The Clinch

Chapter Five

Chapter Five:

Of all the Damn moments in time...

"Out with you, peasant!" I growl at the vending machine where my bag of peanut m&m's is stuck behind the glass, whilst I furiously glare at it, willing it to be unjammed with sheer will power. It doesn't even budge an Inch. It's safe to say that I have no telekinetic ability despite how much i try.

How can it get stuck? I do this every Damn day and I always order my candy from the same machine, on the same shelf! And it chooses today of all days to get wedged in? Blasphemy! "My morning is ruined!" It's tradition for me to have a bag of chocolate coated peanuts after every morning workout session, because I seriously need to get my sugars back up. "It's all your fault!" I scowl at the blue plastic bag before letting out a feigned sob. "Why?"

"Did your mother never teach you not to play with your food?"

I spin around and frown at Gabriel, my sudden happiness dying. I thought I was saved... Although I do smile a little bit inside; how can I not, Gabriel is just so damn fiiiinee!

"Oh; you. You want something or are you just gonna stand there like a lemming?" I snap at him whilst grabbing onto the sides of the vending machine and giving it a serious wiggle. Nada. My sweets are still stuck there, taunting me.

He tsks at me and gives a sorry shake of his head as he approaches me and leans against the side of the vending machine, casually scrutinizing my every move. "I thought we were past this hostility. We're friends now, remember?"

"You pick me up once and suddenly we're best buds? Well" I huff, feeling slightly guilty for the bitch act that I'm pulling on him, especially because he's nothing but nice to me and he's in good now with my family "if you're any sort of friend, you'd get my candy out of this Damn machine for me. I. Am. Star-ving!"

Rolling his eyes, Gabriel slots some coins into the machine and hits a couple of buttons and I watch in abated silence as the candy in the shelf above where mine is stuck, comes sliding out and unjams my sweets, both packets falling into the collection tray at the bottom.

With a sheepish smile, I grab our sweets and hand Gabriel his pack. "Thanks, I guess." And there is no hesitation before I rip open my chocolate and tip about half the packet down my throat.

"Anytime, princess, anytime." He chuckles, ruffling my hair and lobbing his unwanted candy packet at me. "I'll see you tonight."

Before he can effectively swagger away, I spin on him and grab him by the elbow, stopping him mid stride. "Wait, what's tonight, why will I be seeing you?" Not that I'm complaining. Hell, I'm obviously a glutton for punishment, but I don't want to miss out on an opportunity to see his face for a while longer. Gabriel sure is easy on the eyes.

Gabriel cocks a brow at me, as if trying to remind me of something. Clueless, I just give him my blank look- which I am sure is about as attractive as a dog with worms.

"Ya know, family party? Your ma has been arranging this for weeks."

Oh yeah. That. I've tried my best - and failed - to get out of having to attend. And my lovely mother has even gone to the lengths of buying me a dress to wear for tonight; brilliant.

I'm pretty sure I cringe, because suddenly Gabriel is chuckling. "Don't worry, princess; little birdy told me you hate these family do's. If it gets too bad I'll just keep you company, sound fair?"

I shrug. "What do you get out of this deal?"

He scoffs and sends me a pitying look. "Oh sweetheart, you're so Damn innocent it burns my soul."