8. Gabriela
Chapter 8
Gabriela
A fter school, I rush home. It’s going to take some time to get Mireya ready for the lacrosse game tonight. I asked mom yesterday if it would be okay for me to take her with me, and she said she didn’t care as long as I was home at a decent hour. I’m so excited to actually get out of the house on a school night and go to a sporting event.
Mireya’s on the couch with her tablet in hand, while I kneel in front of her, lacing her shoes. “Reya, do you remember where we are going?” I ask after lacing the second shoe. She’s too engrossed in her slime video to answer me. I just smile at her before rising to my feet to make sure I have everything we’ll need in my backpack.
My phone pings in my pocket, and when I pull it out, I swipe up and see the text from Isaac.
You still coming tonight?
Of course! I’m grabbing my bag and then heading there with my sister.
Sweet! I’ll see you soon.
“Okay, Reya.” I spin around, and her little eyes lock with mine. “Let’s go! Time for some high school lacrosse.” I grab my backpack and sling it over my shoulder, making sure to double-check that I have everything we’ll need for the game.
With excitement bubbling inside me, I turn to Mireya, who is still absorbed in her slime video on the couch. I call out to her again, “Reya, it’s time to go! We don’t want to miss the game.” This time, she looks up at me, her eyes shining with anticipation.
We walk out of the house together into the cool afternoon air. During the drive to the school, I fill it with all of Mireya’s favorite songs and explain to her that it might get loud at the game. As we walk towards the lacrosse field, I can’t help but feel a sense of freedom and adventure. This is a rare opportunity for us, and I want to make the most of it. The thought of cheering on the school team, surrounded by friends and classmates, fills me with a sense of belonging.
I’m here for Isaac. Though part of me wonders what my little stalker would say if he knew I was here for another boy.
Would he be mad?
Arriving at the field, I spot Isaac among the players on the field. He waves excitedly as he sees us approaching. I wave back, a wide grin spreading across my face. He runs toward where we are. “Hey,” he says. I can tell he has been warming up, his light brown hair clings to his forehead with sweat.
“Hey! So this is my little sister, Mireya.” I squeezed her into my side. She looks up at Isaac with curious eyes.
Isaac crouches down in front of her and extends his hand. “Hi Mireya, I’m Isaac. It’s nice to meet you.”
She doesn’t respond to him; she just hums to herself.
“Maybe she’s just shy today?” He shrugs, chuckling, his eyes meeting mine.
“Actually, she has autism. So this is totally normal.” She pulls on my arm, and I bend down and pick her up. Cradling her to my chest, she hums her little song in my ear.
“Oh, I didn't know that. Will she be okay with all the noise and people? I don't know much about autism, so you’ll have to forgive me if I get something wrong.” He rises from his crouched position and just smiles at us.
“Dresden!” Isaac spins around, and his coach motions for him to come back to the field.
“I gotta go! Uh, I was wondering if you’d maybe wear my jersey for the game. You know, for luck.” In his hand is a white away jersey, and I try to hide my smile, but I fail.
“Sure. I’d love to.”
I take it from him, and he leans in and kisses my cheek in front of the entire stadium. The atmosphere is electric, with the sound of cheers and the smell of freshly cut grass filling the air. As we find our seats, I can feel the energy building up inside me.
The game begins, and I can’t help but get caught up in the intensity and passion of the players. The cheers from the crowd and the adrenaline rushing through my veins create a thrilling experience. Mireya, too, finds herself captivated by the fast-paced action on the field as she keeps her eyes glued to the players. Occasionally she will squeal with excitement, which gets us some hard stares, but I try to ignore them as best as I can.
As the game progresses, I cheer loudly, feeling a sense of pride in our school’s team. The camaraderie and spirit of the crowd are infectious, and I feel a sense of unity with my fellow students. My phone pings in my pocket a few times, but I ignore it, lost in the game and watching Isaac dominate on the field.
The final whistle blows, signaling the end of the game. I can’t help but feel a sense of fulfillment. We won, 10-4! Tonight has been everything I hoped for and more. I turn to Mireya, who is beaming with excitement, and I know that we have shared a special bonding experience. I scoop my sister up and make my way down to the field to congratulate Isaac.
"Hey, you played amazing!” He looks down at me, sweat dripping from his hair.
“I’m so glad you could come. Did your sister have fun?” He asks, extending a finger to tickle her. Mireya recoils, and he drops his hand to his side, a look of defeat on his face.
