UNREQUITED LOVE (MATEO AND CARMEN)

                            💗HAPPY VALENTINES DAY💗

I've never met someone like Mateo before. Mateo isn't blood-related, he got introduced into our family through my cousin Arturo but quickly became like family to us. He and my cousin Arturo became the same person, their laughs started to sound alike and as years passed on they became like brothers. Mateo quickly moved in with my cousins after he graduated high school, where he spent a lot of time with my other cousin Carmen (Arturo's older sister). Long story short, he developed feelings for Carmen, yes! His best friend's sister. 

As his feelings started to develop for her, he realized that he could no longer live there, so he moved in with me. Before Mateo and I lived together I thought he was just another one of my cousin's dumb friends, but I got to know him, I got to see his raw emotions, and I quickly saw the reason why my family cherished him so much. 

When Mateo decided to tell our family about his love for our cousin Carmen, it was his breaking point. We knew he had been going through something for a while, but we never knew what. I saw small details in his attitude that told us he was struggling. The whole conversation was long, maybe 2 hours at the most, but half of that time was spent trying to get it out of him. The only way I could get him to share was by telling Mateo my biggest secret. 

He slowly began to tell our family members one by one about his love for Carmen, but Carmen was one of the last people he told. After that he said he would be leaving for a while, trying to heal him and his mind because he knew Carmen would never want to be with him. I didn't want Mateo to leave but I believe that he didn't care about anyone but himself while deciding to leave. Or maybe that's me being selfish and just wanting him to stay. 

Now, a few months after our whole family found the reason behind him leaving, he never left. He might've left for a few days, but he stayed in the city, still in contact, still coming around. 

As far as his relationship with Carmen, their friendship is rocky. Carmen has given a hint that she's not interested, but for Carmen, it's hard for her to directly tell Mateo to "FUCK OFF" without her feeling bad because they were best friends at one point, and maybe still are?!?!?!

And Mateo, he's still sending flowers, gifts, text messages, and has not taken the hint. At times I feel bad for him but other times, I get where Carmen's annoyance comes from. But, he's just wearing his heart on his sleeve. He has seen Carmen, at worst, at her best, crying until her face gets puffy, coming home at 3 am and puking her brains out, and he's seen her at her happiest. After all that he still fell in love with her. But he's just in love with a girl he could never have.