The Line Between Us - Alejandro Balde Love Story

Chapter 7: Battling Confusion

The photoshoot was over, but the tension between Alejandro and me lingered long after. His arrogance clung to the air like an unwanted fog, making it impossible for me to shake the strange pull I felt toward him. It was infuriating. I shouldn't even care what he thought of me, let alone find myself constantly on edge around him.

I stood outside the studio, scrolling mindlessly through my phone, hoping to distract myself. But it was pointless. My thoughts kept drifting back to that stupid smirk, the way he leaned in too close, how every word out of his mouth was designed to provoke me.

"Isabella."

I froze at the sound of his voice. Great. Of course, he'd show up now. I turned around slowly, finding Alejandro standing just a few steps behind me, his hands casually tucked into his pockets. He looked every bit the confident, laid-back athlete, like nothing in the world could faze him.

"What do you want, Alejandro?" I asked, crossing my arms defensively.

He shrugged, taking a step closer, his gaze locked on mine. "I thought we should talk."

"About what? Your habit of constantly popping up where you're not wanted?" I shot back, raising an eyebrow.

He chuckled, though there was a slight edge to it, like he wasn't entirely unaffected by my words. "You're avoiding something, and we both know it."

"Avoiding something? Please." I rolled my eyes, trying to sound as casual as possible. "I'm not avoiding anything. I just don't have time for your games."

Alejandro's expression softened, his usual smirk fading into something more serious. "Games? Is that what you think this is?"

I hesitated, caught off guard by the change in his tone. "Isn't it?" I asked, my voice quieter now, unsure of where this conversation was headed.

For a moment, he didn't respond. His dark eyes studied me, and I could almost feel the weight of his gaze pulling me in. The confident, playful demeanor he usually wore was gone, replaced by something I couldn't quite read. And that scared me.

I shifted my stance, trying to keep my cool, but the way he was looking at me was throwing me off. Why does he have to be so... distracting?

"I think," Alejandro said slowly, taking another step closer, "you're trying really hard to convince yourself you don't like me."

I blinked, completely caught off guard. "Excuse me?"

His smirk returned, but this time it was softer, almost playful. "You heard me. You're doing everything you can to act like you hate me. But we both know it's not that simple, is it?"

Heat rose to my cheeks, and I hated how easily he could get under my skin. "You really think that highly of yourself, don't you?"

Alejandro tilted his head slightly, his gaze never leaving mine. "I think you're trying too hard, Isabella. You don't have to pretend."

"Pretend what?" I snapped, feeling my frustration bubbling up again. "That I'm not completely put off by your arrogant attitude? Because trust me, I'm not pretending."

He took another step forward, and suddenly, the space between us felt far too small. My heart raced in my chest, and I could feel the heat of his body just inches from mine. The familiar tension from the photoshoot returned, electric and impossible to ignore.

"You can hate me all you want," Alejandro said quietly, his voice lower now, more intense. "But there's something between us. You feel it too."

I swallowed hard, my pulse quickening at his words. He was wrong. He had to be wrong. I wasn't attracted to him—at least not in the way he thought. I was just annoyed by him, frustrated by his cockiness. Right?

"You're ridiculous," I muttered, shaking my head. "There's nothing between us."

"Really?" He leaned in slightly, his breath warm against my skin. "Then why are you so worked up every time I'm around?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but the words got stuck in my throat. My heart pounded in my ears, and for a split second, I hated how close he was, how easily he could make me feel this confused.

But then something shifted. My anger flared, sharp and hot, overpowering the confusing attraction that had been gnawing at me since we met.

"You know what?" I snapped, stepping back and putting some much-needed distance between us. "You're not worth this. I'm not going to stand here and let you think you can get under my skin."

Alejandro's eyes flickered with something—surprise, maybe? He took a step back too, though his expression remained unreadable.

"You don't know me," I continued, my voice steady now, fueled by the frustration that had been building for days. "You think because you're charming and you play football that every girl is just going to fall for you? Newsflash, Alejandro, not everyone is impressed by that."

He blinked, clearly taken aback, but he quickly recovered, a smirk forming on his lips again. "Who said I was trying to impress you?"

"I can see through you," I shot back. "You think this is all just a game, don't you? Well, guess what? I'm not playing."

He was silent for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he considered my words. The air between us was thick with tension, and for the first time, I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

Then, without warning, he stepped even closer, his face inches from mine. I held my ground, refusing to let him intimidate me.

"You think you've got me all figured out, don't you?" Alejandro said, his voice low and serious. "But you don't. You don't know half of what's going on in my head right now."

I swallowed hard, refusing to let my nerves show. "And I don't care."

He didn't move. He didn't say anything. He just stood there, staring at me like he was trying to piece together some puzzle he couldn't quite solve.

The silence stretched on, the tension crackling like electricity between us. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, but I refused to back down.

Finally, Alejandro took a step back, his expression softening just slightly. "You're right," he said, his voice quieter now. "This isn't a game."

For a moment, I didn't know what to say. I had expected him to keep pushing, to keep trying to break through my defenses. But instead, he was retreating, and that threw me off balance even more.

"I'll see you around, Isabella," he said, his eyes lingering on mine for just a moment longer before he turned and walked away.

I stood there, watching him go, my mind swirling with confusion. I had won, hadn't I? I had stood my ground, kept my cool, and refused to let him break through.

But as I watched him disappear into the distance, I couldn't shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, I hadn't won at all