Gabriel & Athena, Book One: Fate (A Wattpad Featured Story)

CHAPTER 14: HEAD VS. HEART

Chapter Soundtrack - Chapter 14: "What If" by Coldplay AND "The Safest Place" by Sade

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            The next two months left no doubts in my mind about the power of fate.  What else could have changed my life in the most profound way in such a short span of time?  Instead of spending most of my free time reading or surfing the net, I was now making up excuses to meet Gabe at the cabin.  We could usually swing two to three times a week without anyone being the wiser.  

            I can't imagine there was one piece of my history and present life he didn't know about as his questions and curiosity were endless.  I tried to pry just as much out of him, but he seemed more guarded about his past, telling me that who he was before was irrelevant.  We avoided talking about the future, which I didn't mind because it wasn't something I had to think about.  Although his future was all kinds of shades of grey, mine was now black and white.  Until the day I died, I would be in love with Gabriel Valente.  No one else would ever conquer my heart the way he quickly had.  I wanted to tell him how I felt, but being open about my feelings was definitely not one of my superpowers.  It was so easy to talk to him and tell him my thoughts about all types of subjects, but this was different.  This was so much more important than anything I had told him before. 

            My relationship with my parents was better, or so they thought.  They had no idea I was still seeing Gabe and there were times when I felt stabs of guilt for deceiving them.  However, those faded quickly when I thought of how they had forbidden me to see him without even meeting him first.  Although their intentions may have been to keep me safe, they should have trusted my judgments more.  I was still extremely angry with Nathan.  His betrayal had hurt me the most.  We barely spoke to each other.  The worst part about it was he had never apologized.  He walked around as if he had performed some great act of kindness, almost as if I should be begging him for his forgiveness.  As if that would ever happen.  Gabe and I made sure to stay far away from each other at school.  I knew Nathan was watching and didn't want to stir the pot unnecessarily.

            Before I knew it, April was here.  The walks to and from the cabin became a lot more enjoyable due to the rise in temperature.  Sometimes Gabe and I would venture out into the woods, needing a change of scenery.  On the weekends, we'd have picnics near a small pond, lying out on a blanket and closing our eyes, warm sunshine falling on us.  We wouldn't stay out for too long, fearing someone might find us.  The spring weather would now be bringing more hikers into the forest, which meant Gabe and I no longer met up in the parking area.  He'd head to the cabin first and I'd meet him there.  If it was dark when we left, then we'd walk back together.  Otherwise, I'd head back home first. 

            I still parked my car at Gretchen's and most times just walked to and from her house to the forest.  I hated for her to go out of her way to drop me off and pick me up, although she never complained.  She had been my saving grace throughout this whole situation.  I hated dragging Gretchen into my lies, but my parent's refusal to see me as an adult had left me with little to no options.  They were treating me like a child, but here I was, only a few days away from becoming eighteen.   I would soon be allowed to vote for who would run our country, but I still wasn't allowed to choose who to spend my own time with.  

            As I left my shift at Robertson's Tuesday night, I kept thinking about the previous Sunday afternoon I had spent with Gabe and groaned at the thought of not being able to spend time with him again for a full week.  I was working Wednesday and Thursday night.  I had Friday night off but it was my birthday, which meant I'd be having the obligatory dinner with my family at Calhoun's.  Gretchen had some surprise for me the following day.  All I knew is she was picking me up at noon and I was spending the entire day with her, which meant Sunday would be the first opportunity I would have to see Gabe.  He didn't seem too upset, saying he was also busy helping his mom with a project all week.  He didn't go into any details and his vagueness had peaked my curiosity, but I didn't press the issue.  I was more concerned with trying to find a way to survive the next several days.