Crystal Clear

Chapter Thirteen

"I'm okay. Dad's just been missing and we're at the hospital because of grandma," I tell her. "Okay. Don't panic. I'm on my way," she tells me. For some reason, that sent a wave of relief through me. I just feel better knowing an adult is on their way and can deal with this, since I really have no idea what I'm supposed to do. Hopefully she'll make the cops leave. I don't want to see my dad end up arrested or something. He really hasn't been gone that long in reality, it's just because of the whole thing. I should call Dee too, but I can't push myself to.

Chanelle bursts through the doors to the waiting room. I feel better instantly. She hugs me and Matty first. Then she goes over to the receptionist's desk. After nearly forty minutes, she comes back over to us.

"We are allowed to leave. Thank you, officer," she glances at Wilbur as she says that. Moe picks up Matty and follows us out to Chanelle's car.

"Thank you so much," I say to her.

"Don't worry about it. I really hope Dave is alright. That's what's important. I'll come back to the house with you guys..."

"You don't have to,"
"It's fine, really, Gabriela. I'll meet you guys there."
"Uh, actually Gabriela... actually I'm just going to go to football practice. I'll run late, if that's okay with you?"

"Yeah, totally, it's fine Moe. Thanks for everything," he kisses me gently on my forehead and I hug him. He takes out his wallet, handing me a fifty.
"What is this?"

"Just in case you need it... I don't know, for you or Matty. I don't want you to feel weird asking Chanelle for anything," he says softly. I look him in the eyes and feel like I could be with this man forever. He is everything to me. Fortunately, I don't need any of his money.

"It's fine. I don't need it. My mom gave me some before I left but thanks anyways," I urge him to take it and to go. He rolls his eyes then kisses me softly on my cheek then straps Matty in the back of Chanelle's car and tells us he'll be back in a couple of hours. I thank him again.

I get into the passenger seat of Chanelle's car. She tells me how sorry she is about my grandma and about the whole thing with my dad, she's totally confused too. She asks if it's okay if we stop to open the bakery. I say it's fine. Even though that's the last thing I want to do. I just want to go home already.

We go inside the bakery, I give Matty my phone to play on as he sits miserably waiting to go home, anxious. I help Chanelle set up and open. I really feel no inclination to help, but I can't just leave her. So I make it as quick as possible, do what she asks and until Ray comes in and takes over. Thankfully.

Chanelle tells the cooks we're leaving, to cover the register and she'll be back in a few hours. They oblige. We finally get to leave. Matty seems agitated but I don't make any comments. I just need a nap. I feel completely drained, empty inside. Too much has been happening lately to feel anything else besides that.

Once we're home, I note that my dad is still not. It's nearly ten in the morning. It's unbelievable. I don't get how he could just abandon his family like this. As though we don't need him. That's completely wild. Totally unacceptable. I wonder where the hell he could be. Any day now he might just pop back up. Is he okay? Is he hurt? The waiting is killing me.

I lay down on the couch and try to preoccupy myself on my phone. My mind drifts to the past, to Jersey, to the memories with my friends. To be completely honest, I do love my school. I love my friends. My family. In Jersey I am known as a bitch in high school. I don't let anyone mess with me, or my friends. I'm an entitled person, admittedly, I guess. I'm mean and people fall in line, that's how they react. When I'm nice, they stomp all over me. They try to take advantage. I guess it's one of the reasons I'm beginning to...I don't know...like it here. It's a new start.

It's not that I don't know I'm spoiled, or an elitist, really. I do. My mom raised me right and because of that, I know my worth. I know who is beneath me. I just think at school I was labeled as someone not to mess around with, due to my money, my mom and everything else that comes with it. It's been like that since elementary school, it's really not my fault.

From such an early age, my peers treated me like I was royalty. I got used to it. I guess, I guess you could say that I'm conditioned that way, if you really want to psycho-analyze me, psycho. Like I was always the coolest person there, always the person that they would look forward to my arrival. I just took advantage of it, I capitalized on it and that's how I gained my popularity. My mom said it's a lion's world out here. And well... that's how I started living my fake life, with fake friends, fake looks and I hate to say this, a fake boyfriend.

I was twelve when I met Tony. I felt changed. I definitely was a nicer person. But knowing that he played me, it hurt. It hurt a lot. In the beginning, when I first found out, I kept breaking up with him and going back to him because I always felt like I don't know... I needed him. And how cute would it sound, middle school sweethearts? Knowing your soulmate from such a young age. I wanted that. I felt dependent on him. But afterwards, after the official breakup, to know that I got through all that with no problem, it amazes me. I was crazy about Tony for almost four years. To know I got through the tornado that was him, it amazes me to this day. It's an accomplishment.

What sucks is that my mom, Dee, my other friends, peers and even Tony's best friend warned me about Tony. I was so stupid. I thought I knew better. To believe him and be so into a person like that, is dangerous. It dangers your spirit. Yeah that feeling, you know the one. When you know he likes you back, it's great, it's a high and then when it comes crashing down... it hurts. More than can be put into words. That's why I don't ever want to fall so hard like that. But... Tony didn't fall in love with the real me. He fell in love with my exterior. With who I once was. He never actually looked within me, to my real self, he never knew my sense of humor or my wit. He never bothered to look.

But... but here I find myself with Moe. And Moe... Moe likes it. He likes me, I think. And even though I have a bad reputation in Jersey, it doesn't mean that has to follow me here. Maybe I can stick with one guy, who is everything to/for me. Just maybe. 

I wish I could clear my brain of Tony. But...but for some reason, he still keeps getting into my head. Ruining my spirit. Ruining me. Crystal Boyd.

I'm still trying to shed Crystal. But she'll never go away... it's like she's a part of me.

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I APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO TAKES THE TIME TO READ GABBYS STORY<33 (Sorry for yelling, I'm excited)!

Do you ever feel like you have different personalities? Like you have to act different, depending on who you're around?

- Eleni