Chapter 28: I Can Show You I’ll Be The One
(Gabriel’s POV)
“What about this one?” Katia stepped out of the dressing room in a fitted gown that seemed to show off her curvy figure. I had to admit, she looked stunning but I still was waiting for something else. I couldn’t name what I was waiting for, so I just smiled.
“It looks good—Old, but good.” I said.
“I can’t disagree.” She shrugged and hid back inside to change to another dress. She probably spent an hour just picking out dresses and another hour trying them on. Now I knew why girls took long. For the strangest reason, however, I wasn’t annoyed, or tired. I liked seeing her put on dresses as model for me.
“How many more dresses to go?” I asked curiously while she changed.
“Just a couple more—Here.”
And there it was.
Katia walked out in a simple peach colored dress with a fitted sleeveless top and voluminous skirt with extra layers under. She was beautiful.
She smiled shyly at me. “So?”
“It’s…great.” GREAT?? I could have said beautiful—or amazing, but no. I say great and now look what I’ve done. Now she looks taken aback—probably hurt that I don’t seem to care.
“Thanks.” She says anyway.
“I think you should get it. It’s the best I’ve seen on you so far.”
“But there are still two more to try on.”
“No, no. This one’s perfect.”
You’re perfect.
(Katia’s POV)
“Thanks again for the dress—And the shoes to go with it. You really didn’t have to Gabriel. I had shoes of my own.” I said while we sat around in the beach.
His eyes focused on the water where the other surfers enjoyed the large waves. “It was no big deal. I wanted to get you something. Think of it as a thanks-for-being-my-date-gift-slash-merry-Christmas.”
I laughed. “Fine—But after this no more buying me things. I don’t want to look like a user.” I lay down on the sand, not minding if I got some on my denim shorts or my T-shirt.
“Alright. I promise.” He smiled down at me. From where I was, Gabriel looked almost too good to be true. He seemed like he really was a celestial angel with all the sunlight coming from behind his dark, messy hair and fair skin.
“Aren’t you going surfing today?” I frowned, changing the subject.
“N-No. I guess I have more important things to do.” His eyes locked on mine, sending my heart pounding like there was no tomorrow.
(Liam’s POV)
I sat on a metal chair just like everyone else. I couldn’t believe Niall when he’d said it at first but Zayn and Grace began calling and so did Harry and Kenz and Lou. It was just us lads and the girls around the coffin. Kat didn’t know anyone else in London except for a couple of people from my bakery—But they’d left two hours ago.
“Hey mate.” It was Niall who sat beside me. There were dark circles under his eyes, making him look like he hadn’t slept al night—Which was true. Kat had been driving over to his flat when a bus rammed into her car. Niall was the first to know when he wondered whys he hadn’t come and decided to go out and look for her.
“Hey.” He muttered.
“Have you eaten yet?” I asked.
“No.”
I stared at him. He looked awful. He seemed too depressed to do anything but use the bathroom. “Kat wouldn’t want to see you like this.”
“It was my fault wasn’t it.”
“What?”
“C’mon Liam.” He groaned. “If I hadn’t invited her over, she wouldn’t be dead!” He buried his pale face in his palms.
“Don’t think like that! Nothing is your fault!”
“Everything is my fault Li! And how am I going to tell Katia!”
I froze. “You haven’t told her yet?”
“Well, I couldn’t! I’ll have to soon though.”
“Let me tell her yeah?” I patted his back. “I can fly over to Australia earlier than everyone else and tell her in person. The phone just wont do.” I pulled out my iPhone and logged on the Internet.
“How are you going to book something so quick? Thousands of people are flying in and out of the country right now. You wont book a seat till next week at the least.”
“Just did. I leave tomorrow night.” I dropped my phone down on my lap.
I was finally going to see her.
(Katia’s POV)
I could feel my heartbeat quicken as Gabriel’s hand found my waist as he led me inside the ballroom. Sebastian’s family had always known to be wealthy so it didn’t surprise me to see him celebrating his twentieth like a prince.
