The Line Between Us - Alejandro Balde Love Story

Chapter 23: Torn Between Love and Loyalty

The sound of the rain still echoed in my mind as I sat on my bed later that night, Alejandro's jacket draped over the chair in the corner. I had meant to give it back to him, but after what happened—after what almost happened—it hadn't felt right.

I kept replaying the day in my head, the way he had looked at me, the way he had almost kissed me. I could still feel the warmth of his hand on my cheek, his breath against my lips. My heart fluttered just thinking about it, and I found myself smiling like a fool before reality quickly crept back in.

I couldn't deny it anymore. I had feelings for him. Real feelings.

But with that realisation came a wave of guilt. As much as I wanted to let myself fall for Alejandro, I couldn't stop thinking about what my brothers would say. Iñaki and Nico had always been protective—sometimes too protective. I knew they would never approve of me being with someone like Alejandro, especially not Iñaki.

My phone buzzed on the bed next to me, snapping me out of my thoughts. I picked it up and saw a message from Nico, just a simple "Hope you're doing okay, sis," but it was enough to remind me of how complicated this all was. I knew that both he and Iñaki would have opinions about Alejandro, and not the good kind.

I tossed the phone aside, leaning back against the pillows with a sigh. I wished I could just turn off my brain for a while, stop thinking about what everyone else wanted for me and focus on what I wanted.

But what did I want?

I closed my eyes, thinking back to the rainstorm, to the way Alejandro had looked at me as if I was the only person in the world. I had never felt anything like that before—so intense, so real. It terrified me, but at the same time, it made me feel alive in a way I hadn't in a long time.

But then there was Iñaki's voice in my head, warning me, reminding me that Alejandro wasn't someone I should get involved with. I knew my brother. He wouldn't be able to separate Alejandro the person from Alejandro the football star. To him, Alejandro was just another guy in the spotlight, surrounded by models and fame. He'd never see the side of him that I had gotten to know—the kind, funny, and surprisingly humble guy who made me laugh and made me feel safe, even when he was teasing me.

It didn't matter. I knew Iñaki's reaction the moment he found out. He'd lose it.

I sat up and grabbed my phone again, staring at it for a long moment before scrolling through my contacts. I hovered over Berta's name, my thumb hesitating before I finally tapped it and called her.

She answered on the second ring, her voice light and familiar. "Hey! What's up, girl?"

I hesitated for a moment, not sure how to explain everything that had happened. How could I even begin to put it into words?

"Isabella?" Berta's voice pulled me back. "Everything okay?"

I let out a long breath. "I... I need to talk to you."

"Uh-oh," she said playfully, but there was concern in her tone. "This sounds serious. Spill."

I shifted on the bed, pulling the blanket tighter around myself as if it could somehow shield me from the weight of what I was about to say. "It's about Alejandro."

There was a brief pause, and then Berta let out a knowing laugh. "Ah, Alejandro. I knew it. What happened? Did something finally happen between you two?"

"Not exactly," I admitted, my voice soft. "But... almost."

I could practically hear the smile in Berta's voice when she replied. "Almost? What does that mean?"

I explained everything—how we had spent the afternoon together, the rainstorm, the moment when he had almost kissed me but pulled away at the last second. Berta listened quietly, letting me get it all out, and when I was finished, I felt both relieved and more confused than ever.

"So... what's the problem?" she asked, her tone light but sincere. "You obviously like him, and it sounds like he's into you, too."

"I do like him," I confessed, the words coming out more easily now that I had said them out loud. "But... my brothers."

"Ah." Berta sighed. "Iñaki."

"Yeah," I said, feeling the knot in my chest tighten. "I don't know how he's going to react. Nico might be okay with it, but Iñaki? He'll lose it, Berta."

"Isabella," Berta said softly, "I love your brothers, but this is your life. You can't let them control who you're with."

"I know, but it's not that simple. Iñaki has been in the same world as Alejandro. He knows what it's like—the attention, the pressure, the... girls."

Berta laughed, but it wasn't in a mocking way. "Yeah, well, I'm sure Alejandro knows all of that, too. But have you thought that maybe he sees something different in you? Something real?"

Her words hung in the air for a moment, sinking in. I wanted to believe that. I wanted to believe that Alejandro saw me as more than just another girl, more than just a fleeting interest. But the fear of disappointing my brothers—of letting them down—was hard to shake.

"I don't know, Berta," I said quietly. "It just feels... complicated."

"It's only complicated because you're making it complicated," Berta replied, her voice gentle but firm. "Listen, you need to ask yourself what you want. Not what Iñaki wants, not what Nico wants—what you want."

I swallowed hard, my chest tightening as her words echoed in my mind. What did I want?

I wasn't sure.

And that scared me more than anything.