Gabriel: Prequel

nineteen

[ gabe's pov]

"You're holding it wrong."

"I know how to handle it, I'm kind of a pro with this."

Instantly, the gun fires and Rehan squirms, hiding behind Harper at the loud noise.

"You jackass, I told you it was wrong," she mutters, removing his arm as she picks up the gun and places it in his hands correctly. "Guys, hold it like this and make sure the trigger is off, firstly."

"It's concerning you already know how to hold it right," I whisper to Nicholas, who holds his gun expertly, aiming it as a master angle towards the target.

"Is it really that surprising?" he asks, to which I shake my head. It really isn't surprising that he naturally knows how to hold a gun or be an adequate member of a gang. With his hair tied up and his piercings on show, matched with an all black outfit, he definitely seems like a pro. A total contrast to Rehan and I: he, who is holding it wrong and wearing a cat sweater, and I, who is wearing something that could be called a "boyfriend look". An actual quote from Rehan. Compared to Nicholas, we look like novices. 

It had been weeks since we all joined her gang. Called the North, her gang is made up of hundreds of men, who are at every beck and call of their leader, Darren. Seeing him again struck up familiarity as I realised he was there with Harper when we first met. Despite it being weeks since we joined, fitting in hasn't gone as smoothly as she probably expected. Darren made it blatantly obvious he didn't think I should be part of this gang, although he constantly praised the others - even Rehan. Our last minute recruitment was essential, apparently - needed in order to take down a notorious leader of another gang called Axel. 

Harper decided that once we learnt to handle a gun, we could forget the weeks of training that had no effect on us, apart from Nicholas, obviously, we could move on with the next phase of the plan and ambush Axel. However, all the other men and Darren decided to join us in our final practise, standing by the side and no doubt ridiculing us.

"Your boytoy looks a bit weak," Darren calls, mocking me. At his words, she flips him off and corrects my aim. 

"Here, just remember to keep your cool and keep your aim in the right position," she comments, patting my arm. She shoots Rehan a look, as if to say him, too.

After more hours of targets and aiming, the three of us eventually get the hang of it and call it a day. Of course, however, Darren didn't miss an opportunity to comment on my aim, to belittle me, or to humiliate me. Everyone probably thinks her boyfriend is weak and no match for her - which I do agree with, actually. 

"Kid, you're a liability to us. And, trying to ambush Axel with this guy is going to be pointless; you made a bad choice," he comments, frowning at me.

"Weren't you as useful as shit when you first joined? You're not even that good, either, so back off," she bites, turning her back on him to continue scolding Rehan. Something about her being so in command and demanding exudes her power even more, silencing Darren. Although he says nothing else, the looks he throws to me speaks plenty louder than anything he would say. Biting my cheek to distract myself, I fiddle with the gun, slightly flinching at the sound it makes. Not my forte.

"You play the piano, but you can't even use a gun?" Nicholas raises his eyebrows quizically.

"I have artist fingers, not..." I trail off, feeling myself flood with embarrassment. Technically, I'm not as bad as Rehan, but I know I won't be able to be as good as anyone else, either. I'm a hopeless cause. Concluding the day, I shrug on my jacket, getting ready to leave the others. Now that we became part of the North, we all had to live together, too. It's not so bad: everyone minds their own business and no one screams down your throat, either. 

"Hey," Harper says as she slaps her hand on my back, looking up at me, concerned, "Are you okay? Don't mind Darren, he's obnoxious."

"I'm okay, and anyway, he's right. I don't think this is my stuff," I wave my hand over the gun rack, glancing at Darren as I do so. From what Harper told of me him, he is a complete ass to everyone. Slicked back hair, mid thirties and always wearing slacks, he obviously thinks he owns the place. 

She frowns, glancing at him, too. "No one goes into this life thinking it's their thing. You don't need to be an expert, either."

I nod, reassuring her, "Yeah, I'll get the hang of it soon enough."

After scrutinising my face again, she starts to smile, a slither of happiness finding its way into her brown eyes as they twinkle. By this point, the others have left, leaving us alone by the targets. Having Harper look up at me in this moment, seeing her face shine with smiles makes me weak, slamming down the distance between us as I lean down to intertwine our hands as we share a kiss. 

Something about the intimacy of the moment, about how my whole life is in front of me, and how the only people that will ever care about me are in front of me weaves around my heart. Frankly, the past year has trapped me in a well of darkness, depriving me of anything to feel apart from exhaustion, and then I met her. I know there's every single chance of us parting ways before we resent each other, but it feels so inexplicably right when she's with me. I make it clear to her, too, as I grab her hand and lead her to the North house, peppering her with kisses as we go along.