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"ᶜᵃⁿ ᴵ ᵍⁱᵛᵉ ʸᵒᵘ ᵐʸ ⁿᵘᵐᵇᵉʳ ᵃᵍᵃⁱⁿ?"
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She let her parent's words blur into background noise as she sat in her familiar place in the dining room on Friday night, Leah and Demi's words from Tuesday still mulling in her mind. Marcus had been distant for the rest of the week, hanging out with his swimming team rather than her, and Callum would say hi and wink at her in the hallways. On Thursday he walked her to her Math class to get out of his own Chemistry test and had received a glare from Marcus.
Hearing her name, she drifted back into the conversation, "Hmm?"
"I was just telling the girls how you used to go golfing with your father." Emily smiled, and gestured to Rory who looked frankly overjoyed, "Rory's going golfing with him this weekend, she's choosing it as her required sport."
"Oh yeah. We used to go a lot, didn't we Dad?" She smiled.
"Nearly every weekend pet." He smiled back, although he didn't look too enthusiastic about the golf trip either.
"What do you do as your required sport Gabs?" Lorelai asked.
"Hockey and cricket and I photograph for the teams when they go for tournaments, but only sometimes." She said. "I play lacrosse as well, but only when they need an extra person."
"Is Marcus still in the swim team?" Emily inquired politely.
"Yeah, he's state level at the moment, but his team are close to qualifying for the futures this summer." She explained, proud of her friend.
"I've heard about his brother being back in town." Emily mentioned, unable to hold the gossip in, "Caleb is it?"
"Callum. Yeah, he was away for three years." Gabby nodded. "Him and Marcus are getting closer I think." she lied.
"How nice. I'm still shocked they took him back. I heard from Noelle Goode that he drove his uncle back to drink." She told them.
"I've only spoken to him a few times, he doesn't seem too bad." Gabby chuckled weakly.
"Isn't he the tall one who keeps walking you to lessons?" Rory asked, chiming in sweetly. Gabby coughed, spluttering on her drink.
"Yes." She confirmed, watching her mother's reaction, "He seems to enjoy my company."
"How sweet." Her mother practically cooed. "Perhaps we should invite them to dinner. We haven't seen Dale and Valery in a while, have we Richard?"
"No we haven't." Richard agreed dutifully. "What business is he in? Accounting I think. Dale Johnson. Yes. Accounting." He confirmed and went back to his meal.
"Anyway, is tomorrow okay for golfing, Richard? Rory?" Emily asked, pleased with herself.
They walked to the Jeep after saying goodbye, Gabby dutifully taking her back seat as Rory slid into the front, Lorelai turning the car on.
"Oh, man, did you get blindsided? I'm so sorry." Lorelai sighed at Rory.
"That's OK." Rory dismissed.
"I tried to stop it, I swear." Lorelai continued. Gabby fiddled with her phone, Callum's number etched into her skull, tormenting her.
"I know. Maybe it won't be that bad." Rory shrugged in non-committed way.
"Maybe it won't."
"Maybe I'll like it."
"Maybe you will." Lorelai nodded and Gabriella wanted to open her mouth and join in the conversation but no words came rushing up her throat. She was still trying to clutch her way into their family, trying to find a stable place where she belonged without the haven of her parent's company.
"Maybe you could come with me." Rory offered and Lorelai scoffed.
"Oh, is there a "you're crazy" team? 'Cause I think they'd make you captain." She retorted and then, glancing at her little sister in the back seat, "Hey, Gabby, maybe you could go."
"Oh, I don't know. I haven't been in a while, and it'll be nice for Rory and Dad." She trailed off quietly, not wanting to intrude.
"It'll be nice for you and Rory though, won't it?" she nudged her daughter who made a vague noise of either disagreement or agreement.
"I really don't want to intrude. And I think I'm going round Leah's anyway." Gabby continued, suddenly intimidated by the brown-haired girl in the front seat.
"Nevermind. Maybe another time."
