Written Regrets
0003.
“Just take your time,” Steven said, caressing her back gently as they stood in front of a large window that faced the inside of a room where five different men stood, each holding a white sign that read off their individual number.
Gabby breathed out softly and stared at each of them carefully, anxious to find if she’d actually recognize one of them. But in the end, none of them were the man who had hurt her. She could recognize him anywhere seeing as his face had been embedded into her mind. There was no possible way she could forget what he looked like.
After a few silent minutes, Steven asked, “Do you see him?”
She sighed and shook her head, “None of them are him.” She then turned away from the window, threading her fingers through her hair, “He’s still out there somewhere.”
He sighed too and then turned to his partner, “Let him go.”
Inhale exhale…inhale exhale…inhale exhale… Gabby reminded herself silently, trying her best to hold back the tears that wanted to fall suddenly. They would find him someday, she was sure of it. She just wished that it was sooner rather than later.
Everyday Gabby feared that he would come back for more, and sometimes she was even paranoid that he was watching her, stalking her. She knew it was just her imagination though. It’s been two years since the attack. He’s long gone by now, probably in another state she assumed.
“Don’t give up hope, Gabby,” Steven murmured, “We’re still looking for him.”
“You’re never gonna find him,” She mumbled.
He shook his head, “Don’t say that. We can’t lose hope.”
Gabby knew Steven was right, she couldn’t lose hope. But some days she couldn’t help it. Giving up seemed easier than trying to find him. She was thankful that Steven was working so hard at trying to find the man who had hurt her though. She really appreciated it.
“I just wanna go home,” She said.
Steven nodded, “I understand. Come on, I’ll walk you to your car.”
“Thank you,” She smiled faintly.
He didn’t say a word in response. He just led her out of the room, down the hall, and to the elevator. Gabby stayed silent, her arms folded across her chest as she stared at the floor beneath their feet, her mind filled with different thoughts. At this point, she didn’t even care that Steven hadn’t found the man they were searching for, because if they had, then that meant she would have to face him and what he had done to her. For now, she just wanted to get home to Sarah, have a nice dinner, and relax.
When the elevator dinged and the doors opened, Gabby and Steven stepped out of the elevator. Suddenly Steven cursed at the sound of his name being called from down the hall. Gabby turned to him with both eyebrows raised, wondering what was wrong.
“I’ll be right back. Go wait for me by the main doors,” He told her.
She gave him a weak smile, “Just go on, I can walk myself to my car.”
“I wouldn’t feel right about that,” He shook his head, “Just give me two minutes and I’ll be right back.”
“Okay,” She breathed out, “I’ll wait.”
“Thank you.”
Gabby watched as he headed off in another direction to speak to someone. After a moment, she walked through the hallway, turned right and headed through the large busy room over to the main doors to stand and wait for him. The police department was filled with people. Police men were all over the place, some with criminals who had recently been arrested, and other’s alone, working. Gabby even recognized a few Detectives standing around who she’d met awhile back.
She sighed softly and threaded her fingers through her hair. Her phone started to ring quietly from her purse suddenly, catching her attention. Drawing in a deep breath, she reached into her purse and pulled out her cell phone. The small screen read MOM but Gabby decided not to answer it, knowing that she would only break down into tears if she heard her mom’s voice at the moment. She pressed declined and tossed her phone back into her purse, deciding she would call her mother back later after she got home.
“Gabby?”
Her head snapped to the left at the sound of her name. She put on a large fake smile at the sight of Brian Haner Jr., one of the guys she had shot yesterday during the photo shoot for Avenged Sevenfold.
“Hi Brian,” She said.
He gave her a crooked grin, “What are you doing here at the police station?”
“Oh, uh, just meeting with a friend. What about you?”
“Bailing Matt out.”
Gabby’s eyes widened slightly, “He was arrested?”
“About an hour ago, yeah,” Brian nodded before his eyes shifted past her, “And here he is now.”
Gabby turned around to look at Matt and couldn’t believe just how bad he looked. He came shuffling out a door with a police officer guiding him over to the main desk area where he would be released at. As she watched him sign a sheet of paper and speak to the police officer, she couldn’t help but wonder what he had done to have been arrested for. Although she didn’t necessarily know any of the guys in Avenged Sevenfold very well and had only photographed them, she could tell they were sweet men with big hearts, but then again, everyone has a secret side of them that they try to hide from the world, and Gabby knew all about that.
Barely a minute later, Matt came walking towards Gabby and Brian, his lips pressed into a tight frown as his eyes drooped slightly from being tired. “Thanks for bailing me out, Man. I owe you big time.”
