Chapter 7
Charlotte
"So, what's happening between you and Gabriel Rodrigues?" Maya suddenly asked out of nowhere. I nearly choked on my fries when she mentioned that name started with G. He's probably ranking second on my person-I-don't-want-to-associate-with list, almost surpassing Kate.
"Me? Nothing. Where did that come from?" I answered, keeping my composure.
"He was looking for you yesterday then when he heard what happened, he went running out of school. I thought he went to find you. Anyway, we were all worried sick," Maya shrugged.
"I'm fine, still alive," I chuckled. "But he told me he was just passing by..." I muttered to myself. That wasn't what he told me, was it?
"What?"
"Never mind..." I decided to let it go.
"I thought he was blackmailing you? Since when did you become so buddy buddy?"
"Yeah... " I looked away awkwardly, "Let's now talk about this. So, what did I miss?"
"Jen has got a new lab partner, and she definitely has a crush on him," chuckled Maya.
"Was it?" I asked Jen, but Jen was immersed in her chemistry book. She's unresponsive to any human interactions whenever a test is near.
"Jen!" I raised my voice, and Jen finally stopped trying to bury her face into the book.
"You-" I was cut off because someone plopped down on the vacant seat next to me and draped his arm around he back of my chair. Gabriel.
"Piglet," he said into my ears, almost inaudible, before pulling away with a huge grin on his face. I stared at him incredulously. What's wrong with him? He looked like he had just discovered a unicorn.
"Hi girls, mind if we join you?" a dirty-blonde guy said while plopping down on the seat next to Gabriel.
"You've already sat down, why bother asking, Drew?" Maya did her iconic eye roll and said. Exactly.
"Come on, loosen up. We mean no harm," Drew said with a dazzling smile. Apparently it works on most girls but not Maya, because she snorted and ignored him.
"So, what were you talking about?" he asked, but his eyes were directed to Jen, whose mouth hung wide open was blushing like a tomato.
Maya kicked me underneath the table and mouthed "lab partner" with a mischievous grin.
"Jen, drool," I pointed at the corner of her mouth. Jen's mouth snapped shut immediately and blushed even harder. It's rarer to see Jen come out of her nerdy little bubble than Donald Trump have a 'good hair day'.
Drew is undeniably a great conversationalist, because even Jen, considered the most socially awkward in the three of us, talked freely with him. I feel like a proud mom as I watched them chat, my little Jen finally grew up and found herself a lover boy. This Drew might bring good changes to her.
"Hey piglet," Gabriel said quietly beside me, getting my attention. He snatched one of my fries and savored it in his mouth. Does he even have the idea to ask before taking my fries? People nowadays.
"What? And don't call me piglet," I furrowed my eyebrows and moved my plate further away from him.
"What are you doing after school?" He asked while he continued to eat my fries. I covered my plate defensively and frowned
"Uh, go home? Stop eating my fries, jackass," I scowled.
"Great, I'll find you. Let's grab some food after school, coach postponed the swim practice, got some time to kill," he sat back and shrugged.
"No."
"Why? I know this super cool place with the best ice cream in town. I know you love ice cream," he urged.
Although I love ice cream, I love my life even more, so I'm heading home. "Because one: I don't want to. Two: we're not friends or anything Three: I have to study Math. Four: I can't walk," I explained.
"Math? Seriously? Since when do you study?"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. I might look a tiny bit stupid, but I'm not, okay? I love math," I thought if I hung around nerdy friends, I'd automatically look smart and brilliant like them. What sold me out?
"Come on, it's not like you have much social life anyway."
"What? I do," I said, "Just leave me alone, okay?" I'm starting to wonder if his sole purpose of existence is to bug the hell out of me.
"I'll tell everyone you've been naughty if you don't come with me," My heart skipped a beat when I understood what he was referring to.
"You know what? I don't care, go ahead," I said with the most amount of nonchalance I could muster. I was taking a risk and I did feel a bit nervous, but no one could make me do anything that I don't want to.
"Gotta go, see you guys later," I'd rather get to the lab early than continue this stupid conversation, so I stood up, picked up my tray and left.
As I was heading to the locker to pick up some books, someone grabbed my arm and stopped me halfway.
"What?" I yanked my arm away from his grib and said, annoyed.
"Charlotte, we need to talk," It wasn't Gabriel who I first expected, it was Aiden. He didn't change, not even the slightest bit. He's still the guy with tousled blonde hair and warm blue eyes. He's still the guy that I fall for every time.
