by Tara Chau
“No problem. I’ve heard of you,” he says, pointing to Gabe. “But not you.” he says, pointing now to Hayden.
“Dianna and I have only recently become friends,” Hayden says coolly.
“Right,” dad says, satisfied. “Who are you girls?” he asks, smiling.
“I’m Anne,” Anne says, getting up from her spot to shake his hand.
“Yes, I know you. You’re one of Dianna’s closest friends. I know that.” he says, smiling fondly at her.
“Hi,” Jessica says, waving from her spot on the couch, “I’m Jessica. Di and I have only been friends for a bit as well. Thank you for letting us stay.”
“No worries,” he says, waving back at her. “Though everyone has to get out of here by eleven-thirty, alright?” he says sternly.
“Yes, Sir,” Gabe replies.
Dad kisses me on the forehead before I go and takes a new seat next to Gabe on the couch. He saunters into the kitchen, grabs some leftover dinner from yesterday, and walks into his room, closing the door behind him.
“Your dad’s cool,” Gabe whispers to me as Anne switches the last of the movie back on.
“Yeah, he really is,” I answer.
When the movie ends, the others pick another movie to continue with. Gabe and I vote for Avatar, Ty votes for Iron Man, and Anne, Hayden and Jessica voted for MIB, the newest one. Because majority rules, we ended up starting MIB.
At the end of the movie, it is ten forty, so we decide to shut off the TV and talk for the last twenty minutes. I am curled up into a ball, arms wrapped around my tucked-up legs and chin on my knees next to Gabe, who is sitting comfortably in the corner of the couch. Ty and Hayden sit on the other one while Anne and Jessica sit on the pillows. We all sit in a semi-circle, each with a perfect view of each other.
“So, what’s up with you two?” Anne asks eyebrows turned up.
I glare daggers at her, cursing her internally. Really? Anne turning on me at my own party. Shallow. I look over to Gabe, who is sitting there shaking his head but smiling. There’s heat coming from the back of my neck where Gabe has his arm resting on the back of the couch. I can feel the heat from his body radiating onto me.
“Not much,” Gabe says vaguely, “what’s up with you and Liam?” he counters.
“Who is Liam?” I ask, intrigued.
“A super-hot dude that’s taken this super-hot gal out twice this week,” she says, beaming. “But no changing the subject,” she scolds.
“Well, it’s not that interesting,” I say with a shrug. When my shoulders brush against Gabe’s arm, I jump slightly. I hear Gabe trying to muffle a small laugh. I turn to glare at him. He grins at me.
“Hey, I have an idea. Let’s play truth or dare,” Hayden announces.
There is a chorus of approvals and disapprovals, but we end up agreeing to play though with Hayden’s rules. We each get a cup of lolly-snakes, ten each. If we don’t want to do the dare or admit the truth, we hand over one lolly to the person who dared us or making us admit the truth. Three minutes later, we were all back into the same spots, but with our lollies and bracing ourselves for the upcoming dares.
“Okay, I’ll start since I came up with the idea,” Hayden says excitedly.
Everyone nods and agrees, getting into a comfortable position. I sit against the back of the couch with Gabe next to me and slowly chewing away at a lolly snake. I give him a disapproving look. He simply shrugs and offers me the other half. I turn it down, but he smiles happily at it and continues to chew.
“Alright,” Hayden rubs his hands together with anticipation and asks, “Jess, truth or dare?”
“Dare,” she says confidently.
“I…dare you to…down the rest of that lemonade,” he says.
“Weak dare,” she says, shrugging before downing the rest of her drink down within seconds, impressing all of us.
“Now, it’s my turn,” she says, looking around the room. Her gaze lands on Ty. She smiles innocently. “Ty, truth or dare?”
“Dare,” he says, smiling cluelessly.
“I dare you to tell us what your fourth name is,” she says slyly.
“Skip,” he says straight away, handing over his green lolly.
“Come on, just tell us. It can’t be that bad,” she says with pleading eyes, not taking the lolly.
