Page 57 of Gabriel
“So!” What does he mean, so? “They’re going to get the wrong idea.”
He chuckles and shakes his head. “I’m hoping they get the right one.”
“And what is that, exactly?” He’s not saying what I think he’s saying, right? I mean, there would be more of a conversation involved if he were, I would think. A question, at the very least. Like, will you be my girlfriend? Or can we go steady? Or whatever it is people call relationships these days. I’d say no. Obviously. But if that’s what he was aiming for, he’d need to ask first, right? You can’t just assume.
“That you’re mine.”
“What?!”
Gabriel stops in the middle of the hall, completely ignorant or, at the very least, uncaring of the fact that we’re blocking traffic and people are having to move around us. Not that anyone seems to mind. They’re all too happy to get out of Gabriel’s way.
“Is there a problem?” he asks, irritation flicking across his features.
I untangle my hand from his and fold my arms protectively over my chest. Nostrils flaring, he matches my stance, folding his arms while leveling me with a deep scowl as he waits for an answer.
My body stiffens in defense and I shake my head, trying to shove back the urge to drop this and pretend it never happened. That I didn’t bring it up. I don’t want to fight with him. But I can’t seem to find it in me to let this go.
“You can’t just claim me all of a sudden because you feel like it,” I tell him.
His nostrils flare again and his gaze sharpens as if I’ve wronged him somehow. “Why not?”
“That’s not how things work.”
Anger flashes in his gaze, but just as quickly, it’s gone. He’s good at that, I realize. Hiding his emotions when he wants to. Sucking on his front teeth, he prowls closer toward me and, feeling very much like prey, I do what any reasonable person would. I retreat. Taking several steps back, I try to create some distance, but Gabriel keeps pace with me until I have nowhere else to go and my back meets the smooth surface of the wall.
“How do things work then, Cecilia? Please,” he growls the words in my ear, and I shiver. “Explain it to me.” Pulling back just enough to once again meet my gaze, he quirks a single, arrogant brow.
“I—“
“Are you interested in someone else?” Based on the look on his face, he hates the idea of that just as much, if not more so, than I do.
“What? No!”
He nods his head. “Okay. Good.”
I roll my eyes.
“What’s the problem, then?”
“I—“ I don’t know, but I don’t know how to tell him that without sounding like an idiot.
Cupping my cheek in his palm, Gabriel brushes his thumb across my bottom lip. “I like you,” he says. “I know shit is complicated. I won’t pretend it isn’t, but I care. This isn’t just about the suicide.”
“It’s not?”
He shakes his head. “No. It might have started that way, but,” Gabriel sighs and presses his lips to my temple, “it’s more, now. Let’s see where this goes. No pressure. No expectations. I’m not trying to put labels on anything or make you uncomfortable. I just want to spend time with you. Can we do that?”
Chewing my lower lip, I nod.
“Cool. So, about lunch.”
CHAPTER 20
CECILIA
Iassumed we’d eat on campus, but Gabriel has something else in mind as he leads me outside to one of the campus parking lots. The sun shines bright in the sky and a light breeze lifts my long hair around my shoulders. I rush to smooth it down, wishing I had a scrunchie or hair tie with me, but no such luck today.
I’m not really paying attention to where we’re going, too focused on keeping my hair out of my face, when Gabriel comes to a stop at the edge of the lot closest to the main road and I nearly run into him. He steadies me with one hand on my shoulder, but releases me as soon as he’s sure I won’t fall.
