Gabriel's Salvation: small town, misunderstood MMC, overcoming trauma, first love romance

40. Chapter Forty

I”m telling Gabe about our plans for prom when I notice the car is starting to swerve.

“What are you doing?” I say turning to look at Gabe, expecting to see it”s from him perving on me when I was removing my jacket or something, but although his eyes are facing forward, it”s clear that his mind is elsewhere. Is that a tear on his cheek? What’s going on?

“Gabe,” I say again, leaning closer. I notice he does have a tear running down his face, but he seems completely lost in his own mind.

“Gabe!” I snap as I give him a forceful shove.

He blinks away the tears, causing them to slide down his face, as he straightens the car.

“Gabe, are you okay?” I say but he twists out of my reach.

“This song… I can”t,” he says before he pulls over, literally jumps out of the car and takes off running.

I stare at him in shock, the car door still wide open as he runs away and slumps down on a rock, head in his hands.

I turn my attention towards the stereo, trying to figure out what song could have possibly caused such a strong reaction.

The radio tells me it”s a song called Gabriel by Lamb, but it”s a song I”ve never heard before. I contemplate running after him, but as I watch him, sitting with his head in his hands, I can”t help but think whatever it is, he needs time alone to process it. So instead, I sit silently for a moment, listening to the lyrics.

It tells the story of a woman who wants to fly away, leave, or die perhaps. But she”s saved by an angel, an angel named Gabriel, who comes down to rescue her and keep her safe from harm.

As I listen to the words more, I can”t help but wonder if the angel is perhaps a child. The lyrics could easily be a mother singing to her baby. Is that what it is? Did Gabe’s mom sing this to him?

I turn back, hoping Nate may be awake to shed some light on the situation, but he”s still fast asleep.

I carefully climb out of the car and make my way over to Gabe who doesn”t even lift his head as he hears me coming.

I don”t say a word; instead, I just sit down beside him and put my arms around him.

He leans his head against my shoulder and allows me to hold him but neither of us utters even one word.

“I”m sorry,” Gabe apologizes after some time passes, and then removes his head from my shoulder and throws his walls back up as if nothing happened.

“Sorry for what?” I question, but he doesn”t answer.

“Gabe, talk to me, please. I”m here to listen.” Instead of engaging, he just reaches for my hand and pulls me back towards the car.

We climb back into our seats, and as I”m putting my seatbelt on, I look back towards Izzy and Nate again, wondering if perhaps the lack of motion in the car woke them, but I”m surprised to see they”re both still fast asleep.

“Sorry I ruined things; that shit just hit me hard,” Gabe confesses softly. He says it so quietly that if it weren”t for the silence surrounding us I probably never would have heard.

“Your mom?” I ask quietly.

Gabe nods slightly but doesn”t look at me. I squeeze his thigh in what I hope is reassuring, because I really am at a loss about what to do or say. My heart aches for Gabe and everything he has lost and has had to go through in his life. Gabe interlocks our hands and squeezes mine back, but doesn”t say another word.

A couple of minutes later he finally speaks, again barely louder than a whisper. “She used to sing it to me.”

“Who, your mom?”

Again he nods. “She used to sing it to me as a child, telling me I was her guardian angel. Sent to make her brave enough to survive my father’s temper.” There”s a mixture of sadness and anger in his voice. I hate that he had so much sadness around his parents.

A mother who clearly adored him yet left him far too soon, and a father who deserved to be the one to die a long, slow, and painful death. I wonder what Gabe would have been like if it had been his father who died instead. Would he be like Nate? Happy and carefree? Would he be kinder? With a more gentle soul? No, he already has those traits. Maybe he’d have been entitled and selfish, a typical jock or bully who had no idea about kindness or trauma. Maybe he wouldn”t have even given someone like me a second glance.

“I”m sure she loved you very much. I wish I could have met her,” I comment, unsure what else to say or do to help him.

