Gabe's expression shifts. His brows knit together in confusion, then relax as if he's trying to process what I've just said.
"What?" his voice quiet but laced with disbelief.
"I'm serious," I say, my tone firm. "I know it sounds strange, but… trust me on this. It's something that's been on my mind, and I think it's important."
He doesn't respond right away, his gray eyes searching mine for an answer I can't give him. The silence between us is heavy, broken only by the rustling of leaves and the distant sound of a dog barking. Even the children seem to have gone into quiet mode.
"Why do you think that?" he finally asks, his voice careful, measured.
I shake my head, the weight of the truth pressing against my chest. "I can't explain it. I just… have this feeling, Gabe. Please. Can you talk to him about it?"
He exhales slowly, running a hand through his hair as he looks away. "I don't know if he'd take something like that seriously," he says, but there's no resistance in his voice.
"Then make him," I say, leaning closer, my voice pleading. "Please, Gabe. Just… try. For me."
He looks back at me, his expression softening as he takes in the urgency in my eyes. Finally, he nods, his hand squeezing mine again, agreeing. "I'll do anything for you, Megara. I'll talk to him." He reaches out and caresses my cheek, in the way I had recently grown accustomed to...
Experience has taught me he actually won't do anything for me but, this is not then- this is now, and I have worked past my future. I smile, relief coming over me because I know his father stands a better chance of survival now. His mother too. The tension in my shoulders eased for the first time since I decided to bring this up. I lean back, letting out a long breath, and for a moment, we sit in silence, the chattering of faraway conversations reaching our hearing of the park's activities. It's comforting, wrapping around us like a cocoon.
"Thank you," I say softly, my voice barely above a whisper.
A faint smile tugs at the corners of his mouth, his thumb rubbing against my chin. "You don't have to thank me, Meg. I thank you for agreeing to come out and meet me today. After all this time." He leans in and captures my mouth with his, causing butterflies to enter my ribcage again and I am lost in everything Gabriel's wicked tongue-
He breaks away from me grinning wolfishly. "The movie is starting."
Ah, yes. The purpose of this public date was to take things slow and sort things out. I decided that I would be that woman- the one who finds herself with another despite knowing about the other person that said person is already seeing.
Cassandra knew of me and still took Gabe from me, breaking our legally binding vows. Two can play that game. The three of us will tango.
All's fair in love and war, right?
We straighten ourselves on the thick blanket and lean back on the back of our palms, facing the wide big screen in front of us.
Outdoor movie date night.
The screen lights up as the Jurassic Park theme swells through the park's speakers, blending with the excited murmur of the crowd, our shoulders brushing.
I glance at Gabe as the gates open on the screen for the velociraptor. His profile is sharp against the glow of the movie. His gray eyes flick to mine, catching me staring, and he smirks slightly. "What?" he asks, his voice low but amused.
"Nothing," I reply, though my cheeks warm. He's just so handsome- I mean I have always thought so but I mean... he seems more attractive in some way. And it's not because he's twenty-four.
"Sure," he teases, leaning a little closer.
I nudge him playfully, laughing softly under my breath. The crowd around us shifts, rustling bags of popcorn and repositioning themselves on blankets, but it all fades into the background when Gabe looks at me again.
His gaze lingers, and there's something unspoken in it- something that makes my pulse quicken. Before I can overthink it, he leans in, his lips brushing mine in a kiss that feels gentle and electric all at once. I melt into it, my hand finding its way to his chest.
"Meg?"
The voice cuts through the quiet intimacy like a knife. I pull back abruptly, my heart sinking as I see Dan standing a few feet away. His silhouette is backlit by the glow of the movie screen, and his face is a mixture of shock and betrayal.
"Dan?" I stammer, my voice barely audible over the movie's score. Gabe stiffens beside me, a furrow between his eyebrows when I look back at him and then back to Dan who steps closer, his eyes darting between Gabe and me.
"So, this is what you've been doing?" he asks, his tone low but edged with anger. "Avoiding me so you can… do this?"
