Indestructible: Reinforced

Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

     September 2012

     Present Day

     I sighed as I came back to Earth. I could still remember how I’d felt three years ago when Josh asked me to be his girlfriend. It had been amazing. It had been everything I’d ever wanted.

     Looking at him now, standing a few feet away with his back turned on me, I realized how far we’d come since that night. Three years without so much as a breakup, how had we managed it?

     Oh, sure we’d fought. And he’d made me cry. And I’d made him cry. But we always made up and moved on without having any issues. We always worked out everything and moved on. We were good together. We understood each other.

     And I’d just asked him to shut up about the whole marriage thing. How bitchy of me.

     I got up and walked over to him. He looked over his shoulder and saw me coming then looked away. I sighed and stood behind him. “I’m sorry.” I wrapped my arms around his stomach and rested my head on his back. “I didn’t mean it that way.”

     “You did.” He replied curtly.

     I shook my head. “I was just stressed out, Josh. I’m sorry I said what I said. I didn’t mean it that way. I’m just asking you to give me some time, to let me deal with what’s going on now. And then we’ll talk and figure everything out.”

     He was silent for a bit. Then he turned around and hugged me. “You have no idea how hard it was for me to take that step, Gaby. It’s hard for any guy. And you didn’t even hint to me that you wanted it. I was doing it all by myself. And your reaction just scared me. It’s still scaring me.”

     I cupped his face and looked into his anguished eyes. “Don’t be scared. I love you, Josh. You know that. Why would you ever be scared?”

     “Because things like that make couples fall apart.” He answered. “And I don’t know what I’d do if we fell apart.”

     “And you think I do?” I had tears in my eyes now. “Having you has been the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I think you’re the reason why nothing too bad has ever happened to me. If anything should ever happen to us, I don’t how I’d cope. I don’t know if I even could.”

     He smiled and kissed me. “I love you so much, Gaby.”

     I kissed him back and hugged him. “I love you too, Josh.”

     Footsteps echoed down the corridor and we pulled away to see who had just arrived. Drake rounded the corner and came to a halt when he saw us. “Oh, thank God!” He jogged up to us and I glared at who was on his heels.

     “Oh, you have got to be kidding me!” I snapped. “Are you insane, Drake? What the hell is she doing here?”

     Amelie Baute sauntered over to me and Josh and looked at me with a haughty expression on her overly-made-up face. She was wearing a white blazer over a black camisole, black skinny trousers, and nine-inch black heels.

     “Gaby, please.” Drake looked beyond worried. “My kid’s being delivered now. Spare me.”

     “That’s right.” Amelie wove her arm through his and I watched his face as he gritted his teeth and looked away. “You need to take it easy with him.”

     “Don’t start with me.” I growled. I’d developed a bit of an attitude because of Avy. I was very good at dealing with women who didn’t like her. “You have no business being here.”

     “My boyfriend is waiting for his baby.” She smiled adoringly at him but it was fake. Anyone could see it. “I have to be here with him.”

     “Can I go in and see her?” Drake asked me, ignoring Amelie completely. “Will that be alright?”

     “Ofcourse.” I sighed. “She wants to see you. What took you so much to get here anyways?”

     “The streets were crowded.” He walked towards the door and gently shook off Amelie’s arm, but she followed him to the door.

     “Oh, no.” I intercepted her. “You’re not going in there. She’s not well enough to deal with you.”

     Amelie glared at me. “Listen, I won’t-“

     “Amelie, please!” Drake sighed exasperatedly. “Just wait out here for a bit. I need to check on her and the baby. I’ll be a minute.”

     Why wasn’t he asking her to leave? “I need to talk to you, Drake.”

     “After I’ve seen her, Gaby, please.”

     I shrugged. “Your funeral.”

     He shook his head and pushed open the door. He closed it quickly before Amelie could follow. I glared at her, she was such a leech. It was obvious that Drake didn’t have any real feelings for her. It was obvious that he was still very much in love with Avy. Why was she going all Cynthia on them? Atleast Cynthia had come to her senses after the whole baby thing. But this one was so stupid and clingy. I hated her so much.

     “Gaby, have you eaten anything all day?”

     I turned around and looked at Josh. “What?”

     “Besides what we had at the restaurant.” He said. “Did you eat anything?”

     “No.” I shook my head. “If you’re hungry you can go eat something. I’ll stay here.”

     “We can go get some pizza.” He suggested. “It’s across the street. We won’t be gone for long.”

     I looked at Amelie uncertainly. “Maybe I should stay.”

     “I know what you’re trying to do here.” She narrowed her eyes at me. “You’re keeping me here while he’s in there with her. You’re helping her steal him away.”

     “She doesn’t need any help.” I smiled at her coldly. “Actually, she doesn’t need to even steal him. He’s hers, Amelie. You’re just too stupid to see it.”

     She advanced on me and Josh stepped between us. “That bitch won’t get her hands on him again. Ever.”

     “That bitch is my sister.” I snarled at her. “Now unless you want to be admitted here, shut the fuck up and stay out here. Don’t even think of going in that room. If something happens to my sister or her baby because of you you’ll answer to me, you fucking bitch.”

     Josh looked at me incredulously. He’d never heard me speak like that before. Or look like that, for that matter. I looked like Avy when she was pissed. Downright terrifying.

     Amelie took a step backwards and tried to appear composed and unaffected, but I knew that she was scared now. Her face had gone a bit pale. “I won’t let her have him.”

     “Said by many a woman before.” I scoffed. “And Avy always got what she wanted.”

     “Not this time.” She shook her head. “She won’t have him! He’s mine!”

     I shook my head and turned away. “Spoiled bitch.”

     “Mind your tongue!”

     “Make me.” I laughed and spun around to look at her, Josh stepped between us again. “I want you to make me mind my tongue. Because believe me, Amelie, I am way beyond pissed and what I would really like to do now is kick someone’s ass and you happen to be a prime candidate. It would get rid of you, for starters. And my sister would be in a much better mood. So don’t tempt me.”

     She knew I was right. She knew that my sister had taught me well. And everyone knew that Avy was pretty good at kicking ass when needed.

     “Thought so.” I grabbed Josh’s arm and led him down the corridor. “Let’s go get something to eat, Josh.”