“I think she did.” I hug her tight and realize I need to give him back his jersey. “Shoot, here. Let me take this off.” Mireya whines in my ear as I try to set her down.
“Don’t worry about it. Just wear it to school tomorrow.” I catch the smirk on his face.
I know what it means when girls wear guys jerseys around school. Either it’s their boyfriend or the guy is staking his claim on her.
Do I want that? Do I want to be his girlfriend?
“Are you sure?” I swallow.
“Never been more sure, Gabby. If you can’t tell by now, I really like you.”
I blush at his words, feeling the nervousness creep in. The thought of being Isaac’s girlfriend fills me with uncertainty. I’ve never had a boyfriend, simply because my family has always come first. My sister needs me. It would be so nice to do something for myself, but taking that next step—officially becoming a couple—is a big decision.
I put Mireya down, pulled his jersey over my head, and reluctantly handed it back to him. I can’t help but think about what wearing it to school tomorrow would mean. It would symbolize something more than just luck for the game. It would signify that we’re together and that we have chosen each other.
“I’m not really in the headspace for a relationship, Isaac. I have a shit ton of responsibilities, and I wouldn’t want you to feel like I don’t like you or that I’m ignoring you.” The disappointment in his eyes hurt.
“Oh,” his hand grips the jersey, “I just thought maybe I... Is it someone else?”
I snort. “Absolutely not. Look, my family went through some tough times over the summer, and I had to essentially take on the role of a parent for my sister. So my life is school and caring for her—that’s it. When you invited me to the dance, it was the first time I had done something remotely fun in forever.”
Isaac’s teammates shout at him to hurry so they can go celebrate.
“Shit, I gotta go. I still want to talk about this. Call me crazy, but I want to try. So I’m not giving up on this. I think we could be great together.”
I pick Mireya back up, cradle her in my arms, and smile. It will never work out.
I take a moment to gather my thoughts, trying to understand my own emotions. Isaac has been nothing but kind, supportive, and fun to be around. He makes me feel special. But is that enough? I look into his eyes, searching for answers. His warm gaze reassures me as I look into his eyes. Maybe taking this leap of faith won’t be so scary after all. Maybe it’s worth exploring where this connection could lead.
With a smile, I decided to embrace the moment. “Okay, Isaac. I’ll wear your jersey to school tomorrow,” I say, feeling the blush spread across my face as he hands it back to me.
His face lights up, and he pulls us into a tight hug. “For real, Gabby! I can’t wait to see you in my jersey. And, just so you know, it’s not just about staking a claim or some other caveman bullshit. It’s about showing everyone how lucky I am that you're giving me the time of day.”
His words melt my heart, and I know deep down that I made the right choice. He kissed my cheek again. “Text me when you guys get home. So I know you're safe.”
“Okay,” I nod and watch as he runs off toward his team. I cradle Mireya close to my chest and make my way across the parking lot toward our car.
Back in the car, I slide into the driver’s seat after buckling Mireya into her car seat. I pull my phone out and see that I have a ton of missed texts and two missed calls with voicemails. I pull up the texts from mom telling me she is leaving for work and to not forget to switch over the laundry. Then I saw the texts from the stalker.
Reina, you are mine. Don’t get any ideas. If you wear that jersey tomorrow, I swear to God you’ll be sorry.
Am I understood?
Ignoring me isn’t an answer.
I blow out a breath, exit out of my messages, and check the missed calls. One is from my dad, and the other is from the hospital. I click on the voicemail from my dad.
“Gabby, you need to pick up your phone.”
Why the fuck would he be calling me and telling me to pick up my phone? It’s not like I want to talk to the asshole. I tap on the message from the hospital, wondering if mom forgot something.
“This message is for Gabriela Ruíz—this is Nora from the ER. I need you to call me back as soon as you get this.”
Sitting in the car, absolutely stunned, I hit re-dial.
“Hospital directory.” The voice on the other end replies.
“I received a call from the emergency department. A Nora asked me to call her back.” I held my breath, waiting for them to respond.
“One moment, please.” The waiting music bleeds through. It’s the music you hear in elevators that drives you nuts. After a few moments, the line clicks over.
“Gabriela?” The woman’s voice from the voicemail says.
“Yeah, that’s me. Wh-what’s going on?” I stutter over my words as I try to stay calm. I have a looming feeling that something is terribly wrong.
“You need to come to the hospital, sweety. Can you do that?”
I sit frozen. “The hospital? Is my mom okay?”
“We’ll talk when you get here.” She says it sweetly, but she can’t hide the trembling in her voice.