Page 11 of Gabriel
Gabe. That’s his name. I taste it on my tongue, rolling the name around in my head with what I know of him. It fits. He looks like a Gabriel. A guardian angel. Though I wish he found someone else to save. Anyone else but me.
The two give each other a fist bump and Gabriel’s honey-colored gaze turns to me. His eyes widen for a split second before he covers up his surprise.
"I don't think we've met," he says with a small quirk of his lips.
It's a lie. We’ve met, but only the one time when I was on the locker room floor, a pool of blood all around me. But I appreciate that he pretends otherwise.
“I’m Gabriel, but everyone calls me Gabe.”
"Ah, you haven't met my girl, CeCe?" Austin throws his arm around my shoulder.
I flinch at the contact and Gabriel notices, his eyes narrowing, but he doesn’t acknowledge it. Great. Leave it to me to react like a domestic-abuse survivor.
Hah.
I wish.
And isn’t that a sad thought? That I actually wish I suffered that form of abuse instead of rape. I’m seriously messed up in the head right now.
"Nah. I haven't. Should I have?" he asks, a curious tilt to his head.
Gabriel is just like I remember, only somehowmore.He’s taller. Broader. Everything was hazy then, so I didn’t catch that he has white, perfectly straight teeth or that his skin is a sun-kissed bronze.
He’s Hispanic, I think. Though he could be Italian like I am. Maybe even a mix. His hair is a dark, nearly black shade of brown. But it’s his eyes that throw me off. They’re a honey-gold color that's surprisingly light for his complexion. Not quite hazel. There’s more yellow in them than green.
Austin laughs, jerking my attention away. I hunch my shoulders and pray the two get lost in conversation long enough to forget I’m even here. Maybe then I can slip out from under Austin’s arm and scurry away.
"Yeah, man. You should. A lot of us got to know CeCereal goodover summer break. Isn't that right, babe?" He turns a knowing smirk my way and I force myself not to scream or cry or to do any of the things I want to do right now.
I didn't want to get to know him or any of his frat brothers the way he's insinuating. Not one of them gave me a choice.
Tears prick the corners of my eyes and I blink them away. I will not give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry. He’d enjoy it too much. Just like he did then.
I slip out from underneath Austin's arm and this time he lets me escape as I move to step around the two of them, flicking one last look in Gabriel’s direction.
Of course my would-be guardian angel is one of them. A devil in disguise. I don’t know why I assumed otherwise. It’s the beautiful ones who hide their rotting centers best.
If he knew who I was, what his friend did to me, maybe he’d have left me there on the floor and I wouldn’t have to suffer through this hell of a life anymore.
Austin certainly would have.
Actually, Austin would have watched. He would’ve enjoyed seeing my life slip on by, and then, like the sick bastard he is, he probably would’ve raped my corpse.
I begin to walk away, letting my hair fall back around my face whenhisvoice stops me.
"CeCe?" There's a frown in his voice.
I hate that nickname. Only Austin and his buddies call me that, and even though I know I should keep walking, I hesitate.
"It's Cecilia," I correct.
Austin says something else to him and as soon as he looks away, I turn the corner and make a hasty retreat.
I don't want anything to do with any of the guys at PacNorth University, least of all anyone associated with Austin Holt and Zeta Pi.
I made the mistake of letting myself fall victim to them before. I won’t let it happen again.
CHAPTER 6