“Never, never ever never,” he says over again.
“Hey, I’d like to know what your fourth name is, Ty,” I say, as my ears prick up.
“He won’t tell any of you,” Gabe says, rolling his eyes. “He hasn’t even told Anne and me.” Gabe pulls the tail off his snake and hands it to me, not even seeming to notice that he does. I smile and take the snake out from his loose grasp, chewing it slowly as I wait for them to move on.
“Since Ty didn’t carry out his dare, I get to do another,” Jess says, looking once again around the room.
“Di,” she says, “truth or dare?”
Being the chicken that I am, I chose truth. Not a good idea.
“What is the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to you in public?” she asks ruthlessly.
They all look at me expectantly. I so want to chuck the snake at her face right now. But I guess if I want her to be my friend, I need to be open to her. Even if this is going to be more embarrassing than the actual event itself.
“I-I was out in public when it happened. I was with my other friends back in America. It was Christmas, and we were at a fair. There were heaps of games and rides. I took a dare from one of my girls and got a face full of pie.”
They all laugh. It wasn’t a mean laugh, but a laugh that I can enjoy with them. Once we all calmed down, I begin again. “Anyway, I got a face full of pie from this dude that couldn’t even throw to save his life. You can imagine that I wasn’t expecting it, so my eyes were wide open along with my mouth. I got it all up my nostrils and in my eyes. I stumbled away and into the nearest bathroom. I had taken my shirt off to wipe away the cream. Luckily, my friends had one that I could borrow after I had cleaned up. I heard laughing, and when all of the cream was out of my eyes… I found myself in the boy’s bathroom with my top off.” I say, embarrassed.
They all laugh again, and I laugh along with them, shaking my head shamefully. Gabe laughs his buttercup laugh, ruffling my hair up into a mess. I shove his hands away, fixing up my hair.
“Alright, now, since that’s over, it’s my turn,” I say, scanning the room. “Anne,” I say, smiling cheekily.
“Oh no,” she says, eyes wide.
“Truth or dare?”
“Dare,” she says automatically. “No. I mean truth!”
“Too late!” everyone chimes at the same time.
She looks at me nervously. A real mean dare comes to mind straight away. I’m gonna get an ass whooping for this one.
“I dare you to only respond to Na-Na for the rest of this weekend.”
Gabe bursts out laughing and holding his hand up; I hi-five him hard. We both laugh uncontrollably as Anne glares at me.
“Hey Na-Na, if you keep glaring, you’re gonna get wrinkles,” Gabe teases meanly.
“That’s funny, Gabriel, but if you keep jerking around, your gonna end up with three broken fingers,” she threatens with a sarcastic tone.
“I’m sorry, that was really mean of me,” I say sincerely.
“Yeah, I know, but now it’s my turn Di, and I choose you,” she says happily.
“Gods,” I sigh.
“Di, truth or dare?” she asks.
“Dare,” I say cautiously. I am not doing another truth. That could be far more dangerous than a dare.
“I dare you to kiss Gabriel,” she says, eyebrows raised.
Everyone turns to look at us. Ty looks shocked and not keen on this dare. Hayden looks amused, and Jess looks like if her smile were to grow one inch bigger, it would take up her whole face. A moment of horror strikes me before an idea comes to mind. I turn to face Gabe, who is
looking completely normal. I know that look. It’s the one I get when he doesn’t believe one word I’m saying. I guess he’s gonna be proven wrong again. I get on my knees, looking up at him as I edge closer. Gabe’s eyes grow wide, and a cute shiver runs through him as I plant a firm kiss on his right cheek. Groans of disappointment travel around the room.
Gabe laughs uncomfortably and wraps his arm around my neck. I sit back on my butt, heating from the parts where Gabe and I touch.
“You never said it had to be on the lips,” I shrug.
Anne smiles an annoyed smile, looking at me disappointingly. That was the perfect opportunity! She screams at me silently.
I throw her a small smile, shaking my head. The phone starts ringing. I get up and walk over to the table, turning off the alarm that notifies us eleven thirty is here and now passed.
