"Just ... getting some air."
"It's that bad?" he asked.
I chuckled, shaking my head.
"No ... it's ... Something weird happened," I said.
"What?"
I thought over my meeting with Aaron, but for some reason, I found myself not wanting to talk about it, so I shook my head.
"Forget it. Not important."
"Did someone treat you badly?" Gabriel asked, now looking all protective.
"No, no, I'm fine," I told him, but I wasn't sure I was.
It was just so weird. What if Aaron had really known my mother? No, it was just a weird coincidence. Nothing else.
"You can tell me if something is wrong. We will get it sorted out!" he promised me.
"I think you should sort yourself out. You still got lipstick on your cheek and mouth," I told him.
He looked almost shocked, turning around so he could see the reflection in the water.
"You said I got it!"
"I lied," I admitted.
He just smiled at me, before he used the water to clean himself up. I couldn't help but laugh, as I watched him before I looked at where he had come from.
"Tell me there isn't someone still out there," I said.
"No, they went inside first."
"They?" I asked.
Gabriel just winked at me, and I shook my head.
"Where is Ace then?"
"Somewhere around."
"So, he didn't actually watch you," I said, but then I heard someone coming our way, and Ace appeared, looking as scary and dark as ever. "Or maybe he did."
I mumbled the last part, but I knew Gabriel heard me because he still had that stupid grin on his face. He didn't say anything though, as he cleaned himself up, and neither did Ace. He was just watching us until Gabriel finally broke the silence.
"Now, are you sure you are all right?" he asked.
I nodded.
"I'm sure."
"Then why are we still sitting out here."
I smiled, and Gabriel quickly stood up, before holding his hand out to me, and I gladly took it, as he helped me stand, and then we all three walked inside. It might not be the family I had imagined, but I realized as we walked inside, and Gabriel continued to joke around, making my mood so much better, that I wouldn't change a thing.
Chapter 48