Temptations (A Vinny Castronovo Love Story) *Completed*

Chapter Thirty

(Gabrielle's POV ; Next Morning)

I woke up, and looked across the room into my mirror. Oh my God. My face was actually swollen from crying. This can't be healthy. I rolled out of bed, and walked goggily into the shower, oh how I hate my life. I let the hot water hit me, hoping it would make the swelling go down, but I doubt it will help. I blew up like a balloon overnight. Just another thing to worry about... As if I needed anything more. I got out, and dried myself off, trying desperately to think of ways to get my mom to let me stay home. I felt my head... I actually felt warm. My face was swollen, and I was warm... Now all I needed was the waterworks. I closed my eyes, and got them to water, and I ran to my mom's room. "Mommy...." I cried. "Awe, baby, what's wrong?" She asked, pulling me into a hug. "Can I stay home today? I don't feel very pleasant." I sniffled. She felt my head, and nodded in concern. "You can stay home. Go put your PJ's back on, and lay in bed. I'll call your school on my way to work." "Okay." I pouted, and she kissed my forehead, and shooed me into bed. I closed my door, and locked it, and then did a little victory dance. Good guys always win! Suddenly my phone blew up with texts, I read all of them, and my eyes filled with tears. They were all from the guys on the football team. And they were really mean:

You're sucha whore. Using Marko to get Vinny jealous. Smfh.

Hate to break it to you, but you're ugly af. Look in a mirror before you use one of my brothers again. 

You're an whore. Go rot in a hole with that little bitch Vinny.

I read over all of them again and again. Why were they being so mean? The boys on the football team have always been like my big brothers. They protected me and Krissy. But now they're sending me hurtful texts? I finally got one from Marko that made me cringe:

See how easily I can make people turn against you? I told you that you'd regret breaking up with me. And this is only the beginning. Welcome to hell, babe.

I fell on to my bed, and cried. He wasn't kidding. I can't imagine what they'd do to me if I would be going to school today, I was torn between showing Krissy these texts, or just not saying anything. Marko just made the decision for me with his last text:

Oh, and if you tell anyone about this, Vinny will be paying for it. 

I froze... He'd actually hurt Vinny? That little bitch! It's one thing to insult me, and threaten to hurt me, but when you bring the people I love and care about most into it, it's for real. I couldn't let him hurt Vinny. I was already hurting him enough. He didn't need anymore stress in his life. I decided to keep my mouth shut. I'm a big girl. I can handle a few boys texting me rudely. I mean... How bad can it get?

(Three hours later)

It got pretty bad, pretty quickly. I had to turn off my phone because now they were threatning to physically harm me, and just imagining the things they could do to me made me sick inside. I officially had no one to protect me, no one to talk to.... Where do I turn to? Suddenly I got an idea. I need Vinny back in my life. But would he talk to me? After all that I've put him through? Do I even deserve to have him in my life.... No. I don't. He deserves way better than me. He's better off without me in his life. I sighed, and put on my big girl pants. I can handle this by myself...