About a Girl

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“Well look who showed up.”

Angela looked over at Nate as he walked up to them. She felt her stomach drop and everything she had eaten was now becoming unsettled. When she looked over at Gabe see could see a huge smile on his face and shook Nate’s hand waiting for a reply.

Nate let his smile lay across his face and leaned his hands on the table, “You need to be here more often.”

“You know how busy the shop is. We need you down there.”

Nate shrugged and looked over at Angela, “You love my cooking that much you come twice a day?”

Gabe’s smile fell and Angela wanted to sink into a little puddle on the floor. She looked at Gabe and he looked murderous. Nate looked at between them and wondered if he had said something wrong.

Gabe’s voice was low and continued with his death glare, “You took him here? You fucking took him here? Of all places? ”

She spoke in a whisper that the both of the males probably couldn’t hear, “He wanted to go somewhere near school.”

Nate looked between them and leaned over to pat Gabe’s back, “Come out back and have a smoke with me.”

Gabe quickly got up and followed Nate and Angela leaned forward resting her elbows on the table and hands covering her face. She wasn’t going to cry but the tears on the edge of her eyes seemed to burn. She sighed and hoped Gabe would get over it. Nate was one to be a peace maker.

She heard someone sit across from her and she moved her hands away, “Hello.”

She saw it was Ryland. A good close friend of Gabe’s that she liked. He was amusing when it was needed but an honest friend when you needed to rely one someone. He was nearly as old as Gabe but on occasion more mature.

He was wearing a dark midnight black leather coat similar to Gabe’s. His having a cobra printed on the right arm. She always wondered about the jackets Gabe, Ryland, Alex, and Nate wore. They were nearly identical and gave this fear into Angela they were in a gang. All the jackets on the back had a text saying ‘Cobras’. Then each coat had an actually design of a cobra on it.

Gabe’s had it on the back wrapping the text as if the snake was attacking the word, Alex’s was on the front, and Nate’s was on the bottom of the text on his back. She didn’t quite understand why the cobra was in different places but she never really asked. She just figured it was their way of symbolizing their friendship.

She smiled weakly, “Hello Ryland. How are you?”

“Good.” He paused as Alex made his way back over and sat next to Ryland, “You doing alright? Gabe sounded upset.”

She shrugged and leaned back in her seat, “I did one thing wrong! One! To him it’s like I killed a man.”

Ryland took a sip of Gabe’s drink, “Well, you kind of did. You shattered his perfect image of you.”

She rolled her eyes and took another bite of food, “I should be able to do at least one thing wrong. Look at you two, you were worse then I am.”

Alex and Ryland look between each other and Ryland laughed while pointing at Alex, “He is worse then I was. Though, Gabe was horrible. I was surprised he got as far as he did.”

Alex glared at Ryland before turning to Angela, “He’ll get over it. I think he was more upset with the fact you were with a boy that wasn’t him.”

Angela responded after the boys had their little snicker fit, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Ryland had a grin on his face, “What do you think it means?”

Alex had a smile on his face but his tone more serious, “Aren’t you two…You know?”

Angela’s eyes shifted from the two boys in confusion, “What are you talking about? Aren’t we what?”

Even Ryland had calmed down, “Together. Aren’t Gabe and you together? Like a couple?”

Her next statement caused the two boys to look back at her in confusion, “Just because we’re on a date doesn’t mean we’re involved.”

By then Gabe had come back and told the two boys to move. Ryland stole one of Gabe’s steak fries before getting up and following Alex back to their table. She could still hear their snickering. She was wondering where they’d get an idea that she was seeing Gabe. She was close with him but it didn’t mean that they were together.

She wanted to tell Gabe what had happened but she didn’t even bother. She wanted to wait and see what mood Gabe was in before pressing buttons blinded. He seemed to have a smile on his face and ready to take on what ever came at him.

Gabe sighed before looking over at the other kids in the restaurant, “I’m sorry.”

