crossroads to the beginning

eight

                                                                            Gaby

I spoke to my mom she hasn't seen my sister in ages apparently, she moved to Mexico with a boyfriend awhile back. My mom and I suspect it's my sister behind all this she chose the wrong path, and I don't know why but she puts me in the middle of it all the time I just don't know what they want from me. "So, you guys have no idea where she is" Sam asks handing me a cup of coffee as we sit down at the kitchen island "when she moved to Mexico, she cut all ties with my mother" I explain "She was always a mess, but do you really think this could be her?" He asks concerned "I don't know" I admit, my sister did a lot of bad things but get someone to stalk my friends and I, this just seems nuts "Maybe she pissed people off" Dan says walking into the kitchen "yeah maybe but something doesn't add up" I say "I have family in Mexico I can ask them to find out things" Dan says "that will put them in the middle and possibly in danger" I argue "Don't worry about that they are protected people" Dan says "Okay let's get going" he says before I can argue with him "I'll catch up later" I say as they leave. I sit there for a few moments gathering my thoughts when Dean comes in "hey" he greets, and I respond by nodding my head "what you still doing here?" he asks, "actually waiting for you I want to do a test run before we debate Infront of the whole class" I tell him "Okay sure" He agrees, and we practice. 

In class it was our turn to go and the whole room went quite "This is going to be fun" I hear a girl say, Dean and I are top of our class and have always been since high school and since most of the people here attended the same high school, they already know how competitive we get. "Okay so as y'all know we will be the judge to declare who won the argument like we did with the pairs before" Mr Simon says to us as we stand up in front of the class. 

After a very mature and interesting debate, I couldn't help and notice like when we practiced Dean got very personal with the matter, when class was dismissed, I followed Dean trying to catch up to him "Dean!" I called out he stopped and turned around "what's up?" he says looking everywhere but me "Are you okay?" I ask he then looks at me staring at me as I look all over his face trying to read it "why would you ask?" He questions "I can see something is wrong" I tell him he sighs "Nothing is wrong, just got a lot on my mind" he lies and walks away I follow but I hear my phone ring, I see its Dan phoning "Dan what's up?" I ask he just says that everyone going to meet at the cafe when it's my shift because he got some information. I walk to my psychology class and make my way to a seat at the back. I'm listening to the professor speaking about today's topic when my mind gets distracted by a pen tapping on the table, I look beside me to see a very good-looking guy that I've never seen before he must be new "Hey, can you stop that please" I ask him nicely "Uhm oh, sorry I hadn't realised" He says with a British accent "British?" I say without thinking "Oh I'm sorry I just noticed your uhm accent" I say embarrassed he chuckles "I'm from Londan. Moved here last week" he says smiling. "Oh cool" I say, "I'm Gabriella Hernandez, but you can call me Gaby" I say putting my hand out for him to shake "I'm Noah Charles, nice to meet you Gaby and you're Latina?" I laugh "Yeah but I am from here, but my parents are from Mexico" I tell him "Okay Mexico" he says with a smirk "hey I said I'm sorry" I say pointing at him, we both laugh. "It was nice meeting you" I say as I get up to head out of class "You too Mexico" He says, and I roll my eyes playfully "bye Londan" I say mocking him. 

I head out of campus and to the cafe when I get there I am immediately at the register "It's packed today" I tell Mrs Simon as I put my apron on "Hi sweetheart yeah its karaoke night" She reminds me I forgot we are trying new fun things so that the cafe can get more teenagers inside, the town wants teenagers to be in safer places than parties that cause many drunken accidents. "Okay I'll do the register, and Amy can help the others with waitressing" Amy is new so she isn't as fast by the till as I am "Sounds like a plan, okay tonight you're in charge and since Amy is a teen it would be nice for her to socialize with her peers" Mrs Simon says and we nod. It's been a while since I got here and it's still filling up people are singing and having fun. The guys came in now and they went to sit in the booth I wave over for them to stand in the line. they finally in front "hey y'all have to wait I'm doing the till today not waitressing" I say "sure we will have the usual and tell Amy to bring it to our table." Sam says and they go sit back down. "Hey how can I help you?" I say looking up to see Noah "Hey Londan" "Hey Mexico you work here?" He asks the obvious "Clearly" I say sarcastically "Oh right, my bad" He says "So what brings you here? stalking me?" I raise my eyebrow playfully "Please, I saw how full it was and thought the coffee has to be good or it's a secret strip club" I laugh "definitely a strip club" I joke "hey order done" A middle aged women shouts from the back we look at each other than laugh "Give me a black coffee with a dash of milk and a blueberry muffin" He says "Okay" I take his money and tell him to move to the side and wait for someone to call out is order. "See you around Mexico" he tells me as he grabs his order and leaves the cafe. I can't help to smile and when I look around, I see my friends all staring at me but one pair of eyes I notice, Dean, he locks eyes with me for what feels like forever I take a gulp and break eye contact with him.

