Gabi~
"Cucumbers,"
Carnell said as he scribbled the word down on the folded piece of paper he was holding.
"Anything else?"
I sat on his lap and tapped my chin, "Naked."
He raised his eyebrow and laughed, "I don’t know how I'm supposed to find that in a grocery store, but I'll definitely try."
I pinched his arm and cut my eyes at him, "It's a drink."
"Right, right."
I walked over to the closet and grabbed a pair of his sweat pants, slipping them over my
polka dot boy shorts. I grabbed Carnell's hand and tried to pull all 180 pounds of him off of the bed, let's just say it was a wasted effort. He finally got up and I followed him past a sleeping Jorelys to the kitchen.
"How long is she staying here again?" I asked him, lowering my voice to a whisper. I didn't want her there for obvious reasons.
"Why don't you ask her?"
My eyes darted to Jorelys and back to Carnell, "Believe me; you don't want me to ask her."
"...Maybe you're right."
I sighed and poked out my lower lip, "Take me with you."
"Nope. Be nice, and don't do anything that I wouldn't do." He kissed my forehead, kissed my stomach and winked at me before he made his way out the door.
What Carnell wouldn’t do; seeing that he punched Trent in the face, I could do the same to Jorelys…right? It would be kind of hypocritical if I couldn’t.
“Where did he go?” Jorelys sat up rubbing her eyes.
“…The store.”
“Oh.”
I studied her every move, I didn’t trust her. She might pull a knife out of her hair or something …anything’s possible.
“I won’t be here long Gabrielle, I promise.”
I leaned against the wall and shrugged my shoulders.
“ I don't like you. But I know what you're going through, and its a tough ditch to climb out of. Carnell has a big heart, so I can understand him bringing you here. Still, I don't like you. ”
“ The feeling is mutual. I didn’t ask him to bring me here; I was just fine where I was.”
I rolled my eyes, “No you weren’t, you think you were fine but you were barely hanging on.”
It seemed like I was looking at myself 3 months ago. 3 whole months before Carnell saved me from what might’ve been the death of me. As much as I didn’t like this girl, no one deserved to be treated like they were nothing.
The memories began flashing through my head like a video montage. The blood, the bruises, the pain. Carnell and all the pain I’d put him through. When I thought back to it, I was surprised Carnell stayed around as long as he did, it must’ve killed him.
“It hurts him to see you like…this.”
She chuckled but kept the same blank look on her face, “It must bring him satisfaction seeing me like this. Why else would he bring me here, with him and his new pregnant girlfriend?”
I raised my eyebrow, “ I'm not that new, and I'm not that pregnant. Can you tell ? ”
I looked down at my stomach, “Oh. Don't answer that. ”
“He brought me here to rub you in my face and make me jealous. It's not working. ”
I rolled my eyes; did she really think that Carnell and I sat around thinking of ways to
piss her off? Let’s save her from a monster Carnell, that’ll really make her upset.
It was bad enough that she was in Carnell’s orange and white shorts—my favorite
pair to sleep in, But now she was being extremely irrational. I turned
on my heels and made my way back to the bedroom. I climbed onto the plush bed
and laid face down breathing in Carnell’s scent that was lingering in the blue sheets. There were ups and downs to having the most amazing person in the world as your boyfriend. Ups. And. Downs.
Jorelys ~
I tip-toed through the small apartment trying not to wake up the whore as I grabbed small yet pricey things; picture frames, candles, silverware, anything that I could sell once I left there. I shoved them all in one of those reusable grocery bags Carnell always kept around.
Nothing ever went right for me, relationships seemed like my kryptonite or something.
Yeah I was smart, but who wanted a smart girl? No one. That’s who.
I pulled the front door open, only to be met by a confused expression.
“Who are you?” he asked me.
“Who are you?” I challenged back.
“I’m Gabi’s brother; I just wanted to tell her goodbye before I went back to school. Is she
still awake?” He walked past me and right in, “Gabi?”
“No,” I snapped.
“She’s not, just come back later.” He was going to wake them up.
“I already told you I’m going back…who are you again?”
“Jorelys.”
“Ohh,” He looked me up and down and pressed his lips together. “So you’re the one.”
I twitched and touched my hair out of instinct, “What?”
“Nothing…I know Gabi’s not too pleasant if you wake her up for no reason, so just tell her
I’ll call her later.”
I beat him to the door and slammed it closed just as he was going to open it. I put my
hands on his cheeks and pulled his lips to mine. Maybe he wasn’t Carnell, he wasn’t even Trent,
but he was something. Something close to Gabi, maybe I’d hurt her just as bad as she’d hurt me.
