He only snapped back to reality when he heard Gabriel sniff. He had stopped squirming beneath him, and instead have gone still. He was breathing hard that Karlos could feel his breath on his face. Another tear fell.
"I'm sorry. Please...please. I didn't mean to. I'm sorry. It's my fault. I'm sorry." Karlos never heard his voice broken, and the shock came like a stab. He did not know how tight his grip had become until he heard the next sentence. "Please, don't hurt me."
His eyes widened and he hurriedly loosened his grip. He crawled back and sat on the floor across him. "I didn't- I won't. I'm sorry. Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"
Gabriel pushed himself up, and slid backwards to a pile of books. His hands continued to tremble that he had to hold them together.
"It's fine."
"It's not. I might have bruised your wrist." He attempted to move closer, but Gabriel jerked back.
"Don't...Don't come any closer." He sniffed and used his sleeves to wipe his tear-stained cheeks.
Softly, he said, "I'm so sorry. I was serious when I said I just wanted to talk. I just wanted to know if you were the one sneaking inside the house these past weeks, and why."
"Are you gonna call the police?"
"What? No. I told I just want to talk. I know you don't mean any harm either. So can we?"
A moment had passed before Gabriel decided to nod, hands still clamped close.
"You promise you won't try to escape again?"
"As long as you promise not to touch me."
"I swear," His hand reached for the leather notebook near him, "But I will hold this for now. Don't worry, I'll give it back to you before the sun comes."
They settled in the dining room, sitting across each other. Steam from the two hot cups of chocolate drinks floated between them.
"You should drink first," Karlos said as he reached for his own cup and let the warm and sweet liquid soothe his nerves.
He heard Gabriel grunt. When he lowered his cup, he saw him grimace. "This is too sweet."
"Is it? It's how I usually make my drink."
"You have a tongue of a kid," a pause, "You have a brain of a kid as well so I guess it's expected."
Karlos chuckled. "Can I assume you're feeling better?"
"Whatever. Just fire away all the questions you have. I wanna finish this quickly."
Karlos bit his lip to stop himself from smiling. The tension had lifted, he sighed in relief.
"Alright. First, I'd like to apologize again. I know you hate being touched and I forcefully pinned you down."
"Don't remind me."
"Yes, sir. First question, where you the one sneaking inside the house these past weeks? Including the one who had terrible piano skills?"
"Haven't you figure that out yet?"
"Yes or no only, Gabby."
"Stop calling me that."
"Yes or no?"
"Yes."
YOU ARE READING
The house at the Crossroads (BxB)
RomanceLegend says that the house at the crossroads is haunted by a ghost named Emma. A woman who was murdered while waiting for his lover to come home; a ghost waiting still. Little did they know, all along, it was boy who has made a home out of the aband...
