Love Next Door [Gabriel Conte Fanfiction]

The Surgery

I rolled over in my sleep, burying my head into the blanket not feeling want to get up. From the hole I could see Gabriel was still peacefully asleep, with mouth slightly open and one of his hand was giving me a sideway hug. It was such a quiet morning, all I could hear was Gabriel breathing slowly. From last night's dinner date he decided to staying a night and lulled me, calmed me to sleep with soothing lullaby songs he sang. Call me childish, but it never failed to driving me back to sleep.

"Good morning," A raspy morning voice greeted me as I peeked out from the blanket, sighing at slightly hungover looking Gabriel, but awake.

"Morning," I sighed into the pillow, snuggled myself deeper into the blanket.

"Your surgery was scheduled for ten in the morning, right babe?" Gabriel said, his warm hands run through my hair, but didn't make me feel any better.

"Why do I feel like I'm not going today?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"People feel that sometimes," He stated, slightly sat up with straight back and helped sitting me up, "But you know you have to do this. You're hurt, Trishia. Let them help you."

"They're scary," I whined quietly, my knees were glued on my chest. Gabriel didn't say anything, he linked his arms around my body and thud me againts his adorned chest. We didn't say anything for about 10 minutes, just sat there in a total comfort silent. Gabriel knew perfectly what I always needed when the time gone hard.

"What time is it?" I asked finally breaking the silence. Gabriel glared on my digital alarm clock. "Almost seven,"

I still leaned my head on his chest, not making an eye contact but finally said, "Do I need to get dressed now?"

"I guess, if you want to."

I broke away and frowned a little, "So are you telling me that if I wanted to, I could go naked."

He laughed, we were untangling each other and his feet now dangling off the edge of my bed. "Your family's flight will arrive soon, so we need to get going." He said leaving the bed. I nodded and got up from the bed as my feet touched the cool wood of the floor and I padded over the closet, pulling out my outfit for the day, tucked my hair into a high ponytail before walking out of my room and met Gabriel on the living room.

"You ready?" He asked, putting on his navy espadrilles.

"Aren't we about to eat breakfast?" I questioned and he span around towards me, kissing my forehead, "You don't get to eat this morning so you'll have lunch when you wake up from the surgery."

"Okay then," I said as we got up in his car.

******

A friendly looking middle aged man shook my hand in the prep-room, "Hi Trishia, I'm Dr. Rodney. I'll be performing your surgery today." Gabriel, Mom, Dad and Sage, my elder brother were standing by my bed, spending the last moments with me before they wheeled me off to get my spleen removed.

"Do you have any question, or concerns?" Dr. Rodney asked, flicking through his clipboard of papers. I gulped, "Well, I have no idea what's going on and I'm concerned about everything. But uh....will it hurt?" I joked that made everyone in the room chuckled. "You will be medicated, so no. The surgery will not hurt. But afterwards, you will probably be very sore, so  be sure to stay off your feet." Dr. Rodney nodded, and I looked at Gabriel. He was smiling softly at me, but seemed nervous. "You will be okay, honey." Mom said, leaning over and pressed a light kiss on my forehead. "Yeah, there's nothing to worry about, buttercup." Sage reassured me, calling my childhood name as 'buttercup' never failed to make my day shone brightly. "Thanks, Sage." I said, smiling.

A blonde nurse came to the room, "Dr. Rodney, is she ready? The operating room is ready for her."

Everyone looked at me and I nodded, "I'm ready. Here goes nothing,"

"Alright. Mrs. Pan, you could sign this paper, then we'll be off." Dr. Rodney handed a paper to my Mom and everyone were leaving the room, but I immediately grabbed Gabriel's arm, pulling him into me. I sat straight in my bed, looking at his eyes.

"Gabriel, I'm scared." I mouthed to him, tears leaked from the corner of my eyes. I wasn't nervous. I was extremely terrified. Gabriel wiped my tears with his left thumb, and I could feel his hand trembling. He was as nervous as me.

I closed my eyes for a moment before opening them again, causing the tears leaked harder than before but Gabriel's thumb was still there, blocking the tears from my reddened cheek. Our eyes met, and suddenly we both knew what was the stares meant. It was about the time. Gabriel were leaning over, his eyes still glued on mine, and when our face just about milimeters away, he stopped,

"Can I?" He whispered, his breath slowly tickled my lips. I tried my best to ignored the chills that runs down my spine and shakily nodded. He cocked his head to the side again, both of us were closing our eyes, and gently he pressed his lips into mine. Nothing too dramatic, it was a perfect long kiss.

"Thanks," I said after we untangling eachother.

He chuckled, "For what?"

"For the kiss," I said and felt a blush broke over my cheek.

"You're welcome?" He crooked a smile and we let out a nervous chuckle. "Trishia, I'm sorry if that was awkward. That was..my first kiss."

"You're a good kisser, you know."

"What?" He questioned, raised his eyebrows and tilted his head,

"N-no, no, you know..I mean...that wasn't awkward at all! I mean-"

"Trish, you're blushing." Gabriel said, making me blushed even more. "It's alright, blushing is cute."

"Thanks,"

"For what?"

I whispered while covering my cheeks, "For loving me and always be there for me,"

"Trish, you know I love you. I love you with everything I have, my whole being, to infinity and beyond. You don't need to doubt that, I know-"

I grabbed his jaw, cut him off with a hasty kiss to his lips, silencing him. "I know," I said, a sigh of relief escape his mouth.

"Are you ready, Trishia?" The blonde nurse suddenly appeared, spoke from the door, wasn't sure how long she had stood there.

"Yes but, can I have a minute please?" Gabriel said to the nurse, one his hand was holding mine and the other hand reached out his pocket, pulling out a little velvet box.

"Wait, what?"

Holy shit.

"Don't freak out." He told me, noticing my eyes go wide, "I'm not proposing."

I sighed, nodded. We were only dating for a couple of months and we were a senior in college. There was no way we could marry yet.

Gabriel opened the box, pulling out a shiny silver ring. As Gabriel took my hand, he slipped the ring onto my finger. "I was going to give you this ring when we had our dinner last night, but somehow I found a perfect moment for that. It is today."

"Oh," I gasped, examined the ring in the light of the prep room, "This is beautiful."

"I bought you this promise ring so you'll always know that I love you forever. You like it?"

"Yeah, I love it. Thank you." Once again I pulled him into a tight hug, and neither of us bothering to let go of the hug when the blonde nurse walked into the room and wanted me to immediately join her to operating room.