By Chance

ch 21

A\N Okay so, like my profile says I'm on vacation right now and will be for another week so updates will be slow. I'm working as fast as I can to write these chapters. Sorry for the wait.

Gabriel

I open my eyes and instantly close them when I'm suddenly blinded by bright light aimed directly at my eyes.

I turn my head and open them again. Oh my gosh, it's a miracle! I can actually see!

I get up and walk down the stairs careful not to wake up Raven. I hear plastic scrape against metal as my mom cooks breakfast. I sit on the island behind her. "I'm sorry about yesterday." I say bluntly. She nods but doesn't say anything. "I didn't mean it. I was just mad at someone else and took it out on you and it wasn't right. Please forgive me?" I continue. She finally turns around and looks at me. "I don't know what you've been going through, and I know it's been a lot but I trying my hardest with your father gone. I don't appreciate doing all I can just to come home and have my son yell at me. Your right I haven't been around but trying." She says tears now running down her cheeks. I get up and hug her. "I know and sorry. I was caught up in my own world and wasn't considerate to how you feel. I'm sorry." I say. She nods wiping her tears and pulling away. "I forgive you." She says. I sit back down as my mom starts back on whatever she was making before.

Raven walks in wears a tank top and shorts. Not surprising considering its like desert in here. Her hair is a little frizzy but still neat. And her eyes are amazingly bright considering she just woke up.

She sits next to me, leaning her head against my shoulder. I try to not to laugh. "Well good morning sunshine." I say. She mumbles something back that sounds like 'morning'.

My mom turns around and sets plates on the island. They're all filled with different food. Sausage, pancakes, bacon, eggs..... Ravens head lifts when she sees the food.

"Mom you do know your only feeding three people right." I say raising my eyebrow. She just shrugs , sits across from us, and says "Dig in."

Raven

After we finish breakfast Gabriel's mom goes shopping for stuff leaving me and Gabriel here.

Gabriel washes dishes since I can't get my hand wet. I doubt would of let me anyway. "We need to meet your brother we're putting of the inevitable." I say staring at his back as he puts plates away. "What does Cole have to do with any of this?" He says turning to face me. I bite my lip deciding whether or not to tell him now. I sigh. "Your brother's in a gang." I say looking away. Gabriel frowns. "How would you know?" He asks. "He has the tattoos. He carries a gun but doesn't have a weapons permit, he's to young. So he's either really stupid and wants to get in trouble or he's in a gang that would give him one." I say thinking through my reasons. "Oh and how would you even know what the tattoos look like? Huh?" He says still frowning. I lower my head not wanting to answer that question. "See you don't know. You don't know that." He says mistaking my silence for ignorance. He starts to walk out of the kitchen when I suddenly blurt out something I've been denying for so long even I believed it. "Because my dad's a gang leader! Okay! That why!" I shout. Gabriel stops in his tracks. My head drops to the counter. "What?" He asks quietly. "He runs the gang your brothers in. That why he left. The competing gang took Bethany and he left my mom and me to get her back and protect us. I couldn't figure it out but now it makes sense." I say tears running down my cheeks. I was so stupid! How did I not realize this before! I my knees give out and I start to slide to the ground but strong arms wrap around my waist before I can reach the ground. Gabriel pulls me up and against him. "If we reach Cole then we reach my dad and we find out what happened. This whole freaking time I've been trying to figure out another reason and my own stupidity got her killed." I say. I leaning so much on Gabriel that if he let go I'd collapse to the floor. Gabriel doesn't say anything. "And I've dragged you into all the crap now. If I could of seen through these damn walls I've built around myself she would be alive and you would had a normal life without me!" I say trying to pull away but Gabriel doesn't let me. He doesn't say anything until I stop struggling. "Your not the problem. If you would stop doubting yourself and stop letting other people put their responsibility on you then you'd be a lot happier." He says into my hair. That got me to shut up. "Plus you didn't drag me into this. I'm the one who showed up at your door not the other way around. So stop blaming yourself." He says. We stand quiet for a couple minutes. It would have been peaceful had it not been for my heart beating a thousand miles an hour. Why do we always end up in this position? Not that I'm complaining or anything.

Wait. What am I thinking? Shut up brain.

I hear the front door open. I pull away. I look up at the doorway expecting Sandy. It's not.