Like To Be You ✓

twenty six pt. two

The day before Thanksgiving, I go into town, which is a big mistake because there are people everywhere, doing last minute food shopping, just like us. I hold onto Kiara's hand as we all walk like a human chain to get past the crowd swarming the street we're trying to get across.

"There!" Kiara lifts our joined hands and points to a shopping centre on the other side of the road. We're here to buy cranberries and some apples and pears for tomorrow. It was supposed to be a three-man job, which included Harry, Kiara, and me, but then Hazel said she wanted to go too, which led to the remaining two kids to start whining too.

So now, I, as the oldest cousin, am left responsible for my five cousins, three of which are so wriggly and impatient they could easily be lost.

"Hazel!" I pull her away from the gumball machine she's practically drooling over. "Not now! I can't afford you getting kidnapped."

"I want one." She says, knocking on the glass. "The pink one."

"But I want the pink one!" Shirley haughtily crosses her arms.

"You know what." I put a dollar in the machine and four gumballs come rolling out. Two are blue, one is pink, and one is yellow. I put the pink one in my mouth to avoid another crisis and give the kids the rest.

It makes the situation even worse, because now I'm a horrible brother and they won't stop complaining about it to our parents. Normally, my mother would have a laugh about it, but because of the OMG Neil smokes?! incident, she looks at me as if she can't believe I did something like that.

"You should've just bought some more gumballs! I'm sure a pink one would've rolled out."

See, her being angry at me also slightly dents her logic.

I feel embarrassed every time any of my aunts or uncles or heck, even Grandma, look at me. The fact that I like nicotine and was a bit rude to Grandpa the other day reflects badly in their eyes every time I look at them. I've tried being extra extra nice to everybody: I've cleaned Tyler the Labrador's poop three times already, washed the dishes every time after a meal, gotten everyone little gifts any time I went into town, and haven't even touched a single cigarette since that day.

Also, Uncle Leonard is slightly mad that I got a cigar from Grandpa, something I'm trying not to give two shits about, because he's really nice but he's also being kind of an asshole with the subtle taunts and jabs. It's not funny anymore.

Deciding that I don't feel like being around them anymore, I let the front door slam shut behind me and trudge against the frosty wind nipping at my face. Winding my scarf tighter around my neck, I walk down the large driveway and get into Mom's car, sighing when the heater starts up.

I drive towards town, coming to a stop in front of the restaurant-type-café French Boy works in. Peeking through the large windows, I find him bent over an open notebook. I grab two hot chocolates and make my way towards his table.

"Mind if I join you?" I say. He looks up from his notebook, on which I can see crosses on equations. A smile flickers onto his face and he nods.

"You didn't have to. But thank you." He wraps his hands around the mug I set in front of him. I wave my hand in the air in the universal it's no problem manner.

"Algebra." I lean forward and look at what he's solving. "Oh, easy."

"Easy?" He makes a face and slides the book to my side before taking a sip of his drink. "Here, you solve this, then."

I take the pencil from his hand and scribble down the steps before passing the book back to him. "Don't like math?"

"I like it when I can solve it, and I hate it when I can't. So, yes, not a big fan." He wrinkles his nose adorably and shuts the book. Crossing his arms, he leans forward on the table. "What brings you here, Neil Diamond?"

"Very funny."

"I try."

I watch his proud smile for a few moments before snapping back to reality. "My cousins were getting on my nerves," I say. It's a partial lie, because I can't exactly tell him that my aunts and uncles were pissing me off, and even my mom, to an extent. I don't want to come off as disrespectful in front of him. I already see disappointment in everyone's eyes at home.

"Ah, yes, little kids. They're cute little devils." He twirls his pencil between his fingers. "Tell me about where you come from. Denver."

"Denver? It's okay. We don't get a lot of snow. We also have the International Church of Cannabis."

"What?" He laughs, and it sounds adorable. He looks adorable, with his hair curling at the edge of his ears and the deep-set dimples. It's hard to not want to keep admiring his high cheekbones and defined jaw.

"Yeah, it's dedicated to the spiritual benefits of weed and all. Weird, really."

"And?" He squints curiously. "What about your school?"

"Ah, yes, The Rochester Academy, one of the many Hells present on Earth."

"Is it an elite school? It sounds like one."

"It wasn't one originally, but then it got popular because so many branches opened so now there's this craze about it." I say. "But we have the worst English teacher on Earth. She eats babies for breakfast, I've heard."

"That's horrifying." Gabriel snorts. "Our teachers are really cool. My history teacher once wore a banana costume to school because of a dare given in the staff room. The principal didn't even say anything."

We talk and talk and talk, and I come to know that he's a history nerd and that he wants to be a professor. I come to know that he has two siblings, and that, yes, his mother is French, and that he can bake a mean apple pie and was once a swimming champion in his school district.

We talk for so long that the sun dips in the sky as we go through cups of coffee and plates of muffins and cannoli. I don't want the day to end.

He walks me to my car after my mother calls me, demanding I be home for dinner, and gives me his number.

"When are you leaving?" He asks me.

"On Saturday."

"Okay." He nods. "I'm working that day. But meet me once before you go."

"I will."

He smiles at me, then leans up and presses a kiss to my cheek. "Bye, Neil Diamond."

I lift my hand and waveback in a dreamy daze. "Bye, Gabriel." 

o-o-o

a/n

Hey guys! Here's the second installment of the Thanksgiving break. I'll wrap it up in the next chapter, which should be up by next week.

Also I am so excited for the upcoming chapters!!! :)))))

Don't forget to vote, comment and share. I love reading your comments :")

<3, Saanvi