5 days later
"I'll drive you both in today, if that's ok?" My mom asked as she flipped pancakes at the stove in the kitchen. She had been back for three days now and we had moved back into the house.
Caleb was also out of hospital, but it was only by what I had heard from Katherine and my mom.
After what had happened to him, he hadn't told anyone about it and more importantly, he told Clara to tell me to stay away from him, which is exactly what I had been doing.
I had a gut feeling that I had done something wrong and I had gone over multiple things that I'd done in those last few days that could've caused it, but I had nothing.
I was currently staring blankly at that table with my head in my arms whilst my mom tried to get through to me, which she had been failing at since she got back. I hated that I was taking everything out on her and Kylie, but I was still desperately trying to wrap my head around Caleb and what I had done.
Kylie nudged me to reply. "Yes, that's fine," I replied as my mom sighed and carried on making breakfast.
"Are you happy that you're back?" Kylie asked mom as she turned and smiled at her. I liked that Kylie was trying to make the room brighter with conversation, but I just wasn't in the mood to speak to anyone like she was speaking to mom.
"A lot happier, I spent most of the time with an old friend, but I'd much rather be back here," Mom replied as she held the side of Kylie's cheek, "I'm happy to see both my girls," she finished as she walked round and kissed us both on the head.
She placed pancakes in front of us and smiled lightly. I felt incredibly bad that I wasn't being very happy, but seeing as someone who I loved almost died and now wants nothing to do me, I have plenty of reasons to be upset.
• • •
"Have a good day you two," my mom shouted as we scrambled to climb out of the car for school, seeing as we were already a few minutes late from taking so long to eat our pancakes.
My loss of appetite was also having an effect on how much energy I had. Rushing to school just wasn't my priority, making classes harder to understand and teachers angrier at how late I was becoming.
"Gabby, can I speak to you for a minute?" She asked politely as I closed the door again and put on a fake smile. "I know about everything that has happened between you and Caleb," I felt my heart drop.
She didn't know half of what was between Caleb and I. "I have spoken to Katherine and she can't get through to Caleb," she simply told me as I felt another stray tear threaten to escape my eye. "Please don't shut me out Gab," She tried to hold back tears as she spoke to me.
"I know, I'm just finding it difficult," I said to her as my breathing grew ragged again at the singular mention of Caleb and what was going on with me these last few days. "Come here," she said as she leaned in and wrapped both arms around me.
Feeling the warmth of her arms around me, made me feel better. "Thank you," I told her as she kissed me on the forehead.
I climbed out and stared up at the school that I didn't want to be anywhere near. Unfortunately for me, I had Chemistry which meant I would be with Caleb, and seeing as he was coming back today, I had no choice but to actually see him.
"Hey Gabby," Flora approached me by my locker and wrapped her arms around me without hesitation. All this comfort I was getting from people was making me feel a little better, but my heart was still slowly breaking.
"Do you wanna walk to Chem?" She asked, holding my arm and walking with me to class. I received stares from a lot of people, wondering why I wasn't here for about a week.
Then again, why is it their business?
We walked in only for my heart to miss about ten beats when I saw him sitting there on the back row. He had a few bruises left on his face and he was sitting very far upright, probably meaning he was still recovering from a few broken ribs.
His eyes soon caught mine as I walked in. However, as quickly as he looked up at me, he looked back down again, avoiding any eye contact. That only made my heart hurt even more.
I walked over, abstaining from looking at him. Every time I kept my eyes plastered on something else, they begged to look at him, to ask him why he wouldn't talk to me.
I sat down next to him, feeling his presence strongly next to me that I could almost smell his deep cologne that I smelt every morning when I stayed with him. I missed the times that I would wake up and see him.
I miss him.
I swallowed hard and gave into temptation that had been gnawing at me since I had walked in. "Hi," I spoke but I didn't hear myself as my eyes were taking up most of my senses, staring at him.
He twitched his head as if he were about to turn and speak, but he didn't easily give up and kept his head facing forwards.
I felt my eyes roll as I pondered for a few minutes, trying to guess what would get his attention. And then I thought of something perfect.
I rocked back on my chair a few times until I finally collapsed over, using my hands to catch my fall but enough to make Caleb turn and look at me to make sure I was ok.
He grabbed onto me, but I was on the ground already. I smirked up at him as he just looked even more angered than before. He allowed the side of his mouth to creep into a smirk but it was quickly replaced by a frown. I did the same and sat back up next to him.
Luckily there were not very many people in the class yet so it wasn't too embarrassing.
"Please just talk to me Caleb," I pleaded as a whisper, hoping that he would turn and talk to me. "About what?" He whispered back to me with anger laced in his voice, frightening me a little. "Sorry, it's just—" he attempted to finish his sentence but stopped abruptly.
"What?" I asked him with some hope in my mind.
"Nothing," he really looked like he didn't want to answer so I left it and lowered my head again. "Look, I'll come round yours tonight and we'll speak, I'll tell you everything but I can't tell you right now," he said to me, piercing the silence in my ears.
I nodded and turned back to my work, my stomach feeling as if it wanted to flip upside down.
By the time I was finished with all of my classes, I was walking home alone. I was so used to being taken home by Caleb that I didn't realise how much I had missed just walking on my own.
I just wanted time to think to myself, with my music playing a random playlist that just happened to be the first one I found. Unfortunately, it was one of them sad playlists that you would play whilst you were lying in bed and thinking about deep things like a boy you love not speaking to you because he got hurt doing something he probably shouldn't have.
Ok, maybe this was the right playlist.
Footsteps were either in real life or in the music but I could definitely hear something behind me. I pressed the button on my earphones to turn the music down as I carried on walking, listening closely to whatever was nearby.
My body tended as I felt as if someone was following me.
Making the stupid move, I turned around but luckily, I was still alone. Maybe it was the music or maybe I was just being paranoid after everything that had happened with my father.
Turning back to walk again, I was suddenly stopped by a hand holding onto my mouth and soon enough, everything went dark with something thrown over my eyes.
My voice attempted to scream but including get anything out past the hand that was tightening over my mouth by the second.
Caleb Andrews
I stood up from my bed and looked in the mirror, bruises were still heavily present on my face and I was still having slight trouble breathing as whenever I took a breath, my ribs felt like they were being broken all over again.
I had to tell Gabby what happened. I knew I couldn't keep it from her for much longer. I've managed to keep it from my family but I can't stand to know that I'm hurting Gabby every time I ignore her or stay away.
It's killing me inside.
For that small second that she stood beside the hospital bed, I managed to hear the words she spoke. I still wasn't sure if I had been dreaming or not, but it only confirmed to me that I felt the exact same.
"You going somewhere?" My mom asked as she walked past my room with a basket full of dirty clothes. "I'm going to speak to Gabby," I finally uttered as she stared widely at me with a small smile creeping onto her lips.
"Finally, you two need to get together already," I laughed at her before awkwardly rubbing the back of my neck. Slowly, I made the final decision to walk round to Gabby's. I knew I was ready to tell her.
My phone silently buzzed in my pocket so I picked it up. It was probably Gabby asking what time I was coming round, even though she hadn't messaged me in a few days.
Instead of Gabby's number appearing on the screen, it was an unknown number once again. I felt my throat tense up and I couldn't breath, just like how I had felt at the bar.
Not just because of the broken ribs, but because I knew who the unknown number was and I knew that they would do anything to hurt me. Like they had already done before.
Come to 6th avenue
It's the abandoned building on the right after Joe's mechanics
Come alone or she dies
I lost my breath at the last few words.
If he did anything to hurt her, I would kill him.