Bent not Broken (93 page)

Finishing up my shower, I wrap a towel around my waist. As I stop just outside the bathroom door, I see a small stream of light sneaking out from under the bedroom door where she is lying. She’s still awake. Touching the door, I’m tempted to knock—just to see her, to hear her voice, but doubt seeps through and I think better of it.

Lying in bed, I try to count sheep, run algebra problems in my head; anything to try to sleep so that I stop thinking about her and all of the things I want to do to her. No matter what I do, she consumes my thoughts. I see her lips, the small mole on her cheek, her green eyes.
Dammit
!

Reaching over to my nightstand, I grab my phone and I start typing a new text message to her. Pounding out a few words, I lay the phone on the pillow next to me and roll over to try to go to sleep, but when I close my eyes, there she is again.

Chapter 3

Jess

When I wake up, I feel refreshed— happy. I’m rarely happy in the morning; in fact, I try not to think most mornings. Reaching my arms above my head, I stretch. My muscles were hurting last night, but this morning, I feel great.

It’s Friday, the day before Ava and I graduate. School is officially done, but Ava has volunteered both of us to set up the gym for tomorrow’s graduation ceremony. Lying here, I think about the last fourteen years and how grateful I am to the Garcias. I only remember bits and pieces of my mom, but I look at all the pictures of her and me together and can’t help but wonder what today would be like if she were here.

I love Angelica, but I can’t help but miss my real mom and consider how differently things would be with my dad if my mom were still alive. Would he work as much as he does? Would he have made his life about his career? Would I have mattered more to him?

Shaking off the missing-my-mom-blues, I hop out of bed and make my way to the bathroom. I wash my face and run a comb through my tangled, messy hair. Finishing up, I gather a few things off the counter and open the bathroom door. Standing there, leaning against the wall, is a shirtless Gabe.

“Jesus, stalk much?” I mumble at him, but it’s hard not to smile at him at the same time. My lips curl into a small smile as I stand there looking at him. My thoughts immediately go back to last night. The way he raked his eyes over me as I stood naked, the look in his eyes of solid want—need.

“I wasn’t stalking you. Remember, I live here too,” he whispers, leaning into me. Taking a step backward, I feel my back touch the wall in the hallway. Taking another step into me, he traps me between his firm body and the wall. My pulse is racing, and I turn to look at the stairs, wondering what would happen if anyone saw us this close.

“They’re all downstairs,” he whispers into my ear, placing both hands on the wall, one on each side of my head. His warm breath sends a shiver through me and causes a small gasp to escape my mouth. Gabe presses his nose to that soft spot behind my ear and presses his lips to my neck, planting a light kiss that causes my head to fall back slightly. His light, musky scent causes a heat to take over my body, pooling between my legs.

My body begins to shake from being this close to him. His scent, the feel of his lips on my neck, and his tight chest pressed up against mine cause a low moan to escape from me. My right hand finds his muscular shoulder and he presses himself into me further as my left hand rests on his hip.

“Gabe,” I whisper as my head falls back further, giving him better access to my neck.

“Mmm hmm.” He mumbles against my neck as he runs his tongue softly up and down my neck, followed by light kisses.

“I…”

“Shh…” he says, stopping me. “Don’t say anything; just feel it.”

He pulls his lips from my neck, pushes himself off the wall, and steps into the open bathroom door. Turning back, he shifts his eyes up and down my body much like he did last night. My stomach flips as he closes the bathroom door, and I slide down the wall and sit on the floor. As I drop my head forward, my hair falls into my face, and a light sweat breaks out all over my skin. My heart is beating wildly and my hands are shaking.

“What the hell are you doing on the floor?” Ava asks as she bounds up the stairs and stops at my feet.

“Just a little light-headed,” I lie, pushing myself off the floor.

“Are you sick?”

“No, just needed to rest for a minute.” I swipe at the small beads of sweat on my forehead.

“Good, because I need your help today.”

“Can’t wait,” I lie again.

I follow Ava into our room, get dressed, and throw my hair up into a messy bun.

