BIG TIME GIRLFRIENDS

GABRIELA ACTUALLY liked hanging out with Carlos. He was a fun, goofy, and an all-around sweetheart.

So when she saw the boy sitting alone in the park she decided to join him.

"Hey."

He looked up and smiled, "Hi."

"You look down, what's wrong?"

Continuing to smile, he sighed, "Nothing."

"Come on, Carlos." She stood behind him, arms draped around his shoulders, "It's a nice, bright, sunny day out and you're sitting here moping around. That's not fun. I like to see you smile Carlos."

He turned and faced her, completely ignoring the close proximity of the two of them, "Have you ever had a boyfriend?"

Gabriela was a beautiful girl, could probably make a guy squeal in a second (a girl as well, no one is judging) but truth be told...

"No."

"No?"

"No."

"I-I don't understand."

"I don't understand where this is all coming from, Carlos."

"I mean, you're just so pretty and you've never had a boyfriend?"

"Spot on." She said, "Why do you ask?"

"It's just- all the guys have someone. Kendall and Jo, Logan and Camille, James and... everyone else!"

Carlos turned his head and sighed. Gabriela following his sigh tightened her grip around his shoulders.

Coming from around the corner, Gustavo and another female appeared. He stuck his arm out after seeing the girl and Carlos so close.

Gabriela removed her arms and rested her hand on his shoulder, "How about this? We go on one "little" date, just to see how it goes."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I don't see why not."

He stood up and wrapped his arms around her. She relaxed and hugged him back.

Gustavo faced the girl, "I don't need you anymore."

"But-"

"Goodbye."

The girl huffed and walked off. Gustavo faced the two again.

"Okay." Carlos said, "We'll meet back in the park in an hour." He smiled.

Gabriela nodded and Carlos ran off to make this date one of the best-first dates ever.

____________________

MAKING HER way back to the park, Gabriela saw Kendall sitting alone with a picnic set up.

"Can I join you?" She asked.

Looking up at her, he nodded.

Bitters and Katie held back from going to eat what Kendall had laid out.

"This is nice." Gabriela said, "Is this for you and Jo?"

"It was."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"She just had a ton of interviews today, that's all."

Gabriela smiled, "I know. There's gotta be other things you can do while she's gone."

"I mean, we could hang out."

"I don't see why not, but we'll have to cut it short. I have a date with Carlos later-"

"Date?"

Gabriela looked over at Bitter and Katie then back at Kendall.

"He feels left out because he's never had a girlfriend, so he just wanted to know what it was like."

She wasn't even looking at Kendall anymore, she began playing with the tablecloth they were sitting on.

"Oh... that's nice."

She glanced up and he was still looking at her, "Yeah, guess so. I mean, he's returning the favor."

"You've never had a boyfriend?"

"It's not that big of a deal is it?"

"No!" He said, "Of course not. It's just-"

"Hey."

The two of them looked up and saw Carlos standing behind them, "You ready?"

Quickly facing Kendall and standing, "Yeah. Thanks for the chat, Kendall. I'll see you later."

With that she and Carlos were off, "The now star stuck teen is confused, along with his baby sister and Bitters, how could someone as pretty as Gabriela not have had a boyfriend before?"

"Katie!"

All the now looking towards Carlos and Gabriela as the two of them walked off.

"That is something isn't it?"

____________________

CARLOS KNEW how to treat a girl. There wasn't any doubt of that.

Gabriela would be lying if she said that she didn't have a good time hanging out with him.

The two of them laughing on the way to Rocqué Records, Carlos saying Gustavo wanted to meet up.

"Hello." Gustavo calmly said.

The two of them looked at him, slowly losing the laughter behind shared.

"Carlos... I think your lady friend looks thirsty. Grab her a fruit water, why don't 'cha?"

"I'm not-"

"No worries." Carlos said and wander off into the break room.

"I don't think we've formally met. I'm Gustavo Rocqué."

"I know who you are." She smiled,

"Great." He said, "And we know you Ms.-"

Kelly came forward, "Gabriela Machado."

"Gabriela Machado." Gustavo repeated, "Breakup with Carlos."

Gabriela raised her eyebrows, "I'm sorry?"

