When I'm with you

Chapter 10

"I wonder if they're dating."

Even I wondered about that too.

"I hope they're not," Jane said. "I mean, it's Cindy. The bitchy Captain of the Cheerleading squad. Just hearing her name makes me want to rip her hair."

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As soon as I got home I locked myself in my room, still thinking about what Chad had said. What if they were really dating? If they weren't, why would Gab sit at their table? Arrgh! I was overthinking again.

My mind couldn't stop thinking no matter what I did so I decided to go for a swim. I grabbed my swim wear and headed to the swimming pool. Though it was fall and the weather was cold, our pool had a heater inside so there were no worries.

I quickly jumped into the pool. I splashed myself in the water and started to do some floating. I still couldn't explain why I felt so calm everytime I was in the water. My problems seemed to go away whenever I felt its chill. I let myself sink to bottom of the pool and started thinking, but in just a minute I rose up to gasp for air. I couldn't stop myself from wishing that my father was Poseidon (sorry Dad), so I could be like Percy Jackson and breathe underwater.

After I cleared my mind, I immediately got out of the pool. I change into my pajamas and layed in bed until Mom called for me for dinner.

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Jane and I were making our way to the cafeteria. We had the same class before lunch so we decided to go together. Both of us were wondering if Gab was going to sit with us or with bitchy Cindy and friends. I wanted to tell Jane about what happened yesterday but it felt like it wasn't the right time.

When we reached the cafeteria, both of us were surprised when we saw Gab sitting at our usual table. Somehow I felt relieved, and hoped he wasn't mad at me anymore. Jane dashed off to where Gab was and left me (again), but I followed her right away. When we sat at our table Chad immediately told us the reason why Gab hadn't joined us yesterday, though it made me wonder why Chad was the one explaning instead of Gab.

"Cindy invited him to sit with them yesterday and my brother, being the sweet, kind and chivalrous gentleman he is, couldn't reject a maiden so he agreed to it." Chad started. "She also said that she'd feel happy if Gab was going to sit with them even just for a day."

"Hey! Why are you making it sound like she likes me?" Gab whined.

"Duh! Because it's obvious that she likes you!" Chad said back.

"Yeah, the way her hand patted your shoulder while she was giggling like a little girl and how she acted so feminine and all, it made me sick! She was obviously flirting." Jane agreed.

"Were you guys watching with us?" Gab asked, but both of them quickly averted their eyes and acted like they didn't hear him. Gab then turned to me but I refused to look at him. I was still worried about our fight yesterday. Jane and Chad watched us and probably felt the tension in the air. Gab and I silently ate our lunch without looking at each other while Chad and Jane's eyes darted back and forth, wondering what had happened.

My mind was flying when I made my way to the parking lot. We didn't have our practice today so I decided to go home. Jane was waiting for me in her car, her back leaning on the door of the passenger's seat. When I reached the car Jane didn't move. Instead she crossed her arms and raised her right eyebrow. (How come everyone's able to raise their eyebrow while I can't?) Then I realized a similar scene had happened not too long ago. The feeling of déjà vu was overwhelming.

"Perhaps, you have something to tell me?" Jane said.

I growled inside of my head. I wasn't in the mood to talk about it but I knew Jane, she could be persistent when she wanted. So before she could whine I told her everything about what happened yesterday. Her mouth was hanging the whole time I told her the story.

"What?! You fought?!" She asked with her eyes widening.

"Yes? I guess? Maybe? I don't know. After I explained everything to him he just left and now he's not talking to me."

"Are you out of your mind? You guys haven't talked yet about your past and now you're already fighting?! C'mon Anne! Do something about it!"

"But it's not my fault! He's the one who got angry and all! And it's also not my fault I accepted Michael's apology, right?" I hoped Jane would say that it wasn't my fault so I wouldn't feel guilty anymore.

"Well, yes, it wasn't your fault that you forgave him, like, you shouldn't feel guilty about that... BUT you decided to act on your own and tell Michael that you and Gab broke up without any notice. You should've consulted him first! Is that your way of showing gratitude after he saved your sorry ass by pretending to be your 'boyfriend'?!"

I felt like a big arrow had struck my heart and it wouldn't stop bleeding. So, it was my fault after all? My vision blurred. I was about to cry, but I tried not to let the tears fall. Jane saw my sad face so she patted my back with her hand.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. I guess that was too harsh." She apologized.

"No, it's okay. At least now I finally realized that it was my fault. I guess I'll apologize tomorrow."

Jane moved aside and opened the car. I got inside and sat on the passenger's seat while Jane  sat on the driver's seat. But before she could start the engine, she noticed someone that made her stop what she was doing.

"I guess, you can do it now." Jane muttered.

"What?" I asked.

Then she pointed Gab who was making his way toward us. My jaw dropped when I saw him and my heart started beating really fast. Jane and I quickly got out of the car. Gab was out of breath when he reached us but he looked relieved. Then he let out a deep sigh and spoke.

"Anne, can I talk to you?"

My heart was beating so fast that it made it hard to breathe. I didn't know how to react, if I was going to smile or what. But I knew I was happy that Gab wanted to talk to me.

I nodded. Then I looked at Jane who gave me a you-can-do-it face. Though I looked calm, deep inside I was hyperventilating.

"You can go ahead. I'll drive her home." Gab said to Jane. I wasn't sure but I thought I saw Jane smile like a proud mama.

We watched Jane leaving while Gab and I just stood there. I glanced up to see his face: he looked uneasy, but I was glad that the scary intensity from before was gone from his eyes. This time I didn't avoid eye contact with him, looking straight at his green eyes while waiting for him to speak. Gab was scratching the back of his head like he was thinking about what to say. He wasn't looking at me, he was staring at the ground. After a minute he finally spoke.

"I am so sorry," he said. "I'm really sorry for yelling at you and getting mad at you. I'm just, um, worried about you that's why I said those things."

He snuck a peek at me and was surprised to see me looking at him. He probably expected me to avoid his gaze like I always did.

"I'm sorry too. I should've asked you first about the break-up thing before I told Michael. I was planning to tell you during lunch but things turned into a mess and I couldn't talk to you  properly about it."

I managed to tell him that while looking at him, eye to eye. I felt relieved that we talked in such a calm manner as opposed to the yelling contest we had the last time we talked.

"You know, when I saw your frightened face at that time, I really wanted to punch Michael.. but just like you, I didn't want any trouble. That's why I panicked when I saw you together this morning, I thought he was trying to hurt you again.. and honestly, I was about punch him, good thing I controlled myself. And then when he told me about us breaking up, I got pissed. That's why even after you explained everything to me, I still felt anxious. I just really wanted to protect you because..."

he stopped for a while, hesitating. "because you are my friend."

I stopped for a minute, musing on what he had said. He said that I was his friend! My childhood friend who was gone for nine years finally acknowledged me as his friend, again! I felt so happy that I couldn't speak. It overwhelmed my heart so much that it felt like it was going to beat right out of my chest.

"Thanks Gab, for being there for me. You're a great friend." I said with a huge grin on my face.