You're Still My Favorite Melody

Gabe pulls his apartment key out of pocket and I grab his hand.

“On second thought, I kind of liked the sidewalk,” I say nervously.

What was I even doing at Gabe’s apartment at 3:00 in morning when I had a boyfriend? Especially since I could count on one hand the amount of times we had been alone and not made out.

“Why are you so afraid of being alone with me?” Gabe asks, studying my face.

“I’m not afraid. I just don’t think Daniel-”

“Don’t use him as an excuse,” Gabe interrupts.

“Fine Gabe. I’m so afraid of being alone with you because you’re a rapist,” I say flatly.

“I guess you don’t wanna talk to William then,” Gabe says slowly.

I sigh and push Gabe’s key into the keyhole and Gabe pushes the door open.

“Make yourself comfortable, I’ll be right back,” Gabe says, before disappearing out of the door.

I sigh again and turn on the television, settling comfortably onto Gabe’s couch.

“You know I figured you’d still be living with your mom,” I say, when Gabe walks backs into the room.

“I’ll have you know-”

“Holy shit!” I scream, turning my full attention back to the television.

The reporter had started talking about the kids who used to go to Terrance Hall High School. The ones who had disappeared.

I slowly drag my feet to my chest and wrap my arms around my legs, my eyes never leaving the screen. Six teenagers, badly beaten and bruised left to die in an abandoned barn and I knew everyone one of them. Of course they looked nothing like the kids who had tormented me for two years. Even Jadelyn wore an expression of morose pain.

But I didn’t get some sort of sick pleasure from seeing them look the way I had not to long ago. It tore at my insides, just like it would any other viewer, only ten times worse. It hurt to hear the interviewer sound so unattached, while speaking about people who I used to call friends.

“Sabrina?” Gabe says quietly.

I tear my eyes away from the screen and smile weakly at him, “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“No . . . I’m not,” I mutter.

Gabe sits down next to me and pulls me into a hug.

“How can people be so fucking cruel?” I mumble into Gabe’s shirt.

“That’s what I thought when that psycho put you in the hospital,” Gabe mutters.

I immediately pull away from Gabe, “but not even she deserves this.”

“I never said she did,” Gabe says evenly.

I roll my eyes and lean back into the couch, “whatever.”

I stretch and fake a yawn, “I should get home.”

“Oh no you don’t. I’m not letting you go home, so you can get all depressed thinking about this shit. You can stay here,” Gabe says, grabbing my hand.

Gabe leads me to his bedroom and I blush and pull my hand out of his.

"You really think I’m a rapist?” Gabe asks incredulously.

I blush even harder and Gabe sighs, “I’ll take the couch.”

“No, Gabe wait.”

Gabe turns around and raises an eyebrow.

“Sorry, I just . . . um . . . look you don’t have to sleep on the couch,” I finish hastily.

Both of Gabe’s eyebrows shoot up, “really?”

“Um, yes?”

“What about Daniel?” Gabe asks, narrowing his eyes.

I almost tell Gabe that he’s right and that Daniel would be pissed if he found out, but something about the look in Gabe’s eyes makes me stop.

“Daniel can’t be mad if we haven’t done anything,” I mutter.

Of course he can. Daniel has every right to be mad, but I push those thoughts out of my mind and focus on the bed and Gabe standing in front of me.

“Sabrina if it bothers you, I can sleep on the couch,” Gabe suggests, pulling off various layers of his clothes.

“What are you doing?” I ask slowly.

“I sleep in boxers,” he says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“Couch!” I shout.

Gabe makes sure to pull me into the most awkward hug of my life and mumbles a “goodnight” into my ear.

“I hate you,” I mumble in response.

“You love me,” he smirks.

“Only in your sick and twisted dreams," I mutter, pushing him out of the room.