Gabriel & Athena, Book One: Fate (A Wattpad Featured Story)

CHAPTER 4: INTENTIONS

            I started scolding myself.  I was stronger than this, and I was definitely capable of having lunch with another person.  Only that's when I realized Gabriel Valente wasn't just another person.  He had somehow become more than that to me in the short amount of time I had known him.  Intuitively, I knew that once I opened the door and walked inside, nothing in my life was ever going to be the same.  There were suddenly a hundred different voices in my head.  I could hear Gretchen squealing, "What are you waiting for!  For once in your life, do something wild and crazy.  Make me proud!"  Then there were the other girls who had vied for Gabriel's attention saying, "Go ahead, walk in there and make a fool of yourself.  Do you actually think the gorgeousness that is Gabriel Valente could actually be interested in mousy little Athena Thorpe?"  In the background was Jackson's haunting laugh.   Even my mother had made her way into the imaginary conversation with her sage advice, "Just remember, you can't go back.  You can never go back."

            I silenced my uninvited guests and pulled open the door, letting it swing shut behind me as I walked into the library.  I headed in the direction of my couch, assuming that's where he would be waiting.  As I passed rows of bookshelves and turned the corner, I stopped in my tracks.  Up ahead was the couch I had sat in everyday...and it was empty.  Gabriel wasn't there.  I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach as I slowly arrived at the couch.  Though my initial thought was that I had been unceremoniously stood up, I didn't want to hastily jump to conclusions.  Maybe he was somewhere else.  I removed his note from my back pocket.  It clearly stated same time, same place so the couch had to be where he was referring to.  I contemplated walking around to look for him, but my body seemed weighed down by the possibility that I had once again made the wrong decision when it came to a boy.

            "I was wondering when you were going to show up," said a familiar voice to my left.

            I turned my head to see Gabriel standing a few feet away from me.  "You're actually here," I stated, surprised and relieved at the same time. 

            His hands started sliding over his chest and face.  "What do you know, I am here," he exclaimed, shaking his head with wonder.

            I smiled, chastising myself for assuming his invitation was anything but genuine.

            "I'm the one who asked you to meet me here, goddess.  Where else would I be?" he asked, tilting his head to the side and staring at me with curious eyes.

            "Um...I...well I walked in and saw the empty couch...and I just assumed that...."  My voice trailed off as I looked away from him, suddenly feeling very foolish.

            "You assumed what?"

            "Your note said same time, same place so I assumed you'd be waiting at the couch, but when I didn't see you, I just figured..."  I stopped speaking again, not able to finish confessing what I had thought.

            He took a few steps towards me.  "Do you always think the worst of people?" he asked quietly.

            "No," I said quickly.  "Look, I know I shouldn't have jumped to the wrong conclusions but...."

            "This has something to do with why you hide, doesn't it?" he asked, crossing his arms across his chest.  He was wearing khakis and a brown button-down shirt with a white tee underneath.  He was another Gretchen.  He could wear anything and still look like he should be on the cover of GQ magazine. 

            "You're not going to let this go, are you?" I remarked, silently hoping I wasn't going to have to start our lunch off with a recap of the most humiliating experience of my life.