He Caught Her Eye (Caught #1)[UNEDITED]

3

RIANA GARCIA

"He's not dead!" I shouted at Marla with tears streaming on my face, shaking my head, refusing to accept the news. Marla just stared at me, her hands shaking and her eyes red. I didn't dare to go near her. "Tell me you're joking."

"I wish I was, Ri." She answered solemnly, her voice cracking. "He's gone."

"No he's not."

She went near me and hugged me. "I wish he wasn't."

"Stop saying that!" I snapped, wiggling out of her embrace. Then I screamed and screamed. My sister joined me frantically. And when we no longer had strong voices, we wept.

~~~

What does one do on a Saturday?

"Let's see..." I type down Drake McCoral and after a few seconds, his profile appears. It's been days since his confession and gesture and I still haven't gotten over him. And that kiss. My first kiss. I click it and see that we're already friends in Facebook, although I do not remember adding him or him adding me. I view some of his pictures and can't help but smile when I see some photogenic photos of him.

One image catches my eye, which is a picture a certain Pablo McCoral tagged him in and five others. I check who else besides Drake has been tagged and see the names V McCoral, Casey G. McCoral, Gino McCoral, Lena McCoral and Ivy McCoral.

That's a lot of kids.

The picture contains six people sitting on a long expensive looking couch, and a man and a woman standing on both sides. The one seated on the right looks like a much more matured version of Drake, who I believe is his older brother. Next to his older brother is a girl with red hair and green eyes, who I'm assuming is his older sister. Next to her is Drake, who has a goofy smile on his face. I then see a little girl seated on Drake's lap wearing violet glasses. Her curly golden brown hair reaches her shoulders.  Then there's a teenage boy wearing a smug look on his face, his brown eyes glowing, looking like the eldest among the six of them.

The man who isn't seated down looks strict and powerful. He has chinky hazel eyes and sparkling golden brown hair, the gel standing out. I'm pretty sure the man is his father. The woman standing on the other side is wearing a simple violet dress, looking pretty elegant in it. She has beautiful red hair and green eyes. I zoom in each of their faces, I mean, why not? It's normal, right? The woman is carrying a boy who looks less than five years old, who has really chinky eyes. There is also one girl who has her brown hair very short, and her smile so big, hiding behind the man.

"He has so many siblings," I purse my lips. I suddenly feel like a creepy stalker, but curiosity swims within me. I read the caption.

Last family picture before I leave for Verlan. Thank you mom Casey G. McCoral and dad V McCoral. Gonna miss my siblings.

So Casey is Drake's mother, and V is Drake's father.

After a few minutes of viewing profiles, I finally got my answers. Drake has six siblings, and he's the fourth child. They're seven children all in all. Lena is the eldest among them who works in a travel agency, followed by Pablo who's in college. After Pablo comes Gino, who's a freshman in college. Then there's Drake, who is still in high school. The little girl on his lap namely Ivy is twelve years old. Then there's Ice, who's apparently the youngest and is the boy in the image his mom is carrying. I don't know how old Ice is, he has no Facebook account (which is totally understandable). Then there's a girl hiding behind the man is named Lina — the second to the youngest child.