cover by @JaelynnMoore
𝐆𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐥
It's so much easier to spread lies about people than it is to spread the truth. That's what Gabriel knows to be true, at least. According to everyone in his town, he's a monster. He doesn't deserve to be walkin...
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I can't sleep.
I toss and turn until about five in the morning and then I give up on going to sleep, so I just lie there until my alarm goes off.
I see Alyna every time I close my eyes. It's not a bad thing. Not at all. She's gorgeous. I want to look at her every day for the rest of my life.
The more I think about her, though, the harder it is for me to sleep. I guess there are worse things to keep me up at night. I just wish she was keeping me up in a different way.
I get up despite only getting a few hours of sleep and begrudgingly start my day.
I like having a routine in the morning. I go for a run, shower, drink a protein shake, and then head to the auto shop if it's a weekday.
All of my mornings are the same. It's only this morning that a wrench is thrown in my routine.
My mother calls me as I'm getting out of the shower.
I glare at my phone from where it sits on the bedside table.
It's six in the morning. There's no reason this woman should be calling me at six in the morning. There's no reason she should be calling me at all.
I answer with a roll of my eyes. "What?"
"¿Qué hiciste?" She snaps at me, and I see we're both forgoing pleasantries this morning.
"What are you talking about? I haven't done anything." I'm just trying to start my day and here she comes, angry.
How the hell are you angry at six in the morning? She didn't even try to have a good day, so I guess she's going to fuck up mine.
"Kiara said you're harassing her, Gabi. What the hell is wrong with you?"
I frown. "Kiara's a fucking liar."
"Just leave her alone. She doesn't want anything to do with you. Respect her boundaries."
I'm tempted to hang up. "I have not had any contact with Kiara, Mom." I should hang up now. I really should.
I've been in a dark place for a while. For as long as I can remember. I've been doing better, though. I'm off my fucking anti-depressants. I see my therapist weekly. My nightmares aren't gone, but they're not frequent.
I've been doing this for a while, so I know when a conversation is going to be detrimental to my mental health. I know my mom is going to somehow undo all the progress I've made. I know that I'm going to want to shoot myself after this call so I should fucking hang up.
But it's my mom, and I do love her even if she hates me.
"But, you were at the bar, no?" She asks, her accent thick. "¿La estabas siguiendo?"
Why the fuck would I be following Kiara? Has she lost her damn mind? "No, no la seguía." I shake my head. "I go to the bar every Friday. You know this."
