Falling to pieces

Part 17

At the café, Arianna was with Jenny, Rachel and Skye, Lucy was busy. Arianna had told them all everything.

"Hey Gabby, I've got some snacks for you," said Arianna. Green tea and a cinnamon and raisin cookie, Arianna said that the tea was meant to be therapeutic but honestly, it tasted like vegetable oil.

"So are you still with Luke?" asked Rachel. The question hit her so hard, she choked on her cookie.

"RACHEL!" shouted Arianna, nudging her and turning to look apologetic to Gabby, though she didn't care. "What the hell is wrong with you? Of course she is, why would you ask that?" said Arianna. Poor Rachel looked embarrassed, there was no need for Arianna to say that, it was unnecessary and Rachel was only asking. Gabby wished she had never bothered telling her.

"Oh I just wondered. I didn't know if she was still with him, in the midst of ....." said Rachel. She was looking for the right word to say. "....her confusion," she finished. What she meant was, she didn't know if Gabby was with Luke because Gabby cheated.

"Well no, I'm going to break up with him, tonight," said Gabby. It was all so realistic, she saw the eyes of the girls widen and they all looked at each other.

"Gabby, no you can't! We can talk about this, all of us! We are on your side!" said Arianna. She only meant well, but it's wasn't  up to her. Gabby could break up with him if she wanted, if she thought it was best.

"Yes I can! It's my choice, ok! I kissed another guy ok!" said Gabby. Saying it out load, made her want to scream.

"Yeah but you didn't know what you were doing, he forced you!" said Arianna.

"Yea and like Arianna said, we can talk this through!" said Rachel.

"No! No I don't want to, ok! You can't make me! I did know what I was doing Arianna, I thought about what it would do to Luke and Sophie but I still went through with it! So if you think I didn't know what I was doing, then you obviously don't know me that well!" exclaimed Gabby. She never did things if she didn't know what she was doing, Gabby tried to get up but Skye blocked her way. She was so quiet, she hardly ever said anything.

"Look Gabby, we can't let you go! You're in too much of a state, I understand that the girl's weren't  helping, but at least stay here for a little bit, ok?" said Skye, it was a really understanding thing to say but it didn't help.

"Yea, at least let us buy you a coffee!" said Rachel, enthusiastically.

"No, its fine. I can't think about this break up any longer. I should be focusing on one person, that's Sophie and recently I have been so busy thinking about my so called love life, that I haven't even been able to give Sophie a proper thought," said Gabby. It was so true and as Gabby said it, she burst into tears, she was so busy finding clues, being in love, hanging with friends, that she didn't think about what mattered, she wasn't mourning like a normal girl, she was mourning because she didn't find any clues. The girls hugged her, but she moved away, she didn't deserve kindness.

"Oh Gabby, I'm sorry, look just sit down and try to cool down. We can give you some advice on...what to say," said Skye. Gabby tried to refuse, but the girls didn't back down. Whilst Gabby drank her coffee, the others gave her some advice on what to say, on how to break up with Luke.

At the door of the café, Arianna hugged her again.

"Are you ok? You don't have to do this!" said Arianna. Gabby shook her head and sighed.

"I do, I'm sorry. I'll see you soon," said Gabby, getting on her bike. She rode along in the chilly September evening.

She stood outside Luke's front door feeling sick, with fear, guilt, embarrassment and physically. She knocked once, so hard and tense, her knuckles ached. When Luke came to the door his face lit up, he tried to kiss her on the cheek but Gabby hastily stepped back.