12. Gabriela
Chapter 12
Gabriela
T he bell rings, and I can hear chattering girls filing into the locker room to get ready for the gym class. Joaquín stole my clothes and my towel. God, he fucking irritates me. The cute son of a bitch makes me so fucking mad. Why does he have to pick on me? Doesn’t he see that I’m hurting too? I hear footsteps of people making their way toward the gym doors, and I shout. “Hey!” And I pop my head out. Two girls stop, and they stare at me. “What’s up?” The shorter girl asks.
“Is there any way you can find me a towel and maybe something to wear? Some boys came in and stole my things, and I need to get home.” I ask, pleading with my eyes. “Please.”
“Ye-yeah, sure. Cassie, can you let the teacher know so I’m not marked late?” She turns to her friend, and she nods.
The girl walks off back toward the lockers and the towel racks, then a few seconds later jogs over with a towel, some sweatpants, and a shirt. “Did they steal your bra and underwear?” She asks, holding the clothes out to me.
I nod, fighting back the sniffle.
“Guys suck. It sounds like they might like you.” She rolls her eyes. “You know what moms always say. ‘If they tease you, it means they like you.’ Or some dumb shit like that.”
“Right.” I take the offered clothes gratefully, quickly changing into them behind a nearby bench. As I slip on the sweatpants and shirt, I can’t help but feel a mix of embarrassment and relief. The girl offers a sympathetic smile before we both go our separate ways. I run over to my gym locker and grab my backpack, fishing out my phone and car keys. I sent Cora and Nat a text in our group chat.
They fucking stole my clothes while I was showering! I’m going home for the rest of the day.
Cora: What assholes! Want me to punch him in the face for you?
Film it for me if you do.
I head to the office and make up an excuse to go home early. The secretary takes pity on me, knowing the situation at home, and lets me go. I cry and scream in the car during the drive home, “Well, God, if this is your way of shaping me into a better person, you can seriously go fuck yourself.”
I arrive home, still fuming with anger and frustration. It’s been a tough day already, and the incident at the gym class just added fuel to the fire. I storm into my room and flop onto my bed, burying my face in my pillow. Thoughts of Joaquín’s obnoxious behavior consume my mind.
“Why does he have to pick on me?” I mutter to myself, the words muffled by the cushion. Tears well up in my eyes as I think about how hurtful his actions are. I’m hurting too, and it feels like nobody understands. Either that, or nobody cares. I pull out my phone and text the one person I know I shouldn’t.
I guess you really aren’t my king. It’s only getting worse. Everything is so fucked up, and I don’t know how I am supposed to handle it all. If it wasn’t for my sister, I would just throw myself off the pier and let the waves take me away.
The thought of just succumbing to the ocean feels so freeing. I know that dying isn’t the answer, and it’s something I would never do, but God, the thought of finally being free and at peace is enticing.
I toss the phone onto the bed, get up, and search my closet and drawers for something to wear. After a few minutes of wallowing in self-pity, I hear the ping of a notification and retrieve my phone.
Your sister needs you to be there for her.
I almost tell him about mom, but I decide that it’s not worth unloading my pain and trauma on them. Leaving my phone on the bed, I decide to take a shower and change into fresh clothes, leaving the negativity of the day behind me. The warm water washes away the remnants of my tears and I silently vow to be present and keep my head held high. For Mireya.
Stepping out of the shower, I dress in comfortable clothes and emerge from my room with a newfound confidence. The incident at the gym may have shaken me momentarily, but I refuse to let it dampen my spirit. I tackle some household chores while Mireya is still at school, get dinner prepped, and put it in the pressure cooker so that when I go to pick her up, it will practically be ready.
I check the messages on the house phone and see that the lawyer called and wants to know if I can meet with her after school tomorrow. Finally! The sooner I figure out what the next steps are, the better. I take a deep breath, reminding myself to stay strong for Mireya’s sake. It’s clear that I can’t let my pain consume me; I need to focus on taking care of her. With a determined mindset, I head out to pick her up from school.
As I drive to the school, my thoughts wander back to the lawyer’s call. It’s a reminder of the difficult situation I find myself in. I still need to pick up mom’s ashes from the funeral home. That’s going to be twenty-three hundred dollars. Luckily, mom keeps a little lockbox full of cash in her room, so I’ll be able to pay for it. Sorting out her affairs and dealing with the legalities has been overwhelming. But I know I have to face it head-on.
The house is causing me concern. I know she got it in the divorce, but does that mean that my dad can’t come after me for it? I don’t need to worry about anything except insurance and taxes since she paid off the mortgage over a year ago. She always wanted to make sure we had a home, so that was her priority. She busted her ass to pay it off early.
When I arrive at Mireya’s school, she’s waiting for me outside with her aide, a smile lighting up her face. She may be young, but she’s been through so much already. I can’t let her down. I smile back, and Juno, her aide, helps get her in the car. “She had a great day today. Little Lady even went down the big slide at recess! We’re so proud of you, Reya!”
“That’s awesome! Say bye to Juno, Reya.” I say.
