Gabby and Michael had become closer and their relationship also improved since she saved him from the incident at school. Almost every day Michael waited at the school gate so he could walk to class with Gabby.
Michael explained his excuse, "I don't want to be bothered by Elizabeth's brother anymore." Not only that, sometimes Michael brought lunch from home, but he didn't eat it and just gave it to Gabby.
The girls didn't have any other thoughts, she just thought that Michael was showing his gratitude by doing good to Gabby.
-
Time flew so fast. The week suddenly reached Saturday and it was time for Gabby to take another knitting lesson. Her mother had enrolled Gabby in a knitting lesson since two years ago. The reason she was enrolled in a knitting lesson was that her mother felt that Gabby was not acting like a normal teenage girl her age.
Gabby refused at first, but over time she fell in love with knitting. Within two years she was able to make small crochet gloves, scarves and tablecloths.
Gabby's feet stepped into the house next door and rang the bell. Not long after that, she saw Adam jogging to open the house's gate.
"Adam! Is Michael in the house?"
Adam invited Gabby to come in and replied, "Young master is in his room, taking a nap."
Ignoring Adam, Gabby immediately stepped in and went upstairs.
"Ah, the young master's room is on the left, the corner room." Adam politely said.
Listening to Adam's answer, Gabby opened the white door and stepped inside without knocking first. Gabby saw the light blue curtains covering the sunlight from entering, the air filled with the mint smell. For a boy, Michael's room looked very neat. Even tidier than Gabby's room.
Gabby looked at the bed, seeing Michael was sleeping. His bangs grew longer, almost reaching his eyes. His mouth opened slightly with a soft snore. 'He looked like an angel in his sleep.' Gabby thought.
Gabby shook her head and walked over to Michael's bed. The girl ruffled the boy's head and said, "Hey! Wake up! Take me to the tutoring place!"
Michael's eyes opened briefly, and closed for a while before he opened again and widened in surprise. He immediately sat down quickly and covered himself with a blanket. When he realized that he was wearing a nightgown, he let go of his blanket slowly.
Michael massaged his head lightly, he felt a little dizzy from moving too fast, "What are you doing here?"
"Take me to the tutoring place." Gabby replied.
"Don't wanna." Michael replied coldly, he went back to sleep and turned his back to Gabby.
Gabby narrowed her eyes, "Would you like me to let you get bullied by Elizabeth's brother?"
Hearing the threat from Gabby made Michael sigh, then stood up and left the comfortable and warm bed. He walked over to the bathroom and told Gabby to wait for him in the living room.
When Gabby came down, she saw that Adam had served her hot tea and small cakes. When Adam saw Gabby coming down the stairs, he immediately smiled, "Good afternoon."
Gabby returned Adam's smile and sat down to wait for Michael. It wasn't long before she heard footsteps descending the stairs. Michael walked over to Adam and said, "Please prepare the car, I want to go for a moment."
Adam couldn't believe hearing Michael say that and asked, "Young master, where are you going?"
"I asked Michael to take me to knitting lessons." Gabby replied cheerfully
Adam blinked repeatedly, as if he could not believe what he was hearing. Usually, on Saturdays like this, Michael would stay in the house playing piano or reading a book.
Michael didn't have many friends which resulted in him always being alone at home. But this time he wanted to go out and take Gabby to the tutoring center!
Without speaking further Adam nodded his head and walked to the garage to warm up Michael's car.
"You have your own car, so why do you ask me to drive you?" Michael asked while in the car. He was wearing gloves while steadily grabbing the wheel. When he didn't hear a reply from Gabby, Michael turned and saw Gabby trying to lift her legs into the car's seat.
"Hey! Your feet are dirty!" Seeing Gabby's rude behavior made Michael slap the woman's leg hard.
"Ouch! Okay, Okay..." Gabby stroked her feet," Soooooo stingy. "
When Gabby turned around and realized that Michael was wearing gloves, Gabby burst out laughing, "What are you doing with those gloves? Afraid your skin will have stripes, huh?"
"Shut up, I can't stand the cold." Michael replied briefly as he set foot on the gas.
Gabby just muttered with a sneer at Michael and then fiddled with the car's radio. Not long after that Gabby sighed and turned off the radio again after not finding her favorite broadcast.
Michael glanced over to where Gabby was sitting and asked again, "So, why are you asking me to escort you?"
"I don't know myself either! Maybe I want to be escorted by you again." Gabby replied curtly.
Michael felt his cheeks flush when he heard Gabby's answer. He swallowed hard, then glanced at Gabby for a moment and saw Gabby looking down the street, her hand resting on her chin.
Michael frowned, trying to think hard to break the silence in the car. He didn't know himself why he felt he had to always talk to the woman who was sitting next to him.
"Oh yeah," Michael began cautiously, "You haven't told me anything." His eyes glanced at Gabby for a moment then turned his gaze back to the street.
"What?" Gabby asked, scanning Michael's face
"Where are we going? I mean, you haven't told me where your tutoring is."
Gabby patted her forehead lightly then said, "Oh! My tutoring place is right next to the school."
Michael nodded his head briefly then continued driving. When the red light stopped them, Michael looked at Gabby and dared himself up to ask, "What lessons are you doing there?"
Hearing the question left Michael's mouth made Gabby pause for a moment, not knowing whether to be honest or to brag. Gabby never wanted anyone else to know that she was tutoring female skills, like knitting.
"Ah, I took knitting lessons there." Gabby replied as she looked down at her lap and rubbed her hands on her long jeans.
Michael raised his eyebrows, couldn't believe that a woman like Gabby had been doing activities that were usually only done by feminine women.
Michael heard the horn from another vehicle that indicated the traffic light had turned green, he stepped on the gas and asked, "Why knitting?"
"Duh, how come you have so many questions?!" Gabby asked in a high voice, her eyes glaring down at Michael.
Hearing Gabby's answer made Michael silent. He didn't know why Gabby's mood was suddenly bad. Michael immediately realized that it might be sensitive to Gabby. It wasn't long before Gabby's small voice sounded, "My mom told me to."
"And I guess, surely, you don't like it, huh?" Michael glanced at Gabby briefly.
Gabby nodded her head slowly then continued stared blankly at the window. Michael's mind was filled with questions that he dared not to ask, afraid that it would only make the girl's mood worse.
"Doing things that other women usually do makes me feel weak." Gabby muttered as if she could read Michael's mind.
Michael smiled a little at Gabby's answer, he could imagine Gabby's frustrated face trying to tie one thread to the other. His forehead wrinkled, and his red lips slightly opened.
"Well, I think you must still look cool knitting." Hearing the answer that came out of his own mouth made his eyes widen in surprise, Michael immediately continued, "I mean, knitting doesn't make you look weak."
"My mother forced me to take knitting lessons, she signed me up without my knowledge and consent." Gabby continued, clenching her fists tightly.
Seeing Gabby's hands clenched tightly over her thighs made Michael thoughtlessly let go of the grip on the steering wheel and then briefly grabbed Gabby's hand and said, "You know, I actually like girls who can knit."
Gabby turned quickly to Michael, so fast that she was afraid she might break her neck. Gabby felt her cheeks flush and was relieved when she saw Michael's cheeks also turn pink. Michael took off his grip and put it back on the steering wheel.
'Is he saying that he likes me?' Gabby thought to herself.
After Michael said that, the car fell silent because no one dared to speak. All that was heard was the sound of the car engine and the racing heartbeat of the two of them.