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"Come in!" Leah's mom called as Demi knocked on the door, welcomed by an array of howls from the dogs inside. Gabby opened the door, and the dogs leapt onto them in a flurry of fur, Gabby laughing as the litter of puppies scratched up at her trousers, begging for attention. Music floated from upstairs and the smell of cinnamon came in from the kitchen. There were plants everywhere, and the walls were painted with a massive mural that stretched over the whole first floor. The hard wood floors were covered in a mosaic of rugs, all torn up and scuffed by the spaniel puppies who were now a few months old.
"Hey Mrs H!" Demi waved at the woman in the kitchen, up to her elbows in dough.
"Hello girls, how are you?" She smiled, the carbon copy of Leah with blonde hair down past her waist and brown eyes that twinkled merrily as she spoke.
"We're good, how are you?" Demi asked, picking up a wriggling puppy who licked her cheek in happiness.
"Great. These'll be done in a few and I'll bring them up. Leah's in her room, or her study." She called out into the hall where the girls were.
"Okay, Mrs H." Gabby smiled and the two went upstairs, knocking the fake vines that made the mural on the wall more 3d. The house was big, the same size as the Gilmore house, but it was a direct contrast to the elegance of Emily's style. It was crammed with colour and pictures and paint and dream catchers and life, brimming with joy and comfort and laughter. Leah's parent's were relaxed and content, letting Leah doing whatever she wanted as long as she was safe but despite their hippie, carefree attitudes, Mrs Hartman held masquerade balls for charity in her villa in south France and Mr Hartman was a lawyer.
Demi didn't even knock, just opened the pale pink door to Leah's bedroom and fell face-first into the mattress on the floor. Well, the mattress-floor would have been a better description. Four mattresses had been cut to fit the large room exactly and placed on the floor, before being covered in blankets and pillows, draping fabric and lights adorning the ceiling with painted butterflies suspended in the air. Leah was sat crisscross on a pillow in the middle of her bedroom, flicking through the magazine that Gabby had given her but when the two walked in she squealed a greeting and stood up, feet instantly sinking into the floor. She hugged Gabby and patted Demi's head as the girl was still sprawled face first into the floor.
"I thought you weren't coming." Leah accused Gabby as they all sat around each other, Demi wrapping her self in three blankets and cuddling one of the two puppies who had come in with them, the other playing with a pile of cushions in the corner.
"I wasn't. But Rory's being forced to go golfing with my Dad," Gabby huffed as she explained, "And it's awkward enough being in the same town with her than having to go out with her."
"That's fair." Leah hummed and Demi nodded gravely, before the three burst into laughter, the puppies barking along.
They talked for ages before deciding they needed more sugar to get through all of the movies that were stacked against the movie room walls, specifically for such occasions. Leah grabbed her bag and persuaded Demi to leave her warm haven of blankets and puppies to walk to the corner shop and load up on as many packets of sweets as possible. The sun was high in the sky now, burning through the clouds as they walked out of Leah's estate, going down the neat roads of Hartford, passing dog walkers and polite couples and two ladies who wanted to stop and ask about the D.A.R meetings and their mothers.
"Here, split up. Demi, chips and popcorn, I'll get sweets and chocolate, Gabby, you get drinks, kay?" Leah instructed as they walked into the empty shop, the only other person being the girl behind the counter, too preoccupied with her phone to notice the bell that announced their arrival. Demi and Gabby clicked their heels and saluted mockingly, making Leah roll her eyes fondly and go other to the sweets aisle. Gabby giggled and went over to the fridges, surveying the lines of bottles.
The bell on the door rung again and this time, the girl behind the counter answered the new customers, her distant words drifting over to Gabby, "Hey, welcome. Let me know if I can help you."
"We're good thanks." The reply came in a deep mumble that made Gabby turn around, knowing it was Marcus. Her lips quirked in a small smile, glad that he was out of the house. She opened the fridge door and grabbed a Sprite for Demi and a lemon Fanta for Leah before pausing. She didn't even like soda that much and so many different flavors stretched out in front of her, decisiveness washed over her instantly.