“Sorry guys, that’s the time. We should do this every Friday,” I say, walking back over to the group.
“Ah gods, that’s all my social time for the week spent up in one night,” Hayden says as he gets off the couch and stretches.
We all say our goodbyes, and everyone but Gabe files out the door.
“I’ll help you clean,” Gabe says, gathering the paper plates.
“Thanks,” I say.
We clean in silence, sneaking glances at each other when we think we aren’t looking. We are.
Once we finish, we flop down onto the kitchen bench. Exhausted.
“I’ve got to go back to the Sanctuary tonight. My mum is taking me back to Maline tomorrow morning so I can spend the weekend with them,” he explains.
“Oh,” I’m unable to keep the disappointment from my voice.
“I’ll text you once I get there,” he adds comfortingly.
“Alright,” I nod.
“You know what we should do? All six of us should take a day trip to Maline. I think you would really like it. The city is beautiful,” he says, looking at something far off.
“Yes, I would really like that,” I smile.
Gabe gets up and walks up the hall towards my room.
“Where are you going?” I ask, racing up to him quietly, as to not wake my dad.
“I just told you, Di, back to the Sanctuary.”
Gabe opens the door to my room and walks in.
“What about the front door?” I ask, shutting the door behind me.
“I like coming in and out through your room. It reminds me of the times before all this stress.”
I smile, remembering those times when Gabe would come out during the storms to sit with me till I fell asleep.
“Stay for a few more minutes?” I ask.
“Yeah, alright,” Gabe says, sitting on the desk chair.
“Tell me about your life before I met you?” I request.
“Ah, boring?” he tries.
“Come on. It couldn’t have been. You are a Protector, really smart, and have been asked out by nearly every single girl in our school. There’s gotta be something.”
“I haven’t always been in high school. And being a Protector isn’t that interesting. It’s just fight, kill, and go home,” he says.
“Oh, well, your family, how are they?” I ask more cheerfully.
“My dad died a few years ago. That was… sad,” he says, looking down at his intertwined hands.
Sad? I know how Gabe had taken it. Anne had explained that he and his father were close. That’s why he never cries now because he had spent months crying, then realised he wasn’t being the person his dad had raised him to be. Gabe’s mum had married two years later to a handsome kindly man, but I know that it can’t be the same to Gabe. Even if he is an amazing father to Gabe, you can never truly replace someone you love that much.
I don’t want to be one of those people who say it’s okay and that it’s over now. So, I wait for him to continue speaking.
“Anne says I carry the weight of the world on my shoulders. She says that I have strong muscly shoulders, but still not strong enough,” he says, laughing to himself. That does sound like something Anne would say, referring to his muscles. “I guess that’s kind of true. It’s only because I never want anyone to experience what I went through with my late dad.
I know that’s unrealistic, but I like to think that it’s possible,” he says, looking up at me. Even when he looks so sad and talking about something so hard, not one tear appears.
“I don’t need to tell you this, but I want to. Your father would be so proud of you. Everyone who cares about you knows how hard you try to take care of every single person you see in danger. You’re special, Gabe.
I know it, and everyone knows it,” I say, smiling at him. “Maline sounds wonderful. Are you looking forward to going?” I ask, changing the subject to something happier. Gabe doesn’t seem to mind because he replies straight away.
“Yeah, I love Maline. It’s where I have all my best memories. Well, except the ones I’ve made with you and the others these few months,” he says casually.
I beam happily at him.
“I promise that I’ll take us all there in a few weeks,” Gabe says, walking over to sit next to me on the bed.
“Good, because with all your bragging, if you don’t take me soon, I might just try finding my own way there,” I say.
“Ha, you don’t want to do that,” Gabe says, laughing softly. “I have to go, but I’ll talk to you soon.”
