Dear Principal

Chapter 14

I lay with my hands on my chest and my back pressed against the sheets, staring at the dark ceiling, wishing I could get some shut-eye. My brain did circles in my head from the overthinking I was suffering. It became evident I couldn't sleep.

Jo was fast-asleep, light snores making it the only sound breaking the ear-ringing silence in the room. His arm wrapped around my waist while his head rested on mine, his lips moving as he sometimes kissed me in his sleep. Jo knew it wouldn't be easy for me to relax with everything that happened today, and it's sweet he decided to hold me. But even Jo couldn't stop my head from spinning.

The following day I slipped out of bed early, ensuring Jo could get a few more hours of sleep as I grabbed my clothes and dressed in the bathroom. I tiptoed down the stairs to the kitchen and made breakfast just in time for his mom to barge in, screaming good morning, so much for being quiet. I laughed and hugged her tight, kissing her on the cheek. I put Jo's breakfast in the microwave to keep it warm and made coffee for his mother and me. We sat at the kitchen island, talking about their new home and how much work there was compared to before. Jo stumbled a few times upstairs, getting ready and coming down the stairs, rubbing his eyes.

"Hi, Mom," Jo grumbled, leaning down and kissing his mother's cheek.

"Breakfast is in the microwave," I pointed towards the metal box.

Jo's face lit up like a Christmas tree as he hurried to the microwave and dove into his plate, moaning in satisfaction. I smiled, warmth filling my stomach from seeing Jo enjoy his breakfast.

"Thank you, Chef. It's so good." I laughed, reached over, and gave him a quick slap on the shoulder.

"How have you boys been getting along?" The soft voice of Jo's mother made us pause for a moment before I cleared my throat.

"We've been doing great, Gabbie." The last time I used Gabrielle's nickname was precisely two years ago.

Gabrielle's face flushed, and she coughed, covering her face.

I remember her not liking it when I called her by her full name, so one day, I created a nickname for her that I'd forgotten all about. I'd gotten used to calling her "Ma" or "Mum." But now that things are escalating between Jo and me, it didn't quite feel right to call her that anymore.

"Since when did you start calling me that again?" She muttered, sipping from her coffee.

I nervously laughed and shrugged, "I don't think I should keep calling you Mum. It seems inappropriate, considering Jo and I are a little closer than friends," I admitted, her face turning as red as a rose.

"Oh. Oh, please! You can continue calling me Mum—honestly, Oliver. You're like a son to me whether you are* with this lug of numbnuts or not*," Gabrielle exclaimed, throwing her arms up and swinging them around.

I caught Jo pouting at the end of the island, laughing aloud.

"My nuts are not numb," he whined, "where's dad anyway? He's more fun to be around."

"Oh, quit your whining. He's in the backyard." Gabrielle waved him off, leaving just the two of us.

Gabrielle looked at me with soft and tender eyes, and her smile was slight but prominent. She reached a hand for mine and squeezed it. I wondered why she was gentle with me. Is she aware of what's going on? Her eyes studied my face and fell to the table.

"Oliver, you didn't sleep last night. Your eyes have darkened," Gabrielle pointed out, looking at me again, "is there anything I should be worried about? Is something going on with Jo? He can be a pain in the ass sometimes."