Heaven By Your Side

Chapter Five

It's funny because you meet these people and they make

You laugh and they give you hope and they make you

Realize that there is so much more to life and when

You're with them you forget how empty you felt before.

____________________________________________________________________________

Gabe~

I knock on Madeline's bedroom door and she opens, tiredly. "Are you really not going?"

She shakes her head at me. "Christmas Ball? Too many people and I might see him there."

I curl my hand into a fist as the anger comes back. "I really wish you'll let me deal with that dickhead."

Maddie gives me a tired smile. "Thanks, Gabe but I know you'll go overboard if I let you."

"Damn right I would!" I growl out, "No-one messes with you like that. He's a prick, why'd you date him for?"

Her eyes saddens as she looks up at me. Though she was older than me, I'm taller than her. Too tall.

"I thought he was different." She says softly.

I shake my head at her. "What's with you girls? You're smart, Maddie. Don't be blinded by someone like him. He's a dickhead who goes breaking hearts."

She gives me a sad smile. "When you find a girl you truly love, you'll understand Gabe."

I pull her in for a hug and she tightens her hands around me as she cries softly.

If I ever find out who that prick is, he's dead to me. No-one hurts Maddie and gets away with it.

Maddie pulls back after a moment and laughs.

"What?"

She points at my green t-shirt. "I'm sorry I cried all over your shirt. Now you've got to change."

I shrug. "I'm only going there to see if it will trigger a memory. I'm not there to impress."

Maddie laughs and shakes her head at me. "Still. What if you meet some pretty girl and want to impress her?"

"I doubt I would be the type," I say to her, smiling. "No girl can handle my shit."

"If she really loves you, trust me, she can handle our baggage and any shit you throw at her...which won't be much except your endless teasing."

I laugh and lift my hand to ruffle her hair but this time she's too quick and ducks out of the way.

Maddie examines me top to bottom. "Not bad, if you really aren't dressed to impress."

I sigh. "Better change into another shirt before Uncle Ben arrives."

"Aren't you taking your bike?" she questions.

I arch an eyebrow at her. "You want me to ride my motorcycle out to the Christmas Ball?"

She laughs. "Right, because people will judge? Our reputation is already tainted. No more harm you can do, Gabe. And if your girl can't deal with that then she's not worth it."

"My girl?" I reiterate, raising my brows. "Are you feeling okay this morning, sis?"

She grins. "Hurry. Go change."

I jog up the stairs and halt when Maddie calls my name. "Gabe!"

"Yeah?" I yell back.

"Wear that dark-blue t-shirt! It looks good on you!"

~

Deja~

We're all in Leah's room, doing our make-up and hair in front of Leah's massive mirror when Lo's cell phone rings.

She jumps over all our make-up sets and onto the Leah's bed.

"Hello!" she answers, "Oh hi! Yeah, we're still getting ready. What time are you leaving?"

Ree, Leah and I look at each other, already knowing that it was Noah, Lo's boyfriend on the phone.

I shake my head. It's the Christmas Ball today that's being celebrated annually on Christmas day. The poor guy doesn't know that their relationship is going to end pretty soon.

My two cousins look over at me and I shrug. "It's bound to happen. We can't change Lo's mind."

Ree looks over at Lo who was still on her cell. "But I like Noah. He's nice."

"Yeah," Leah chimes in, "and he actually likes her for who she is. Why would Lo wanna...you know?"

I only glance at the mirror at my sister because I couldn't answer.

No-one but Lo knows. It's her relationship and if she believe she's doing the right thing, so be it.

It's going to be their first and last Christmas together.

Who am I to dictate their lives?

Lo's on her own this time.

~

Gabe~

Throwing my head back I laugh at Jaden, one of my best friends' comment. We're outside because it was too stuffy in the room and we need fresh air.

It's been two hours now and so far, nothing has triggered yet.

We continue on with our conversations and occasionally my other friends join in too.

In the middle of saying something, I feel a change in the air and freeze. My heart is suddenly beating faster and I'm hit with confusion.

Slowly, I turn around and my eyes scan around the area trying to identify the source of this change in the atmosphere.

Four girls walk out from inside. Two of them are about the same height and they were the tallest one out of the four. One was in pink dress, and the other was in black and white. The shortest one was also the youngest and she was in a navy dress. They were all pretty in their own way. They all have their long hair out and the wind was whipping at it making it look like a cliché movie scene.

But it was the one in the white dress with her hair curled who I was captivated by.

The wind whips at her hair and the only thought that I was capable of was...

Angel.

She looks like an angel standing there.

The girl in black and white says something and she laughs.

My heart does a funny flip and I could not bring myself to look away from her.

God, she's so beautiful it hurts to look.

Slowly my brain begins to function again and I tear my eyes away from her.

I curl my hand into a fist.

She's obviously a beauty and I've no chance with her.

I blink, shock. What? No chance with her?

I shake the thoughts away. What am I thinking? I've never had thoughts like this before.

Must be Maddie getting into me.

I glance over my shoulder at her again.

She's got me enchanted. That's all I can say. For a moment there I lost focus of everything.

I got distracted.

Dancing was the only thing that allowed me to be distracted and forget my problems. The music and the dance moves allowed me to let go of my stress.

And yet, there she was...Just one glance and I forgot everything.

As I watch her laugh again, the wind whipping at her hair and dress, I know that deep in my heart, this is going to be one of the moments that I will forever remember.

Because for a moment there she made me forget how empty I felt.