Kisses after midnight (WICKED #0) | ✓

15

SHE HAD ESCAPED HIM quite easily, though that wasn't surprising. Mateo always stood out in every crowd and he was stopped multiple times when he ran after her, his muscular, tall frame not helping him in stealthily getting through the crowd. She reached the first floor then and grabbed a new cup of the table, before running towards the small corridor on her right and practically jumping in the girl's bathroom. The door closed behind her and she filled her cup with water, the nausea washing through her in waves.

Puking right now was definitely not an option, because she could feel already that she was going to feel so much worse after. Still, she was happy she had at least pushed it back enough for it not to happen on Mateo, because she then would've died.

She drank the water quickly, before filling the cup again and holding it against her forehead. The cool drops were pleasant against her hot skin and when she looked in the mirror, she wondered what the hell she should do. Okay, so she had flirted with him, but it had felt so freeing to not think and just act for once. Though she had expected something to happen when she had started, she sure as hell hadn't expected his love declaration.

He loved her. To death even, he had said.

But did she feel the same?

She placed a hand against the mirror, her normally clear eyes misted with confusion now. Of course she loved him, that much she knew. He had been her neighbour and best friend ever since she could remember anything. But was it the same love as his?

When she had flirted with him it had been more casual. She had just wanted to see where it would go, let their feelings develop into more together perhaps, if they would develop at all. Mateo had said he had loved her ever since they were twelve though, that he had been waiting for this moment since forever.

Her mind was a mess as she placed the cup down, her reflection in the ripples her movement had caused as troubled as she was. He was serious about her. So no, she couldn't go and reply anything to his confession, not while she didn't know if she had the same feelings yet. That wouldn't be fair to him. It wasn't just a simple flirtation, not to Mateo, so she had to find out whatever the hell it was she was feeling quickly.

She didn't want to break his heart.

"God," she sighed, her thoughts sobering her up a bit.

The door slammed open then as two girls stumbled in, giggling, and Gabriela took that as her cue to leave. The crowd had become louder, shouting as they were gathered around something, and she frowned as she made her way through it. Probably a fight again.

"Where are you going, pretty lady?"

She raised an eyebrow at the unknown voice, the source of it on her right. The guy it had come from was smirking at her over his cup, surrounded by three friends, dark-haired and dressed in black. His face was a new one, a bit young even, so she guessed him to be one of the transfers.

"I don't see how that's any of your business," she stated coolly, before turning around again.

He grabbed her wrist then, the feeling of his hand completely different to Mateo's. Where Mateo had set her skin on fire, this just made ice run through her veins instead. Her eyes were so cold when she looked at him, she could see him keep himself from flinching.

"Come on now," he said," don't be such a tease."

"Get your hands off me," she said.

Not a question, an order.

He frowned, tugging harder at her wrist, though she didn't lose her balance like he had intended.

"I just want to get to know you better," he said," you're being so difficult."