Profound Love

Chapter 20: Late night Book Store

POV GABBY***

"You told him what?" I laughed out as Mia was explaining her encounter with Max and his friends. "I didn't know what to tell him I panicked!".

Mia has always been the nervous and shy kind. She always stays to herself, it took me months to get her to open up and be my friend. "You could have told him the truth that I am working at a daycare, and after that closes I work at a late night bookstore?" Mia began to shutter. "Mia Mia calm down you're fine. It's funny trust me, come to my work tonight I'll buy you a cupcake and a book" She sighs. 

"fine I am coming over right now"I look over at the bakery and see it's dead. "Okay I'll get your cupcake then" I hang up and walk over to the bakery. "Hey Tessa can I have 6 cake batter cupcakes with buttercream frosting please?" she groans and stands up from her stool. 

"We don't have any made so I am going to have to make them. Don't you want a vanilla or something displayed?" she smiles at me as she tries to give me puppy dog eyes. I shake my head "I promised a very close companion of mine your best cupcakes. so take the complement and make the cupcakes". I kissed her cheek and walked away. 

"Gabriella can you please put these books away in the fantasy section please?" I turned to Garrett the manager here. He is 20 years old attending college and helps out his grandfather that owns the store, he has dark brown hair, dark green eyes, and is a lot taller than me. "You know I told you, you can call me Gabriella". he looks up from the computer and nods "Yea I know but I prefer Gabriella". 

I roll my eyes and drag both of the boxes towards the fantasy section. "Hey also your total is 150 Fitz" I look up at Tessa leaning over the counter. "What's the real total Tess?" she rolls her eyes obviously joking. "I told you the total now give me the money or do you wanna pay another way". she said lifting her eyebrows. 

Tessa is Bi and has made it very clear that she wants to "fool around". Sadly for Tess I am straight but if a customer makes me uncomfortable she usually will swoop in and tell them to quote on quote "Back off my b***h" and they usually stop and get food thrown at them. "Here's 10 dollars keep the change" I wink at her and walk back to the fantasy section. 

~ 

After finishing one box I hear the bell go off on the door meaning someone has walked in. I hear Garett welcome them and tell them section 5. I stand up from the floor and push the box to the side so there would be room for someone to walk through the aisle. 

"Gabby?" I turn around and see Dustin standing there. I haven't seen him in months since all the drama and the rejection. "Oh hey what's up?" he shoves his hands in his jean jacket and nods. 

"I've been good" I nod awkwardly. "So you here for a fantasy book or you stalking me?" he chuckles. 

"Defienty stalking you" I laugh and shove him. "I actually wanted to talk to you about something" I nod as I walk out towards the couches and see Mia sitting there as Tessa brings out the cupcakes. "Hey Mia and thank you Tess". she winks as she walks by "What are you doing here babe?" I hear Mia ask. 

I turn around and see Mia hug dustin. "Babe?" Mia nods. I look at Dustin confused "How long have you guys been dating". she smiles and brings her arm around his back "we've been dating for over a year now". My eyes bulge as I stare at Dustin who is pleading at me to say nothing "Are you f*****g kidding me Dustin?" Mia looks at me confused. "Mia Dustins been w*****g around the past year and i've also slept with him because he never said anything about a girlfriend". Mia's eyes widen as she pushes Dustin away. 

"Dustin is she serious?" he shakes his head. "No she's lying, she wants me for herself. We used to be friends, remember then I stopped hanging out with her because she's been trying to get at me". Mia looks at me heartbroken. 

"Mia if you really believe this man over me then at the end of the day it's your fault when you get hurt" She shakes her head. "He wouldn't lie to me" I rolled my eyes. Tess walks out from the back of the bakery and settles in her seat. 

"Oh for sure. Why would I make this up? I've been friends with him longer than you guys have been in a relationship and still choose your side because it's the right thing to do". she scoffs 

"Now I know you're lying. Why would you do this to me?" I laugh. "Mia I told you already he's lying but you're not going to believe me" I turn around and walk aways as she scoffs. 

"You literally run away when things get hard. No wonder why mommy and daddy left you here and moved away". I froze in my spot as Dustin spoke. "MIA! stop I did it. I cheated on you the whole time and stop attacking Gabby" she gasped as she pushed him away. I feel my eyes welled up with tears as I hear Mia walking towards me. I walk away and put my apron on the counter and look at Garrett as he looks at me with remorse. "Please clock out for me I'll see you Monday". he nods as I grab my purse and walk out of the book store and walk towards the beach.

~ 

I look at this couple laying on the sand together laughing at the moon lights up the water. My heart fills with sorrow as I begin to think of my parents and how in love they were. I grab my phone out of my bag and see 10 missed calls from Mia, 6 from Dustin and a Text from Max. I open the text from Max 

"Dustins an ass where you at I'll pick you up and we can order pizza and have a movie night with your siblings" I smile but my smile falters as I remember the voice in my head telling me Max would never want to be with me. 

I drop my phone back into my bag and walk towards the hotel. "Hey where are you going at this time?" I turn around and see a guy walking towards me in Zig zags. Oh god I think to myself as I turn and walk away "Hey I asked where you going pretty young thing". I gasp as he grabs me as I crash into his chest. I look up and see it's Jace. 

"Oh hey Jace can you let me go I am going out to eat with Max". I was hoping mentioning Max would get him to leave me alone because Max was always threatening people about talking with me. 

"Well he's not here and you were off limits in back then but I don't see him anywhere". I gulp as I try to back away from him. 

"You wanna come back and drink with me". His hand started going down the back of my waist until it reached my butt. "I can show you a good time" he then squeezed my ass. "Get the f**k off of me" he fell back onto the sand as I turned and start walking away. 

I grabbed my phone from my purse as I dialed Max. "Hey Max can I meet you at the hotel Pizza and a movie would sound really great right now". I hear shuffling behind me as Max started to answer and I was tackled onto the ground knocking my phone and bag on the floor. 

"JACE GET OFF OF ME!" I scream as his hands begin to caress down my body. He brings his mouth towards my ear as I am trying to push him off of me but he is clearly too drunk to care. "I said we are going to have a good time baby" he said as he licked my ear. I kneed him in the crotch as he groaned and I rolled over trying to crawl away. 

But that was a mistake because he just climbed on my back and pushed my face into the cold wet sand. "HELP ME PLEASE SOMEBODY!" I screamed. 

He covered my mouth with his hand and he began to take off my pants. All the thoughts of feeling like this is my fault and uselessness are rolling it. 

The heavy weight of Jace has been lifting as I scramble to pull up my pants. I turn around and see Max on top of Jace punching him in the face. "MAX PLEASE STOP". I yell as I am shaking on the floor, Max turns around and his eyes soften as he grabs his phone and calls Ava and tells her what is happening. 

Max walks over to me and crouches down. "can I pick you up Gabby?" I nod as he reaches under my knees and carries me bridal style back to the resort. I cuddle into his chest and close my eyes feeling safe with my once tormentor.