Disclaimer: Every reader is familiar with the typical fiction disclaimer. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business, events and incidents are the products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Please don't forget to vote every chapter and leave a comment for your thoughts! Also, sorry for wrong grammars, punctuation marks, apostrophe or typo. English is not my first language, that's why. I am still learning, tho. But I hope you will still give my story a try. Thank you and I love you(◍•ᴗ•◍)❤
~~~
It's been a week since Gabrielle and I played the Xbox. He is correct, playing NBA is fun, the truth is, I play Xbox even if I am alone. I already know the usage of different buttons in the controller.
And also, it's been a week since I was waiting for mom's call. Mom never called since last week. I badly want to know if something happen or when they will be able to go home.
I am taking a bath right now since it's already 10 in the morning. I want to go downstairs, maybe mom might call and I can answer. While I was taking a shower, I heard Gabrielle inside my room.
He is shouting, "Noelle! Where are you? Let's play again." I rinse quickly and dry myself. Good thing is, I already put my clothes inside the bathroom.
After I dry myself, I went out and saw Gabrielle sitting in my couch while staring at the window.
"Hey, what's up? Why are you shouting addict gamer?" I said, trying to tease him. He is really an addict about games. Although, it's okay. Most of the boys we're addict by the games.
Now, I caught his attention. He is now staring at me with no reaction at all. He even cross his arms and looked straight to me.
"What?! What's with that face?" I asked. He looks strange with no reaction.
He laughed. "Are you trying to tease me? Well, I am so sorry you cannot do that" He said then laughed again.
Now, he is getting into my nerves. I really don't know why Gabrielle knows how to pissed me off. I can't do that to him. If I am trying to tease him, in the end, I am the one is pissed.
"Okay, so what do you want to play? NBA again?" I asked trying to change the topic.
"Yeah, let's go" He stood up and walked away. Before he step out from my room, an idea came up to my head.
"Let's make a deal, then" I said with a challenging voice. He looked at me, frowning. He looks really curious in that face.
"Deal? What deal?" He asked. He even put his hands in his pocket.
"If I won, you will treat me outside. And if you won I will treat you outside. Vice versa Gabrielle. Are you down?" I asked to confirm if he likes my deal.
He stays quiet for a moment, maybe he is thinking about my deal. It's a good deal right? Maybe I can win over him. I already played several times, I guess I am also an addict now.
"Okay, deal Noelle. Best of 3" He said after a few minutes of remaining silent. I nod my head and put on my slippers.
"I will beat you Gabrielle" I said, then we go straight in our living room. I open our television and fix the Xbox so that we can start. Gabrielle is just watching me.
"You already know how to fix, huh? I think between the two of us? You are the addict" He said trying to tease me. I try my best not to be teased. It can ruin my game later.
"How can you say that I am an addict huh? You don't have any proof, jerk!" I said after I set all things. Now, we can start.
"Mom told me that after you make your homework you are playing here...alone. The first time we played you looks strange because you want to play the dancing thing and I picked NBA. I noticed that dude, I just ignored you" He said continuously then laughed at the last part.
I was surprised that he knew that NBA is not my thing. And now, it reveals that I am the addict between the two of us by playing alone after I make my homework. I can't do anything. He can think all things that he want to think. I am fine.
"Let's start. Best of three Gabrielle. Don't cheat, be sportsmanship" I said seriously. But, he laughed, suddenly. I glared at him because he is laughing.
"Hey! Take this seriously!" I shouted at him. He continues to laugh. I stop. I just stare at him with a resting b***h face. Suddenly, he stopped.
"Look, I am sorry. You are too serious about this game. It seems like the price is too big. It's just a treat Noelle. Just enjoy the game and don't think about the competition. Unless, the reason why you are so competitive is you want me to lose. Am I right?" He said without any gap. Looks who can read the mind of other people. It's Gabrielle. The fudge!
"Listen Gabrielle" I started, his eyebrows raise it seems like he is really interested. "Tell me me the truth" I said.
He frowned. "What do you mean truth? I can't understand you Noelle. What are you saying? Do I look like saying a lie?" He asked me.
"Are you a psychologist? Why can you read my mind everytime? Since the first day I met you, you are always correct. Do you know how to read minds? Because if you are...you're fantastic! Teach me, then" I said with a positive voice. It seems like I already confirmed that he can read minds even though, he is not yet answering my questions.
"Wow! So I am correct, you just want to beat me. Okay, let's start. I will give you a tough game just like you want. Okay, lets start" He said then set the Xbox to multiplayer so, we can start.
"I am nervous" I said, joking. Gabrielle looked at me, he put out his tongue. He is trying to tease me but, he won't succeed.
