Healing Gabriel (BoyxBoy)

Chapter One (G/E/G)

.Gabriel's POV.

         

"Gabriel, the guests will be here soon. Are you sure you don't wanna come down for the party?" my mother asked for the fifteenth time that day.

I shook my head, glancing at her before continuing to read my book. "I'll be fine in my room."

"If you say so. Oh, and by the way, I invited the Ricci family over, too."

"What? Why?" I gasped, sitting up from the floor and turning around to face her so fast that I almost thought I'd give myself whiplash.

"First of all, they're the new neighbors, so they're going to become part of all the other neighborhood parties--ours is their first, isn't that exciting? Secondly, you didn't exactly give them a nice 'welcome to the neighborhood' greeting. Thirdly, it would be good for them to get to know the rest of the families here. Oh, and they may bring their sons."

Panic flared up. "But, Mom--!"

"Shush, I don't want to hear it. They seem like such a sweet family, especially their youngest son. Evander, I think his name is. Anyways, please just try to behave from now on, okay, honey? Please?" She gave me a pleading look. I let out a sigh, looking down at my lap. I didn't want to be anymore of an embarrassment to her than I already was. I gave a slow nod of my head. She let out a sigh of relief; I could tell she was smiling. "Thank you, sweetheart. If you happen to change your mind about the party, a couple of families are bringing their kids around your age, too." With that, she left my room, closing the door behind her. Knowing that I wouldn't be changing my mind, I stood up from my soft yellow rug and locked the door. I then set the other two additional locks on the door, just in case. Just to be safe.

I crossed my room and dove onto my bed, which was located on the inside of the wall. Well, not in my wall--there was actually a medium-sized square cutout in the middle of my wall, which was perfect for sleeping in. Weird, huh? Not to me. It kept me encased and made me feel like I was hidden, not vulnerable and out in the open like other beds. I've always had a harder time sleeping in general; the bed made my anxiety lower the slightest bit.

As I rocked back and forth in my balled-up position, I began to feel nervous.

It had been two weeks since the day the Ricci family moved in across the street. I've been avoiding all contact with them, especially their son Evan. I never ventured anywhere near him at school. The only bad part was that he was in three of my classes: Art, chemistry and English. We also had lunch and study hall, but those weren't exactly "classes." Every single day he would always glance over at me, as if waiting for me to start having a 'spazz attack' or something. That was what the other kids at school called it. And since Evan was relatively popular due to his handsome facial features, as well as being a starter for the football team, the popular kids had most likely already filled him in on everything about me. "Everything" being how I hardly ever spoke or looked at people, how I sat alone during lunch and rarely ate, and how I panicked whenever anyone accidentally brushed against me.

Everything, except my story.

Anyways, the party that was being thrown at my house was actually a local thing my neighborhood did. Every month, one of the neighbors had a house party for the rest of the neighborhood. Everyone is supposed to bring a dish to eat or a beverage to drink. The party is mostly just for getting together, catching up on the latest gossip, learning about what's new with all the sports on TV and et cetera. I never once went to one of those parties, even if they were taking place at my own house, like today. I would simply lock myself in my room and refuse to come out until the get-together was over. Like now.