Pepperoni Pizza

12:03 am [14]

GABRIEL SLID out of April's car. She took over his spot next to the phone, simply stating that he owed her a favor, before tossing him the keys to her car.

His hands were sweating underneath the thick gloves he wore and he told himself it was because of the heat from the pizza. The chill of the air turned his breath into a puff of soft frost but he took his time getting to the door.

A string of curses escaped his lips when his hand reached the doorbell. He kept his finger there, not wanting to release it and make noise.

To say he was nervous was an understatement. What if she didn't like how he looked? What if she didn't answer the door? What if this surprise visit freaks her out and she stops calling?

He took a deep breath and pulled his finger away, a loud ding dong vibrating through his bones not a second later. He was being silly. Looks didn't matter, and he never worried about how he looked. Not until now, at least.

Blue was...different. She was passionate and funny and real. He liked that. He loved that. He hated himself for coming up with that stupid lie that April was his girlfriend. He wanted to take it back, he didn't want anyone else. Just Blue.

The door opened and he still wasn't breathing.

Somehow, he knew it was her. Maybe it was the fact that she was wearing a Pikachu onesie. Or maybe it was her frizzy hair. Maybe it was the fact that when he looked into her eyes he felt like melting.

"Your face." Her voice was strong, firm. It sounded higher over the phone.

He stared at her, worrying about what was wrong with his face. He wanted to laugh at how short she was. This was the girl that had him running in circles, completely lost for words. This was the girl that had him stuttering and laughing when he never let himself do either.

She put a hand to his forehead and he felt his knees turn to jelly. So soft, so cold. She took her hand away and said, "Your face is purple."

Then he remembered that he had stopped breathing minutes ago. He let out his held in breath and erupted into a fit of coughs.

He heard Blue curse before he felt her hand on his arm. "Sit down for a sec, dude."

Much to his surprise, she led him inside and closed the door. She didn't seem as shy as she proclaimed the first time they spoke.

She sat him down, took the pizza, and took out a twenty dollar bill. "I'm gonna get you some water, don't steal anything."

He wanted to snort as he thought to himself, she's as forward as ever.

He found himself looking around her living room. The walls were filled--much to his amusement--with movie posters. Wall to wall book cases surrounded the room, filled with more vinyl than he knew existed. This only made him feel out of breath, because why would such an amazing girl spend her time talking to him?

She came back a few seconds later with a glass of water.

"You shouldn't let strangers in your house." He bit his tongue as soon as the words poured out. He didn't want her knowing it was him, but she would surely recognize him now.

"Your face was purple," she laughed, a beautiful sound that was full and made Gabriel's brain stop working, "I thought you were going to die and then I would be blamed for your death. I'm too pretty for prison." She said the last words with sarcasm and doubt, like she didn't think she was actually pretty. This bothered him because he thought she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.

"Yeah," he sighed deeply, "you really are."

"What?"

"What?"

"Did you say something?"

"Nah."

"Huh. That's weird. I thought I heard something."

"Maybe your house is haunted."

"It's not my house." She took a seat next to him, their hips touching. His face grew hot and he lost his ability to speak. "It's my friends. I just live with him when things get bad at home." He was surprised, because this sounded like a secret, like something private she kept locked up. And she was telling a stranger.

"I...uh...um...well I'm..." Goddamn it Gabriel say something.

"Well, your face back to the color it's supposed to be. So I guess it's time for you to head back." She helped him stand up, even though he didn't need it. He tripped multiple times while she pushed him to the door.

"Wait, can I have your number?" The words tumbled out and he kicked himself for having no control over his words tonight.

"Wow, so much confidence for someone who couldn't speak a few seconds ago." She laughed again and his heart stopped at the words he spoke to her only two months ago. He wondered if she figured out his secret identity as she got out a pen and wrote her number down on the receipt.

He wasn't sure if he was breathing as she gave him back the piece of paper. And then she said something that had him smiling all the way back to the pizzeria.

"Give that to Gabriel Lynch. And tell him to call me sometime."