A Bet That Changed Us ︱Pablo Gavi

72: Matching bracelets

I couldn't shake the thoughts of Pablo from my mind. The bracelet I bought for him felt like a tangible connection between us, a symbol of the effort we were both making to move past everything that had happened. Before I knew it, I found myself standing outside his apartment, the small bag clutched in my hand.

I hadn't told him I was coming. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision; driven by a mix of emotions I hadn't fully processed yet. My heart pounded as I knocked on his door, wondering if this was a good idea.

When the door swung open, Pablo stood there, surprised but smiling. "Isa," he greeted, his voice warm. "I wasn't expecting you."

I shrugged, trying to play it off as casual, even though my heart was racing. "I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by."

He stepped aside, letting me in. The familiar scent of his apartment—clean, with a hint of his cologne—washed over me as I walked in. It was comforting, almost like coming home. We moved to the living room, where he had been watching something on TV.

"You want to hang out for a bit?" he asked, and I nodded, feeling more at ease now that I was here.

"Sure," I replied. "What were you watching?"

He glanced at the TV and smiled. "Just finishing The Rookie. Want to watch with me?"

We settled onto the couch, and he restarted the episode. The familiar sounds of the show filled the room, and I found myself relaxing into the cushions beside him. It felt good to be here, to just be with him without any expectations or pressure.

Halfway through the episode, Pablo suggested we order tacos for dinner. "I know this great place that delivers," he said, already pulling out his phone.

"Tacos sound perfect," I agreed, and he quickly placed the order. We continued watching, the easy rhythm of the evening making it feel like old times.

When the food arrived, we paused the show and dug in, the smell of warm tortillas and spices filling the room. We ate, laughed, and talked about everything except the heavy stuff. It was exactly what I needed—a break from all the emotional turmoil of the past few weeks.

After we finished eating and the show ended, I realized the moment had come. I reached into my bag and pulled out the small box with the bracelet, my heart racing again.

"Pablo," I started, holding the box out to him. "I got you something."

He looked at the box, then at me, curiosity and warmth in his eyes. "What's this?"

"Open it," I said, watching his reaction closely as he took the box from me.

When he lifted the lid, his expression softened. He carefully took out the bracelet, the small silver star catching the light. "Isa... this is beautiful," he murmured, looking at me with something close to awe. "Is this... for me?"

I nodded, feeling a little shy now. "Yeah. I got one for me too. I thought... I thought it could be something that connects us, you know? Like a reminder that we're trying."

Pablo didn't say anything for a moment, but the way he looked at me said everything. He reached out and gently took my hand, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. "Thank you," he said softly, slipping the bracelet onto his wrist. "It means a lot."

I smiled, relief and happiness flooding through me. "I'm glad you like it."

The atmosphere shifted then, the air between us charged with something unspoken. Pablo's hand tightened around mine, and I could see the way his gaze flicked from my eyes to my lips. It was like a magnet pulling us together, the tension building until it was impossible to ignore.