Chapter 15: Chapter 15
GABRIELA
I know I shouldn't have spoken to Carlota that way, but I didn't like to remember why I decided to take my things without telling anyone and show up in Holland out of the blue. I didn't want anyone to see me like that, I had practically forgotten about it, and with just saying a couple of words, I remembered everything that happened that night even though four years had passed, I remembered it as if it had just happened a couple of seconds. I hated having that feeling.
Just at that moment I notice how a hand rests on my shoulder, which makes me scared and I quickly move away from them. "Hey, calm down, it's me." I calmed down a bit and returned to my previous position. Kev soon sat next to me facing the same direction I'm looking and we were silent for a long time.
"I know I shouldn't get involved Gabriela, but I need to understand why you reacted this way. It's not normal that in a few seconds you go from being happy to being angry and afraid." She pointed out and I denied "That's what happens when you're pregnant, your emotions change quickly." I responded, not really wanting to talk about the subject, "I understand that, what I don't understand is why fear appeared reflected in your eyes."
"It's nothing Kev." I insisted "There must be something if you reacted that way. You're not going to get rid of this talk Gabriela, I want to understand things." Kev asked and I sighed. The last thing I needed was for him to worry and get angry. "It's so complicated, Kev." I finally said, "I have all the time in the world to understand it." He said, "I don't want to talk about it."
"Okay, if you don't want to talk about it, at least explain to me why you came to Holland without telling anyone." He asked "Because I needed to get away from here, that's why." I answered honestly, because at least that's something I could tell him. "From what I understand, Alex had broken up with you years before you came." He said, totally confused and trying to understand why I had done it, "I didn't go for him." I admitted, "Then I don't understand why you didn't tell anyone you were going."
"Because they were going to want to know the reason and I didn't want them to know." I answered "What reason?" He asked and I took a deep breath, because even though I didn't want to tell him, I also know that I wasn't going to leave him until I found out. "I was raped, Kev. That's why I wanted to get away from here."
I turned to see my cousin's face, and I could see how his anger is increasing. His knuckles turned white from the force he's exerting and I regretted having told him, that was one reason why I didn't tell anyone in these four years, I didn't want them to worry.
"I tried to avoid it, but… I think he drugged me… I couldn't move…" At that, Kev hugged me and I started to cry, and I really don't know how long we spent like that, the only thing I know is Kev pushed me away a little to see me, at least I stopped crying. "Listen to me one thing and I hope it's clear to you Gabriela, you were not to blame for anything. You're not to blame for what happened, that bastard is the one to blame."
"Kev…don't tell him." I whispered "To whom?" He asked, moving me away from him a little. "No one… I don't want them to worry." I asked "Wait… Doesn't anyone know?" He asked surprised and I denied, more than anything so as not to start crying again. I felt bad about what happened that day, I wanted to forget it, but the memory came back out of nowhere. "Why didn't you tell me when you were home?"
"I didn't want you to get angry like you just did... and I wanted to forget it." I answered honestly, "Now I understand why you reacted that day at the club. Although I thought it was because you didn't want any men around you after what happened with Alex." He admitted and I shrugged, because it was partly true too. "Both are true, but I didn't want anyone to touch me… it made me… it made me remember that moment."
"And that's why you didn't let anyone hug you, not even us. That's why you convinced me to spend the summer in Holland instead of coming here." He said, everything starting to fit in and I nodded. "Did you report him?" I could only deny. I didn't really think about the consequences at that moment, I just wanted to get away so that guy couldn't do anything to me, I was afraid of crossing him, that's why the first thing I did when I got home was pack my bags to go to Holland, I know Kev wouldn't let anything happen to me.
"So, that's why you were up so early most of the time? You were practically not sleeping?" He asked and a small bitter smile appeared on my face "From that, I learned Dutch and more things, I had to occupy my time so as not to think about what happened to me." I replied, "You could have told me sooner, at least I could have done something to help you." He said and I nodded, because even though he didn't know it, he helped me. "You did it, even if you think you didn't."
"Then why don't you want to tell the others?" He asked curiously. "Because I don't want to talk about it." I quickly said, "You're not over it." He responded completely convinced and I shrugged my shoulders. "I had practically forgotten about that, but then Carlota said I had given them a scare when I left without warning, and the reason why I had done it came to mind."
"Well, don't worry about it, we'll find a way to get you through it. I think reporting it would be a good way to do it." He said "I'm not going to do it Kev… I don't feel ready…" I answered honestly "Okay, I won't pressure you with that, but whenever you need to talk, about anything, don't hesitate to call me, alright?"
