How We Met Gabi & Falco

Navigating Feelings

Falco was still kicking himself two days later.

"So did you just stare at her, mouth open like a trout?" His brother asked laughed.

"I mean I did answer her eventually....I said I liked to do the right thing"

"Well that's a heck of a pick up line" Colt said as he tossed the football to him.

"I wasn't trying to put the moves on her, but..."

"You do like her?"

Falco blushed a bit and nodded. "I mean, I know she's kinda got a reputation, but I think she's just got a tough outer shell, I mean I probably would two if both of my parents were dead"

"What happened with that?"

Falco shrugged, "I think it was a car accident, at least that's what Kaya told me"

"But she seems like a nice girl at heart, she sticks up for her friends, she's cute, and really good a basketball. She beats all the boys in gym class". Falco continued.

"Well that was quite noble of you to stand up for her. I know Tyler's older brother and he's a d*ck, so no surprise his little brother is a jacka*** as well"

"Yeah his parents aren't that great either."

"So why didn't you just tell her how you feel?"

Falco threw the ball back to Colt. "It's not as easy as it sounds. Especially during detention. What if she laughed at me or rejected me?"

"And what if she doesn't? If there is something I've learned in my first year in college is that girls like it when you are just honest and up front, that's how I met Mina"

Falco caught the ball again, chewing on Colt's words.

"Boys...dinner's ready!" Their mom called from the back door.

************************************************
"Gabi something wrong?" Bertholdt asked. "It's pizza night, and you've been just picking off the pepperoni"

Gabi was anxiously waiting for a text message from her friend Zofia.

"How's detention going?"

Gabi's heart started beating a bit faster, thinking about Falco.

"Uh...it's fine I guess"

"So what's the deal with your knight in shining armor?" Reiner teased.

"He's not my...knight in whatever, he's just a..."

Gabi wasn't sure what to say, were they friends now, would things be different know he was done with his detention.

"He plays soccer, and he's on the debate team, he's also really smart"

"And pretty cute" Gabi thought.

"Well he must think something of you if he was willing to skip class to vouch for your" Berthdolt said.

Gabi's phone finally vibrated. Showing a new message from Zofia. She was about to check in before Reiner cut in.

"You know the rule, no phones at the table"

"Fine" she grumbled.

************************************************
Finally away from the prying eyes of her cousin and Bertholdt, Gabi was able to check her messages.

"So I did some digging and found out from
Udo that Falco does like somebody, but he would tell me who"

Gabi stared at the screen. Not sure how she felt. A part of her was a bit exhilarated at the possibly that she might be the person Falco like. Another part of her was a bit hurt that there was a good chance it wasn't her.

It wasn't like Gabi hadn't noticed Falco before, but she never really thought she was good enough for anyone Marley Prep. Falco came from a good family as they said, and Gabi was orphan Annie.

Ok so maybe Gabi was being a bit dramatic there. But she was a fourteen year old girl, dramatic was in her DNA.

She laid back on her bed staring at the ceiling.

"Why does high school have to be so complicated?" She groaned.

**************************************************
Gabi was dreading her third day of detention. She would be cleaning Mr. Berner's classroom, and they had just finished up dissections.

As she made her way to Mr. Berner's classroom she heard a collection of voices. Her heart jumped into her throat as she recognized a voice.

"Falco"

She walked into the room to see Falco, wearing his gym clothes.

"What are you doing here? Your detention ended yesterday"

"It's did..." said Mr. Ackerman leaning against Mr. Berner's desk. "Until he not only had a uniform violation today and was late to three of his classes today"

Falco looked at his feet and just shrugged.

Gabi couldn't help but smile, she hated that he was stuck cleaning up frog guts, but was glad to spend more time with him.

The two got to work as the two teachers chatted and would occasionally keep an eye on them.

"I feel like I'm having a bad influence on you" Gabi said quietly.

"Maybe just a little"

"Falco...did...did you get in trouble on purpose?"

Falco didn't answer, but the sheepish grin and blush gave Gabi her answer.

"But why?"

"Well..." Falco thought about what his brother had said. "I...I wanted a reason to spend more time with you"

Gabi's heart began to beat fast again.

"I...I really think you seem like a really cool person who I...ya know"

"Well how about you just ask me on a date then?"

To be continued