told them much about the ride with Alejandro, not wanting to relive the tension. "Yeah, sort of. It was... intense."
"Intense how?" Zara leaned in, her interest piqued. "Did Alejandro say something to you again?"
"Not really," I said, trying to brush it off. "We just tried to avoid each other as much as possible."
Mia snorted. "That sounds like Alejandro. Can't believe you had to give him a ride."
"Tell me about it," I muttered, taking a sip of my coffee.
"He's such a jerk," Lila said, her tone laced with disdain. "I don't get why he always has to be so difficult with you."
"Maybe he likes you," Zara suggested, waggling her eyebrows.
I rolled my eyes. "Please, Zara. That's the last thing I need."
"Well, it's either that or he just really enjoys being a pain in your ass," Mia said with a grin.
"Probably the latter," I said, laughing despite myself.
The conversation shifted to other topics, but my thoughts lingered on Alejandro. As much as I hated to admit it, he had a way of getting under my skin. But I wasn't about to let him ruin my day.
After brunch, I headed home, feeling more at ease. However, my mood soured the moment I walked through the door and heard familiar voices from the living room.
"Indiyah, sweetheart, you're back!" My mother called out. "Come join us for dinner."
I plastered on a smile and walked into the room, my heart sinking when I saw Alejandro sitting on the couch, his eyes immediately finding mine. Our mothers were deep in conversation, oblivious to the tension that radiated between us.
"Hi, Mrs. Martinez," I greeted politely, giving her a quick hug.
"Hello, dear," she said warmly. "We thought it would be nice to have a family dinner."
"Great," I said, forcing enthusiasm into my voice.
I took a seat as far from Alejandro as possible, trying to focus on the conversation my mother and his mother were having. It was difficult, though, with Alejandro's gaze burning into me. I could feel his eyes following my every move, and it made my skin prickle with irritation.
The dinner was a blur of polite conversation and forced smiles. Alejandro remained unusually quiet, his attention seemingly fixated on me. I avoided making eye contact, pretending to be deeply interested in my plate of food.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, dinner ended. Our mothers moved to the kitchen to clean up, leaving Alejandro and me alone in the living room. I considered making a quick escape to my room but decided against it, not wanting to seem cowardly.
"Did you enjoy dinner?" Alejandro asked, breaking the silence.
"It was fine," I replied curtly, still not looking at him.
"You're really good at pretending everything's okay, you know," he said, his tone laced with sarcasm.
I turned to face him, my irritation boiling over. "What's your problem, Alejandro? Why do you always have to make things difficult?"
He leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. "Maybe because you make it so easy to get a reaction out of you."
I narrowed my eyes at him. "If you hate being around me so much, then why do you keep looking at me?"
He shrugged, a smirk playing on his lips. "Maybe I enjoy watching you squirm."
I clenched my fists, taking a deep breath to calm myself. "Well, I'm glad you find this so entertaining."
"Believe me, it's not all fun and games," he said, his smirk fading. "You think I enjoy these forced family dinners any more than you do?"
I was taken aback by the sudden shift in his tone. There was a hint of something else in his eyes, something I couldn't quite place. Frustration? Regret? I wasn't sure.
"Then why do you keep coming?" I asked, my voice softer than before.
He looked away, his jaw tightening. "Because our mothers are best friends, and they want us to get along."
I sighed, the fight draining out of me. "Maybe if you stopped being such a jerk, we could actually try to get along."
He didn't respond, his eyes fixed on a spot on the floor. The silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken words. For a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared.
"Whatever," I muttered, standing up. "I'm going to my room."
As I walked away, I could feel his gaze on my back, but I didn't look back. Maybe one day we could find a way to coexist without the constant animosity, but today was not that day. And until then, Alejandro Balde would remain the thorn in my side, the boy who seemed determined to make my life difficult.
