Face the Music

Chapter 16

"What're you doing here?" Gabe snarled at me, as soon as the door swung open. The initial shock that had been apparent on his face was now replaced by pure fury. He didn't like that I opened his girlfriend's front door. Frankly, I didn't blame him.

"I might ask you the same question." I said. I tried not to roll my eyes at his designer khaki shorts, or his fancy surfer boy tank top. It was difficult for me.

"I need to talk to Ella," Gabe said, making a move to push past me through the door. I didn't move my body from the doorway.

"Now's not a good time. We're a little busy." I said, coldly. "Mind coming back later?"

"Listen, asshole. You have no idea what's going on here, and I need to see Ella right now!" Gabe's voice was louder now, and I knew Ella heard him when her voice said,

"Gabe?"

I rolled my eyes and loosened my grip on the door, which I'd been holding halfway closed. Gabe glared at me and shoved the door open, storming past me into the house. He made a beeline for Ella, who'd made her way into the kitchen. Gabe put a hand on either side of Ella's face.

"Jesus, Ella." He whispered, his thumbs brushing her bruised cheeks. His eyes moved up and down her body and took in the other visible bruises. He spun to face me, pushing Ella behind his body in a fierce protective stance. "You!" He snarled and pointed his finger at me. "You did this!"

I stared at him incredulously. "Come again?" I asked.

"Just look at her! How do you live with yourself? Don't the bruises bother you?"

I kept my face blank. "Of course they do. That's why I'm here. I don't want her to get hurt again."

"That's funny considering you're the one who hurt her in the first place!" He yelled, his voice full of contempt.

"Gabe, don't..." Ella said, trying to calm him down.

He spun on her. "Ella! Don't protect him! He doesn't deserve it! Whatever you see in this asshole, I promise you that it's not worth it." He held her cheeks again, and whispered. "I promise that it's not worth this."

"Gabe, I'm not protecting him." She said seriously. "He didn't do this to me. You know that I'd never be with someone who hurt me like this."

"Actually, Gabe," I said sarcastically. "Funny you should bring up her bruises because I think it was your best buddy Joel that gave them to her."

Gabe glanced at me, but then turned back to Ella, talking to her as if I wasn't in the room. "We need to talk. Can you get rid of him?"

"Yeah, uh, I can still hear you, and I'm staying," I said obnoxiously from across the kitchen. I leaned casually against the wall.

"It's okay, Gabe. He knows everything."

Gabe's eyes widened, and he looked at me, shocked. "Everything?" He asked.

She nodded and said, "All of it."

I was suddenly confused. "Uhh... I don't think I know everything," I said, eyeing the two of them.

"How'd he figure it out?" Gabe asked, ignoring my presence.

Ella glanced at me, and took a hesitant breath. She was trying to decide how much she could tell him about me. I stepped closer, not wanting Gabe to find out too much about my life. I still didn't trust him, even though Ella seemed to.

"I have my resources," I said. "Now will someone please explain to me what the hell is going on?"

"Gabe and I knew each other in middle school," Ella said. "After my mom died, I ran. She knew that Loretto would come for her, and probably for me, too, and she told me that if he ever did come I'd have to run. So I left behind everything and everyone that I knew. Changed my name, my address - anything that could help him find me, and I hitched rides randomly until I ended up in Seattle. I was sixteen and I had no money. I went door to door, asking to do small jobs for anything that people would give me."