Angela looked up from her food, “Pardon?”

Gabe finally brought his eyes over to look at her, “I’m sorry for overreacting today. I’ve been out of line. I’ve always wanted to be this mature role model for you. Someone to lean on if you needed it and all I’ve done is act like an ass.”

“Gabriel, its fine. You’re protecting me but I want to be able to make my own decisions.”

Gabe reached over and grabbed onto Angela’s hand that was resting on the table, “I just want you to show the world what you’re made of. I need to be more lenient but I’m worried you’ll turn out like me. I know you won’t but–”

“Trust me Gabriel. Just trust me. I trust you.”

“I do. More then you know. Are you done? I’d like to get out of here.”

Angela nodded and they soon headed out after making sure Victoria didn’t need help. Now that the evening was turning out for the better the atmosphere around the two seemed too lightened though the comments from the two boys bugged her.

She didn’t honestly know what Gabe was to her. She’s been asking herself that for months. One minute he’d be a boyfriend other times he was more of a guardian to her. She knew she wouldn’t mind him as a boyfriend but she didn’t plan to keep her hopes high. Gabe was older then her. Quite a few years older.

But she didn’t trust anyone more then him.

Wouldn’t he be the logical option?

She starting thinking maybe Gabe was the wrong guy to go for. She always looked to him. She hadn’t really put herself out there to trust anyone else. Sure, she had Nate, Alex, and Ryland but no one out of their group. Well, possibly William but she wouldn’t know until she was closer with him.

Granted she trusted them today.

“What is with you tonight?”

She looked over at Gabe looking at her, “Sorry. I’m just miles away.”

“Clearly. Are you feeling aright?”

She nodded, “Mhm.”

“You know, if you ever want to tell me anything you can.” Gabe paused as they started to pull up to the drive in, “Is there anything you want to tell me?”

She shook her head, “No. Is there something you’d like to tell me?”

He looked at her confused, “Like what?”

She looked away and out the passenger side window at the other cars here, “Nothing. Alex and Ryland said things and I was wondering if you had anything to say to me.”

Gabe sounded defensive, “What did they say?”

Angela watched Gabe hand cash over to the entrance gate, “It wasn’t anything bad.”

Gabe pulled up to a spot somewhat near the screen. He stepped out to grab the little speakers that would attach to the car to help hear the movie and she feared she had said something wrong. Gabe looked worried now. Had Gabe been in love with her and told them?

She growled lightly in frustration. She just wanted to know everything Gabe thought about just so she could know. It bugged her that tonight had jumbled all her thoughts and she didn’t honestly know what Gabe was thinking. It wasn’t fair.

He leaned in the window, “Do you want a drink or–?”

She shook her head and he came back in to sit. They had about ten minutes before the movie to start so they weren’t too worried about talking. She slide a little closer to Gabe and brought up her legs to sit Indian style making sure her dress was pulled over to her knees. Soon after looked over at Gabe who was staring at her.

“You’re not going to tell me are you?”

“Tell you what?”

Gabe was smirking but looking away with a shake of his head, “Alex and Ryland.”

Gabe shuffled out of his jacket and Angela took it from him. She laid it across her lap to look at the design on the back. She wanted to tell him so badly but she didn’t want to cause any drama between them. Hadn’t they had enough stress of the day?

But she had to tell him.

She could feel the heat on her cheeks, “They were wondering if you and I were together.”

Gabe furred his eyebrows and then it came to him, “As if we were in a relationship?”

She nodded and started to trace her right index finger over the text on the jacket, “Yeah.”

Gabe’s voice was hushed, “What did you tell them?”

“They gave me confused looks when I told them just because we were on a date didn’t mean we’re together. But…”

Her voice carried off and Gabe leaned over to kiss her temple, “Ignore them. They’re still young and foolish.”

She turned her head to face him while he had stayed close, “What are we?”

He gave her a lopsided grin, “Whatever you want us to be.”

