Holding Her, Loving You

Chapter Ten: Being Bullied

“I hate him,” Joseph said as his brown eyes watched Alejandro from across the playground, it had been two weeks since school had started back up and he had made a couple of friends in his time there.

However there was one thing that hadn’t changed and that was his dislike for Alejandro, which had only seemed to intensify over time; he hated watching Cesc spend time with the over boy like he had spent with him.

“Who is he?” Joseph’s new best friend asked as he looked over in the direction of the other boy confused, he didn’t know why his friend disliked the younger boy and he didn’t know how Joseph knew him.

“He’s Cesc’s son,” Joseph admitted a little annoyed, it had been announced days ago that the footballer had a son with a former girlfriend and apart from the occasional sighting no one knew who he was and who his mother was.

Joseph’s friends all looked over the six year old, they watched as he played with his own friends; he was completely unaware that he was being watched by the older boys.

“Everything was perfect before he came along… Cesc and my mum where happy and didn’t fight as much, me and Maria were the centre of attention along with Lia,” Joseph said as he glared at Alejandro, he had come to Barcelona to be closer to his mother and his new sister but now everything seemed to be about the six year old.

Joseph wasn’t sure why Cesc wanted to spend so much time with Alejandro, especially when he had him; he had said when he had first met Joseph that he was like the son that he had never had.

“His mother’s nothing but a gold-digger… I’m not even sure that he is Cesc’s son,” Joseph said as he remembered the argument that his mother had, had with the footballer over the other boy the night before.

***

Alejandro furrowed his brow confused as yet another older boy pushed him to the floor, he didn’t know what was going on but it had been happening a lot lately; he was being pushed, shoved and even tripped by people that he didn’t even know.

Carefully getting to his feet, Alejandro glared at the boy that had pushed him over before Joseph bumped into him and knocked him to the ground; he blinked confused as he stared up at his father’s step-son wondering what was going on.

“I don’t know why Cesc thinks you’re his son… you’re nothing but pathetic,” Joseph sneered at the younger boy, he didn’t care that he was probably going to get into some trouble for this.

He wanted Alejandro to go away and never come back, he was ruining his family and he was going to make sure that until he was gone that his life was a living hell.

“You don’t even deserve to carry his name… you know he wishes that you didn’t exist,” Joseph said cruelly as his friends laughed, he smirked as he saw the look of hurt flash through Alejandro’s eyes; he knew that Cesc hadn’t been around when he was going up and that there was going to be insecurities about why the footballer was around and if he would leave again.

“You’re lying,” Alejandro said as he got to his feet, he didn’t want to believe that Cesc didn’t want him; everything over the last few weeks said that he loved him in some ways, he knew it wasn’t a lie.

Joseph and his friends all started laughing making the younger boy stare at him, his brown eyes welled with tears as he looked up at the older boy wondering why he was doing this to him.

“Am I? Then how come he told me that I’m the son that he never had, you are nothing to him but a disappointment,” Joseph said as he stepped closer to Alejandro, his dark eyes staring down at him as he watched him closely; he knew that he shouldn’t be saying those things but he couldn’t help himself.

Alejandro blinked back tears as he looked at the older boy, who was laughing at him; he swallowed as Joseph stepped towards him with a dark look on his face.

“Cesc doesn’t need you, he had me, Maria and Lia now, you and your mother aren’t wanted and should just disappear,” Joseph said before he pushed Alejandro to the floor, he stared at the younger boy for a moment then laughed and walked away with his friends; he didn’t look back knowing that if this continued then soon the other boy would be gone.

Alejandro sniffed as he winced and pushed himself up, he watched Joseph walking away and he knew that he was right; Cesc didn’t need him, he had three other children in his life.

***

Belina felt her heart leap into her throat as she spotted Alejandro coming out of school, she didn’t know what it was but she could tell something had happened; she hurried and hugged the six year old worried.

“Alex?” the brunette said worried as she pulled back as she ran her fingers through her hair, her brown eyes searching her son’s face as she tried to figure out what was going on; she hated to think that something had happened while he was at school.

“Do I need to call your padre?” Belina asked concerned, she knew that Cesc would want to be here if something happened; the footballer had been enjoying his time with his son and the brunette could see that he would so anything for his son.

Alejandro quickly shook his head, he glanced over to where Joseph was being picked up from school by Daniella; he didn’t want anyone knowing what had happened at school.

“I just want to go home,” Alejandro whispered making Belina look at him confused, he had training today and she didn’t know what had brought this on; the six year old refused to meet her eyes as she nodded her head.

Belina chewed on her lip wondering what was going on, she started to walk towards the car ignoring the look from Daniella as she left the yard; she knew that the other woman didn’t like her and she didn’t care, she only spoke with Cesc when it was related to Alejandro.

“Do you want me to call you in sick?” Belina asked as they approached the car, she looked down at Alejandro who nodded his head as he looked down at his shoes; it was clear that whatever was going on had upset her son.

Belina watched him as he climbed into the car, she furrowed her brow before she looked over at Daniella who was with Joseph and Maria; she stared at the other woman as she wondered if something had happened that she didn’t know about.

Joseph seemed a lot happier than he had done in weeks since Alejandro had been seeing Cesc and the brunette wasn’t sure what was what it was but it unsettled her.

Belina watched the older boy and wondered if he had something to do with what was going on with Alejandro, she knew that Joseph and Maria hadn’t warmed to her son and she hoped that they hadn’t said something to upset him.

Climbing into the car, Belina glanced back at her son as she pulled on her seatbelt, she knew that Cesc was coming up that weekend and she hoped that he would be able to cheer their son up.

Alejandro looked out of the window as the car pulled away from his school, his eyes watched Joseph with his mother and sister and couldn’t help but notice the grin that the older boy shot him as he left.