Torn // Emilio Martinez

Chapter 28

Bella

Emilio and Marcus didn't really every spend much time together or talk to each other unless they were wondering about me. The fact that there always seemed to be tension between them bothered me and quite frankly was driving me crazy.
In attempts to maybe solve it or at least bring it down a notch, I decided we'd have a day with Lucas, Marcus, Ivan, Emilio and me. Emilio and Marcus could get to know each other more and Ivan and Lucas could be buffers. It would be fun if they just knew what the other person was really like.

"So, first of all, we are playing Mario Kart because Ivan challenged me last night," I announced plopping down on the floor between Emilio's legs since there wasn't much room left for me on the couch. 
"We can have 2 more who wants to play?" I asked, looking over my shoulder at the boys.
"I'll go," Lucas and Marcus said at the same time.
"Oh my twins, you've got another thing coming," I joked as I tossed the remotes at them.
"Watch me kick their asses, Emi, and then I can kick yours," I bragged, looking back at him and winking.
"You got this," he chuckled, putting his hands on my shoulders and rubbing them slightly.
We chose the courses we were going to do and the game started.

As usual when I played this game, things got intense. I was screaming and getting close to the TV and kicking the boys if they happened to pass me.
"I'm gonna beat you Bella!!" Ivan cheered as he passed me and was now in first place.
"In your dreams, Ivanito!" I yelled back and I rammed into him and knocked him off the side into the water.
"GOD DAMN IT!" he screamed as he was pushed back into 6th. I crossed the final finish line and stood up off the floor, my hands in the air as I cheered.
"Suck it Martinez!" I said as I waved my hands in the air. Everyone was laughing at me and then I finally calmed down.

We played a lot of Mario Kart and I won (almost) every time, which I was happy about.
"Just Dance?" I asked, raising my eyebrow.
"Bella no," Lucas said seriously before laughing.
"Come on you love iiiit," I teased, wiggling my eyebrows.

"Marcus, Lucas and I used to play Just Dance every day, mainly because I forced them but they loved it," I informed Emilio and Ivan, since they were out of the loop.
"Bella and Emilio should do your favorite one!" Lucas suggested.
"No, Lucas, it's the one we do together," Marcus interrupted, a light tone in his voice but was somehow hinted with seriousness.
"Bella and Marcus it is," Emilio said.
We stood up and got ready. It was a routine we knew back and forth since it was always our favorite one. We did it and when we were finished Marcus gave me a hug, which was out of the blue but I never minded. I held him tightly and he eventually let go, looking over at Emilio who went from having a clenched jaw to a smiling, lit up face when I turned my head. I brushed it off and we continued. 

I sat next to Emilio as we watched Ivan and Lucas do a duet together. I was cheering them on and laughing at my horrible dance moves and Emilio gently slid me over so I was sitting on his lap. I pecked his forehead quickly before looking back at the boys.
"Do it properly Ivan!!" I shouted, causing him to laugh and tell me to shut up since I was insulting his dance moves. I glanced over and saw Marcus staring at Emilio and I, a serious look on his face. Again, I brushed it off.

I was having fun with the boys, just playing video games, jumping on the trampoline, fooling around outside, but I couldn't help but notice both Emilio and Marcus showing me a bit more affection than they usually did in front of people. I tried to ignore it but every time one of them would do something, the other would be staring intensely.
"Okay, I'm done," I blurted out after we were done jumping on the trampoline.
"What?" Emilio asked, seeming confused.
"You two, are being children," I pointed out, motioning between Emilio and Marcus.
"So we are putting this on hold until you guys talk and figure something out because I don't want to be a toy thrown around and used to make each other jealous," I said frustratingly.
"I'm gonna go get milkshakes with Ivan and Lucas, you guys stay here and talk because I'm fed up," I sighed as I stood up and Ivan and Lucas quietly followed, looking back at their brothers with confused expressions.

Emilio

Bella angrily left the house with Ivan and Lucas following behind her, leaving Marcus and I on our own in the kitchen. We stood there awkwardly, our gazes alternating from each other to the floor, neither of saying a word. Without Bella here, neither of us really knew what to say. I knew he liked her, and he knew that I knew.

"We're gonna need to get along at some point or another," I said, breaking the tension filling the air.
"In front of Bella, yeah, but I don't have to like you," Marcus replied coldly.
"Come on man, I haven't done anything to you, you shouldn't hate me," I defended, not knowing why Marcus hated me so much. Yes, he liked Bella, but it's not like I took her away from him while they were dating.
"If it weren't for you showing up here, I would be the one with her right now," Marcus replied, backing up and taking a seat on one of the chairs by the island in the kitchen. I decided to follow and sit in front of him so we could talk and try to figure something out, hopefully.

"She doesn't see you that way. She's my girlfriend, you don't get to have a claim on her," I said calmly, not wanting to get into an argument but beginning to feel insecure and attacked for doing basically nothing.
"I'm so much better for her, Emilio, she would be so much better with me," he said.
"I don't disagree," I confessed, "you've known her longer and you probably know her better. But I love her, and she loves me."
"She loves me too," Marcus said.
"I know."
"So one day she'll realize I'm better for her," Marcus said.
"It won't happen, but if it did, I would let her go, because I would want her to be happy," I explained, fiddling with the bowl that was left on the counter from someone in the house this morning. Pretty much everyone was gone so no one could hear our conversation, which I was grateful for.
"If you weren't trying to steal the girl I love most in this world, I probably wouldn't hate you," Marcus confessed.
"I think that's a compliment so thanks?" I said as more of a question, small chuckles escaping both of us.

Marcus wasn't a bad guy, I definitely didn't hate him, but I did see him as a threat. His friendship with Bella is probably something I will never have. Those years and years of friendship is an advantage he has over me. I knew technically he was better for her, but she was mine, and I wanted to keep it that way. 

And it will stay that way until she tells me she wants out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sorry this took forever guys I've been super sick and busy. Hope you enjoy anyway and let me know what you think of this update!!

Lots of love,

Rachael