1. Gabriella
1502 Words
1
GABRIELLA
“Hey, Gabby!” Ashleigh shouted, banging on my bedroom door. “I need your help lacing up my dress.”
“Why can’t your boyfriend do it?” I hollered back, quickly running my flat iron over a small section of my midnight-colored hair.
“Are you serious? He’ll ruin it! Besides, he doesn’t even know how to. Please, will you do it for me?”
Huffing, I set my flat iron down and marched to the door. She better not b***h at me if I make us late. When I opened the door, Ashleigh stood there, looking beautiful and perfect with her chocolate-colored hair pulled into a classy updo, while trying desperately to keep her black and white ball gown from falling down.
Why she had to pick a dress that weighed so much was beyond me. Although, it was going to be interesting to watch her climb into Colin’s truck.
Shaking my head, I chuckled and waved her in, “Come on. I don’t think I could trust a guy to lace me up, either … especially Colin. However, if the guys b***h about us being late I’m totally blaming you.”
We needed to leave for the celebration banquet with Colin and Bradley, and we were almost out of time. Our college baseball team had made it to the championship, so everyone was getting together to celebrate, get the details on where the tournament would be, and so forth. It was a fancy type of thing the team liked to do every year, and they always planned it even before we advanced.
Yes, our team was that good … we knew we would make it. We always did, especially with Colin as our star pitcher and Bradley as our best homerun hitter. It was their last tournament before graduation. Soon they’d be off in the major leagues and becoming famous.
Once Ashleigh shut the door, I motioned for her to turn around. “All right, let me get you done so I can finish up my hair.”
“Thank you,” she breathed. “Make sure to do it tight so it doesn’t fall down.”
Rolling my eyes, I took her by the shoulders and turned her around. The laces were made out of thick, black satin that she had run through the top loops, but none through the bottoms. This is going to take forever.
Starting from the top, I worked my way down, looping them through and tightening them as I went. Even though they took longer to put on, it was easier buying dresses with lace up backs because you could tighten it to your body.
Pulling the laces tighter, I winked at Ashleigh’s reflection in the mirror. “Don’t worry, I’m doing them tight. If you and Colin want to get n***d quick, it’s not going to happen. It’ll take time getting this thing off of you.”
“Ha-ha, I think we’ll be okay. We like the tension and the buildup anyway. It makes for some great sex.”
I wonder if it was like that with her and Ryley.
“So,” I began, “how’s everything going with you and Colin? I know he wasn’t too happy when he found out about you and Ryley. Has he gotten over that yet?”
Halfheartedly, she shrugged. “Yeah, I think so. We don’t talk about it much anymore. I guess if you don’t talk about it, it’s like it never happened.”
A few more minutes ticked by and I was almost done with her laces when she cleared her throat and turned her head, gazing at me with a sheepish expression on her face. It killed her, knowing that she broke Ryley’s heart, even if he was too stubborn to admit it.
“How is he by the way? I know you’ve talked to him.”
Just a short month ago, I thought Ryley had decided to wise up and put his bad boy ways aside for her. It just so happened that he did for a while, but when she left him for Colin he reverted back to his usual self.
Unfortunately, I actually think he got worse.
I couldn’t blame Ashleigh for his sudden change back into a player, but I had hoped she would be the one to tame him. He was better than what he portrayed himself to be.
Colin, however, was a good guy. He and Ashleigh were great together, and I knew they were happy. My heart ached for Ryley.
Sighing, I said, “He’s fine, Ash. I know it hurt him when you left, but he’s dealing with it the only way he knows how. It also doesn’t help that Camden’s right along with him, pushing his buttons.”
“Yeah,” Ashleigh murmured regretfully. “Camden’s a real piece of work. I miss talking to Ryley, but I wouldn’t give up Colin for anything. He’s coming home with me over Christmas, you know. Bradley told me the other day that he asked you to join his family, but you haven’t given him an answer yet.”
It’s because I don’t have one.
Instead of responding to the Bradley statement, I tied up the last of her laces and smacked her a*s. “Okay, you’re done, babe. Now get out of here so I can finish getting ready.”
Turning around, she lifted her brows and crossed her arms at her chest. “Why aren’t you answering me? Is there something going on with you and Bradley that you’re not telling me about?”
There was something going on, but it wasn’t with Bradley. He was amazing and I loved hanging out with him, but he wasn’t what I wanted … at least not yet. He wanted commitment, to be solely with me, but I wasn’t ready for that step. The thought scared me, so I’d reluctantly been pushing him away.
Other than being his date for the banquet—which was probably a mistake—I’d been keeping my distance, hoping that my feelings of wanting a certain fighter would change. Unfortunately, they hadn’t; they’d only gotten worse.
“Gabby?” she warned. “I’m not leaving this room until you tell me.”
Groaning, I turned away from her and waltzed back to my mirror so I could finish flat ironing my hair. “Okay, fine. I’ve been a little preoccupied, and it hasn’t been with thoughts of Bradley. If you must know, the night we went to Ryley and Camden’s house for the party, something happened and I can’t stop thinking about it.”
She furrowed her brows, but then her eyes went wide, mouth gaping open. “Oh my God … Tyler. Something happened between you and Tyler, didn’t it?”
“Shh …” I hissed, waving my hands in the air. “Bradley will hear you.”
She pointed at me, narrowing her eyes, and then put her hands on her hips. “I knew something was up between you two. I could see it. What happened? Did you guys hook up?”
“No, not like that,” I explained. “All we did was kiss, but I’m telling you … I didn’t want to stop, and neither did he. When things started moving further that’s when he pulled away and said he couldn’t.”
I’d wanted to kill him in that moment.
“Wow,” Ashleigh gasped in disbelief. “I never thought he’d be the one to stop. What are you going to do with Bradley? That guy is like seriously in love with you.”
Sighing, I averted my gaze and put on my lip gloss, before sheepishly running my hands down the silky fabric of my red evening gown. My heart hurt when I thought about Bradley and his feelings for me. The guilt weighed me down every time I looked at him.
“I know he is, and I really like him, but I can’t get Tyler out of my mind. I’ve wanted him for so long, and now that I know he wants me too, it’s all I can think about. I don’t know what to do.”
Ashleigh shrugged and reached for the handle of my door. “There’s not really much you can do, Gabby. Tyler’s in Las Vegas and you’re here. You know it wouldn’t work. Besides, aren’t you f*******n to date your brother’s friends?”
Growling low, I rolled my eyes and gritted my teeth. “And that’s the reason why Tyler stopped when he did. He doesn’t want to piss off Matt.”
“Well, it sounds a little too complicated to me, Gabby. We always want what we can’t have. I suggest you move on and forget about him.”
She didn’t have any room to talk.
Before she could open the door, I stopped her with my next words, making her back stiffen. “Don’t you think that’s easier said than done? If I remember correctly, you had a hell of a time concentrating after the twins wanted you. It was almost like a thirst you couldn’t quench until you had them, or in your case, Ryley. That’s how it is with Tyler, Ash. One time is all I want, or I’m always going to wonder … what if, you know?”
Glancing at me over her shoulder, she sighed. “I know what you mean, Gabby. If that’s the way you feel, then there’s only one thing you can do.”
Smiling, she winked at me and walked out, shutting the door behind her. I knew what I had to do, but how the hell was I going to do it?
- Writer
