GABRIEL
I spent most of the evening and into the night thinking about her and trying to put the pieces together. That scene I walked up on was still bothering me, but unless I showed my hand and started asking questions, I wouldn’t find any answers. I guess I’ll have to wait until I see her again, though going by our first meeting, it’ll take at least a month to get a full sentence out of her.
For the first time in way too long to remember when it started, I laid across my bed thinking long into the night about something other than revenge. I’m a little annoyed, truth be told, that she’d infiltrated so deeply, so soon. In five years, nothing has been able to take me off course. I’ve kept everyone out and at arm's length, except Lancelot, of course, because I know it’s a waste of time forming binding relationships when I don’t plan on being here that long.
Even my family, as much as I love them, have not been allowed beneath my guard for that same reason. “Gianna…” I almost jumped out of my skin when the phone rang beneath my head where I keep it. Too much information on there to leave it lying around. “Hello?” The number didn’t look familiar, but it was local.
“Hello, Gabriel, this is Victoria…” I hung up the phone. I don’t know anyone named Victoria.
It clicked when my door opened seconds later, and the twins came bursting into my room. “Did she call? Did you talk to her?” They looked so pleased with themselves. This is why I can’t tell them shit. “Who’d you give my number to?”
“Victoria, the girl you asked us about.”
“Anna, Rosa, have I ever given you the impression that I needed help in that department?”
“Well, no, but still, you never go out with anyone; it’s weird.” They traipsed their asses into the room and plopped down on my bed on either side of me. “Something wrong with your room?” These two refuse to be separated and have been sleeping in the same room since they were kids. Ma and Pop had given up trying when they were about ten and threw a fit when Ma had two separate rooms redecorated for them.
I kept my eyes trained on the ceiling because their nosy asses see too much. “Tell us, why won’t you date any of the girls at school? Even our friends ask about you, but you pass by them like they’re not even there.”
“I’m not interested, and before you ask, I’m not interested in boys either.” Have to cover all the bases with these two, or who knows who the fuck else they’ll be giving my number to next.
“So why did you ask us about her if you weren’t interested?”
“Her name came up somewhere, that’s all.” They exchanged a look over my chest, which I chose to ignore. Who knows what the frig goes on in their heads. When they climbed off the bed in unison, I knew the fuckery was only just beginning.
GIANNA
Alone at last! I’ve spent all evening avoiding Victoria’s wrath. I thought for sure she’d try to get me in trouble the way she always does when I escape her and her friends, but she seemed too preoccupied for that. On the ride home, which I’m forced to do with her since my dad and her mom are hell-bent on us being sisters, she’d grilled me about what we’d talked about when Gabriel dragged me away.
I knew I was going to pay for that one, but I’d been able by some miracle to play the whole thing down. I did want to grab the wheel and put us both out of my misery when she sneered and announced rather snidely, that of course, he couldn’t possibly have any interest in someone like me. According to her, I was a charity project, someone he thought needed rescuing like a puppy. She was pissed, though, that the most sought-after boy in school had held my hand.
My hand trembled when I thought about him. I know who he is, of course, who doesn’t? Most of the girls at school would give their eye teeth to get a glance from him. He’s that boy in every cheesy high school rom-com that all the girls fawn over. The elusive lone wolf who can have his pick but chooses none until the heroine shows up, of course.
I felt a slight twinge in my chest at the thought. I wonder who his heroine will be? It’s certainly not going to be me. Someone who looks and acts like him would never go for someone like me. With just the few words spoken between us, I could already tell that he’s nothing like the others. People whisper about him behind their hands, some claiming that his aloofness stems from the fact that his family is easily the richest in these parts. But I don’t think so. His sisters are known to be social butterflies who, unlike their older brother, don't seem too averse to making friends.