The Guy Who Gave Up His Jersey (New Version)

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"I don't know what you are talking about." I said, picking up my fork, avoiding his stare.

He chuckled. "So you two are playing blind. Fair enough."

"Ale isn't crushing on me." I muttered, stuffing a mouthful of pasta in my mouth. I looked up and Lucas shrugged.

"From a guys' perspective he's crushing on you harder than you expect. He didn't seem happy about you going on a date with me."

Lately, Alejandro hasn't been happy at the things I've been doing, then again, he isn't happy at anything I do. We argue more than normal friends do. Plus, there's the whole issue of him being my brother's best friend which I don't need a rule book to know that's a pass a guy doesn't play. Liking your best friend sister goes against the bro-code.

"He's my brother best friend, he see's me as a sister." I snapped.

He leaned froward, giving me a look. "Oh, he confessed he saw you as a sister?"

I bit on the inside of my cheek, hoping he wasn't seeing through my lie. "Yes, we established we see each other as siblings." I scoffed.

"Hm, if you say so." He didn't sound convince.

I dropped my fork on the plate and got up from the chair. Remarks like Lucas bothers me, the girls make fun of me about Alejandro all the time, and I can shrug it off. Hearing Lucas ask about Alejandro liking me, upsets me more than it has ever with anyone else.

He stared at me confused about what was going on. Guys are clueless. I was going to tell him something, but I stopped myself and marched out of the room. He chased after me, asking for me to stop. I didn't want to though, the guy I have been crushing on finally asks me on a date and he decides to ask me how long has another guy been liking me. I was beyond pissed.

"Hey, wait!" He reached out for me, grabbing my arm and turning me around, he forced me to look at him. "I didn't mean to upset you. I was out of line."

"You think? Does it matter if Alejandro is crushing on me-which he isn't. I thought you liked me." I shook my head, feeling stupid about believing him.

I tried to walk away but he rushed in front of me, stopping me again. "I do like you and it doesn't matter what Alejandro feels. I know what I feel and what I want." He stared at me. "I do like you."

He was serious about his feelings for me, but he killed the mood for me. "I want to go home."

"We haven't ate desert and I had another-"

"You either take me home or I'll walk home." I snapped angrily.

He sighed. "Okay, let's go."

He cleared the way for me and I walked out the door. The ride home was quiet. I could tell he wanted to tell me something but he kept hesitating. I didn't want to hear it though, nothing he said right now would make me feel any better. Lucas ruined our date with the simple stupid question.

We pulled up to the drive way and he unbuckled his seatbelt. "You don't have to walk me to my door." I said to him before he got out the car.

"Juliana...I'm sorry." He pleaded for me to stay for moment to hear him out.

"Let's make something clear, if you want to date me, you can't bring Alejandro up. He's irrelevant in my life and in my relationship. If you're curious to know our history, there isn't any. I don't like him, I don't ever plan on dating him, and he's a fuck boy. Call me in a few days, I'll get over it." I told him and got out the car.

Opening the door to the house, I heard the television on from the living room. Xavier's car wasn't here so i thought they were out with the girls getting pizza. Maybe my mom closed the cafe early and came home to rest. Walking into the living room, Alejandro was lying on the couch watching a show.

"Dude that was fast-" He turned to look back, expecting to find Xavier standing where I was. His mouth formed into a circular shape and he sat up. "Hey, I didn't expect it to be you. You're back early."

I walked over to the couch. Dropping my keys and bag on the coffee table, i sat down on the far end of the couch. Sighing heavily. He was the last person I wanted to see right now, but i was relief someone was home.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked me, noticing how upset I was.

I shook my head. I kicked off my heels and picked up my feet, sitting indian style. "No." I whispered, feeling my eyes water.

"Okay." I heard him say.

I rested my head on the back of the couch, staring up at the ceiling. Even when Alejandro isn't relevant to a topic in my life, he's brought into it. I'm realizing my world has began to revolve around Alejandro and it's scary because I truly do not want anything to do with him.

I thought Lucas and I could be something. I thought i found my way to get out the loop with Ale, but like a sling shot, I am brought back to where I started.

"Can you do me a favor?" I asked him. He turned down the volume of the television and gave me his complete attention.

"Of course, what is it?"

"Can you stop coming around the house for awhile? Or coming close to me. I don't want you to open up to me nor do I want you thinking I'm going to call you in the middle of the night when something is wrong. I want you to leave me alone for awhile, at least until my friends stop believing you and I have some kind of chemistry." I picked up my head, releasing the tears I was holding back.

"You decided to bang the entire girl population on the Northern side of the city and I'm deciding I want to be with someone and be happy. It's unfair people think there's something between us for the simple fact we are around each other all the time. If you stay away from me, it'll help a lot"

I wiped away the tears, sighing in relief. I needed to get that off my chest. "I didn't know I was suffocating you."

"You're doing more than that. You selective lifestyle and the need of you having to be glued on my brother hip all day everyday, makes me a target of peoples stupid conspiracy theories of a nonexistent relationship." I was working myself up for no reason, we were having a much needed conversation.

He looked hurt. "There's no chemistry between us, there's nothing there at all. Right?" He looked at me.

"Right, there's nothing there. If you could do that for me I'd appreciate it." I got up from the couch and picked up my heels from the floor.

"You're asking me to walk out of your life." I heard him as I was walking out the living room. I stopped walking and turned to look at him. "Yeah, you walk out of girls life all the time, it shouldn't be hard for you."

"If I walk out your life Juliana, I can't walk back in."

"I understand. I'd appreciate it if you don't."

"Is that what you really want?" he asked me.

I nodded. "More than anything, I want the rumors to stop. I deserve to be happy."

"And I don't?" He snapped.

"You stopped yourself from being happy when you made up the game. Everything happening to you is karma making you pay for what you done to the girls you've been with."

"Do you think you haven't damaged the girls too by helping the game grow? You pick up the mistakes the players do. The simple fact you feel guilty for what you willingly do on your own, doesn't set you free from karma getting even with you too." Now he was the one getting rilled up.

I'm no saint either. Karma is going to catch up to me until that happens, I'm going to enjoy what I think i deserve.

"Will you do the favor? That's all I am asking." I questioned him again.

"I have one questioned for you though." He said. "Do you see me as a brother?"

"If I did, I wouldn't be asking you to walk out my life."