“What if I don’t know what–”

He cut her off before pecking her lips, “Then we wait and see.”

That didn’t exactly help Angela any. She wanted to know what his feelings were. This just seemed to make life more complicated then it needed to be. If Gabe wanted to be with her then why didn’t he make a move? She figured he must have been scared to like she was. Who would want to ruin what they had already?

The night ended up with Angela watching half of the movie before falling asleep on Gabe’s shoulder half way through the movie. Gabe sighed, choosing to leave before the movie ended and to get her home. He was grateful she was a deep sleeper.

By the time he reached Angela’s home he was already half asleep himself. He’d had enough long nights this week and his body was so desperately craving a nice night of sleep. Granted his worked never stopped. There was always one more car that needed some kind of fix.

He shut off the car in front of her house, “Angie, wake up.”

Gabe could see her house lights on, meaning her mother was home and probably awake. Angela stirred but not quite waking up. Gabe chuckled lightly before lightly shaking her. She finally woke and got out of the car when Gabe did. She leaned against the car resting and Gabe walked over to her.

“Come on querida, almost there.”

Gabe soon gave up on coaxing the younger one inside. He simply picked her up supporting her back and under her knees. Her body curled towards his chest hiding under his jacket and she was practically out again.

Gabe would laugh if he wasn’t so tired. He walked up towards the door and ended up having to knock with his foot. He didn’t want to risk dropping Angela and end up severally hurting her. Her mother would never forgive her.

“Gabriel? Oh my.”

“Evening. She’s fine. Don’t worry. Just very tired.”

Angela’s mother let out a ring of laughter letting Gabe come in and closed the door behind him, “You look as tired as her, when is the last time you slept?”

He turned to face her, “It feels like never. I’ll take her upstairs.”

Gabe took his time going up the stairs making sure not to let any limbs collide with any walls. Thankfully Angela had kept the door cracked and Gabe just had to push with his foot to open the door.

Gabe made it to her bed and placed her in the middle of the mattress. He pulled off her shoes and made sure Angela would be comfortable before pulling the blankets that had been forced to the side in the morning over her body. He smiled as she clung to his jacket pulling the leather closer rather then the blankets over her.

He leaned over kissing her forehead once more tonight before making his way back done to the kitchen where her mother was sitting with a drink. Gabe quickly grabbed his own drink and joined her across the table.

“How was tonight?”

Gabe shrugged, “It was great but she’ll bitch about not seeing the ending of the film.”

She gave a light chuckle, “I see. Are you just tired of did something happen to upset you? You not all smiles.”

“We had an interesting conversation and I switched off of probably too quickly.”

The mother raised her eyebrows, “Oh?”

“Ryland and Alex asked her if she and I were together, as if in a relationship. She asked me about and I told her we were whatever she wanted us to be. I feel like I answered wrong. I love her. You know that but sometimes she seems like she doesn’t want me around.”

“You two are two love sick love birds. She’ll come around when she’s ready Gabriel. I know you love her like you said but she’s still young. She still has a lot to experience and you know she doesn’t want anyone but you.”

Gabe sighed, “Then why am I so paranoid of the thought of losing her?”

“Gabriel. Enough, you’ll worry your head right off. She trusts you and you need to learn to trust her.”

“But I do–”

Her tone hardened, “Gabriel, shut your trap. It’s late and I’m tired. Either make your way to the guest bedroom or go home.”

Gabe told her he’d stay because he was in no shape to drive home. He was sickly tired and ready to collapse at any moment. This wasn’t unusual for Gabe to spend the night here. It was more common then it probably should have. Though, if Gabe was just too tired it was the safest thing for him.

Tonight he wouldn’t be sleeping in the guestroom. Gabe made his way back to Angela’s room and soon pulled off his shirt letting it rest near his discarded shoes. He crawled up slowly onto her bed and wrapped his arms around Angela.

She fell asleep next to him and now she was going to wake up next to him.

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