"I... I gotta go," I averted my glance and tried not to look at his sincere blue eyes. I'm scared that I might lose myself and show any emotions, any weakness for him to see.
"Wait. Five minutes, just five minutes," he searched my eyes for approval. When I didn't walk away, he conintued,"I just want to say I'm so sorry for your loss. Jay was a great guy."
"Okay..." I've heard the same thing over and over again for the past few months, whether sincere or not. But it never helps, it only makes me feel worse than I already do. I hate the pity in their eyes. When they get home and look at their family, they'd say 'Thank God it wasn't me', or "Gotta bring my dad to do a full medical checkup". It reminds me of the fact that Dad is not coming back ever again.
I turned away and continued walking. "Wait," Aiden stopped me once again, "You're a nice girl, and you don't deserve all these. But I think we're not for each other. I mean, you're nice, you're funny, you have a great personality, but we've kind of lost the chemistry, you know what I mean?" He waited for some response, but I didn't give any. Fighting back all the emotions that are threatening to show had already taken up all my strength.
He continued,"I'm sure you'll find a better guy very soon. And please don't be mad at Kate, okay? It's all my fault. She's devastated that you two kind of drifted apart. She really wants to be friends with you." Kate. This is always about Kate. I wondered I wasn't Kate's best friend, would he even have noticed m. I've thought of thousand and thousand of words to confront Aiden when I see him in the past few months. I wanted to say 'Why did you do this to me?' or 'Why did you chose my ex-bestfriend over me?' or 'I still love you', but none of them seemed to have the power to overcome simply the presence of him. I drowned in his presence, and I've lost the power to struggle.
"Still friends?" he asked. There's a lump in my throat, making me difficult to enunciate any word. All I wanted was for him to go, because I couldn't hold back the tears that are threatening to come out any longer. I nodded in silence.
"Good. I guess I'll see you around," Aiden patted me on the shoulder before jogging off. I knew this day will come, and I've mentally prepared myself for it, but it's still breaking me apart.
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Gabriel
1, 2, 3, Breathe. 1, 2, 3, Breathe.
Feel the water.
Water ran past me every stroke I make. I tried to focus, but I can't keep the image of her fragile body in the nearly empty hallway, leaning against the locker. She was crying. I had to use every single cell in my body to keep myself from going after that bastard Aiden and punch him in the face.
I watched how the bubbles gathered and dispersed around me as I catch and pull myself forward. It's funny how the bubbles kept gathering around me, even if every move I make breaks them. As if they knew they would break every time they came near me, but they kept coming back. As if they couldn't help themselves.
I made my final stroke and reached for the side of the pool. Gasping for air, I lifted up my goggles and saw coach knelt down on the edge of the pool in front of me.
"New record, Rodrigues. Well done," he said. He's been our swim team coach since I was first here in freshman year. She was on the team, too.
I didn't answer him because I was still catching my breath. Honestly, I don't really care about winning competitions or breaking records or anything of that sort. Mom made me took swimming lessons because I had asthma and I was this scrawny kid who always got picked on throughout elementary and middle school. When I won my first competition, it was the first time I've ever seen mom smiled truly from the bottom of her heart. I'd do anything to see her smile.
"Glad to have you back on the team," continued coach as he offered a hand and pulled me up.
"Thanks coach," I picked up my towel and headed off to shower.
The school is basically empty, considering it's already six. Most people had gone home, except for some clubs or sports team who had practices or meetings after school.
"Wait up, Gabe. The swim meet will be in a few months, you in?" Drew stopped me halfway when I was heading back to dorm. He became the swim team captain this year.
"Ugh, sure," I answered.
"Great, tell Ryan to keep the door open. I'll be back after midnight," he winked. Ryan is our roommate. He's Korean and really smart.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
"The question is whose, not where, my friend," Drew winked, "I'm going to Alice's. Her parents are out of town for the weekend, thought we could hook up."
"Oh," I don't know how Drew managed to do this. Just sex, no feelings attached. He never dates or does anything like that, but he could find himself a new hook-up almost every week. Usually Ryan would keep the back door unlock for him so he could sneak in late at night. Since Ryan is a good kid at school, Hulk, our security guard, won't be suspicious even if he get caught.
"Don't look so sad, you can join us anytime," said Drew sympathetically and patted me on the shoulder.
"No, thanks. Ryan's fine," I joked.
"Dude, seriously? You can do better even if you're gay. Come on, I can hook you up, like old times. "
"I think I'll pass, I have a bigger fish to fry." By that I mean lay in bed and think about Charlotte all night.
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