“Up for a party tonight?” Ava asks quietly, looking around me and out into the hallway. Glancing at her, I raise my eyebrow in a non-spoken gesture to hear more. “Max and Adrian invited us to go to Xavier’s party,” she whispers. Xavier is our friend Adrian’s older brother who graduated from high school the same year as Gabe. Gabe has a real problem with Xavier, and he’s warned Ava and me numerous times to stay away from him.

“Sure. Sounds like fun.”

I stumble down the stairs and into the kitchen with Ava, pour some coffee into a travel mug, and stir in some vanilla creamer. Mom is sitting at the table with Dad, drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. I catch Gabe in my peripheral vision sliding into the chair next to Mom, grabbing a piece of banana bread from the platter in the middle of the table.

“Morning, girls,” he says, breaking off a piece of the banana bread and tossing it into his mouth. He shifts his eyes back and forth between Ava and me, but I notice he holds his gaze a bit longer on me.

Finally, Ava responds. “Morning. How are you this morning?” she asks, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Gabe is smiling, picking at his bread, but keeps his gaze honed in on me.

“Fine. Glad that I get to spend the day relaxing while you little ones are setting up the gym.” He laughs before asking, “Any big plans for the weekend?”

“Us ‘little ones’ are going to a party tonight—with older boys,” Ava says, engaging him for a fight. Mom sets down the paper and focuses on the conversation that is about to ignite in front of all of us.

“Pssh, where at and with who?” he asks, his tone more serious. His brown eyes dance back and forth between Ava and me while he waits for an answer. I sip my coffee and raise my eyebrows to him, in a gesture of my loyalty to Ava. He’s looking for me to be the voice of reason here, but I’m not interjecting myself into this fight. I’m always responsible. I make good decisions. I’ve got a good head on my shoulders and I can go to a party and not get myself into trouble. That’s my logic.

“Xavier Garza’s. Adrian and Max are going with us,” she spouts off. I elbow her in the side, and she shoots her eyes to me and mouths
Ow
while rubbing her ribs. Gabe face turns sour and I can see the muscles in his jaw clenching. I’m positive that sound is him grinding his teeth.

“Not a good idea, girls. Xavier is a douche bag; you know this,” he says, shaking his head at us.

“Just mind your own business. We’re both adults and can make our own decisions. I don’t need my ‘big brother,’” she says, making air quotes as she continues, “telling us what we can and can’t do. So don’t be an asshole.” I gasp quietly when I hear her curse. I mean, we all curse, but just not in front of Mom or Dad.

“What the hell has gotten into you two?” Dad’s voice booms. “The language around here is unacceptable.”

“Sorry, Dad, but he’s a douche bag,” Gabe mumbles, shoving the last piece of banana bread into his mouth.

“It’s Adrian’s brother.” Ava’s voice lightens and is almost laced with sympathy. “And we’re going with Max and Adrian, so we have protection from all the old pervs,” she says, laughing now and implying that the guys from Gabe’s graduating class are old. “Plus, you’re friends with Xavier; that’s why you don’t want us to go. You don’t want us hanging out with your friends, right?”

“The last thing I am is a friend with that piece of…”

“Gabriel,” Dad warns.

Gabe rolls his eyes at us as Ava grabs her bag. She reaches her hand out as I drop my car keys into her palm. Glancing back at Gabe, I shoot him a small apologetic smile. He just stares at me, never breaking eye contact with me while shaking his head “no” at me. I just shrug my shoulders and head to the front door.

“Whatever. We’re out of here,” I hear Ava announce behind me as I walk outside. As I settle into the front passenger seat of my car, my phone buzzes. When I pick it up, an alert tells me I have new text messages, both from Gabe.

The first text message was received last night at 10:30 p.m.

Thanks for taking me on your run this afternoon. Don’t be embarrassed about tonight, you’re gorgeous. I mean it.

My pulse quickens and a smile crosses my face. But when I see his second message, the smile falls from my face.

You are not going to Xavier’s tonight. That guy is bad news. Not up for discussion.

Huh. I don’t like being told what I can and cannot do, but there is something sweet in the protective nature of Gabe’s response, so I calmly type my response.

You can run with me anytime, I had a great time. We’re going to Xavier’s party. Max and Adrian will be there, we’ll be fine.

Before I even have a chance to put my phone down another message comes through.

Dammit Jess, you’re not going.