I nod, giving him a sweet but sad look. Gabe leans in, and I close my eyes slowly, taking in his sweet cinnamon scent. Gabe cautiously presses his lips onto mine. He’s kissing me, a passionate kiss, making my body light up. I feel like my insides are burning. Shivers run up and down my arms, and my stomach churns. His lips are soft and warm, and they seemed to match mine perfectly. A shudder runs through our bodies. Gabe’s chest rises and falls unsteadily. He pulls back within a few moments, but in those few moments, I am already flushed and gasping for air. I look at Gabe.
He also looks like he’s just run a hundred miles. I laugh softly, looking down at both of our hands. We just kissed, like an actual real kiss. I glance up to say something, but he isn’t there anymore. The curtains sway back and forth; the only proof that he was here, and it wasn’t a dream.
Gabe seems to do that a lot. My phone chimes, and a new text pops up on the screen.
G: Sleep well, Reeds.
I smile and kick my legs up in the air. Now there really is no way I’m falling asleep any time soon.
When I arrive back at school on Monday, it is within the first three minutes that I am confronted with the same blond girl as Friday.
“Hey, Deana,” she says with a sneer.
“Dianna,” I correct.
“Don’t care,” she spits out. “Anyway, I know that you and Gabe are rather close. Could you give me his number, darl?” she says in a fake sweet smile.
“Gabe already said no,” I remind, eyebrows raised.
“I have concert tickets. Maybe he just doesn’t like coffee,” she says, shrugging.
“I won’t,” I say, but a great idea comes to my mind. “But go ask Anne. She will totally give it to you.”
The girl runs off as I whip out my phone, texting Anne. I quickly type, telling her that a blond girl is on the way to her, wanting Gabe’s number when he already said no. I tell Anne to tell the girl to let it go and that I’m sorry for foisting the girl off on her. Anne replies straight away, saying she’d have this girl away within the first sentence. A firm hand comes down on my shoulder. I spin around, needing to hold myself back before I punch Gabe in the face. He beams down at me, and I jump up to wrap my arms around his neck.
“I thought I would have to save you from that witch,” he says, pulling back, “but you had it under control, I guess.”
“Oh, I just sent her Anne’s way. That girl will be in China by now,” I say, grinning madly. “How was Maline?”
“Amazing,” he says, all starry-eyed. “What did you do?”
&
nbsp; “I studied, trained, trained and slept,” I respond shamefully.
Gabe shakes his head sadly.
“Don’t give me that. I had nothing better to do,” I say in defence.
He just smiles and continues to shake his head.
“Hey, listen,” I say more seriously.
Gabe stops laughing to himself and looks at me straight.
“About the other night… you know,” I say, not able to finish my sentence in fear that I might stutter or say something wrong.
“You mean the night that I kissed you?” Gabe says coolly.
“Ah…”
“And the night that you kissed me?” he pushes.
“Gabe!” I say, flabbergasted.
“Yes…I know that night. What about it?” he asks innocently.
“It was a mistake,” I blurt out to my own horror, the shock showing on my own features.
I didn’t exactly know what I was going to say to him when this subject came up. Although I knew it had to be the truth, and it had to be what I really felt. Never knowing that was what I truly feel, sucks because I find out right in front of Gabe.
“You’re right. It was a mistake,” he says calmly.
My heart sinks. Even though I am the one who said it was a mistake first, it still hurts more than I expect it to. Gabe’s face is as charming and carefree as usual, not a hint of discomfort or pity evident on his features. I blink a few times. I was not expecting him to say that.
“It definitely was a mistake. First kisses should be memorable and special,” he says, grinning slyly. “Next time, it will be better.”
“N-next time?” I stutter in shock. Getting back into the game, I smile slyly in return. “Technically, it was our second first kiss.”
A confused expression covers Gabe’s face before realisation takes over. “Third times the charm,” he replies.
I glare at him. He just turned what I said against me.
“You better get to class beautiful, or you’ll be late,” he says, winking before turning to walk to class.
A foolish idea pops into mind. I smile and flick my finger towards him. Gabe trips suddenly, rolling to the ground. He turns back to look at me. Holding back a laugh, I turn around, glancing back at Gabe. I wink at him before running coolly into class.