“Yep, you sure do,” Brian agreed with a smirk.
Matt rolled his hazel colored eyes, “So it’s nice seeing you again, Gabby. Sorry it’s under such circumstances.”
Gabby shrugged, “No biggie.”
“Well, I better get this asshole home,” Brian said, “How about you give me your number and we can all get together sometime? You seem like a pretty cool chick to hang out with and I don’t want to miss the opportunity to get to know you.”
Gabby blushed faintly as Matt reached over and smacked Brian in the arm, “Dude! You’re married!”
“So?” Brian’s eyes narrowed together, “I’m not hitting on her…I mean you,” He smiled sheepishly, flicking his eyes from Matt to her. “I just think it would be cool to see you again but as a friend of course.”
“Right,” She nodded, “As friends.”
Gabby licked over her lips and took Brian’s cell phone from his hands before quickly typing her number into the device. When she was done and sure that she had gotten it right, she handed it back over to him.
“That’s not some fake number right?”
Gabby smirked, “I guess you’ll just have to call it and find out.”
Matt chuckled lightly and shook his head at the younger woman with an amused expression. He couldn't believe just how cute Gabriella was. He had been so hungover the day before during the photo shoot that he hadn’t really taken notice in her. He kind of liked her fiery attitude though, and he especially liked her smile, and the way she would blush if you gave her a certain look. There was just something about her that had Matt interested, which was strange. He hadn’t been interested in very many women lately, especially with him being in the middle of a divorce with his soon to be ex-wife Valary.
“I like you, little lady,” Brian said, “Now, if you’ll excuse us, I have to get this bozo home before I’m late for a dinner date with my wife. I will be in touch though.”
Gabby laughed, “Okay. It was nice seeing you guys again.”
“Bye Gabby,” Matt smiled, revealing his dimples.
She waved at the two of them and then watched as they headed out the main doors, leaving the building to go home. Chewing on her lip, she turned to see if Steven was anywhere to be found, wondering where he was, but then smiled at the sight of him rushing over to her.
“Sorry! Sorry!”
“It’s okay,” She assured him. “I don’t mind waiting, not that it’s necessary or anything.”
A smile curved at Steven’s lips, “I just like to make sure you’re safe, that’s all, Gabriella.”
“Yeah, yeah,” She rolled her eyes, not bothering to hide her smirk, “Well come along then. I’ve got a daughter to get home to.”
Steven laughed, “Right. Come on.”
Gabby breathed out softly and stared at each of them carefully, anxious to find if she’d actually recognize one of them. But in the end, none of them were the man who had hurt her. She could recognize him anywhere seeing as his face had been embedded into her mind. There was no possible way she could forget what he looked like.
After a few silent minutes, Steven asked, “Do you see him?”
She sighed and shook her head, “None of them are him.” She then turned away from the window, threading her fingers through her hair, “He’s still out there somewhere.”
He sighed too and then turned to his partner, “Let him go.”
Inhale exhale…inhale exhale…inhale exhale… Gabby reminded herself silently, trying her best to hold back the tears that wanted to fall suddenly. They would find him someday, she was sure of it. She just wished that it was sooner rather than later.
Everyday Gabby feared that he would come back for more, and sometimes she was even paranoid that he was watching her, stalking her. She knew it was just her imagination though. It’s been two years since the attack. He’s long gone by now, probably in another state she assumed.
“Don’t give up hope, Gabby,” Steven murmured, “We’re still looking for him.”
“You’re never gonna find him,” She mumbled.
He shook his head, “Don’t say that. We can’t lose hope.”
Gabby knew Steven was right, she couldn’t lose hope. But some days she couldn’t help it. Giving up seemed easier than trying to find him. She was thankful that Steven was working so hard at trying to find the man who had hurt her though. She really appreciated it.
“I just wanna go home,” She said.
Steven nodded, “I understand. Come on, I’ll walk you to your car.”
“Thank you,” She smiled faintly.
He didn’t say a word in response. He just led her out of the room, down the hall, and to the elevator. Gabby stayed silent, her arms folded across her chest as she stared at the floor beneath their feet, her mind filled with different thoughts. At this point, she didn’t even care that Steven hadn’t found the man they were searching for, because if they had, then that meant she would have to face him and what he had done to her. For now, she just wanted to get home to Sarah, have a nice dinner, and relax.
When the elevator dinged and the doors opened, Gabby and Steven stepped out of the elevator. Suddenly Steven cursed at the sound of his name being called from down the hall. Gabby turned to him with both eyebrows raised, wondering what was wrong.
“I’ll be right back. Go wait for me by the main doors,” He told her.