I pulled him closer to me, as he resisted my hold. I pulled him onto the couch, and sat on his lap while our lips were still together. Sub-consciously I'm guessing, he put his hands on my hips and his cool finger tips sweeped across my navel piercing.
I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard the creaking of Gabrielle's door.
" Carnell, why are you making so much- "
I turned back to her and smiled, watching anger glaze over her pupils.
" What in the actual f*ck is going on? Car-... " her eyes bulged. " Christian ? Oh h*ll no. That's it. "
She went to the kitchen and rummaged around. I looked back at Christian as he pushed me off him.
" Gabi, " he said; walking towards the kitchen. Before I knew it, she was charging at me with a knife in her hand and was ready to pounce, when Christian pulled her back.
" Gabrielle ! " he yelled. " Give me the knife, you psycho! "
She pulled away from him, and threw the knife in my direction, but intentionally missing. She stormed through the front door, and slammed it shut.
Carnell~
I carried grocery bags up the stairs with my headphones blasting, when Gabrielle stomped past me down the stairs. It took me a minute to realize how upset she looked, and how she just brushed past me.
" Sh*t, " I breathed. Jorelys.
I pushed through the door. Jorelys stood in the living room with a smile on her face while Christian sat on the couch with his head in his hands. Wait. Christian?
" What's going on? "
Christian looked at me. " She can probably tell you better than I can. You need to go get Gabrielle though. "
I rolled my eyes and sprinted down the stairs after her.
" Gabrielle! " I called.
She was a fair way across the parking lot, stomping her little heart out.
I raced towards her, and she pulled away from me when I pulled at her wrists.
" I will NOT stay with her, Carnell. I refuse! "
" Tell me what happened, " I gently pulled her towards me.
She pushed me away. " She's such a b*tch! Trent, fine. But my f*cking brother? Really?! Oh my gosh. My own brother... "
Her eyes popped. " They're alone again. " she shook her head.
I sighed. " I can't just kick her out, Gabrielle. "
She pushed me harder. " Oh really? Then you have a decision to make, Breeding. It's her, or me. "
Gabrielle moved passed me, and back towards the building. I followed after her, but she kept up her pace so I couldn't catch her just by walking.
We got back into the apartment and she slammed my bedroom door with her on the other side of it.
I rolled my eyes and laid my head on the kitchen isle.
" I just needed groceries. " I mumbled. " Groceries! "
Christian chimed in. " I'm sorry, man. I just wanted to say goodbye to my sister. In my defense, I got attacked. "
" I believe you. I don't think you'll get her to open up, so I suggest you try your goodbye's through the door. "
He shook his head. " Nah. I have to get out of here, or my plane will leave without me. I'll check on her later. See you later. "
" Bye, "
I locked the door behind him, and stood towards Jorelys who was across the room.
" What is wrong with you? " I spat.
She walked towards me, and tugged at the collar or my shirt and stretched up to my ear.
" If I can't have you.....she can't either. "
I pushed her off me. " You're sick. "
I made my way to the back, and slid down my bedroom door.
" Gabrielle, " I tapped on the door.
Of course, nothing.
I sighed and leaned my head against the door.
" Gabrielle, love, open the door please. "
Nada.
" Okay. I see you want to be difficult...
"When you said goodbye
I didn't get it
Maybe I just didn't
Want to hear that word
Too late it's embedded
Girl I haven't heard from you in seven days
Since you looked over your shoulder
As you walked away
I didn't feel like it was over
Is it over?
It's Sunday morning
I slept right next to my phone
It's Sunday morning
I'm still waiting for your call
To tell me this was some mistake
That you don't wanna spend another minute away
Cause it's Sunday morning girl
Just call me when you get this message
Ohh, it'll only take one second ... "
I sang to Gabrielle's favorite Travis Garland song, and listened to the lock clicking open.
I smiled and pushed through the door behind her. She sat with her back towards me, looking out the window.
" Baby, " I whispered. I sat next to her. " You know..I listened to that song nonstop while you were gone. It was one of the only ways I felt connected to you. "
She continued to stare blankly out the window.
" I hate her, " she hissed.
I kissed her neck, and she cringed.
" You don't mean that. "
" Really, I do. "
" Wait, so its not me you're mad at? "
" She's the Devil. I can't live with her. It's not safe, for me, you, or her. "
I sighed. " I'll figure it out, baby. I promise. I know all this stress isn't good for you. "
" Maybe I'll just go stay with my mother for awhile, just until- "
" No. H*ll no. I'm not letting you go again, Gabrielle. "
" If you don't fix her, you're going to have too. "