"You can't tease me dude. I am learning to feel relax even you are teasing me" I said back.
Suddenly, the game started. We are both quiet and focused in our gaming session. I like to called it that way. After minutes, I gain point.
"Yay! 3 points Gabrielle" I said while laughing.
He didn't tell anything. He remained silent while sitting. After 20 minutes the first game done. Two more two go. On this round, I won.
"See?! I am good at playing NBA. I really played a lot, that's why. Okay, two more to go and I will beat you" I said while pointing the screen of our television. It says that my team won.
"Yeah, you are already good. I just gave you a chance to score. Let the real game begin" He said seriously then we started a new game. This is the second game. I am little nervous.
Did he just forgive me in our first game? I thought I am really good that's why I won. No, maybe that is his way to not be embarrassed. Okay, I will think that way.
"Okay! Three points Noelle! Did you see that? I will beat you this round just wait" He sounded arrogant. It is normal that if he talks while we are playing, he is sounded arrogant or I am just pisses? I don't know!
After few minutes, Gabrielle points continuously. He is really good, tho. Now, I can say that he just forgive me earlier. Our score is 10-2. Our score is way a little bit far. Isn't it?
I felt Gabrielle's phone vibration. Someone texted him. While he is busy reading the text, I take the opportunity to have points.
"Gotcha!" I shouted when I got three points. Now our score is quite near. Gabrielle stared at me with empty face. No reaction at all.
Now, we are playing. But this time, I am only the one who can shoot the ball. I am gaining points and his point remains the same. I am wondering but, I just focus and end the game. At the end, I won.
"Two game is enough. What do you think? I won twice, there is no way that you can win on the best of three since I already got two. Okay Gabrielle, you lose!" I said making fun of him.
"Okay, let's go outside! I will treat you" He said. Something looks strange. That's how Gabrielle acts. He is not like that.
"Gabrielle is there something wrong?" I can't stop myself from thinking and ask him. I can feel something isn't right. Now, we are already here in the park. There is no people around. But, there is a Barbeque over there.
"Nope, let's buy some barbeque. Do you eat that?" He asked. He is trying to change the topic. But, I decided to respect his decision not to tell me what's bothering him.
"I hope you are really okay Gabrielle" I said with my soft voice while waiting for our barbeque to be cooked.
While we are eating this barbeque, I noticed that Gabrielle looks so tensed. He looks at his phone every time. I don't know why but I feel something wrong.
After a minute, Gabrielle still acting weird. He didn't even eat the food that he bought. At last, I asked him. "What's wrong Gabrielle? Look, if you will just sit here and check your phone everytime. Let's just go home" I said, trying to sound concerned.
Look, I am really concerned about how he acts right now. It's just that, I wanna spend time with him. I wanna treasure every time that we have. I don't want to have any regrets.
"I am sorry. Okay, what do you wanna eat? Do you want some more? I can buy you anything just tell me" He said continuously. He looks guilty.
Out from nowhere, I laughed. He looks cute when he is serious. He closed his eyes after I laughed. Maybe Gabrielle trying not to burst. Maybe he is teased by my laugh.
"Don't be too pressured about stuffs Gabrielle. You know what? Let's just go home. I want to watch your mom cooking foods. Let's go" I said then stood up. I already finished eating the barbeque.
Unfortunately, he held my wrist. He hold it tightly. I felt quite uncomfortable about holding my wrist. I just saw this kind of things from movies that I watched in Netflix.
And now, I know the feeling of that scenario, of this scenario! I looked at his hands. Gabrielle looks also surprised, it's just like he didn't know that he held my hand.
"Let's go to the swing. It's too early to go home Noelle" He asked me in a pleasing way. In my heart, I really want to go home. But, out of nowhere I nod to his request. He is still holding my wrist, good thing it's just wrist. Not my hand.
"Why do you wanna go here? Swing? Are you kid?" I said in a sarcastic way. He sat in the swing and I sat on the other part.
He looked at me seriously. I don't like the way he looks at me. It's awkward. "I just— I just want to smell a fresh air. That's all" He said.
"Sky is very beautiful, isn't it?" I said while looking at the sky. I just noticed how pleasing they are in our eyes.
"Noelle?" Gabrielle asked me. I am still here, looking and at the sky. I am really amazed how good God is.
"Hmm?" I replied.
"Are you a cry baby person?" He asked. I don't know why our topic get into that point but, I will just answer him.
"Not really. I think so" I am not really sure If I am a crybaby. I remembered something. "Yeah, I am" I revovered.