"It's okay, I love you Kev." I said, leaving my head on his shoulder "I love you too. What are we going to tell others what happened to you?" He asked "We're lucky I'm pregnant, we can use the hormones excuse." I said with a smile on my face "I hadn't seen it that way. We should go inside so as not to worry them anymore."
"Try to forget what I told you; I don't want them to notice the hormones thing is a lie." I asked, "I won't be able to forget it, but I'm pretty good at interpreting. Don't worry, I won't let them know." He assured "Thank you." He put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me as close to him as he could, giving me a kiss on the head and telling me everything would be okay. Maybe sometimes my cousin and I joke around, but I know whatever I need I can count on him, and most importantly, he won't tell anyone. I don't like to worry him, but I always had him as support and he knows things even Marcos doesn't know, like what happened four years ago, for example.
When we enter the house, everyone goes out to the living room to check on me and I could see how they calmed down a little except Alex, so I separate myself from Kev and go to hug him so he doesn't worry anymore. "Are you better, beautiful?" Alex asked in a worried tone to which I nodded with a smile on my face. "Yeah, just mood swings, you know." I said, "I'm glad it's that and not something else, let's go eat, come on."
We entered the kitchen and sat at the island to start eating. I was between Alex and Ana while I had Kev in front of me. I could see he was checking on me to see how I'm doing, that was too obvious, but I didn't tell him anything, because then the others would worry.
"Well, dear cousin, then will you come to grandma's house tomorrow so we can celebrate that party she wants?" Kevin asked, I guess partly to distract my mind. "I just don't really feel like tomorrow." I said with a pout, "Come on Gabriela, grandma will be excited, het zal van pas komen om je af te Leiden van wat je me vertelde. (and it will be good to distract you from what you told me)" he pointed out and I rolled my eyes "You don't need to remind me." I replied "Het spijt me, mar het is de waarheid, ik zal je helpen je af te leiden en je zult geen slechte tijd hebben. (I'm sorry, but it's the truth, I'll help distract you and you won't have a bad time)"
"Beautiful, tomorrow we can go." Alex said next to me, "But I think we have something to do." I insisted, "I don't think so." My fiancé replied, "Come on, Gabriela. You'll have a good time. It seems like you don't want to go to their house." Kev said and I shot him a menacing look "That's not true and you know it Kev."
"Then accept." It's not that I didn't want to go to their house, it's that apart from the fact I wouldn't feel like doing anything tomorrow, I know we had something to do. I thought for a couple of seconds until I remembered tomorrow, we had an appointment with Andrea, the doctor who's monitoring my pregnancy. "We really can't tomorrow, we have an appointment with Andrea." I said, looking at Alex. "Shit, I forgot."
"Well, that doesn't mean you can't come tomorrow. What time is the appointment?" Kevin asked "About ten, eleven in the morning. Why?" I asked "Because you can come anyway." He pointed and I rolled my eyes. I knew he wasn't going to let me get away with it. "Okay, but you'll do me a favor." I ordered "Any ones you want." He responded quickly "Don't let Nerea get involved, we weten welkw idiot ideen je hebt bij het hoern van her word fest. (we know the crazy ideas that come to mind just by hearing the word party)"
"Perfect, without Nerea getting involved. Ik bel oma om het haar te vertellen. (I'll call grandma to tell her)" With that he left the kitchen to call grandma while Alex stared at me. "Why are you looking at me like that, love?" I asked with a smile on my face, because when he made that confused face it made a smile appear on my face because of how funny she was. "Why don't you want Nerea to get involved?" He asked curiously, "You just don't know her. There's a reason she's known as the crazy cousin."
"She seems like a good person to me." She said and I nodded, "And no one said she's not, she just loves parties and hearing that word practically makes her go crazy, that's why I don't want her to get involved." I responded, "I still don't understand." Alex answered, "What your fiancée means is that she'll have a big party, and we know how Gabriela hates being the centre of attention." Carlota responded with a big smile on her face. "Then Nerea is like you." Alex said once he understood
"Did you just call me crazy?" My best friend asked, pretending to be offended. "No, but you're also one of throwing big parties as far as I understand, right?" Alex asked. "That has nothing to do with it." Carlota said, "Sorry to tell you, Baba, but Alex is right, you like to throw big parties." Marcos countered, "But that doesn't mean I'm crazy."
"And no one said it, stop complaining and finish eating, we have to finish watching the concert." We spent the rest of the meal laughing and I could see Kevin's gaze on me. When we finished eating, we went to the living room to finish watching the concert and a few seconds after it ended, I fell asleep on Alex's shoulder.
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