Mireya looks out the window and hums to herself. Juno smiles and closes the door. During the drive back, Mireya talks about her day at school, listening to her stories about the playground and the slime video she watched on the computer. I find a small glimmer of hope amidst the darkness that has enveloped my life. Mireya has always been the sunshine in the gray clouds. When it comes to her, she’s always been the light in my life.
Arriving home, I feel a sense of accomplishment as I see that the house is in order and dinner’s cooking. It may seem like minor tasks, but they give me a sense of control and stability in a world that feels out of control. I set her at the table and grab my history homework so I can work on it while dinner finishes up.
Sitting down to eat, I feel nothing if not grateful for these simple moments of togetherness. Mireya’s laughter fills the room, and for a brief moment, the weight on my shoulders eases. I know tomorrow’s meeting with the lawyer will bring its own challenges, but I’m determined to face them head-on.
Once dinner is finished, Mireya and I spend some quality time together, playing games and laughing. “Movie time!” She squeals and runs to grab the remote. I put on one of her favorite kids’ movies and finish up my homework while she giggles, stopping occasionally to laugh at the stupid adult humor hidden within the film. She passes out well before the movie is over.
Tucking Mireya into bed, I kiss her forehead and whisper, “I’ll always be here for you, no matter what.” It’s a promise I intend to keep, even when life feels overwhelming.
Returning to my room, I pick up my phone and see the message from the unknown number again. Their words resonate with me, reminding me of the importance of being there for my sister. I may not have all the answers, but I won’t let my pain consume me.
Flopping onto my bed, I close my eyes, ready to face whatever challenges tomorrow brings. I know it won’t be easy, but I have the strength within me to handle it. And as I drift off to sleep, I hold on to the belief that there is light at the end of this dark tunnel.
There has to be, right?
* * *
“Shit,” I shuffle through my locker and backpack, looking for my history book and homework that I put in there last night. “Where the fuck is it?” Mr. Enriquez is a jerk and will for sure make a scene about me not being prepared for class if I show up without my book and homework. “Fuck,” I whimper under my breath.
Then I feel like someone is watching me.
I pivot and find his honey brown eyes staring at me. If those eyes belonged to anyone else, they would do nothing for me. But they’re his, and even though I hate what he’s doing to me, for some strange, fucked-up reason, I don’t hate him. When those eyes look at me, inside, I melt. Despite the way he treats me, in those eyes, I see something else.
The hurt that we share.
The betrayal.
Want. Need. Maybe even lust.
“Lose something, Gabriela?” He chuckles, slipping his backpack on.
“Did you take my homework?” I’m full-blown panicking now. I check my watch, and I have six minutes to get to class.
“I don’t know what you're talking about.” I shoot him a glare, my frustration mounting.
“Don’t play dumb, Joaquín,” I shoot him another glare, it has to have been him. I need that homework, and he knows it.
He takes a step closer, his presence overwhelming. “Why would I want your homework, Gabriela? I have better things to do.” His side smirk tells me he’s done something, and I’d bet if I was to rifle through his backpack, I’d find my homework.
I narrow my eyes suspiciously, knowing I can’t trust him. “Just give it back to me, Joaquín. I don’t have time for this.”
He smirks, his gaze never leaving mine. “Nope. I don’t have it. Maybe you shouldn’t be so careless. It looks like you're losing your mind.” Raising his middle finger, he leaves the hallway, laughing.
It takes me four minutes to get to the history hall, and by the time I step in the door, I am two minutes late. “Miss Ruíz, late. Do you have a pass?”
Eyes on the floor, I shake my head. He tsks.
“Turn in your homework assignment, then take your seat.” He scoffs, turning toward the board.
“I- I don’t have it. Or my book.”
The “Oooooh’s” that come from my classmates make my cheeks flush, and embarrassment hits me hard. I’ve never been a poor student. I’m always on top of my assignments and get decent grades. He spins back toward me, a malicious smirk on his face.
“Sounds like detention to make up the assignments you will need to redo from the homework and the ones from today in class. Stay after the bell. Take your seat.” He nods to the class, and I hold back the tears brimming in my eyes.
As I make my way back to my seat, I pass Thiago, and he gives me an understanding nod. He isn’t as horrible as Joaquín and Nathan. But he still actively takes part in the bullying. I take notes from the board, so at least I am staying busy, when two sheets of lined notebook paper are thrust into my line of sight.
It’s last night’s homework assignment and the assignment from today’s book work. I look up, and Thiago gives me a strained smile, and the bell rings. He gets up and leaves without saying anything. Staying after the bell as requested, I let Mr. Enriquez say his bit about how I need better time management and to get my act together because college will be ten times harder. I just nod, then I let him know about the situation at home and how it’s impossible for me to stay after school.
“Fine, you will bring me the assignments tomorrow morning by seven thirty, or I will dock you a whole letter grade. Understood?” I can feel his annoyance, and I feel awful about having to use an excuse to avoid detention.
“Yes, sir.” Eyes on the floor again.
God, when did I become so submissive?