Gabriella didn't enjoy coming to the mall because of Sofia since instead of relaxing with her pals, she had to adjust to whatever Sofia isn't good with. Gabriella and her companion, for example, had a practice of eating buffalo wings after finishing their exam. They always go to the same restaurant since it is the cheapest place to get buffalo wings. But because Sofia was there, they had to go to a more expensive restaurant because Sofia couldn't eat buffalo wings because she was on a diet, and the restaurant Gabriella and her friends chose didn't serve diet meals.
Gabriella eventually had enough after a few more moments of adjusting for her cousin and couldn't stand it any longer. She excused herself to use the restroom alone, and as she entered the cubicle, she pulled her phone from her pocket and sent a message to their friend's group chat.
'BUY OUR FAVORITE BUFFALO WINGS SECRETLY!' –is what the message says.
To make it appear as though Gabriella was sweating before leaving the restroom, she sprayed some water on her face. She takes a few turns practicing her facial expression in front of the mirror before eventually exiting the toilet. As she approaches towards her friends, her two hands were cradling her stomach.
"I think I have to go home now, I'm not feeling really well." Gabriella replied as she gently placed her belongings on the chair, pretending that the ache in her stomach was causing her weakness. Since her pals were already aware of her plans, they agreed to go along with her acting even though they secretly wanted to laugh at how theatrical their friends were. They stood up and attempted to help Gabriella.
"That's bad. You guys go home already; I still have things to do here. Get well, okay?" Sofia said and tried to help Gabriella too. Gabriella look to her friends and secretly signalled something to them, trying to ask whether they already bought their all-time favourite buffalo wings. But in return, Olivia just acted shock and tried to look as if she forgot something.
"A-ah there's something my mom asked me to buy, can you wait a minute here?" Olivia asked.
"What? You should just follow them when you've bought what you needed to buy, my cousin's not feeling really good and I think she needs to go home immediately." Sofia replied. Her worriedness was so genuine that Gabriella was so shock as she looks at her cousin and admires how she matured a bit after a few years of being away.
"No, I'm fine waiting here. Go and buy what you need to buy and make it as fast as you could." Gabriella answered while widening her eyes to her friend. Olivia immediately move and run towards the restaurant where they buy their favourite buffalo wings.
"You sure? Doesn't waiting here make your pain worse?" Sofia asked again.
"I'll be fine waiting if I sit here." Gabriella answered and sits on a chair inside the café they were previously staying on. They were given a seat inside the café after Sofia recommended they take a break there while waiting for Gabriella. They were all sitting quietly inside the café, with Sofia constantly bugging Gabriella about her condition, which is why Gabriella couldn't drop the act. Vanessa and Chloe were very quiet on the side as they worked on suppressing their laughter.
Olivia took a bit to return, and when she did, she was already carrying a brown paper bag and gasping for breath. Everyone was so happy to see her that they all got up to stand, including Gabriella who was meant to be seated due to a lingering stomach ache.
"What took you so long? You might've forgotten that there's someone in pain waiting for you?" Sofia asked furiously. Olivia just looked at her while still gasping for breath. She walk towards Gabriella and tried to help her walk out of the café.
"There were a lot of people buying which is why it took me a long time to arrive." Olivia answered.
"Gosh! I kept telling Gabriella to go first but she wouldn't want to leave you alone here. What kind of shit you made her eat or drink that she wouldn't leave you even though she's enduring so much pain?" Sofia replied. She's starting to overreact but Gabriella didn't stopped her and just let her say what she wanted to say. At that moment she was enjoying how caring Sofia was to her that she wanted to continue acting even though she's starting to look funny.
Sofia kept talking until they arrived outside the mall. Vanessa immediately stopped a tricycle they could ride on.
"What?! You guys are going to commute? I'll my driver, wait here." Sofia said. She took her mobile phone out from her bag and started to type something on it when Gabriella stopped her.
"You don't have to bother anymore; I'll be fine riding here. Just enjoy your time with you friends." Gabriella said and started riding the vehicle. Since Sofia was helpless at this point, she could only watch the vehicle Gabriella and her friends were riding in until it fled, at which point she and her companions went back inside the mall.
When they all arrived in the subdivision Olivia and Gabriella were living, they didn't went to Gabriella's house. Instead they went straight to Olivia's house and started having their little celebration. They started to eat their buffalo wings happily while roasting each other which made their day complete.
"You were such a good actress; I think you should start auditioning." Vanessa said.
"You could be next best actress!" Chloe butts in and they all started to laugh. Vanessa even tried to copy how Gabriella acted previously.
"What did you cousin eat? She seemed to change a lot after chose years she was away. I was expecting her to laugh at you earlier." Olivia asked. Gabriella just shrugged her shoulders while chewing the chicken inside her mouth.
"No one knows what kind of air she breathes in but let's just be glad that she believed in my horrible acting." Gabriella replied and continued eating her chicken.
After they were all done eating, they went straight to Olivia's room and continued having fun by singing in Olivia's mini karaoke. They were all dancing and singing and no one is interrupting them which made everything perfect.
It was getting darker outside so after a few hours of having their little party inside Olivia's house they eventually decided to go home. Gabriella just walks her way to their home as usual since she just live near Olivia. And when she arrived at their house, she was so shock to see Sofia sitting on the living room. When Sofia saw her, she immediately stands up and walks to hold her arms.