"Why you suddenly changed your answer, huh?" He asked. I bet he is staring at me. I feel it. I can't take away my eyes from the sky.
"I cry everynight. No! The truth is, after I met you I don't cry anymore. Except when I knew what happen to Norway" I said pertaining to the disaster a week ago.
"I cry everynight before because I am asking myself why my life is not normal. Sounds weird but, I really want to have a normal life. A life with a family" I said with a sad voice. I tried to smile.
Gabrielle didn't talk. He's just listening to my rants, I guess?
"But, you have your family Noelle" He said with a positive voice. I shook my head. Now, I am staring at him. Straight to his eyes.
"Yes I have a family. For the past 15 years, mom and dad never give me some time to spend with. They are always focus on their work. The truth is, the reason why I am home-schooled it's because they don't have time to fetch me at school" I laughed on the last part. I am pitying myself again, as always.
Gabrielle remained silent. He is just listening thoroughly.
"So, I'll make sure that I will treasure every moment, every time... that I will have when my parent gets back" I said trying to sound positive. I saw sadness in his eyes. I don't know why but maybe Gabrielle pity me.
"Can you handle pain? Can you handle the worst situation that a human being can experience?"
He looks pathetic.
I smirked. "You know what? You act weird after you lose on our game. But, to answer your question? If I can handle pain? To be exact Gabrielle, I don't know. I really don't know. I haven't experience that's really strange except for family bonding that I never have experience". I said then I swayed my swing using my feet. I felt how cold the air is. It's so refreshing.
No one talked. We are just staring on the environment. Enjoying the green plants dancing with the wind. Life is really beautiful. Sometimes it acts unfair and hurt us. But, if you will look on the bright side of life, you will say to yourself that 'Life is good'.
I stopped the swing from swaying. I stood up. Gabrielle looked at me, skepticism. I raise my left brow. It reflects on his reaction that he doesn't want to go home.
"Where are we going?" He asked me. I fake my cough to feel sarcastic.
"Look, it's already past 12 noon. Past lunch Garielle. Don't you want to go home? Do you?" I asked then step away.
I felt that he stood up. Gabrielle talked, "Wait! Don't be too fast. Just slow down Noelle" He said. He looks so terrible that he can't stop from sweating.
I just looked at him. Then, I walk straight. He even run so that he can reach me. He remained silent. Good thing is, our house is not that far. It will only took us 3-5 minutes of walking.
After how many minutes, I saw our house. I frowned. Our gate is open, I know Gabrielle and I closed it before we left. Maybe Eleanor left the gate open.
"I think your mom forgot to close the gate" I said then laughed a little. It's kinda awkward because Gabrielle is so silent.
When we are already in front of our house, I immediately open the door. I looked around, looking for Eleanor. She is not in the kitchen. I looked again, and I was surprised on what I saw.
Those are mom's suitcase! I run towards the suitcase and when I already confirmed that it's from mom, I looked at Gabrielle. He is just standing there near the door. Gabrielle is just watching. Gabrielle needs to be happy for since mom is already here. But, I didn't see any happiness in his face.
"Gabrielle! Mom is already here. These are her things!" I am so happy that I even jump because of happiness. Gabrielle smiled, forced. I wanna ask him what's wrong but, I run towards the garden to see mom. She is not there.
I run towards upstairs. I know mom is there. In her room fixing her things or taking a rest. In my first step, Gabrielle talked.
"Careful Noelle" He reminded me. I nod two times and continue.
I saw Eleanor in the hallway. He went out from my mom's room. Eleanor rarely go there unless she has permission from mom. Now? I know mom is already there.
"Noelle" Eleanor talk to me. I saw tears from her eyes but, Eleanor trying to stop them. She is trying not to cry in front of me. I want to ask them why they are acting weird. Gabrielle and Eleanor. I badly want to ask them. But, now I wanna hug my parents tightly, the thing I never done before.
"Yes Eleanor?" I said peacefully. My heartbeat is way too fast.
"I am just downstairs okay? Just go to me if you need something, okay?" Out of nowhere I nod. I can't understand what Eleanor's pointing to. I just nod.
After that, I hold the doorknob. I open it slowly and while I am opening the door... I saw mom. She is sitting in her bed while hugging something in her chest.
"Mom" I said, in a hasty manner. I caught mom's attention. She put down the letter. The letter that broke my heart a week ago. I forgot put them back.
"I am so sorry Noelle. I am so sorry" Mom said with bursting tears. Her voice broke. I looked around and I didn't saw dad.
"Mom? Where is dad? I want to hug him" I said while looking around.
"Your d-dad is" Mom uttered. I don't know but, I know the next sentence. I wished I am just thinking the wrong one.