The Guy Who Gave Up His Jersey (New Version)

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The night at the cafe replayed in my mind most of the week. Ale wants to open up with me and I should feel honored by it. Any other girl would but I can't help to wonder what were his real motives to open up to me. It's not in his nature to open up to anyone. Even Xavier admits not knowing all the details about his best friend, so what made Alejandro want to be sincere with me? Was he maturing? Or did he say that in the spur of the moment. My mind has been going haywire all week, filling my brain with numerous questions. Questions I'd probably never get answers to.

"You've been dozing off into your own world more than normal. Are you okay?" Xavier asked, putting away his books in his locker. I turned to look at him with a confused look on my face.

"Why does your best friend want to make my life hell?" I simply asked.

He frowned, his eyebrows creasing inward causing wrinkly lines to form

In the middle of his forehead. "I doubt that's what he is doing. You need to stop letting him get to you. He likes to mess with you. That's all." He assured me.

I shook my head. This was different. He wasn't giving me a hard time, Ale was being serious the other night. Xavier closed his locker and turned to fully look at me.

"He enjoys messing with you, don't take what he says so seriously." He placed his hands on my shoulders, giving me a soft squeeze. "Okay?"

"Okay." I sighed.

He dropped his arms to his side and nodded in victory. "I'll see you later at home." I watched him walk away. How is Xavier carefree? He isn't phased by anything. Our parents can scream at him, he can be in the principals office at the verge of getting suspended, or he can be on the phone with his mom and he keeps the same calm expression. When his mom came back into his life he didn't freak out like I'd would if my dad tried coming back into mine. I've accepted Xavier's dad is my father and no one can replace him. Yet, his biological mother comes into his life and he lets her in like she didn't abandon him at four weeks old.

I can't be like Xavier even if I tried.

"Hey." I heard Demi say. "I won't be able to stay after school today. Something came up and I need to take care of it."

"Oh okay. I'll send you the finish power point and you can add your information to it when you have time."

"Sounds good." She smiled.

"Is everything okay?" It's not like her to bail on a school assignment even if something else comes up. Usually, she'll get her homework done before she takes care of out of school errands.

"Yeah, everything is fine. I'll see you tomorrow though." She quickly gave me a hug and walked off.

I turned around and made my way down the hall. I was meeting up with the group our sociology teacher paired us with for our group presentation. Demi was part of it and she was the one who was going to put the entire power point together, now I have to do it. As I neared the library, I noticed Alejandro was outside the music theater with a booklet in his hand. From inside the theater the tune of the Phantom of the Opera played. I know the play very well, it's one of my favorite movies.

Alejandro kept tapping his fingers against the booklet breathing heavily. What's going on?

"You okay?" I asked him, snapping him out of his thoughts. He looked up, shocked to see me standing in front of him. He looked around to see if anyone else was with me, before pulling me down the opposite hallway we were in.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm meeting up with my group for a presentation we have to do. Why are you outside the theater? Are you trying out for the play?" I questioned him.