Gabriel: Prequel

seven

Harsh, bright sunlight filters through the window, splaying across my face in the universe's attempt to wake me up. I groggily open my eyes, feeling warmth beside me and down; Harper sleeps next to me, her pixie hair dishevelled, and her slender body draped across me. The heat that I feel south, however, is a direct result of her body nudged up right behind me. I glance sideways to the window, taking note of the heavy rain - even with the sunlight. As well as the cramped 'bedroom', the bathroom consisted of a single toilet and a small sink - no shower. Time to take a cold shower outside, I think to myself.

In a single, swift motion, I gather up my clothes and head outside, looking around me so that no one is around. Even though we're parked miles away from any form of civilisation, only surrounded by animals, embarrassment pricks at me. For extra measures, I stand near a bush, letting the freezing water cascade around me, my skin flooding with goosebumps. That is, until a meek cough halts me, my mind paralysed in shock. From the meekness in the voice, I know it isn't Harper that is definitely staring at my ass. I turn around slowly, silently praying the humility away. I'm right: instead of Harper, a curvier, dark skinned female waves shyly at me. I acknowledge the fact that she is astonishingly beautiful with her light green eyes, freckly skin and free, wild, dark hair. I also quickly take note of the vitiligo scattered across her face.

"Nice day, right?" She beams, holding an umbrella above her head. I nod hastily, darting my eyes to the caravan, trying to come up with any plan to get changed.

"Oh," she widens her eyes, a flush of pink tinging her cheeks, "you can get changed, I'm sorry!" I nod in thanks and run as fast as I can, slamming the door behind me, coming face to face with Harper, lying on her side, watching me with amusement.

"I wonder if she complimented your body like I did," she smirks, raking her gaze from head to toe. I ignore her briefly, flipping her off as I get changed speedily, still aware of the girl outside. I throw another glance at Harper behind my shoulder and am met with the same amused eyes - almost enough for me to take my clothes right back off, but I can't. Curiosity piques inside of me at another person being here as it's unusual, especially considering we'd been here for a couple of days, already.

"Hello," the girl smiles again, infectious enough for me to smile back. "How long have you been staying here?"

"Not long, we'll be heading off somewhere else soon enough, anyway."

"Ah, isn't it lonely though? You here by yourself?"

I open my mouth to answer but I'm cut off as Harper slings her arm around my shoulder, barely dressed - only in one of my spare shirts, but it's enough of a sight that I prayed for more cold rain to come soon. "He's not here alone."

"Oh! Hello, I'm Amancia. I was on a walk and spotted him," Amancia explains, her mouth tugging into a smile.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," I rub the nape of my neck awkwardly, still not relieved of the humility.

"He's got quite the body, huh?" Harper asks, her face passive, but her eyes twinkling wickedly. A very dangerous game she's playing, I notice.

Amancia grins, a laugh escaping her. "Of course. As nice as it is to admire his body, I wondered if you two want to hang out with my friends and I before you head off."

Not wanting Harper to answer her in any wicked way possible, I nod enthusiastically, "Sure, why not? Oh - I'm Gabe, and this is Harper."

She smiles in response, waving a silent hello. The next few minutes are filled with idle chatter, and getting to know each other. Amancia is only a few years older than us, but youth and freedom captivate her with ever word. Harper doesn't bother to change what she's wearing, only pulling on ripped jeans and some boots before we both follow Amancia down a long winded path to a nearby town. The walk is only fifteen minutes, but feels so far away from where we stayed. We reach the town easily, and are met with bustling chatter around us, with trees scattering around everywhere; Amancia leads us to another cobblestone path, away from the crowds, to a small tavern, with only a few people. We trail behind her to a table with two men: one with olive skin, brown, shaggy hair and glasses, dressed in formal clothes that matched no one else, and the other man: a tall, lean, dark skinned man, with long, black hair behind him, and freckles dotting his face. Unlike his friend with the glasses, he's dressed in black, the only colour in his gold piercings. The contrast from them to Amancia to them surprises me, however: the two men have a sullen expression on their face, whilst she (who very unlike them, dressed in the brightest of blues and pastels) appears to always be smiling. She takes a seat next to the dark skinned man, who's tight expression softens immediately at her touch, and he plants a kiss on her forehead. 

"I found these two by the abandoned trail. Gabe," she nods to me, laughing, "was showering naked." The man next to her shoots a glare at me, nestling closer to her. 

"Sounds like a treat to see," the other man drawls, taking a look at Harper and I.

"It was - you'd probably like it if you wanted to see it."

"But I didn't," he retorts blankly, causing the dark skinned man to glower at him.

"Tough crowd," Harper says, with equal impassiveness. The one with glasses seems slightly taken aback by her tone, but he eases into a grin soon after. 

"That's Rehan," Amancia points to glasses, "and this is Nicholas, my boyfriend." At her words, Nicholas reserves a beam for her, then returns back to his usual grimace.

We scoot in next to them, where conversation - led by Amancia - takes place, Nicholas rarely speaking, and if he does, it's to his girlfriend, only. Harper chimes in every so-so, strictly speaking to Rehan with his former blankness, which he only finds amusing.

"I think we should go to the abandoned trail later - it cuts off near your caravan, but it'll be fun. We can have a bonfire and stuff?" Amancia proposes, excitedly looking between us for answers.

"I don't know, Aman-"

"We'll go," Nicholas says, a steely gaze at Rehan.

Harper nudges me discreetly, "This will be interesting."

And she isn't wrong.