You belong with me

Hey, what you doing with a girl like that?

On a Friday afternoon, Carlos, Charles, and I sat in our university canteen. Carlos excitedly showed us a beautifully crafted diamond bracelet, intended as a birthday gift for Rebecca. As usual, Charles rolled his eyes at the mention of her name.

"Come on, Charles," Carlos pleaded, his tone tinged with sadness.

"I'll never warm up to her, Carlos. I promised to behave, but liking her isn't in the cards," Charles retorted.

"Just promise me you won't cause a scene when you see her," Carlos sighed.

"Whatever," Charles replied dismissively.

Soon after, Alex, an art student at our university and Charles' partner, joined us. She noticed the bracelet and inquired about its recipient. Charles, with a hint of mockery, explained it was for Rebecca, prompting Alex to urge him to be civil for Carlos' sake.

Later in the evening at 9 pm, I watched as Carlos prepared dinner for Rebecca while I lounged in the living room. He had also ordered chocolates, a greeting card, and a large teddy bear, cake all thoughtful gestures for her birthday. As he packed extra food for me, I couldn't help but admire his kindness.

"Isn't he wonderful?" I thought, before Carlos interrupted, expressing his plan to surprise Rebecca by decorating her apartment and yelling "happy birthday" upon her return.

"She said she couldn't make any plans with you for her birthday?" I inquired.

Carlos looked up, meeting my gaze. "Any problem with me surprising her?"

Though I wanted to dissuade him, I simply replied, "Nope, no problem at all."

As Carlos left the apartment, I couldn't shake the worry that he might end up hurt.

Around 2 am, I received a text from Carlos, asking me to come to him urgently. Despite my initial reluctance to check the message, a nagging feeling urged me to do so. I swiftly dialed his number, and he picked up after just two rings.

"Where are you?" I asked, concern evident in my voice.

He provided his address, and without hesitation, I hurriedly changed into a hoodie and pants, braving the heavy rain outside. Luckily, I managed to flag down a cab quickly.

As I arrived at his location, I found Carlos sitting forlornly under an abandoned bus shelter, drenched by the rain. Rushing to his side, I asked what had happened, but he remained silent, his gaze fixed somewhere in the distance.

"Let's go," I urged gently, noticing the tears in his eyes. Together, we took a cab back to our apartment.

Once there, I settled him on the sofa and made him a cup of tea, hoping to provide some comfort. Handing him the warm mug, I sat beside him, offering a supportive presence.

"What happened?" I inquired softly, ready to listen whenever he was ready to share and he started sharing.

Carlos entered Rebecca's apartment, having decorated it beautifully and warmed the meal for her birthday. He sat in anticipation, waiting for her arrival so he could surprise her with balloons and a cheerful birthday greeting.

Around 1 am, as he heard the front door open, Carlos eagerly prepared to greet Rebecca. However, when she switched on the lights, he was met not only by her but also by a group of her friends. They laughed at his decorations and his enthusiastic birthday wishes, leaving Carlos feeling humiliated.

"Becky, who is this guy?" the blonde girl questioned, Is this a party for a four-year-old?"

With a mix of anger and hurt, Rebecca introduced Carlos as her friend and tried to downplay the situation, but the mockery stung deeply.

Rebecca gave a fake laugh to her friends, leaving Carlos still reeling from the hurt of being introduced as just a friend.

"Let me talk to Carlos for a sec, keep making yourself at home," Rebecca said to her friends as she dragged Carlos to the kitchen.

"What the hell are you doing here? I told you I can't make plans with you on my birthday. You fucking embarrassed me in front of my friends. Why are you like this, Carlos?" Rebecca exclaimed, putting her hands on her head.

"I embarrass you?" Carlos asked, tears welling up in his eyes. "I just wanted to give you a nice birthday."

"Yes, look at yourself," Rebecca replied sharply.

"And you decorated my house like I'm a fucking 4-year-old. You're so embarrassing, Carlos. Please leave. I can't deal with you tonight. Let me have one fucking normal awesome night without you intruding," she demanded.

Rebecca's harsh words cut through him like a knife, accusing him of embarrassing her and making her feel like a child. Unable to bear the rejection, Carlos stood there, speechless, his heart shattering into a thousand pieces.

With a heavy heart, he retrieved the carefully wrapped bracelet from his pocket, a token of his love and affection, but even that was met with disapproval. With no words left to say, Carlos turned and left Rebecca's apartment, his tears mingling with the rain as he walked away, the pain of rejection weighing heavily on his soul.

As I sat beside Carlos, witnessing his tears and feeling the weight of his pain, my own heart ached with empathy. The urge to confront Rebecca for hurting him so deeply surged within me, but I knew that wouldn't solve anything.

After Carlos composed himself, he thanked me for being there, his voice heavy with emotion. With a heavy heart, he retreated to his room, leaving me to contemplate the depth of his sorrow and the injustice of the situation.