By the time the doorbell rung out in the dark house I was soaked to the bone, my shirt clinging to my chest like a second skin. I hardly registered the cold when the door finally opened and Will emerged from the darkness.
"Gabriel?" He asked in a tired confused voice, rubbing his eyes.
"I need to talk to Eve. Will, please." I begged, wiping the water out of my eyes, although I wasn't sure if it was rain or tears anymore.
"Gabriel it's one thirty in the morning, what the hell are you doing?"
"I can't find Marnie. I need to... I need her Will. I made a mistake"
The fatigue seemed to vanish from Will's face at my words, his eyes focusing fully on me.
"You broke her heart Gabe." His words stung as if I'd been slapped. It was a cruel play of fate to kept being reminded of what I'd maybe lost forever.
"I know that Will! Damn it I know." I managed to say through clenched teeth, "but if I could please talk to Eve then I can at least try to get her back. Please." My voice wavered and I swallowed hard, staring at my best friend.
Suddenly the light turned on behind him and a tired Eve appeared, "What is going on? Who are you talking to baby?" She asked, coming up to the door.
"Eve! Please you've got to help me. I can't find Marnie, but I need to see her. I need to try and make this right." I said desperately, clinging onto the doorframe.
"Gabriel." Eve said cooly, Will allowing her to step in front until she stood face to face with me.
"Is she staying here? Is Marnie here?" I asked her, a loud clap of thunder making us flinch as lightning tore across the sky.
Eve's gaze swept across me once before she tugged me inside, closing the door behind us.
"She is not staying here Gabriel. We had her for one night but she disappeared before either of woke up the next morning. What happened? Why the sudden change of heart?" She asked suspiciously, her hands on her hips.
"I made a mistake. A big mistake and if I don't get her back I don't know what I'll do. Jacqueline..." I sighed, pushing the heels of my hands to my eyes, "Jacqueline instigated the whole thing. She made up all the evidence and made it look like Marnie was behind all of this. And I was too angry to see it." My throat closed up and I tried taking a deep breath.
I felt a hand settle on my shoulder and when I looked up Eve's imploring green eyes bore into mine, "I'm glad she's finally been proven innocent then. I don't know where she went though. I suggest you go home, sleep and try again tomorrow."
"Where would she go? You know her best of all, where would she go when she feels...well..." I trailed off.
Eve rubbed her eyes, "Gabriel..."
"Eve please, all I'm asking for is a place I can start looking for her"
"Our holiday home in the forest maybe" She said, looking up at me.
Will came back with a towel in his hands, handing it to me with a small smile.
"If she's not there then she could be anywhere. She always had to get away when she couldn't take it anymore."
She could be anywhere.
"I have to go." Grasping my car keys I pulled open the door again and ran to my car through the heavy sheets of rain.
"Gabriel don't be stupid! You can't drive in this weather!" Eve called as I unlocked the car.
"I have to try! Else I might be too late. I might lose her forever." The truth of the words I had spoken spurred me on as I gunned the engine and pulled out of the driveway.
YOU ARE READING
Paper Hearts
Romance"You want to know what I think!" "Yes I want to know what you think!" I yelled back at him. "I think you're afraid of commitment, afraid that you'll get hurt! But damn it Marnie sometimes its worth the risk!" He shouted, raw emotion on his face...
