Chapter 63
CECILIA
“He asked about you today,” Adriana says.
“You’ve mentioned that before,” I tell her with a sigh.
“He asks about you every day.”
Using my concealer and a beauty blender, I gingerly press over the purplish skin around my eyes and the bruises marking my jawline. It does little to hide the state of my face, but there isn’t much more I can do.
“I know,” I tell her. “I keep meaning to call him back.”
Adriana drops down on my bed. “When, Cecilia? When are you really going to call him? Because that man is falling apart at the seams with worry over you.” She huffs out a breath. “It’s annoying. This sad and mopey Gabriel is so different from the version of him I know.”
Shame washes over me. “I know,” I tell her. And I do. I read all of Gabriel’s messages. I listen to each and every one of his voicemails. I know he’s worried about me, but I’m just … “I’m so angry with him,” I admit. “And it’s like I get angrier with every passing day.”
She nods, understanding reflected in her eyes. “He broke your trust.”
“Yeah.”
“He went behind your back. Blew up your life. And now you’re stuck dealing with the mess.”
“Pretty much,” I tell her. It’s been a week since the assault, and in that time I’ve withdrawn from one of my classes and switched the other two to online only.
My parents have assured me it’s for the best. That I can go back to in-person classes next semester.
But it still feels like a loss. Like Austin is taking more away from me.
Mr. Ayala wasn’t wrong when he said I’d be interviewed more than once. I’ve had to recount my story four times already and I’m dreading the day I’ll have to do it again in court. I don’t know where things are going to go from here.
The media caught wind of the story and reporters have been on our doorstep every day. The house phone never stops ringing, and I can see how the stress of all this is getting to my parents.
I’m happy Austin was arrested. He deserves to go to jail for what he’s done to me and with any luck, he will. But if Gabriel had just left things alone … I hang my head. I wouldn't have to go through any of this. I wouldn’t be putting my parents through this either.
“Then be pissed at him,” Adriana tells me.
“Yell and scream at him. Tell him he’s an asshole.
But you need to get it out. Bottling everything up inside isn’t going to do either one of you any good.
If this is too big a thing for you to get over, Gabriel needs to know that.
And you need the chance to tell him how you feel.
To rip him a new one for breaking your trust. You deserve the opportunity to show him your anger. ”
Swallowing hard, I nod. “Maybe.”
Adriana snorts. “No maybe. Call him.” She holds my phone out to me. “It’s been a week, Cecilia.”
Shoulders slumping, I accept the phone. “Okay,” I tell her. “But …” I hesitate. “Maybe I’ll start with a text.”
Rolling her eyes, she grins. “Fine. Whatever. Start with a text.”
Opening my message app, I pull up the chat with Gabriel, my eyes briefly skimming over his earlier messages.
He sends me a good morning text every day before his classes begin and a goodnight text at the end of every night.
There are more in between. Sometimes he asks me about my day.
Other times he says he misses me and tells me about his.
I’ve only gotten the good morning message so far today.
Me: Hey.
His response is immediate.
Gabriel: Hey. Are you okay?
Me: Yeah. I’m okay.
“I don’t know what to say to him,” I tell Adriana, glancing up from the screen.
She shrugs. “Be honest with him. Tell him you’re angry and see if maybe he wants to get together to talk.”
“Is that a good idea?” My stomach does a summersault at the thought of seeing Gabriel in person. Am I ready to face him?
“It’s not a bad one,” she says.
I guess I’ll have to be.
Me: Do you think we can talk?
Gabriel: I can pick you up …
Me: No. I’d rather drive.
Gabriel: My place? The guys are out of the house right now. We’ll have some privacy for a couple of hours if you’re free now.
Swallowing hard, I force myself to thumb out a response.
Me: Okay. I’ll see you in thirty.
Gabriel: See you then.