“You’re shaking.” Gabriel observed.
I smiled. “I am? Didn’t notice.”
“We can go back so you can grab a sweater if you’re cold you know.”
“No, no I’m just nervous. I can’t dance.” I muttered.
“What? But you danced in school—”
“That was modern contemporary. I can’t legit dance.”
“Lucky for you, the handsome young man—being me of course—can teach you.” He winked.
“Cheeky…” I rolled my eyes, making him chuckle.
By now, we’d already entered the ballroom. I stood in shock seeing white everywhere. The whole function room seemed like it was drowned in sparkling snow—It made high school’s prom decorations look like it belonged to a cheap kid’s party at a fast food restaurant. I scanned the party. Most of the people wore black or dark red, or white. My cheeks turned crimson at the fact that I would stand out in my peach dress.
“It’s beautiful.” I said suddenly.
“Just like my date.”
I blinked at him curiously. Was he pulling my leg? Did Gabriel Jones just call me beautiful?
“What?” He frowned.
“Nothing—Thanks.” We continued to walk past the tables covered with white cloth and silver confetti when a voice called out.
“Kats! Gabriel! Over here!”
I spun around to see Bree waving at a table. She wore a slim fitted black dress and red lipstick. I loved her smoky eye make-up, which made her look almost like a French actress. Of course, beside her, was Sebastian himself, smiling. Gabriel led me to an empty seat next to Bree before occupying the empty seat beside me.
“So…” Bree nudged me, keeping her voice low so Gabriel wouldn’t hear. “You and Jones, huh?” She winked.
I rolled my eyes but said nothing. Was it true? Gabriel and I? “I guess so.” I murmured back.
I shivered when I felt Gabriel’s chin on my other shoulder. “You girls aren’t very quiet are you?”
I jerked. “What?”
“You guess so?” He raised an eyebrow, obviously amused.
“Oh whatever. You said you never wanted to date me.” I answered matter-of-factly.
Before he could reply, my phone rang loudly in my purse. “Shoot. Um, I’ll be right back.” I excused myself from the table and hurried off to the outside terrace where it was quieter. I flipped the phone open, not bothering to look at the caller ID anymore.
“Hello?”
There was no reply.
“Uh….Hello?” I said again.
Nothing.
I pulled the phone away from my ear to see who called.
I froze.
“L-Liam?”
Nothing.
I could only hear silent breathing form the other side.
“Liam I know it’s you.” I decided to sound stern, but I couldn’t help but feel bad. My heartbeat quickened when I heard him clear his throat.
“Kats…I need to talk to you.” His voice was raspy. I hadn’t heard that accent in a long time.
“Why?”
“I’ll be in Australia earlier than the others—Can you pick me up from the airport? I leave tomorrow night.”
“Why so early?” I could hear the shock in my own voice.
“Because I need to tell you something. You wont like it but you need to hear it.”
“Where’s Kat? Why isn’t she coming.”
“Katia, it’s complicated. Could you pick me up please?”
I nod, knowing he wouldn’t see it anyway. “Fine.”
“Thanks. Bye.”
“Bye.” I huffed before hanging up. Questions filled my head. What was so complicated? And where was my sister? Did she elope with Niall? Was she sick?
“Everything alright?”
I spun around, seeing Gabriel right behind me.
I nod once. “Liam called.”
His face became stoic. “Why? He doesn’t deserve your time—Not after what he did Kats.”
“I know, I know, but he’s coming in two days and I have to pick him up at the airport. Would you come with me?” I ask helplessly. I didn’t want to see Liam. I didn’t want to have anything to do with him but he sounded desperate and it obviously concerned my sister.
“Of course I will. Just thinking about you and him alone in a car wont help me sleep at night.” He chuckled.
“Oh whatever. It isn’t like you’re my boyfriend.” I joked, but something changed in his expression.
“Right—Let’s go back inside, yeah?” he smiled sweetly.