unconditional (BOOK #2) [TO BE PUBLISHED]

Chapter 20

A/N: not edited. 

Chapter 20 (Chelsea POV)

I knew it was going to be a bad day because; it was an awful night, followed by a guilty, shameful morning. At dinner I was a ball of nerves worry about the text message. As I ate I wanted to throw up, and I did not hide that very well at all. Gabriel called me on it, but when I said I was fine, he didn’t believe that either. Need to work on lying… I thought to myself. Then Jamie stepped up, and I let him lie by default.

“Chelsea, its only 20 minutes, one solo and our duet… don’t worry.” See? Lie by default. You could probably find my picture in the dictionary under guilt and shame both. Why? Gabriels reaction, it wasn’t what I was expecting.

“Oh, Chelsea, you don’t need to worry, you’ll do fine if you dance even half as well as the stuff you did last night, no one will hold a candle to you…” I nodded swallowing the lump in my throat. But his response didn’t end there… of course not.

“If it’ll make you feel better I can come with and you can just pretend I’m the only one in the room,” WHA? I examined his face and he was being sincere. I shook my head, if there were degrees of shame and guilt, 10 being the highest… I’d be a nice 11.

“Okay well, sleep on it…. Offer will still stand tomorrow,” I just nodded again. Did I say 11? I meant 15. When I finally gave up eating, just waiting for us to put Ava to sleep next, I felt a bit ready.

As Gabriels phone buzzed, he reached in his pocket to take it, “What?” he said in a cool voice.

“Damn it!” he cursed after the man on the phone said, “they won’t be able to take it tomorrow, nor can they wait.”

He growled, “Fine. I’ll be right there.” He ended the call briskly and then stood, his body stiff, “I need to handle this but I’ll be back,” if you need me call or we can talk about everything when I get back about your mom okay? He finished over the mate link, kissing me hard before he pulled away, stalking out of the room. What's worse? I sighed with glee that I had more time.

After putting Ava to bed, two stories and a song later I went to paint and dropped my phone in a dish of turpentine. Accidently of course. I as afraid of what the next text would say, so when it buzzed I was startled. Pissed off I went to bed, was restless all night, barely getting an hour of sleep.

.

.

The drive too school could only be described as morose. I remained quiet, my stomach churning for a different reason all together. I danced for myself an audience was not needed. I always danced with my whole self. Never slacked or avoided training. It took dedication, and there was something about the way-

“You could drop the class Chelsea,” Gabe interrupted my internal disdain. “You have enough credits to graduate right?” he posed.

“No I can’t Jamie is my partner and he doesn’t have the credits to graduate… he’s- I wont do that too him.”

‘Well,” he started off clueless and stuck with no alternatives.

“Exactly,” I mumbled looking out the winder my body oozing with dread. “Sweetheart,” he said his leg shaking.

“I’m not sure if I’m remembering correctly but I believe that Madeline is in this class,” and the other shoe finally dropped.

It shouldn’t have been a big deal but I tensed, the idea of dancing for her indirectly even made me uncomfortable.

“I wont let anything happen to you Chelsea, nor will Jack or Violet,” he said.

“it’s not that, my safety isn’t the issue, it just, I can’t get away from them, they are everywhere…”