I take a break and walk over to my friends before I could do anything Marley speaks "before you think of sitting you better tell us who that fine looking guy was" I roll my eyes at her and sit down  next to her saying nothing "excuse me speak" she says again "It's nothing just a guy from one of my classes" I explain "Yeah sure" she says not believing me "I've never seen him around" Sam says from beside Marley "Yeah his new" I say taking fries off Dan plate who is sitting opposite me  "Hey!" he says while I give him an innocent smile before placing it in my mouth "Don't you find it weird that after someone comes looking for you, there's a new guy that all of the sudden in your class" Dean says seriously, getting everyone's attention and shifting the whole vibe. "I don't think the two is related plus his from Londan" I state, "I am just saying before you become besties with him be careful" I just stare at him how could he possibly think that I'm that stupid "Thanks but I'm good" I say "Okay Dan what do you know?" I ask changing the subject "Okay so apparently your sister has been hanging with local gangs for the past few months, but for a while now she hasn't been to the bar that they normally at and people got suspicious because before she stopped coming she started having a lot of bruises so , she could be in a lot of trouble" Dan says and I have no idea what to say to that, I knew my sister was associated with bad people but I never thought she'd be so stupid to make trouble with them but I still don't know how we are involved "It still doesn't say why we are involved" Marley says "I know but I'm still digging into it all" Dan says "Hey Daniel" a short girl with brown hair and hazel eyes comes into view, we all look up confused to who she is and that Shes calling him Daniel "Hey Sophia" Dan says nervously getting up from his seat to speak to her "I didn't mean to interrupt I just wanted to come say hi" I think she realised we all staring "uhm no problem" I say "You didn't interrupt" Sam says "hey Sophia" Marley greets "no stress" Dean says we all say at the same time she nervously laughs and nods "Uhm guys this is Sophia, Sophia this is Dean, Sam , Marley, and Gaby" Dan introduces us going around the table "Hi nice to meet you all" she says shaking our hands as I shake her hand I notice a flame tattoo on her wrist that's around what looks like a burn mark, something about the tattoo is very intriguing. "Nice to meet you too" I say smiling at her "You can sit here I have to get back to work anyways" I say getting up offering my seat "No I shouldn't but thanks" She says "It's no problem" Dan says very quickly we all look at him and then to each other, sharing knowing eyes. "I have to get back see you guys at home I'm going to take an extra shift because of karaoke night, again nice to meet you" I excuse myself I go back to the register to take over again. 

"Next we have Sam and Marley!" I hear Mrs Simon call out my friends to the stage, I wink to Mrs Simon I put their names down. They both make their ways to the stage, and I see both of them looking confused as hell, Sam meets my eyes, and I wink at him he then turns to Marley and shrugs his shoulders. As the song begins, they both laugh to hear "love is an open door" from Frozen playing. If this song doesn't get them to admit their feelings than I don't know. "You are a mastermind" Mrs Simon tells me. As they are done everyone cheers for them and they make their way over to me "That was so fun" Marley tells Sam "Yeah it was thanks to me" I say they both roll their eyes "Uhm I have to get back home I'll see you guys later" Sam says weirdly than leaving without giving us a chance to say anything, Marley looks disappointed "Something probably came up" I say making an excuse "Yeah, sure we can see him later I'm going back to Dean see you" She says trying to play it off, she still thinks I don't know she likes him. A few minutes pass by and Dan them decide to leave "Hey we off catch you later" Dan tells me while Marley waves from the door. Dean already outside I roll my eyes at the fact that he doesn't even say bye like how rude.

Its 9:30 and I'm cleaning up, I am the only one in the cafe everyone already gone, and Mrs Simon asked me to lock up. As I make my way outside to get to my car a man comes up behind me, I become faster with my keys but not fast enough he covers my mouth with a cloth, and I go black.