Carlisia woke up with a pounding headache, completely sore. Her eyes travelled around her surroundings as soon as the smell of cologne hit her nose and she found Gabriel sleeping on the sofa uncomfortably in front of the window.
A sigh escaped her dry mouth as she remembered the guy in the parking lot.
What did he want from her?
He was crazy. That was the only conclusion Carlisia had. The guy’s words didn’t make sense and he was practically abusing her for no reason.
That guy was a mere psychopath, just like the billions that live on Earth and she is more likely to never encounter that guy again so it just might be better to put that behind her.
Carlisia’s eyes travelled back to Gabriel who was sleeping with his hands folded over his chest and lightly snoring.
He had been nothing but kind to her but she wondered where Annabella was.
Carlisia’s eyes now went out to the window and saw that it was still pretty dark. What time it was?
She looks at the digital alarm clock on her night stand and to her surprise it was three in the morning. No wonder everything seemed dead quite.
Carlisia looks at Gabriel one more time before gently getting up and softly padding to the door.
She was starving, and to think of it she hadn’t had dinner and maybe poor Gabriel hadn’t too.
Instantly she began to feel sorry for him. He could have been at his home, lying in a comfortable bed after having dinner. Not sleeping on an uncomfortable sofa worrying about her because she was too scared to stay at home alone.
Carlisia looked down in shame. She could never repay his generosity.
When her stomach made another sound Carlisia finally came to her senses and quietly snuck out of her room and made her way to the kitchen.
Her body hurt with every step but she had to suck it up, as she walked through the dark house feeling eerie glances on her finally reaching to the kitchen.
She never liked the dark and after recent events loneliness felt like shit.
She grabbed a glass and filled it water before going to the fridge and grabbing some bread and turkey strips fixing up a delicious sandwich with a piece of leftover cranberry pie her mom had made.
Carlisia grabbed the plate filled with food and the glass of water before making her way to her room so she didn’t have to be alone and saw Gabriel looking at his phone now sitting at the couch.
Gabriel turned his face to her as soon as he heard the slight creek of the door as she closed.
“I was wondering where you went.” Gabriel says in his groggy voice.
“Food. You want some?” Carlisia whispers as she looks at him sits down on the bed and turning the lamp on so her purple room was now illuminated with a dull orange light.
Gabriel shrugs as he walks to her and slightly cracks his back as he stands up. This was the first time he had slept on the couch in ages.
Carlisia was still looking down embarrassed that he was seeing her in such less clothing as she chewed on the small piece of cranberry pie.
The bed finally dips down and she feels his hand touching against hers as he took the spoon from her fingers digging into the pie.
“Where’s Annabella?” Carly asks.
“I asked my friend to take her home.”Gabriel replies after a few moments and Carlisia nods when she finally remembers the stuff in her car but she decided to keep quite on that.
What if he doesn’t like her pampering his sister?
“I’m sorry you have to stay with me. I’m a little surprised that my brothers aren’t home yet. This isn’t like them,” Carlisia says and sips the water before placing it on her nightstand
“It’s no problem.” He replies as his cell phone began to ring but he cuts the call without even looking at the ID.
Carlisia just simply nods as she finishes her meal and Gabriel just watches her with concentration. He didn’t eat more even when Carlisia insisted as he texted on his cell phone.
“You better have some sleep. Besides you have school tomorrow.” Gabriel finally says and Carlisia nods as she watches him go back to the sofa lying down.
Her stomach churns to watch him lying so uncomfortably on the sofa.
“That must be very uncomfortable. You can take the bed and I can take the sofa.” She says and Gabriel shakes his head slightly smiling at her concern,
“Its ok. You have school tomorrow and a back ache won’t do.” He says already concerned at her previous bruises.
“Please it’s the least I can do after all you have helped me with.” Carlisia says looking at him and Gabriel shakes his head,
“No.” He replies looking at her with amusement as Carlisia tried to reason with him and before she could comprehend the words leave her mouth.
“How about we sleep together?” She says and Gabriel raises his eyebrow at her choice of words.
He wouldn’t mind that at all.
Carlisia goes crimson as soon as she realizes what she said.
“God, NO! Stop looking at me like that. I meant we share the bed.” Carlisia says her cheeks getting redder and redder as Gabriel laughed at her.
Carlisia covered her face with her hands, hiding behind them, as she listened to his melodious laugh.
“I’m sorry. I just haven’t had a good laugh in ages.” Gabriel says and takes a deep breath still chuckling at her reaction as he gets up and makes his way to the bed watching as she scoots over and makes room for him, covering her up with the purple comforter.
Gabriel laid down beside her and watched as she looked at him with her innocent eyes and for a moment Gabriel felt sorry for her.
She was too innocent. She deserved someone better not a guy who has killed. Not a guy like him. She didn’t even care there was a guy in her bed. He was a stranger to her yet she only cared about him being comfortable.
Her kindness would be the death of her.
“How much of Fircrest have you seen Carly?” Gabriel asks and Carly shrugs.
“Not much. Just the mall yesterday.” She says yawning still sore from the mall incident.
“How about after school I show you?- That is if you are feeling alright-” Gabriel says and Carlisia smiles cutting him off,
“That would be lovely.” She says blushing and Gabriel nods a small smile playing on his lips but it falters as soon as he realizes that sooner or later he would have to tell her the truth.
Gabriel is brought out of his reverie as he feels a tug on the hem of his shirt causing him to look down at the girl who was fidgeting.
“Thank you for everything.” She whispers before placing her back to him and closing her eyes.
Gabriel smiles at her childish act and closes his eyes too, fantasizing about the girl beside him as he wished that they could stay like this forever but he knew that would never happen as the threat lingered in the forest, grinning.