"Pardon my French, I said, "Breakup with Carlos.""

"That's what I thought, Carlos and I aren't dating."

"Well, that's wonderful... break his heart."

"I'm not doing that."

"Excuse me?"

Gabriela smiled, "Pardon my French, I said, I'm not breaking Carlos' heart, no matter what you're trying to gain from that."

"Look," Kelly said, "we just need Carlos to be a little sad so he can perfectly sing this breakup song."

Gabriela nodded, "I understand."

"Good." Gustavo said.

"Looks like you might need to write a new song." Gabriela said.

Before Gustavo could say anything else Carlos returned, "Is strawberry okay?"

"Strawberry is perfect. Thank you." Gabriela said, "Let's go. The environment isn't great anymore."

Grabbing ahold of his hand the two of the left Rocqué Records.

"She knows how to hold her ground." Kelly said.

____________________

IT DIDN'T take long for the duo to return to Rocqué Rocrds, Carlos once again saying Gustavo need him.

Now standing there, Carlos was off once again to get Gabriela fruit water.

"Okay. I'm here." Kendall said.

Gustavo gripped his hands onto Kendall's shoulders, "And your session is canceled."

He pushed him towards Gabriela, "You two are friends, right?" Gustavo asked.

"What is he doing?" Kendall asked.

Gabriela shrugged her shoulders, "Wonderful." Gustavo said.

"How's your date with Carlos going?"

"Perfectly fine." Gabriela said, glancing at Gustavo and Kelly and back at Kendall, "How about you and Jo... gotten a chance to hang out with her?"

"Not really. When I did have the chance I was called here."

Gabriela rested her hand on his tricep, "Sorry to hear that, maybe you've got time. Your session was canceled after all."

Carlos returned, "They were out of strawberry. Is mango okay?"

Taking her hands off Kendall she faced Carlos, "Doesn't hurt to try something new."

Facing Kendall again she smiled, "She's probably waiting for you."

Taking Carlos by the hand again (just to anger Gustavo) they were off.

Kendall doing the same.

"You know that plan could've worked if I remembered Kendall having a girlfriend."

____________________

CARLOS HAD asked Gabriela to join him for lunch, which she did not turn down.

Arriving at the pool she saw Gustavo and Kelly standing side by side in front of Carlos.

"What's going on?"

"They told me what they've been trying to do."

Gabriela's eyes shifted towards the ground, "I'm sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?"

Looking at him she shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know to be honest. I could've told you what was going on, but I had a great day, there's no doubt about that."

Carlos stood, "So did, care to join me for lunch?"

She smiled and sat down, him following suit.

"Come on Kelly, let's get back to work."

"On what?"

"A new song."

____________________

IT GREW dark out and Gustavo had his new song written for the boys to perform.

Carlos invited Gabriela to be apart of it especially since she was the main reason it was rewritten anyway.

Shooting the video was over, didn't take as long as what they would've thought, and since they were already at the small carnival, why not stay.

Dancing to the faint music, Gabriela and Carlos made their way towards the benches.

"I've had a great time today." Carlos said, "Thank you for being my date for today."

"No problem. Thank you for being mine." Gabriela smiled.

She pulled Carlos into a hug.

"I didn't know, Carlos and Gabriela had a thing." Jo said looking at the two.

Kendall's eyes followed.

It was obvious that the two were talking and soon enough Carlos walked off with another girl in tow.

Seeing the interaction in itself, Kendall excused himself from Jo.

"Hey."

Gabriela looked at him, "Hi."

"So, you and Carlos?"

"It was fun while it lasted, you know, but all things come to an end, and I think that girl might like corndogs more than I do."

Looking back over at Carlos, he was now eating a corndog with a girl by his side.

"He would make someone very happy. Very caring guy." Gabriela said, "Glad he's my friend."

"You two broke up?"

"We were never boyfriend and girlfriend, we just wanted the experience."

Kendall nodded, "She's waiting, you know? You finally get all this time to spend with her and your here talking to me."

Looking back Jo still sat at a bench.

"I'm gonna head off anyway, I'll see you tomorrow, Kendall."

Not even getting a word out, the last he saw was her smiling as she walked back to the Palm Woods.

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