"It's already dark. Where have you been? I've been waiting for you here. How's you condition?" Sofia asked consecutively not giving Gabriella a chance to answer. And when Alex heard Sofia's voice, he immediately got out of the kitchen to check her younger sister.
"Sofia told us what happened. Why did your stomach suddenly ache? It might be because you're not eating your meal right on time or you're eating so much unhealthy foods." Alex said. Gabriella wanted to roll her eyes at them but she restraint herself and just acted so weak.
"I already took some rest at Olivia's house but I think it's still not enough so if you guys could excuse me? I'll talk to you tomorrow." Gabriella just replied while rubbing her head.
"Does you head aches too?" Sofia asked which made Gabriella panic a little bit as she touched the wrong part of her body. "I bought different kind of medicine. Here take it." Sofia said and handed Gabriella a paper bag which has a lot of medicine inside.
"Thank you, I'll make sure to take them." Gabriella replied.
"As you should, get well soon." Sofia said. Gabriella just smiled at her and started walking towards the stairs when her brother stops her again.
"Aren't you going to eat?" Alex asked. Though Gabriella is already full because they just their favourite buffalo wings she still ate with her family so they wouldn't be suspicious. Sofia refused to eat with as her mother already told her father suggested they would eat dinner together. So she eventually leaves after making sure Gabriella was already doing fine.
Gabriella finishes her dinner, pretending to take the medication Sofia handed her in front of her mother and brother, and then she walks right back to her room and spits the medication into the tiny trash can there. She immediately went to the bathroom to take a shower before changing into a nightgown. She then stand in front of the mirror and began doing her skincare routine.
After she was done, she lay on her bed while holding her phone. She checked whether Charles have texted her but she felt so disappointed when she saw that there was no text message from Charles. So she just opened her and her friend's group chat and started chatting with them. While they were in the middle of chatting Vanessa suddenly suggested something.
['Should we go on a trip? It summer vacation next week, I think we all deserve this!'] – Vanessa
['Sure, as long as you're going to pay for the accommodations and everything.'] – Chloe
['I'll take care of the foods!'] – Olivia
['Wait, I think I would not be allowed.'] – Gabriella replied with crying emojis.
['What? Why?'] – Vanessa
['Tell them we have to finish some school projects.']- Chloe
They continue to plan for their trip while Gabriella was rehearsing what she would say to her mother so they would allow her to go. She was literally practicing her line in front of the mirror for a few minutes and when she feel like it's already enough she walks out and approached to the door of her room. She took a deep breath first before opening her door. And her jaw dropped when she saw nothing but darkness. She immediately close her door and run towards her bed.
She decided she'll just tell her mother about her plans tomorrow since its already night. She just continues chatting with her friends until she finally feel sleepy.
The next morning, since there's no school that day, Gabriella woke up and immediately helps her mother in their household chores. She cleans their garden, cooks their lunch, cleans their house, and even did their laundry. And in the evening while the three of them was silently eating their dinner, Gabriella spoke up.
"Mom, I'll go with my friends on a trip next next week." Gabriella said while her voice was trembling a bit and her heart was beating so fast. Her mother raised her head to look at her.
"What for?" Her mother asked.
"Umm we just wanted to have some time to relax since the semester just ended." Gabriella answered as her voice is starting to fade away.
"Do you think you deserve to relax? What's the result of your exam?" Isabelle asked again.
"I will get the result on Monday." Gabriella answered.
"Then I will not let you go on that trip unless I see the result of your exams." Isabelle replied and continues eating. Gabriella lowered her head as she knew she wouldn't be able to go with her friends anymore.
"Let her have fun with her friends regardless of her exam results. I think she deserves it after all." Alex butts in. Gabriella was glad that her brother was siding with her at that moment. She wanted to hug him but she restraint herself and just smiled while chewing her meal.
Alex is Isabelle's one and only weakness, she would always take her advice so when Alex suggested that Isabelle raised her head and smiled at her son before nodding to Gabriella. Gabriella was so delighted so received Isabelle's permission that she insisted on washing the dishes herself. She was even singing and swaying her body while she was washing the dishes.
When she was finished, she immediately went to her room, where she grabbed her phone from the study table. Without delaying, she sends a message to her friends informing them that she has already been granted permission to join them on their vacation, which is why her pals have resumed making preparations.
['Is it okay if I bring someone with me?'] – Vanessa suddenly asked.
['Certainly, the more the merrier. Who is it?'] – Chloe replied.
['Aiden, I asked him if he could join us since he has been asking me to bond with him and I think this will be the best timing hehe.'] – Vanessa answered.
['I thought we were the only ones going on this trip?']- Chloe asked. They could literally hear how irritated she is even just by reading her message.
['But you've agreed already.'] – Gabriella said.
['He told me he'll bring his teammates.'] – Vanessa.
When Gabriella read Vanessa's message and realized that Charles was one of Aiden's teammates, she was the one who lead on persuading Chloe. She used all her cards just to let her agree to include them until she successfully did. That night Gabriella couldn't sleep as she was already anticipating their trips. She was so excited to meet Charles and tell him her answer that she couldn't sleep properly.