Valentin and Rojo | ✓

seventeen (2nd draft)

Xavier

I was pushing past people, all of them giving me dirty looks. I didn't care. God, why are so many people here? My heart was ready to jump out of my chest. Finally, I got to the front door. I whipped it open and went outside; frantically searching for Adriana. But there was absolutely no one in sight.

Gabriel. She said "Gabriel". Oh fucking hell, this is all my fault. I'm such a fucking idiot. I can't believe I left her alone. I had one fucking job to do.

I had to find my father.

I went back inside and scoured the room for him. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him talking to Isabella. I made my way to him, pushing past people.

"Dad. I need to talk to you right now," I rushed in a quiet but urgent voice.

"Son.. what's wrong?"

I grabbed his arm and pulled him away from Isabella. I probably looked insane. "We have to go right now."

"Where's Adriana?" he asked.

"I think she's with Gabriel."

His face immediately turned white, his eyes widened. "What do you mean... she's with Gabriel?"

"I left for a second - one second - and I saw her leave with this fucked up dude. She was crying and she mouthed 'Gabriel' to me." I ran my hand through my hair. This was all my goddamn fault. There was no saying what he was going to do to her.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! We have to go. Now."

We hurried out of the mansion. A million questions were running through my mind. How the fuck did he even get here? You needed an invitation. Wait...

"Father... wait!" He was already stepping inside the car. I had to be right.

Please let me be right.

"What?!"

"I need to go back inside, just give me a second!"

I went back inside, despite my father yelling at me to come back. I weaved through the crowd to find Isabella. I saw her drinking and laughing with God knows who.

"Isabella, can I talk to you for a second?" I asked her politely.

"Yes, of course," she replied. "Excuse me for a second." She excused herself from the man next to her.

I pulled her aside and asked, "Do you know a Gabriel?" Even saying his name made my blood boil.

"Gabriel, Gabriel, Gabriel," she clicked her tongue. "Ah yes, Gabriel! Gabriel Romano. Why do you ask?"

"How do you know him?" I inquired, I sounded like an interrogator.

"He's a friend of Francisco's. He actually helped with the invitations. Such a nice man." Francisco was Isabella's brother. I never liked him. He was always involved in some type of shady shit. He was such a chismoso, the nosiest one out of everyone. I wasn't surprised to hear that he was friends with Gabriel.

"This might sound a tad bit strange, but do you happen to know where he lives?"

"Actually, yes I do. Why do you need it?"