Guarding My Heart

Trece : El beso

El punto de vista de Lea

I blanked out a second at what he had said. Trying to process everything in my head. So, it's really him in the photograph together with Mrs. Rodriguez. I would like to believe that it's true but everything is too much of a coincidence "So you're really her son?"

Gabriel nodded his head "Yeah. The one and only. I have three other sisters too but they don't live around here. Gina for one, you've met her" he took out a cigarette from a cigarette box "Why? You sound curious at first but now you just sound like you're unsure of something"

I bit onto my lip,thinking. It's better if I don't tell him that Mrs Rodriguez is the maid I was talking about just now. He wouldn't like to know that his own mother had been working for the Leal's family for over fifteen years "It's nothing. I was just confused" I paused, thinking of another lie "So, are you born in America?" I tried to change the subject

Gabriel shook his head, lighting his cigarette with a silver zippo lighter "What is this? A QnA session now? No. I was born in Spain. I moved here ten years ago together with part of the gang" he took a drag on his cigarette

I nodded my head, reeking my brain for another question to ask him "Is Spanish your first language?" The moment that question came out from my mouth, I had to mentally face palm myself. Of course Spanish is his first language! He's been speaking it together with almost everyone he met.

Gabriel puffed out the smoke from his mouth, his jaw clenching shut for a minute before he raised his eyebrow at me in a perfect arch "Yeah. Spanish is my first language"

I looked around him at the bald guy who was sitting at the booth at the other end of the fast food place "You seem quite agitated with what they are talking about" I pointed out as in it wasn't obvious enough to me or him

Gabriel shook his head "No. It's nothing" He glanced at the booth of guys "It's nothing important"

Nodding my head, I looked down at my drink. It was fizzing up like I had placed a mentos inside. The hamburgers each came together with this sick green colored drink which Gabriel said it's lemon grass. I don't believe him. I mean like, what kind of lemon grass drink fizzes up like it has gas inside. It's like, we're not talking about Coke here "It's getting quite late. Maybe we should go... like I'll go back home and you can go back to your own home"

Gabriel took another long drag from his cigarette, exhaling the smoke through his nose before stubbing his cigarette out on the table. He left his cigarette butt on the table and stood up "Come on. I'll send you home"

I was just about to protest when I saw Gabriel's fist clenched. He was biting down on his lower lip like he's trying to avoid himself from bashing someone's face in. I quickly stood up, grabbing onto Gabriel's tattooed arm. I didn't know why but then I was thinking maybe I can stop him from losing his temper because of whatever those guys are talking about "Come on" I tugged onto his arm, leading him out from the fast food place

We were just passing by their booth when I heard one of them saying "Tate turned into a pussy when he has his girl around" They weren't talking in Spanish at all. They had been talking in English all along but I had never paid close enough attention to what they are talking about.

Gabriel lost it. In a blink of an eye, Gabriel's fist had connected with the bald guy's jaw. Things escalated quickly from then on. I found myself backing into a corner of the fast food place to avoid getting in between of the fight. It was three against one and Gabriel had the upper hand. Wrapping my arms around myself, I watched as the chefs came out from the kitchen and stopped the fight. The lady who owns the place, waved our bill off and kicked -literally- us out.