Pepper's POV
He lied to me she thought miserably as she drove away from school. No way am was she going to walk the same school hall as that lying jerk. Pathetic thing was that she actually believed that someone other than her mum wanted to take care of her, to love her, to understand her. The tears poured like rain in a monsoon, so blinding she had to stop the car to get a grip on herself.
Moments later she found herself driving back to school, she had never been much of a truant and she wasn't going to start now just because some jerk broke her heart. With a feeble attempt at an excuse for being late, Pepper sat down at her usual desk which just happened to be right behind Gabriel, maybe she could stab him in the back of his head, she thought sarcastically to herself.
Gabriel's POV
As she entered the classroom Gabriel knew something was wrong. Her eyes were red and puffy as though she was just crying before she came to class. This thought had him worried and he hoped it wasn't because of him. He knew he never really gave her a chance to wrap her mind around him loving her and he had no explanation to offer for what he had done. His train of thought was interrupted by a nudge to his back.
It was a note from Pepper:
Meet me after school in the chemistry lab, we need to talk. Pepper.
He scribbled back:
Sure thing.
The class carried on but neither of the two found themselves able to concentrate. When the bell finally rang after their last class, Gabriel made his way to the lab to find Pepper already there. Her presence still took his breath away. Her back was to him and he coughed lightly so she knew he was there.
Pepper's POV
She heard him when he entered the room. Yet she didn't turn around until he coughed. She didn't know how to face him, what to say, he had obviously moved on and she was just an afterthought.
Tears formed quickly as she turned around drinking in his appearance. He seemed to have noticed them though he stood so far because in just a blink he had his arms around her comforting her.
Feeling his arms around her comforted her but she didn't let herself revel in that feeling because all too soon that feeling was replaced with fury and she quickly separated herself from his warm embrace.
Looking up at his handsome face, she felt her hand rise and before she could stop herself it connected with his face suddenly causing the side of his cheek where she had slapped him to go red. The expression his face bore was a mask of shock and then realization.
'Pepper....' he began before she cut him off.
'I thought you said you loved me Gabriel. All the things you said yesterday, I thought you meant it. I know I stormed off yesterday but you can't just spring something on me like that and just expect me to jump into your arms Gabriel. But you know what, I'm glad I didn't because seeing you with Hannah today after you so sweetly told me you loved me and wanted to 'protect' me yesterday proved that you're just like all the other football jerks you play with, you.'
'Pepper...' he began but it was too late because she was gone.
As she fled the laboratory the tears welled up in her eyes threatening to brim over but she willed them away.
She would not cry over him.
She would just go back to how things were before he ruined it with his lies.
And with that, all the feelings she had for Gabriel were locked away in what was left of her heart.