“I think she would have loved you, just as much as I do,” Gabe sighs, sounding almost absentminded.

Wait! Did he just say he loved me?I look up at him expecting to see some reaction to coincide with his declaration, but nothing. He’s just staring at the road as if nothing happened.

Am I imagining it? Maybe he said LIKE, she’d like me as much as he does? Yeah, that must have been it. That can”t be how Gabe would say he loved me, surely. I mean he can”t love me yet, can he?

My mind spirals as I think of our time together. No, he can”t be saying he loves me. But I did almost say it to him a couple of nights ago, so maybe this is love. I”ve never felt this strongly about any other boyfriend. And I know that Gabe has never done the whole girlfriend thing before, so maybe this is love. Fuck. This is amazing but also terrifying.

“We’re here,” Gabe calls out, breaking me from my mental spiral.

Izzy wakes up almost instantly, which is unusual for her. Nate, on the other hand, is a little more groggy.

“Wake up sleepy head,” Gabe says as he reaches back and shoves his brother”s leg.

“I really need the bathroom,” Izzy whines as we’re climbing out of the car.

“It”s over there,” I say pointing towards the public restrooms just beside the waiting line. Izzy gives me a little wide eyed look so I offer to go with her.

“Get the tickets please. Here”s my purse, we will be back in a sec,” I say as I hand Gabe my purse, but he pushes it back towards me.

“Gaabe,” I whine. “You paid last time. I refuse to allow you to pay again. It”s my turn.” I say as I stomp my feet, trying to show I”m standing my ground but he just smirks.

“Such a brat,” he chuckles. “You can find a way to pay me back later; I intend on making sure you show your gratitude many times.”

“Dude!” Nate grumbles as he covers his ears. “I don”t need to hear that shit when I’ve just opened my eyes.”

Gabe just chuckles and rolls his eyes in response.

“Come on,” Izzy whispers as she tugs on my arm.

We head into the bathroom, but instead of going into the stall Izzy just stands there staring at me.

“I thought you wanted to pee,” I ask, a little confused.

“No, I just wanted to get you alone,” Izzy replies, sounding almost giddy.

“Okay? Why?” I ask before it dawns on me, “You weren”t really asleep, were you?” I gasp.

“No I was, but I woke up after the car stopped. I was about to sit up to see where you had gone, but I”ll be honest, I was half scared I would see one of you half naked on the hood of the car,” she says and I can see a little blush creeping up her cheeks. “Then you got back in, and you and Gabe were talking and I kind of didn”t wanna interrupt as it was clearly a super private conversation. I tried my hardest not to listen; I really did, but…” she says nervously.

“Did you hear what he said about his mother? About him wishing she had met me?” Maybe she heard and can give me some clarity about what he said.

She nods her head while smiling like the cat that got the cream.

“Did he say?” I ask nervously.

“Yup, I heard it with my own two ears,” Izzy confirms.

“I fucking knew it! He basically said he loves me, right? I”m not losing my mind, please tell me I”m not losing my mind.”

“Nope, you”re not losing your mind Rilez, he basically said he loves you, although…” Although? I don”t like the sound of that.

“I don”t think HE registered that he said it himself.”

“Oh,” I say as I turn away, feeling kind of stupid. Of course he didn”t mean it. It was obviously just a stupid slip of the tongue, like when you call a teacher mom by mistake.

“No Riley, I didn”t mean it like that,” Izzy says as she reaches out to grab my shoulder. “I”m not saying he doesn”t love you, I truly believe he does. Gabe isn”t the kind of guy to throw around that word to anyone. Heck, I”ve only heard him say it to Nate once or twice and even then it was more of a love ya bro, than a proper I love you kind of thing. What I meant was, I don”t think Gabe even realized what he said, like his subconscious mind said it without his brain stopping him.”

“Oh,” I reply this time much happier; hell I feel almost giddy myself.

“We best head back,” I say when I realize the boys are probably wondering where we got to.

