Thinking About You - Joel Pimentel

Chapter 21

"Did I ask?" I shouted as I got all up in his face. He looked down at me and laughed.

"You're so short." Joel commented making me more frustrated and annoyed. I took a step back and glared at him. "Why are you so mad? It's not that deep."

"It's not that deep." I mocked him as he shook his head while laughing. He really thinks this is funny.

"I thought you were my best friend but I guess I was wrong." I blurt out as his face got serious. Ha! You weren't expecting that, huh Pimentel?

"Yadira, you know I didn't meant to say that." He said getting closer to me. His eyes darken, hurt was written all over him.

I sighed. "I know. But that still hurt."

"We joke around like that!" He defended himself. I looked down embarrassed for overreacting, again.

"I'm sorry. You're right. It wasn't that deep and you clearly didn't mean it." I said giving in. He smiled and brought me into a hug.

"I'll never hurt you by saying that."

. . . . .

At that moment, I believed him. Why? Because he's my best friend. Best friends don't hurt each other in any way. Best friends are suppose to be there for one another. Yes, we fought and most of the times it was because of silly things. I really believed he would never hurt me. But I was so wrong because look where we stand.

I put my shoes on as well as Joel. We got up and headed to a corner where no one would hear us.

I looked up at him with my arms crossed waiting for his apology that I've been waiting for almost two years.

"So are you going to talk or?" I spoke.

He sighed and looked straight at my eyes. "Why are you ignoring me? When I called you, before you joined us, you seem happy to talk to me. Now you're ignoring me. Why?"

I let out a sarcastic laugh. "Are you really asking me why? Do I have to remind you what you did?"

"No you don't. I'm tired of you bringing that up. I told you I didn't mean it." He spoke getting frustrated with me.

"Well looks like you did. You never apologized."

"I tried but you never gave me the chance!" He said throwing his hand up in the air. He then ran a hand through his curls while looking down.

I felt my eyes get watery. "You said I was nothing to you. That I was some crazy fan. You tried to make it seem like I was some one night stand or something."

"What? No I didn't and you know that." He said looking up at me. He was now closer to my face but not super close.

"They asked you about me in an interview. Before you said your response, I was so excited to hear my best friend talk about me, in a good way. But instead I hear you say, she's nothing to me. She's some crazy fan. And you coldly laughed about it too!" I said as my tears fell.

Joel looked into my eyes and it seemed like he was going to cry as well. He gulped and said. "I had no choice."

"You could've warned me!"

"It's not just all my fault!" He defended himself. "After I won, you started to ignore me. You were acting so different around me. Every time I tried to talk to you, you'll get up and leave." I took a deep breathe and looked away trying to calm myself. "It's not all my fault that our friendship fell apart."

"Look, I did it because," I took a deep breathe. Am I really going to tell him how I felt? My actual true feelings? The reason why I cry at night?

"Because of what?" He asked not breaking eye contact.

"Because it was the best for us." I lied, kinda. I knew having feelings for him wasn't right. He was going to go on tour and it wouldn't work. Most importantly, he doesn't have feelings for me, especially now.

"What do you mean? We're best friends. No matter where I am, I was still going to be your best friend." He spoke. "You ignoring me effected me, a lot. I couldn't concentrate because all I thought of was, what did I do? Why is she ignoring me? Management noticed and decided to do what they did."

"Told you to say those harsh words?" I asked as I wiped my tears. He nodded and got even more close. I'd be lying if I said my heart wasn't beating faster than it's normal pace.

He cupped my face and stared into my eyes for what seem like centuries. "I never stopped caring or thinking about you."

He let go of me and walked back to where the guys were. I stood there shock, confused and upset.

––––

"So you guys talked?" Mario asked through the screen. I nodded as I played with my book. I was currently in my hotel room alone since Erick's mom left to go eat with Erick.

"So how do you feel?" He asked again. I sighed not knowing how to answer that.

"I don't know." I shrugged as he looked at me through the screen and laughed.

"What do you mean 'I don't know'?" He mocked.

I glared at him and said. "I'm confused okay."

"Why though? There's nothing to be confused about. It's obvious he misses you." Mario spoke.

"See that's what I'm afraid. I'm afraid that'll misinterpret and end up looking like a fool."

"How? You can't."

"Yes I can. What if he just wants to clear things up but not be friends again?" As soon as I said that Mario laughed.

"Are you serious Yadira?" He asked. "He told you he never stopped caring and thinking about you. Something you can relate to because you did the same thing. This is your chance to fix things."

I stayed quiet and let the words sink in. "You asked your grandpa Mateo to help you and here he is helping you but too bad his ungrateful granddaughter isn't taking it."

"Oh shut up Mario." I said rolling my eyes as he laughed.

"Remember I talk to espíritus" he joked as he plopped a chip in his mouth. "So when are you coming back to California?"

"Soon in like four days. We'll first be in the northern area then LA." I said trying to remember. "And I'll go back a week before graduation."

"Are you going to invite them?" He asked.

"Invite who?" I asked furrowing my eyebrows.

"Pues quien más? La vecina?" He said annoyed making me chuckle.

"But I'm not close with doña Mari." I joked. He smiled and shook his head.

"I hate you."

"I hate you too."

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Published: June 17 2017

I entered two of my books for the wattys because yolo. I was thinking in entering this one too but i don't know if the book has to be completed in order to enter jajaja

-JoelPxmentel

Word count: 1185