That urge to destroy the little mom and I had let her keep over the years was strong, but that tone in Gabriel’s voice said he might do something if I went back in her room. I still can’t figure out how he even knew. I don’t like the fear that kept me from going back to find out. I’ve not felt fear since I was a little girl, living in the projects surrounded by angry adults and signs of violence. Things were supposed to be better here. Mom had worked hard to make it so.
If I didn’t know better or believed in such things, I’d think there was some unseen force at hand. Someone or something that was fighting against me. How else can you explain everything falling apart in such quick succession and just when things were supposed to be changing for the better?
This was supposed to be the year I started solidifying the foundation for my future. Mom wasn’t going to take care of me forever, and besides, I’d need to make my own way in the world as an adult. We’d had a great plan in place, one that I was sure would work. After years of alienating Gia from everyone and taking the place of the only Fontane daughter worth knowing, this was supposed to be the year I bagged Gabriel Russo.
Mom hadn’t cared much which one of the wealthy sons of the elite I bagged just as long as I caught myself a big fish, but for me, it had always been Gabriel for many reasons. Not only because his family was one of the wealthiest, but he’s by far the hottest guy in school. The one everyone wanted but couldn’t have.
I knew if I bagged him, I’d be set for life. I’d get to ride around in posh cars with chauffeurs and have a whole fleet of staff at my beck and call like his mother and sisters do. I’d have the best of everything, and all my friends would envy me. That’s the dream I’ve been building in my head for years, ever since I’d decided that he was the one I wanted.
Though he didn’t know I existed, I didn’t see that as an obstacle; I had my way of getting him to notice me and was this close to putting it into action. So how did we get here? How did everything go wrong in the blink of an eye? How is it that Gia is now the one on top?
It should be me living in his house, me he should be protecting so fiercely. Tears burnt the cuts and scrapes on my face as my heart broke. I don’t want to go back to being that sad little nobody looking in from the outside at the cool kids. I didn’t do all this for her to win in the end. Life can’t be this unfair. She’d been born with a silver spoon in her mouth while I went hungry many a night before we came here.
Her mother had spoiled her, giving her the best of everything. Her college had been paid for from birth thanks to her snooty maternal parents, and before I put an end to it, everyone had liked her and was always singing her praises. Everything had been handed to her while I had nothing, and now she’s about to walk away with the boy I like. I dried my tears as I assured myself that she won’t, I won’t let her.
GABRIEL
Gianna wanted to go rehearse with the others, but I wanted to look her over, make sure she was okay. Once I was sure she hadn’t been hurt, I let her go, mostly because I had other shit to do. Lance was off being grilled by Pop when I went to my room so I wouldn’t have to do it. Something told me to listen in on what was going on in the Fontane house, people tend to do the dumbest shit when they’re in the heat of anger, and it’s a good thing I did because I caught Victoria going into Gianna’s room.
There could be only one reason for that, and even though I was showing my hand, revealing the fact that I had eyes and ears in the house, I couldn’t let her destroy any more of Gianna’s things. I should’ve just got the shit while I was there, but I wasn’t thinking.
I’m not sure if to be proud of her or spank her ass for putting herself in harm’s way. As to my sisters, shit, I have to give them props for not letting her go there alone, though they should’ve told me. I’ll find out why they hadn’t later, but from the looks of it, Lance had reamed them out but good already, and I’m not one to pile on.