We’re going.

I will tie you to my fucking bed. You. Are. NOT. Going

Tie me to his bed? I actually laugh at the thought, and then blush.

“What the fuck is wrong with your brother?” I bark at Ava. She just glances over at me, then turns her eyes back to the road.

“Is that him texting you?” she asks. “Just ignore him; we’re going,” she says as she pulls into the student parking lot at the high school. I don’t bother texting him back; I just shove the phone in my bag and grab my coffee as she parks.

As we walk toward the front doors of the school, Ava squeezes my arm. “Thanks for coming to help me. I know this is the last thing you really want to be doing today.”

Yeah, she’s right; I’d rather be doing Gabe.
Did I really just think that?

“Of course. I’d help you with anything; you know that.” I smile while taking a drink of my coffee.

“I’m excited you agreed to come to the party tonight. It’s going to be so much fun. Kind of a pre-graduation party.” She bounces and claps her hands together excitedly. All of the back and forth with Gabe regarding this party this morning has me a little unsettled.

“Hey, why does Gabe hate Xavier so much?”

“I’m not sure. I’ve heard some rumors about Xavier, but I don’t know what to believe. Plus, I’m kind of hot for his little brother if you haven’t noticed, so I’m not looking to dig up anything that I might not want to know.” She laughs.

“Yeah, Gabe’s going to have a fucking field day when he finds out you’re screwing Adrian,” I say, raising my eyebrows and taking another sip of coffee.

“We’re not screwing.” She smacks my arms, almost causing me to spill my coffee.

“Yet,” I mumble and laugh.

The gym looks like a war zone. There are folding chairs strewn everywhere, a small stage with a podium, and papers everywhere. Ava gasps at the scene, and her obsessive-compulsive disorder and type-A personality kick-in.

“Who made this mess? Who did this?” she asks as two custodians continue to unload folding chairs from a rolling cart.

“Stop right there!” she shouts as she heads off in their direction. I laugh and continue to sip on my coffee, which will hopefully motivate me to help Ava get this place in order. Max sidles up next to me and bumps me with his shoulder.

“Morning.” His voice is groggy.

“Hey, Max. She talked you into helping her with this shit too?” I ask.

“Yeah, she’s hard to say ‘no’ to, ya know?”

“Tell me about it. So tell me about the party tonight.”

“It’s at Xavier’s apartment. That’s all I know,” Max says quietly, rubbing his hands over his face.

“What time are you coming to get us?” I ask, keeping my eyes trained on Ava and the hell she’s giving those two poor custodians.

“Six o’clock sound okay?”

“Sounds good. We’ll be ready.”

The rest of the day flies by, even though the gym is nowhere near being complete. Ava agrees to stay and finish up the decorations with two teachers and the two custodians, who, at this point, all but hate her.

“I’m outta here,” I announce to Ava. It’s after four o’clock, and I need to shower and get ready for the party. I decided I’m going with or without Ava. I’ve planned my outfit in my head—deciding to wear my black strapless shirt with faded-blue skinny jeans. Pair that with my turquoise jewelry and my cute black ballet flats since I’m so damn tall. The outfit is comfortable and cute. It’s all set.

Ava walks over to me as I grab the car keys from her purse.

“I’m sorry I’m ditching the party. I just want this to be perfect.” She sighs, looking around the gym at all the work we’ve done, and all the work she still has to do. Max left hours ago, leaving Ava and me to finish decorating with the school staff.

“Shit. Did you let Adrian know you’re not going? They’re coming by at six to get us.”

“No. You’re going to tell them I’m not going when they come to get
you
. They’ll try to convince me that this is fine, and I want perfect, not fine,” she says, swinging her arm through the air at the gym around us.

“I know, I get it.” It’s not her personality to settle for fine; she wants perfect and perfect is what she’ll get.

“Have fun tonight,” she says with a wink.

“I will. Don’t stay here too late. It’s going to be perfect, Ava.”

“I know, I know. See you at home later, okay?” She wraps her arms around me for a quick hug.

“How are you getting home?” I ask, forgetting that I am taking the car that we arrived together in.

“Mom and Dad. Don’t worry about me. Go. Have fun.” She waves me off.

Chapter 4

Gabe