Let Me Love You | Toni Kroos

Chapter 27 - In Pieces

Gabi's POV

Gabi, please talk to me. Just pour it all out.

It's not stupid, I'll listen.

Laughter. Laughter traveling in the wind. My laughter. And my hair in the breeze. Swinging. Back and forth, the both of us.

Have you ever had a girlfriend?

You'll find him one day.

Thank you so much, Toni.

—

Through all my ups and downs, through all my debuts.

I'm glad I got to watch all your firsts.

Gabriele, my sun is rising.

Right here on these steps.

—

Elisa. Bertha. This is Toni.

Mysterious neighbour guy?

Smiling. Mum and dad smiling.

It's not easy, dad said.

Cry after every assist or goal?

Remember the last time we were alone?

—

I wanted to see you. I mean, I wanted to tell you how good you were.

You're my favourite person in the entire world.

Climbed up the pipe. I climbed up the pipe...to my room.

Tears. My tears. On the windowsill.

I love you; I love you, too.

—

Cologne? That's less than an hour away from me!

Transfer? Why?

Every moment of every day.

Cologne.

What happened in Cologne?

Take all the pain away.

Fuck me hard, Toni.

Cologne.

Toni's POV

I was woken up by an ear-piercing, blood-curdling scream from opposite. From Gabi's room. It was unlike any other time. It was louder, more frightening, more piercing, cutting through the still night air, traveling through my window and shaking all my nerves.

I got up and turned on the light, and then I stood at my window as usual, watching as Amelie and her parents barged into Gabi's room and hugged her tightly, trying to calm her down. I could hear her screaming and yelling. No, leave me alone. My head hurts. It hurts so much. I don't know. I don't know anything. Go away. It's so noisy. Noisy. In my head.

After a while, she calmed down significantly, and her parents left the room, leaving Amelie there with her arms around Gabi, rocking her gently. She left Gabi on the bed, and then walked to the window and waved at me.

Come over, she waved. Slowly at first, and then more urgently.

I didn't even care to change out of my pyjamas. I grabbed the little paper bag sitting on my table and rushed downstairs, out the door and across the road, dashing up the pipe and into Gabi's room.