"Wow, well it is a tough choice. You know, Coke zero or diet Coke. What are we going to do?" Marcus asked, standing, well- towering, behind her. She leaned back, head leaning on his chest, letting him rest his head on her's.
"For your information, I like other drinks." Gabby retorted, and then swatting his hands away as he tried to pull off her baseball cap. "Anyway, what are doing here?" She asked, turning to face him.
"Me and Call were sent out of the house. Mom and Dad are fighting about Trevor again." Marcus explained, looking down at her with soft eyes. "I'm sorry, Gabby, about the other day," He exhaled and looked away, "I mean, just, Cal told me he wrote his number, you know, with the shirt and then, he was, you know, and he really annoys me sometimes but then he told me that you haven't called and I just-"
Gabby giggled and watched him splutter for a moment before slapping her hand over his mouth to stop him. "Marcus, shush." She laughed and then screwed her nose up and groaned when he licked her hand, "I accept your apology." She nodded formally.
"Thank you." He breathed again, in relief and she smiled. "I-"
"Marcus I get it." She told him sincerely and he nodded and opened his mouth but she stopped him once again, "Don't say sorry, just get me a can of diet coke, I can't reach."
"Short."
"Giant."
"Not my fault." He stuck his tongue out her and handed her the drink. She stilled, hearing the girl at the counter and another voice, who she figured was Callum, flirting.
"Go and find Demi. She's getting chips, tell her to get me Takis. The purple ones please." She instructed, the words leaving her mouth before she gave herself a reason.
"Yes ma'am." Marcus chuckled and turned around, leaving her with the three cans of soda. She cursed herself vulgarly before practically marching to the counter. Callum was leaning against the worktop, saying something that made the girl laugh. She was pretty and suddenly, Callum's number was flashing in her mind, making her bite her lip.
"Sorry, excuse me." She said, quietly but loud enough and Callum jumped, turning to see her. The girl looked put out at the interruption but began ringing up the three cans of soda.
"Hey Gabby." Callum spluttered, loosing his cool.
"Hey Callum." She returned and smiled. "You good?"
"You didn't call." He stated, attention gone from the girl behind the counter.
"It must of came out when it was in the wash." She shrugged, tearing her eyes away from his blue ones.
"Right." He nodded and shoved his hands in his khaki pants.
"Uh, $4.50." The girl interrupted, and Gabby smiled and dug around in her jeans for the loose change.
"Here. And that." Callum intervened swiftly and putting a pack of gum, before handing the girl the extra $2 as well. He handed Gabby the bag of drinks, who thanked him and the girl. She walked out and he followed, silence choking them.
"Can I give you my number again?" He asked, opening the gum and taking one, before offering her one. She took it, and then he pocketed the packet, waiting for her answer.
"I've been friends with Marcus since I was six years old." She started, and he just watched, chewing the gum, "I can't do that to him."
"What? Call someone." Callum scoffed off-handedly. "He's not six anymore."
"I'm not saying he is. But he is my closest, best friend and you obviously don't know him very well if you think that calling you, wouldn't upset him." Gabby retorted, clutching the bag tighter.
"So he controls you?" Callum asked, jaw clenched and hands back in pockets.
"No. He's my friend. I met you the other week. Sorry for prioritizing friendship over some guy-"
She froze. His hand was on her chin, gently tilting it up as he was suddenly close, his other hand gently guiding her closer by her waist. He was silent, blue eyes trained on her face, staring at her like she was made of magic. She stopped breathing moving, as he pulled her closer, her own hands falling to her side.
"You think too much about other people. You have to think about yourself more often." He breathed, mint invading her senses.
"Like you do?" She asked softly and he quirked into a smile.
"Yeah." He nodded, "Exactly. Now, Gabby, have you ever kissed someone?" He asked, voice dropping lower and lower as he tilted his head closer to her's.
"No..." She breathed, eyes meeting his instantly.
"Do you want to?"
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