treat you better - alejandro rosario

chapter 12: me or him?

i go downstairs ready to go to school. i see my mama and maya playing with her barbie set. i go to give them a hug. 'mija, me and maya will be gone for two weeks.' she says. 'what for?' i ask, putting my slip on vans on. 'my school is having a spelling bee in maryland and i was included!' maya says cheerfully. 'girl, you're not even in kindergarten yet sit down.' i say, pulling her in for a hug and kiss on the cheek. 'maya is advanced, just like you were and still are.' mom says, hugging me and kissing my cheek. 'anyways, were leaving tomorrow, so i'll leave some money for food. also, i would prefer it if you stayed at a friend's house, but if not then just be safe.' she says, handing me my lunch bag. 'okay! bye mama, bye maya, te quiero!'

i get into my car and drive off to starbuck and grab my usual pumpkin spice latte and cornbread muffin. i pull into school and finish my muffin. i see mena walk up to my car and i let her in. 'hey girl!' she says, pulling me into a side hug. 'hey,' i say. 'so are you still friends with talissa?' she asks, making me pause in my tracks while eating. i swallow the remaining muffin and say 'i was gonna forgive her and be able to forget what happened, but i started getting tagged in a bunch of posts of zach and talissa hanging out, some pictures even kissing. she even lied to me and told me it was the only time it happened. and i was so fucking stupid to believe her.' i say in one breath. 'its okay, we can go together to cut her off. i'm gonna be honest, i'm not surprised that she would pull something like this.' she says, smiling at me. 'i fucking love you' i say, hugging her tight. 'yo tambien,' she whispers.

skip to lunch and i'm sitting at the table, engaged in a weird discussion. alvaro taps my shoulder and points to talissa walking over here. i get up and ximena notices so she gets up too. 'we need to talk.' ximena says. 'about what?' she asks with the fakest, bitchiest, least genuine smile i've seen. 'just come.' i say, guiding her to the exit. we sit at a table near the parking lot.

'please be honest. have you and zach been doing anything together?' i ask with  desperation and hope. 'uhh no we just talk casually, why?' she says, the fake smile not leaving her face. 'seriously? we give you multiple chances to come clean, and you just sat here and lied to her again?' ximena says. 'what do you mean?' talissa asks, an expression of shock entering her face. 'dont be fucking oblivious. we saw the pictures of you and zach kissing!' i say, standing up.

'fine! you want to hear the truth? you are stupid and oblivious to what happens around you. i am doing you a nice favor by taking zach off your hands! i do this stuff because i love you. you dont deserve him.' she says. i feel my face burning up. 'talissa, its not fair for you to keep betraying me like this. you're gonna have to decide. me or him.' i say, hoping for her to pick me.

'i'm so sorry atlas. i love you, but i choose zach.' she says.  i turn around to walk back into the direction of school. 'so how do you feel?' talissa asks, following closely behind me and ximena. 'i say have fun with zach. i still do care about you, so make sure he doesnt break you like he did with me.' i say, about to cry. 'i'm so sorry atlas. i dont deserve you as a friend.' talissa says, backing away. 'please, just leave. you've done enough damage.' ximena says as i cry on her shoulder. talissa walks back inside.

as i finish wiping my tears, we walk back inside and sit back down. i feel somebody nudge me softly. i look to my right and see alejandro looking at me, almost in a concerned manner. 'are you okay? what happened?' he asks. 'i had to cut talissa off because she's still seeing zach. i'm gonna miss her.'  i say, looking at my hands. he cups my hands into his, causing me to look up at him. 'you dont deserve someone who would choose a boy over you,' he says, smiling down at me as we're sitting. we pull in for a close hug.