From friends to this -Year six (re-uploaded) Book 1/4

Chapter 31

The next two hours were spent in playful company with Gabriel. They got along well, he was a lot more formally polite than her but he was otherwise a very outgoing person.

"Do you want to get a drink?" Gabriel offered, having to shout a little over the sound of the music, laughter and chatter.

"Yeah, sure!" Tara replied, as Gabriel took her hand and guided her off the dance floor. Tara found that all this dancing had made her a little breathless, "You know you wouldnt believe I was ever a quiditch player" she quipped.

Gabriel laughed, "You are a funny girl, Tara."

"I try."

Soon enough they reached one of the tables that was laid out with plates of small deserts and glasses of a sparkling drink. Gabriel picked one up and handed it to Tara.

She thanked him and the two drank and made casual conversation for a bit before they both went to sit down.

"Tara?" Gabriel sat down, looking a little on edge.

Tara furrowed her brows confused, "Is everything alright?"

"I lied to you.." he looked away guiltily, wringing his hands, "But I just-I thought that maybe if I just-" he cut himself off and turned to her, "I am so sorry."

Now Tara was getting concerned, "What do you mean? What happened? Are you alright?" She asked question upon question, worriedly.

"When you said to me, that you had a suspicion that I was romantically interested in you, I lied and told you that I did not," he said, breathing fast, "Because I think you're a lovely person and it would have been nice to spend time with you anyway, regardless of whether or not we went as date dates or just friends."

Tara sat down also, processing it all. She sighed, Adrian was right, Fred was right. Was she really that stupid?

"When you said that I panicked," Gabriel continued to explain himself, taking Tara's hand, "I just denied it because you wouldn't have come with me then, knowing how I really felt. Then I figured that if things went well enough tonight then maybe you could feel differently, come around."

Tara looked at the ground, "Then why tell me now then?"

"Because things were going well, we bonded, grew closer and I thought to myself that maybe if I said something you wouldn't be as appalled by the idea of maybe taking a chance on me."

"Appalled?" Tara questioned, looking up suddenly, "Gabriel, you are a wonderful person, kind, smart and patient, anyone would be lucky to be perused by you."

"Then go on a date with me," he insisted, "If you don't feel the same by the end of it then I will let you be, we can be friends, act like this never happened."

Tara blinked, and she couldn't believe this but she was considering it. Gabriel was a lovely boy, everything that any girl ever wants in a guy, his personality was something straight from a fairytale. But could she be with someone like him?

But as she looked at his desperate expression, and her reluctance, she knew the answer.

"Gabriel..." she took her hand from his, "I can't lead you on like that."

"I understand that you might never feel the same but there could be a chance," he said gently, "You might grow to care for me."

"Gabriel, it's not that," Tara breathed, she felt horrible, like she was the most notorious heartbreaker, "it's just, I can't go into something even just a date, knowing that I wouldn't be going into it with a completely open mind."