Yesterday's You |18+|

Chapter 27

GABRIEL

I was searching for Katherine at the aisles of the public library. Eleanor asked me to comfort her with double cheeseburgers from Mc Donalds so I sneaked the food for her. I walked from one aisle to another, but she was nowhere to be found. Until, I saw her, putting her earphones, closing her eyes and sitting on the floor, leaning her head again the shelf. Without hesitation, I approached her and took a seat beside her and facing her. She realized my presence so she opened her eyes. I put out the meals that I bought and arranged it on the floor.

"Hey Jude, The Beatles. I love that one," I initiated and I took out her favourite burger and put it in front of her. "I know that you're on diet but I don't cook so I just bought this from McD. You didn't eat for a few days," I said but my eyes avoiding from looking at her. I knew she didn't like to be bothered if she didn't want to.

"Gabe, what are you doing?" Katherine said with an exasperated voice as she opened her right earphone. Her eyes were bloodshot and swelling, her cheeks were red.

It was painful to see her like this. All I could do was treating her with food so she wouldn't get sick and let the torrent of her tears to soak through her shirt. I could feel her clench her fists, not knowing whether to be mad or to give up hope altogether. I could hear her silently screaming, suffocating with each breath she took holding onto her pride.

"I know it's been hard for you, but I don't know what's going on. I'm not in your shoes so it's unfair for me to assume anything," I replied. "Come, let's eat."

She chuckled but I could see her eyes were holding on from crying even more. "How do you even sneak the food?" She asked with a slow voice. Her voice sounded helpless.

"The lady at the counter has a huge crush on me," I whispered which made her chuckled.

"And, how do you know I'm here?" She asked.

I pointed to my head as a sign of telepathy and then, I shook my head. "No, actually, Eleanor and Diane asked me to bring you food. You didn't seem to want to talk to her. Eleanor said you stopped talking to Chris, so that's why she didn't ask him," I explained.

She looked down the floor and stared at it blankly. No answer, a mere silence.

"I wouldn't force you to answer, at least, take a bite," I requested.

She took a bit of the bread and put it into her mouth. "Thanks," she said.

"So you want to talk about it?" I took a big bite of the burger too. I realized that she was ignoring me so I changed the topic. "Are you in for movie tonight?" I asked again. She just continued to stare blankly on the floor while hearing to the Beatles repeatedly. "Okay, if you were given two choices either to talk about your problem or to watch movies tonight, which one would you choose?" I asked again.

"Neither," she said immediately and shook her head. "I appreciate on what you have done, Gabe," she bit her lower lips and then, she got up. She put her handphone in her pocket and walked away.

KATHERINE

I took my bag at the locker room beside the library after leaving Gabriel alone. I put my handphone and my purse in it, and when I tried to close the locker, Gabriel already at the door waiting for me.

"I will take you home," Gabriel offered. "Diane reminded me that you didn't bring your car. It was raining just now so it must be cold," he insisted. I nodded and we walked by each other's side and no one said anything.