Kisses after midnight (WICKED #0) | ✓

11

IT WAS FRIDAY BEFORE she knew it. Honestly, with all the focusing on trying to get Sahar and Jay not to cause too much trouble and studying, Gabriela felt like she had almost no time to herself. She even had hesitated for a moment about coming to this party, the idea of having a good night's sleep for once sounding way too tempting, but she had rejected that idea as quickly as it came.

Sleep-deprived or not, there was no way she would skip St Joseph's party of the year.

Well, not like Mateo would allow her to anyway. He had been excited for it all week, in that cute way he always got for these things.

So here she was, getting ready in her room with Penelope, who had for once put her golden hair down from the messy buns it was always in. With her large hoops, gray crop top and baby blue flared pants she looked like a dream straight from the nineties, a stark contrast against Gabriela's skintight, crimson jumpsuit. They were just putting the last bit of makeup on when Mateo jumped through the window, causing Penelope to flinch in surprise.

Mateo's eyes widened immediately as he raised his hands in an apologetic movement.

"Sorry, Pen," he said," I know you're quick to scare."

"Don't apologize, Mateo," Penelope smiled," it's not like I'm a frightened, little bird. And I'm sure you just couldn't contain yourself when you thought about meeting your Juliet."

"You are right," Mateo said as he let himself fall dramatically to his knees, grasping Gabriela's hands in his. "What would I do without you, my fair Juliet?"

Gabriela raised an eyebrow, Mateo's cheeky grin making it so that for a second she almost believed he would truly be lost without her. A phone went off then and Penelope took it out of her pocket, her eyes lighting up once she saw who was calling.

"Just a moment, it's Imani," she said, humming happily as she went to the hallway to pick up.

The door clicked shut behind her and Gabriela expected Mateo to let her go, but when he didn't, she frowned at him. Usually this was the part where he stopped joking around. She glanced down then, the sight making her heart flutter just a bit. His hands covered hers completely, the lipstick she had been applying the only thing between their palms. The callouses on his were comforting, familiar in that way only he was. When she looked up from their intertwined hands, she noticed he was staring at her.

"What's wrong?" she said.

It was like her words broke the spell he was under. He pulled his hands back, though he didn't try to put any distance between them. His hand brushed across her cheek then, before his thumb trailed across her red-tinted lips. Normally she would've scolded him for smearing her lipstick out, but somehow she couldn't get the words across her lips.

When the doorknob turned he was immediately on his feet though. He was already heading towards the window, but she grabbed his wrist to stop him.

"Where are you going?" she said.

"I just came to say I'm heading out," he said, his head turned away from her towards the window," I'll be setting everything up with the boys."

Penelope walked in then, eyes widening when she saw them. Mateo still didn't turn though and when Gabriela let him go, he jumped through the window on a branch in a fluid move. She watched him go, before continuing to apply her lipstick.

"How did you do that?" Penelope said amazedly.

"What?"

"Make Mateo blush."

Gabriela blinked, before shaking her head. "You probably saw it wrong. Mateo doesn't blush."

"And yet he was red to his ears," Penelope smiled.