Touchè

2: What's About That?

Last Night

"Gabriel darling?"

Mom called him shootingly. She was very careful calling Gab.

"Yes mom?"

"I came to tell you that your dad and I will be going to Paris and we'll leave by five in the morning. Wanna join us dear?"

"Nah, I'm fine mom."

His parents were so busy, but they managed to take care of him even tho they were not always by his side.

His parents would send their people to look after Gab from afar. Not for  reassuring that the heir of their family business was safe, but more like his family loved him the most.

Every twice a month, his parents would travel around the world for holidays. Yes, holidays. Not business. And there's no way Gabriel interfered them.

"Oh my sweetheart, are you sure? We'd love to have you around." Mom looked so worried.

"Mom, I'm not a little kid anymore. "

Mom sighed. "Gabriel, actually, there's something that I need to ask you about."

Gabriel fell silent before he nodded and asked back "What's that would be, mom?"

Mom seemed like she was arranging the words before it came out her mouth. "This girl that you've been chasing after... Do you still like her?"

Gab wasn't surprised about how his parents knew about him chasing her forever crush even tho Gab didn't say anything to them.

"Gabriel, you can love whoever you want. I mean, if you still or ever need help to—"

"No, mom. I will take care of it."

" But, she seemed to be clueless and you were— so desperate."

Gabriel coughed. Feeling a little bit embarrassed by how mom described him begging for Serafina to notice him.

And yet, mom was right. He's so desperate to make Serafine as his. God, he had loved Serafina since he saw her crying in the town park in New Zealand.

He met Serafina when he's about ten. He first saw her when Gab and his family still in holiday. The biggest crush in the first met.

The last thing Gabriel pleaded his parents to do something about it was to make Serafina moved to England.

Dad and mom could do that since Serafina's father also worked for their family.

Serafina's dad was a politician, also had a company that almost fell into bankruptcy if Gabriel's family didn't invest to him.

"HEY WHATCH OUT!!!"

Gabriel pulled his car in shock. Did he just crush into something?!?!

Damn, he was spacing out.

He quickly opened his car door. The first thing he saw was someone's about to cry.

"Hey? I'm really sorry dude. I was spacing out and—"

The dude looked at him, annoyed. By one look, Gabriel could tell that the dude wasn't as homeless as the way he dressed.

The way he smelled screamed expensive. Gabriel wasn't creepy, the perfume this guy wear  smelled so strong and he had nice skin with a little bit freckles in nose. Had pink cheeks as if he blushed but Gabriel knew he was just mad, the hair looked so fluffy and soft, he's overall not dirty.

Then, why did he dress like he belonged to the trashbin?

"Hello?!"

Sometimes, Gabriel hated it being so observant in wrong situation that he spaced out again.

"Ah, I'm so sorry, are you hurt?" Gabriel asked in a polite way.

"No! But you hurt my skateboard?!"

Gabriel didn't notice that there's a broken skateboard in the dude's hand.

"I'm terribly sorry eumm who's your name?"

"Sebastian!"

"Yeah, I'm so sorry Sebastian. I will replace it. I'm not trying to insult you..." Gabriel took some of his money in his wallet, handed the money to him. "Is this enough to get you the brand new? Besides, I'll take you to the hospital and let my doctor to check up on you."

Sebastian didn't take the money, he just stared at Gabriel as if Gab was the craziest, odd, freakest guy he ever met.

Sebastian sighed. He didn't wish to face some daddy's boy in the morning and hungry situation like this.

"Your money don't do me a freaking favour, at all."

The man looked guilty that Seb almost felt pity for him.

"At least, buy me some cakes. I'm hungry."

When Sebastian said that, Gabriel looked at him eagerly.

"Yes, let's go to my car."

"No no, not by driving your car."

Gabriel looked confused. "So, what are we gonna take to go?"

Sebastian smirked as he looked around and found a bicycle.

"Let's use that."

*****

"Increase your grades child. I'm not having stupid daughter in my home."

It's the last words dad said to Serafina before he left. Serafina didn't say anything. She had no appetite, but she still sit there just because she's too afraid making dad beating her.

Dad didn't like disobey daughter. So Serafina would work harder for her grades. She's kinda grateful because she's fast in understanding the subjects in school.

She's incredible. Her grades were perfect even though there's one A minus in it. She's the leader of musical extracurricular. She could play some of classical instruments such as violin, cello, and piano. Her favorite was playing violin.

She won almost every competitions she had. Not always in first place, but she won.

But the second and third place didn't make dad happy at all.

Serafina's fingers would bleed, but her hard work for winning not in first place meant nothing to the father.

She sighed.

What she could do when she's not the biological daughter of his?

*****