Never have I avoided him- okay maybe but I broke up with him and made it so crystal clear to him. And we're enjoying the semester's break, why would he still be hung up over me? Gabe straightens beside me, his expression guarded but calm. "You should leave," he says evenly, his tone more a statement than a suggestion.
Dan ignores him, his attention fixed on me, shaking his head while he spoke, nostrils flared. "I kept trying to talk to you, Meg. To figure out what I did wrong. And now I see- you've been stringing me along while… while this was happening." I'd blocked Dan and deleted his number so easily.
I stand, brushing off my hands as I face him. "It's not like that, Dan," I say quickly, trying to keep my voice steady. Around us, a few people glance over, their attention momentarily drawn from the screen.
"Then explain it," he says, his jaw tight. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks exactly like that. You've been playing me is what it seems and to add guilt to me, you accuse me of being with your best friend?"
Did I accuse him of being with Zulu? Or did I suggest he wanted Zulu? Okay, not important because I did imply it if I had not said it. So he's right. God, this is embarrassing.
I glance at Gabe, who watches silently, his hands resting on his knees. "I didn't mean for you to find out this way," I start, my throat tightening. "But you and I… we were already done. You know that."
Gabe makes a strangled sound beside me.
"Were we?" Dan's voice rises slightly, and he quickly checks himself, lowering it again. "Because the last time we talked, you said you needed space. You never said it was because of him."
Did I? I had been so stressed over the whole situation with- stressed that I cannot recall exactly what I said or did not say. "It wasn't," I say firmly, though the heat in my cheeks betrays me. "This has nothing to do with you and me, Dan. It's separate."
"Separate?" he repeats bitterly, shaking his head. "Do you even hear yourself? We were together for months, Meg. And now you're telling me it's just… over? That's it?"
I open my mouth to respond, but Gabe moves to stand, his presence beside me solid and unyielding. "She doesn't owe you an explanation," he says coolly.
Dan's eyes narrow as he looks at Gabe, his equal in height and size, his fists clenching at his sides. "And who the hell are you to say that? You've been here for what, a few weeks? You don't know anything about us."
Gabe doesn't flinch. "I know enough to see when someone isn't respecting boundaries."
Dan lets out a bitter laugh, running a hand through his hair. "Boundaries? You think this is about boundaries? It's about her throwing away what we had for some guy she barely knows."
"That's enough," I snap, stepping between them. My voice is firm, though my hands tremble at my sides. "Dan, I'm sorry if this hurts you, but it's over. It's been over since I sa-" I halted my words in time. "You have to accept that."
His gaze softens for a moment, the anger in his eyes dimming. "Why, Meg? Just tell me why." He speaks to me but his eyes are on Gabe.
I hesitate, the weight of my reasons too heavy to explain here, under the watchful eyes of strangers and the glow of the movie screen. "It's complicated," I say finally, my voice quieter now.
"That's not an answer," he says, his tone pleading but I shrug. He exhales sharply, stepping back. For a moment, he looks like he might say more, but before he does, I blurt out, "Yeah, Dan, it's him."
Dan accepts that explanation and shakes his head when Gabe places an arm around my waist and turns away. As he walks off, the tension in my chest eases slightly, but guilt settles in its place. Gabe turns me towards him, placing his other hand on my arm, grounding me. "You okay?" he asks softly bending his head a bit- or was it his knees? We are in an end spot which is why nobody yelled at us for blocking their view.
I nod, though my throat feels tight. "Yeah. I just… I didn't want it to happen like that." I feel... terrible. Cassandra floats her pretty self into my mind.
"He was looking for a fight," Gabe says, his tone matter-of-fact. "It's not your fault."
No, Dan was not looking for a fight. Dan was hurt but Gabe did not know this, did he? Back in the real 2014, Dan and I had been so in love and then suddenly out of the blue, I break up with him. He is confused about it. I pity Dan because I understand him. Cassandra, the partial-face beauty, whose full face I never saw, also did it to me... I glance at Gabe, his face calm but watchful. "Thanks," I say quietly.
"For what?"
"For not making it worse," I say with a small smile.
He chuckles, the tension between us easing slightly. "Anytime."
We sit back down, the warmth of Gabe's presence beside me a quiet reassurance but I do not enjoy the movie again.