Everything She's Not

Not Just A Sweater

Gabe is listening to her explain the proper way to compose an essay, what the best way to cite sources is, and how much information to put compared to personality for a smoother sounding essay while he watches her pace back and forth across the room. She's sweating and it's sliding from her neck into the space under her shirt.

"Lilly, just take off the damn sweater or whatever it is!" He blurts out.

Lilly stops in her tracks and glances over at him for the first time in an hour.

"I can't..." She tugs on the collar for some air flow.

Gabe stands up from the couch, slowly walks over to her, and enters her personal space. Lilly backs up until her back hits the small round breakfast table. She grips it and leans as far away as she can.

"Why not? Are you naked under it?" Gabe's eyes look hungry and ready to devour every inch of her.

He moves closer, towering over Lilly, but leaning his head down low enough to brush his lips against hers.

Lilly presses a hand to his chest and turns her head. "Gabe..."

Her breathless tone drives him wild and he grips the bottom of the shirt, pulling it up. She doesn't resist him pulling it off, whether it's out of fear, submission, or mutual want, she's not sure.

"Gabe, I--" He pulls the sweater/shirt up and over her head, revealing her bruises, scrapes, cuts, and cigarette burns.

"What the hell is this?!" He steps back for a moment, fury dancing in his eyes.

"It's nothing. Just start your essay and I'll help you with it. Remember, these are makeup assignments, so we have to get them done." Lilly quickly tries to cover herself with discarded shirt, but Gabe moves it out of her reach.

"C'mon Gabe! You brought me out here so we could finish the tutoring without Mikey looming over us, right?! So, get to work." She grabs for it again and he grips her hand, pressing it to the table.

"He's doing it again?" His eyes meet hers and she tries to avert his gaze.

"Yeah. But, it's fine. I almost have enough money to leave."

Her turns her around, looking for fresh belt marks. Her hands slap onto the table and he holds her there while he examines her tattered body.

"This was because of the bruise, wasn't it?" She doesn't respond to his question, causing his anger to boil over.

"Lilly! Answer me!" His voice booms and fills the tiny cabin.

"Y-yes, and no." Lilly responds, timidly.

He runs his fingers over the scars on her back, relieved that she doesn't have any fresh marks from the belt. When he turns her around again, he hugs her tightly. She breaks down in his arms, tears and snot covering his shoulder.

"It's okay, Sweetie. Shh." Guilt pools in his stomach for raising his voice. "I'm sorry I yelled."

She pulls away slightly to look him in the eyes. "You can't be nice to me in public. He'll find out. You have to keep bullying me. Promise me, you will."

Gabe kisses her forehead and nods, confirming he understands how jealous her own father can get. He'd assumed the issues with her dad had stopped.

Gabe removes his t-shirt and helps her put it on, even with her body sore and her arms moving stiffly. Once she's calmed down, he tells her that he doesn't want to study anymore for the night and turns on the TV. They're sitting a few inches apart when he wraps an arm around her side and pulls her flush against his body.

Gabe sighs when he feels her body relax and Lilly rests her head on his tattooed chest.

She falls asleep on him, worn out from the day, and he carries her to the bedroom across from the other, smaller room with two beds. The other beds are a bit less comfortable, so he prefers this one. She grabs his hand and pulls him down to the bed, so he wraps himself around her, taking in the brief moment of peace.

Before he knows it, Gabe has fallen asleep. He realizes this when a loud knock at the door wakes him from his peaceful sleep.

He sits up, glances at Lilly and realizes she must have woke up at some point and removed her pants and bra because she's snoring away, half-dressed.

"You're cute." He mutters, sweeping hair from her face and kissing her cheekbone.

"Mm. Lay down, I'm cold." He hears as he lingers in the bedroom doorway, on the way to the front door.

"Go back to sleep, my good girl." He responds, hoping she won't remember him saying that.

Thirty minutes later, he's in a heated conversation with one of his lackeys and his brother in the living room. Lilly listens from the bedroom, the walls being super thin.

"You can't get serious with her! She's distracting you from your work!" Mikey yells.

"Boss, it's not my job to hand out punishments. You had three businesses laugh in my face this morning when I came to collect the money they've been paying for their goods. They told me that they'll only talk to you since you didn't show up last night." Lackey growls the last few words.

"Is she worth losing an empire?!" Mikey yells again.

Lilly flinches at the sound of a fist slamming down on the table.

"I'm the boss! I will decide how and when things are done! Why do I pay you, if you can't do a simple money collection, Dave?! As for you, Mikey..." Gabe's voice gets low and threatening, "...you aren't in a place to tell me what my priorities should be. If I were you, I'd leave...NOW!"

Lilly watches from the hallway, something stirring in her stomach from the way his voice holds power.

"Wow, you just can't help yourself. She's half-naked and her legs are bruised up." Mikey gestures to Lilly.

"This isn't from him. And, I can just wait in the car while he does his job next time. Or he can drop me off here until he's done. I don't mind either way." Mikey raises an eyebrow at Lilly's statement.

Mikey turns and walks out the front door. "I hope you know what you're doing. We don't leave witnesses, so she'd better be someone we can trust." Gabe shuts the door behind Mikey and the Dave guy.

When the door closes, Lilly comes up behind Gabe and hugs him, wrapping her arms around his waist and laying her head on his back between his shoulder blades. She trails kisses from the space between his shoulders to the middle of his back before he turns and lifts her onto the table.

Gabe lifts Lilly's chin with one finger, then wraps his tattooed knuckles around her throat. A devious smirk appears on her features.

"What you see when you're with me, you don't repeat. Got it?" He studies Lilly for another moment.

"Yes, sir." Lilly responds, raspy from his grip.

"Good girl, now get dressed, we're late for school." This moment starts the secret, exhilarating relationship between the valedictorian and the gang leader.