We make our way back and find Nate and Gabe standing at the entrance, tickets in hand waiting. “Must have been a big shit Princess,” Gabe teases, causing Izzy to blush and make herself seem even more guilty as she tries to rapidly explain that she only peed but there was a big line.

Gabe just smirks at her awkwardness as he loops his arm around me and leads us inside.

As disgusting as it is hearing my brother discussing not only his sex life, but that of one of my closest friends every two minutes, I”m loving getting to see the more playful side of him. A side of him that I thought was long gone, yet somehow Riley has done the impossible and brought it out of him.

I can”t help but chuckle as I watch Riley drag him from ride to ride and he follows along like a love sick puppy. I guess that must be what I look like with Bella.

“He looks so happy, doesn”t he?”Bella coos from beside me like a proud mother.

“I know. Who knew his face could actually smile without cracking?” I joke back.

“Don”t be so mean,” Bella gripes as she swats my chest, but I can see she”s dying to laugh as well.

“That was amazing!” Riley says as she comes down from yet another rollercoaster.

“You really need to stop being such a pussy and join us,” Gabe laughs.

“Nope,” I say, shaking my head. “The queasy feeling from your last bright idea is only now starting to ease up.”

“You’ll join me, right Izzy?” Riley asks even though she”s already linked arms and virtually dragging Bella towards the next ride.

Bella looks at me with guilty eyes. “You go, I”m fine waiting here,” I tell her.

“Thank you baby,” Bella calls, just as Riley pulls her into the next line.

“Come on Gabe!” Riley shouts as she beckons Gabe over.

“Nah, you go. I need a drink… I mean a soft drink,” Gabe clarifies when Riley gives him a scolding look.

“Never thought I”d see the day Gabe Scott let a woman tell him what to do,” I tease. “Could it be that a certain big brother of mine is whipped?”

“I’m not fucking whipped. No fucker tells me what to do.” Gabe protests, just as Riley runs over and hands him her goddamn purse, which he takes without thinking.

“Yep, definitely not whipped,” I laugh.

“Oh fuck off. Like you”re not completely whipped, too. I’ve seen you running around like Isabella’s little lapdog,” Gabe huffs.

“Yup, the difference is that I”m not ashamed to admit it. I love my girl and would do absolutely anything to make her happy… What”s your excuse?”

“Well… I… it”s just,” Gabe stutters.

“I”m just teasing you Gabe. It”s nice to see you so happy and carefree. I really think Riley is great for you. You too seem so good together,” I gush.

“We are good, at least I think we are,” Gabe says, but I can hear a hint of uncertainty in his words.

Aww he’s nervous. Who is this guy and what”s he done with my overly confident brother?

The rest of the day goes by in a blur. We go on ride after ride, we eat far too much, and eventually we all decide it”s time to make our way back home. Gabe tried suggesting we stay over at some local hotel, but the girls have to be up early tomorrow as they are planning on going dress shopping for prom.

We make our way back to the car, but this time I decide to drive since Gabe drove most of the way here. Plus it gives them a little alone time to nap in the back seat since poor Riley can barely keep her eyes open.

“Look, I got so many great pictures,” Bella comments from beside me as she flicks through picture after picture of me and her posing, a couple of Riley and Gabe on different rides, or just cutesy candid shots. She’d tried asking Gabe to take a picture earlier in front of one of the rides, but he’d refused saying he doesn”t take pictures.

“Look how cute this one is, Rilez,” Bella states as she turns to show her a picture before realizing that both of them are fast asleep in the backseat.

“Ohh,” she remarks out loud before turning the phone towards me instead. “Look how perfect this one is,” she says with a grin. I can’t help but agree. It”s a picture of Gabe and Riley standing and waiting in line. Gabe is hugging her from behind and is kissing her neck, while Riley giggles and faces towards the camera.

“I”m going to get that printed for him,” she states matter of factly as she continues to scroll through the rest of the pictures from today.