Obsession

Serpent: Chapter 54

7 months later

In the blink of an eye, an entire school year had come to an end.

Gabriel had been reinstated to his former glory as a star athlete who had led the Shaw Stallions to victory in the soccer tournament. In the final game between the Roaring Tigers and the Shaw Stallions, banners had been erected holding a picture of Nico Hoffman, and a song was sung in his memory. Pictures on posters had also been printed of Lyssa Isaacs, the song also sung in memory of her life.

The Shaw Stallions had won, and the senior team members graduated without another hitch or debacle, Coby Becker and Rod Maxime leaving on better terms with Gabriel after coming to a mutual understanding and with an unbroken winning streak.

Things had become a lot easier for Gabriel and his father too. Even Julian.

Gabriel was hailed as a local hero, recognized for his role in stopping Josh's reign of terror over the town. The businesses – diners and cafés – had given him and his father special privileges – including anyone who was with Gabriel – and he had even had a meal at Angie's Grill named after him. The county had gone a step further, erecting a stone memorabilia in memory of Nico, Lyssa, and Lynette, whilst naming Gabriel a hero.

The memorabilia was situated in Dudley Park, replacing the bench where Lynette Isaacs and her daughter had been found, profoundly staged post-mortem, and where Nico Hoffman had been initially saved.

Julian was recognized as a survivor, and praised for his bravery though Julian would admit that people in town had exaggerated the story quite a bit. Sure, he suffered a few injuries and was unable to play hockey for quite a while undergoing therapy sessions to rehabilitate his twisted ankle, shattered kneecap – which required surgery – and his two broken fingers. But he hadn't been this great and valiant survivor which many had envisioned, or like how Duncan was fanning the flames of a story of epic heroism and how he had fought back, lending a hand in disarming his captor.

Julian let it slide, though. He was in no position to sabotage people's heroic view of him, and his reasons might be a bit selfish. His nominated status as a town hero had made his life in Shaw a lot easier, and his parents were not being frowned upon especially by the deeply religious churchgoers.

Looking at him now, one would never know he had suffered such injuries, his recovery having been quick.

Jeremiah was no longer hassled, whether at work or in the general public eye. He was praised for raising such a courageous son. People had not forgotten that Gabriel's sexuality differed from what was the norm in Shaw but in light of saving the town from further misery, aiding in the capture of a criminal, people were more than forgiving and willing to overlook that one small trivial detail. Jeremiah was regaled by his new stature as the 'sire of a local hero'.

Jeremiah would say it was over the top.

"Just go with it," Gabriel had told him one Sunday morning when they had gone to the supermarket for their weekly stock replenishment. "It's better than what they've been saying before."

His son was right, and Jeremiah would take having his praises sung high and low over having his house vandalized and his son's life threatened.

Gabriel had graduated high school with a near perfect GPA and he knew the career path he wanted. He had thought about it carefully and for several months, the turmoil at the beginning of his senior year acting as the catalyst.

But college was still three months away. He didn't need to worry about that right away and could enjoy the semblance of relative normalcy his life had reverted to. It was his eighteenth birthday, after all, and he had every intention of enjoying it to fullest.