Gabriella lives a beyond perfect life with her mom, her sister and her boyfriend of two years. She's finally at a place in her life where she is happy. Nothing has, and nothing will go wrong.
However, after finding out some devastating news, Gabrie...
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I was a lot happier when I arrived back at the house after having been to Floras, and spending the rest of the evening at the park, away from Caleb completely.
Even though Flora and I had made up, I was never going to forget what she had done to me, and she knew that.
I just wanted everything to be good between Caleb and I already; it's had been long enough. One minute he's sweet and actually somewhat kind to me, and the next moment, he seems like the sarcastic, horrible boy that arrived at our school in handcuffs.
Walking back home, the winds were blowing heavier and the air was becoming colder and I knew I needed to really start wearing coats and jackets when it got like this. My hands were shivering and my lips were turning purple at the temperature.
Food was the last thing on my mind and I just wanted to get to bed and sleep off the hangover that had been clouding over my mind all day.
However, someone like Caleb, who is probably immune to hangovers by now, can continue his day like normal whilst the less fortunate ones like me are stuck in bed with pills, sick buckets and water.
Walking inside the house, it was all clean except the few trash bags outside the front door, which were filled with red cups and alcohol, with a pungent smell of cigarettes omitting from it.
"Well done guys," I shouted as I walked in to see Clara and Kylie lying on the sofa with a blanket in between them and a Netflix show playing on the tv. I hated to admit that I was insanely jealous and actually excited to get back up to my room and into bed.
They both nodded and smiled before I walked slowly upstairs to my room where I changed into some comfier clothes than what I was currently in. I had no clue where Caleb was but at this point, I didn't really care. I was too hungover to worry about his whereabouts.
Turning on the television, I switched to Netflix and blindly voted between Gossip Girl and The Vampire Diaries. I suddenly landed on Gossip Girl as I began playing the episode about Chuck and Blair not admitting that they love each other.
Like usual.
Not realising it, I got to halfway though the episode when my eyes fell closed. The hangover had finally taken over and I drifted asleep, just what I had been wanting since I woke up this morning.
• • •
My eyes were practically stuck together when I finally woke up. I searched frantically for my phone until I found it and pulled it up to where I could see it. The screen immediately turned on to reveal the time.
"Shit!" I shouted as I realised that I had slept a lot longer than I had ever intended to. It was late morning and I had fallen asleep rather early last night. At least my hangover had completely disappeared.
Light was bursting through the windows with the curtains open. I mentally scolded myself for not closing them when I fell asleep.
I stood up and noticed Mike and Katherine's car was now parked on the drive, signalling that they were home after their weekend at their beach house. I had hoped that someone in the house had moved the trash bags last night, otherwise we were totally screwed.
I could hear quiet talking downstairs but it wasn't loud enough for me to actually hear what they were talking about. Walking downstairs, Caleb, Mike and Katherine were sitting on the couch, talking about the weekend.
"We just hung out and ate pizza." Caleb told them and I was rather surprised that they couldn't smell the abhorrent smell of alcohol and cigarettes still present in the air.
"Gabby!" Mike shouted out as he noticed me coming down the stairs. I smiled back at them and sat next Caleb as they continued to talk about what they did at the beach house and how nice it was to be there.
"So, did you have a good weekend?" Katherine asked me as I smiled and looked over at Caleb, forgetting that I wasn't on good terms with him. He simply smirked back and looked to his parents.
"It was great," I smiled and felt a small nudge from Caleb. I had to hold myself together to stop myself from laughing. I never thought we would get away with it, but here we were. Katherine was smiling to Mike before she looked back to the both of us.
Katherine immediately pulled herself up and began making brunch for all of us. Mike helped as Caleb and I sat down opposite them, talking about their weekend again and how school was at the moment.
"Clara, Kylie, can you come down here please?" Katherine shouted up the stairs as I played with the fork in front of me. Mike was currently talking sports with Caleb as I was in my own little world.
They both walked slowly down the stairs and sat at the table with us. "We have some important news," thinking it was going to be about my mom, I gulped back any lumps that were sitting in my throat.
"We have someone who will be staying with us for a few weeks," Katherine told us as she smiled at all of us. We all looked between each other as I heard the trunk being closed of a car outside the house.
Mike grinned as he went over to the door and greeted whoever was on the other side. A tall, dark, familiar figure stepped through the door and my stomach immediately sunk.
"Jake?" Caleb spoke in an angered voice. I rested my hand on his shoulder as Jake smirked back at all of us, looking like he knew something nobody else did.
"Its nice to see you too, bother." He said to Caleb as I felt his body tense beneath my hand. "Hey Clara," she also looked rather nervous at seeing Jake at the door. However, I could only concentrate on the sinister smile on his lips as he looked over at Kylie and I.
"And who might you two be?" I swallowed as I realised that he knew who I was. He had spoken about me when I first met him at the party that he beat up Caleb. I already knew he was a horrible person, and I didn't need to spend time in a house with him to know that.
"I'm Gabriella, and this is Kylie," he smirked at me again whilst I spoke, making me feel even more uncomfortable than I already was.
• • •
Storming up to my room after the long and extremely awkward silence, I shut the door and sat down on my bed. I felt more sympathy for Caleb, knowing that he would have to stay in the same house as his lying older brother.
However, a small knock sounded at my door as I rested my head in my hands. "Hey, mind if I come in?" Jake asked as he opened the door.
No.
He walked in anyway and casually sat next to me, putting his hand on my thigh. "Get off," I shoved his hand away and shuffled a little to form a distance between us.
"So what about you and your wife thinking that Caleb was stalking you?" I asked with a questioning glare. If he hated Caleb's presence so much, he wouldn't be here to slowly torture him.
"That was a lie, but I'm sure your boyfriend told you that whole story," I held my anger to myself and gritted my teeth. My fingernails dug into my palms as I turned away from, not even wanting to look at the evil person in front of me, someone who felt a thrill from lying about and beating on his younger brother.
"He's not my boyfriend," I argued back as he smirked knowingly. I wanted to push him away and get him out of my room, but I was planted in my place and I couldn't move.
"You know he likes you, don't you?" The rhetorical question kept my voice silent. Caleb didn't like me. He wouldn't bring home a million girls and sneak them in if he liked me. He wouldn't dare.
Smirking again, he patted my shoulder and walked towards the door. "I'm in the upstairs room if you need me," he waved behind as he strutted out, closing the door leaving me in complete silence.
Turning on Netflix for the second time, I laid back on my bed to think and keep myself calm. I hated the fact that he was here. As much as Caleb annoyed me, I would never wish something like this on him. It's torture.