She gave him a weak smile, “Just go on, I can walk myself to my car.”
“I wouldn’t feel right about that,” He shook his head, “Just give me two minutes and I’ll be right back.”
“Okay,” She breathed out, “I’ll wait.”
“Thank you.”
Gabby watched as he headed off in another direction to speak to someone. After a moment, she walked through the hallway, turned right and headed through the large busy room over to the main doors to stand and wait for him. The police department was filled with people. Police men were all over the place, some with criminals who had recently been arrested, and other’s alone, working. Gabby even recognized a few Detectives standing around who she’d met awhile back.
She sighed softly and threaded her fingers through her hair. Her phone started to ring quietly from her purse suddenly, catching her attention. Drawing in a deep breath, she reached into her purse and pulled out her cell phone. The small screen read MOM but Gabby decided not to answer it, knowing that she would only break down into tears if she heard her mom’s voice at the moment. She pressed declined and tossed her phone back into her purse, deciding she would call her mother back later after she got home.
“Gabby?”
Her head snapped to the left at the sound of her name. She put on a large fake smile at the sight of Brian Haner Jr., one of the guys she had shot yesterday during the photo shoot for Avenged Sevenfold.
“Hi Brian,” She said.
He gave her a crooked grin, “What are you doing here at the police station?”
“Oh, uh, just meeting with a friend. What about you?”
“Bailing Matt out.”
Gabby’s eyes widened slightly, “He was arrested?”
“About an hour ago, yeah,” Brian nodded before his eyes shifted past her, “And here he is now.”
Gabby turned around to look at Matt and couldn’t believe just how bad he looked. He came shuffling out a door with a police officer guiding him over to the main desk area where he would be released at. As she watched him sign a sheet of paper and speak to the police officer, she couldn’t help but wonder what he had done to have been arrested for. Although she didn’t necessarily know any of the guys in Avenged Sevenfold very well and had only photographed them, she could tell they were sweet men with big hearts, but then again, everyone has a secret side of them that they try to hide from the world, and Gabby knew all about that.
Barely a minute later, Matt came walking towards Gabby and Brian, his lips pressed into a tight frown as his eyes drooped slightly from being tired. “Thanks for bailing me out, Man. I owe you big time.”
“Yep, you sure do,” Brian agreed with a smirk.
Matt rolled his hazel colored eyes, “So it’s nice seeing you again, Gabby. Sorry it’s under such circumstances.”
Gabby shrugged, “No biggie.”
“Well, I better get this asshole home,” Brian said, “How about you give me your number and we can all get together sometime? You seem like a pretty cool chick to hang out with and I don’t want to miss the opportunity to get to know you.”
Gabby blushed faintly as Matt reached over and smacked Brian in the arm, “Dude! You’re married!”
“So?” Brian’s eyes narrowed together, “I’m not hitting on her…I mean you,” He smiled sheepishly, flicking his eyes from Matt to her. “I just think it would be cool to see you again but as a friend of course.”
“Right,” She nodded, “As friends.”
Gabby licked over her lips and took Brian’s cell phone from his hands before quickly typing her number into the device. When she was done and sure that she had gotten it right, she handed it back over to him.
“That’s not some fake number right?”
Gabby smirked, “I guess you’ll just have to call it and find out.”
Matt chuckled lightly and shook his head at the younger woman with an amused expression. He couldn't believe just how cute Gabriella was. He had been so hungover the day before during the photo shoot that he hadn’t really taken notice in her. He kind of liked her fiery attitude though, and he especially liked her smile, and the way she would blush if you gave her a certain look. There was just something about her that had Matt interested, which was strange. He hadn’t been interested in very many women lately, especially with him being in the middle of a divorce with his soon to be ex-wife Valary.
“I like you, little lady,” Brian said, “Now, if you’ll excuse us, I have to get this bozo home before I’m late for a dinner date with my wife. I will be in touch though.”
Gabby laughed, “Okay. It was nice seeing you guys again.”
“Bye Gabby,” Matt smiled, revealing his dimples.
She waved at the two of them and then watched as they headed out the main doors, leaving the building to go home. Chewing on her lip, she turned to see if Steven was anywhere to be found, wondering where he was, but then smiled at the sight of him rushing over to her.
“Sorry! Sorry!”
“It’s okay,” She assured him. “I don’t mind waiting, not that it’s necessary or anything.”
A smile curved at Steven’s lips, “I just like to make sure you’re safe, that’s all, Gabriella.”
“Yeah, yeah,” She rolled her eyes, not bothering to hide her smirk, “Well come along then. I’ve got a daughter to get home to.”
Steven laughed, “Right. Come on.”