Jolayemi

Chapter 19: The Truckload Of Regret

You ever feel like you made a bad decision, and you wish you could go back in time to change it? Then, when you realize you couldn't go back to change it, you suddenly feel this truckload of regret crushing you to pieces? No? Well, that was exactly what I felt Monday morning, when I saw Gabriel and Starr together. Starr was chatting animatedly as she talked his ears off, while Gabriel looked so bored, it tore at my heart. His eyes wandered the hallway, as he discreetly let out a yawn. It was low of me, but I couldn't help but smile when I saw this.

"Hey there, love", Gabby said in British accent. I smiled. "You have a talent for accent", I said, hugging her. "What can I say? I'm bursting with talents", she said. I opened my mouth to reply but her expression cut me off. "Hey", Starr said, and I sighed before turning. "Hey, Starr", I said. I looked down. "Gabriel", I muttered. "How's it going?", Starr asked. I nodded, feeling uncomfortable with how Gabby was eyeing Starr. "Good, good", I said.

"Where's Skyy?", I asked, hoping to ease the tension. Starr shrugged. "I don't know", she said, easily. Gabby spoke up. "Don't you guys live in the same house?", she asked. "We had a fight", Starr explained. "Ah", I nodded. "Shocker. About what again?", Gabby spat, and I took a step back from her cold tone, even Gabriel raised an eyebrow. I cleared my throat awkwardly as Gabby and Starr glared at each other.

"So, how was your weekend?", I asked, to break the stilled air. "It was awesome actually", Gabriel spoke up. "That was until a certain someone told me to do something I'd rather die than do, without giving me an option in the matter or considering my feelings. So I'd say it was peachy, how was yours?", he said, coldly. I gaped at him, did he think I wanted to do this? That it was easy seeing him with Starr? Suffice to say, the silence was very awkward as we stared at each other.

A hand wrapped around my waist, and I jumped in surprise. "Hey", Jer said. I smiled, as I removed his hands around me. I hit him gently. "Stop that", I said. I looked at Gabriel from the corner of my eyes, his hands had turned into fists as he glared at Jer. Jer ignored him, and turned to Gabby. "Hey", he hugged her. Gabby rolled her eyes. "Hey yourself", she said. When Jer later turned to Gabriel, after greeting Starr, I wished I was anywhere but there.

Gabriel finally broke the tension. "So, cousin", he spat the words. "Jola told me you were drawing her for the project", he smirked. Jer glanced at me uneasily. "Have you showed her your fantastic drawing?", he asked. Jer cleared his throat. "Its almost done", he said. I could kiss the bell to ringing just then for breaking the silence. "Ah, thank God", I muttered. Gabriel turned and left, Starr in tow. Jer stomped away, without so much as a good bye, and I sighed. "Boys right?", Gabby asked. "You have no idea", I said, taking out my biology notes.

Gabby folded her arms as she stared at me. "What?", I asked. "I thought everything was okay between you and Gabriel?", she asked. I sighed. "Everything's okay", I said. "Then why's that leech still attached to him?", Gabby asked. "Gabby", I scolded. "What? Don't give me that look. When Gabriel explained everything to me, I could not believe she'd do or say those kind of things about you. That's not what friends do, and if there's one thing I hate the most, is lies", she said. I sighed. "I might have told him to give her a chance", I said, carefully. "What?", Gabby yelled.

"Don't bother. I'm regretting it already", I said. "Why would you do that?", she asked. "As much as I love Gabriel, and trust me, I do", Gabby smiled at me. "I also love Starr. She was the first person to accept me the way I was, without judgment. It may not mean a lot to you, but it does to me. She made me feel like a person, a living breathing person, and not some kind of freak because of my weight. So call me stupid, or weird, but if it meant she being happy, it was so worth it", I said. Gabby touched me. "See, that's one thing I love so much about you. You are so compassionate and kind to everyone, and you always, always put everyone first before you", she said, and I blushed. "I'm honored to be your friend, it makes me feel happy knowing someone like you cared for me immensely", she stopped. "Here's my stop. But before I go, I want you to think about something. Isn't Gabriel also worth fighting for? And judging by what you just told me, I can guess you haven't been really happy. Don't you think you have a reason to be happy now? Would you throw everything away? I want you to think about it. Sometimes, its okay to be a little selfish you know? For once, put yourself and your happiness first", she said, then waved as she went for class.