Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Every reader is familiar with the typical fiction disclaimer. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business, events and incidents are the products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Please don't forget to vote every chapter and leave a comment for your thoughts! Also, sorry for wrong grammars, punctuation marks, apostrophe or typo. English is not my first language, that's why. I am still learning, tho. But I hope you will still give my story a try. Thank you and I love you(◍•ᴗ•◍)❤

~~~

While we are eating this barbeque, I noticed that Gabrielle looks so tensed. He looks at his phone every time. I don't know why but I feel something wrong.

After a minute, Gabrielle still acting weird. He didn't even eat the food that he bought. At last, I asked him. "What's wrong Gabrielle? Look, if you will just sit here and check your phone everytime. Let's just go home" I said, trying to sound concerned.

Look, I am really concerned about how he acts right now. It's just that, I wanna spend time with him. I wanna treasure every time that we have. I don't want to have any regrets.

"I am sorry. Okay, what do you wanna eat? Do you want some more? I can buy you anything just tell me" He said continuously. He looks guilty.

Out from nowhere, I laughed. He looks cute when he is serious. He closed his eyes after I laughed. Maybe Gabrielle trying not to burst. Maybe he is teased by my laugh.

"Don't be too pressured about stuffs Gabrielle. You know what? Let's just go home. I want to watch your mom cooking foods. Let's go" I said then stood up. I already finished eating the barbeque.

Unfortunately, he held my wrist. He hold it tightly. I felt quite uncomfortable about holding my wrist. I just saw this kind of things from movies that I watched in Netflix.

And now, I know the feeling of that scenario, of this scenario! I looked at his hands. Gabrielle looks also surprised, it's just like he didn't know that he held my hand.

"Let's go to the swing. It's too early to go home Noelle" He asked me in a pleasing way. In my heart, I really want to go home. But, out of nowhere I nod to his request. He is still holding my wrist, good thing it's just wrist. Not my hand.

"Why do you wanna go here? Swing? Are you kid?" I said in a sarcastic way. He sat in the swing and I sat on the other part.

He looked at me seriously. I don't like the way he looks at me. It's awkward. "I just— I just want to smell a fresh air. That's all" He said. 

"Sky is very beautiful, isn't it?" I said while looking at the sky. I just noticed how pleasing they are in our eyes.

"Noelle?" Gabrielle asked me. I am still here, looking and at the sky. I am really amazed how good God is.

"Hmm?" I replied.

"Are you a cry baby person?" He asked. I don't know why our topic get into that point but, I will just answer him.

"Not really. I think so" I am not really sure If I am a crybaby. I remembered something. "Yeah, I am" I revovered.

"Why you suddenly changed your answer, huh?" He asked. I bet he is staring at me. I feel it. I can't take away my eyes from the sky.

"I cry everynight. No! The truth is, after I met you I don't cry anymore. Except when I knew what happen to Norway" I said pertaining to the disaster a week ago.

"I cry everynight before because I am asking myself why my life is not normal. Sounds weird but, I really want to have a normal life. A life with a family" I said with a sad voice. I tried to smile.

Gabrielle didn't talk. He's just listening to my rants, I guess?

"But, you have your family Noelle" He said with a positive voice. I shook my head. Now, I am staring at him. Straight to his eyes.

"Yes I have a family. For the past 15 years, mom and dad never give me some time to spend with. They are always focus on their work. The truth is, the reason why I am home-schooled it's because they don't have time to fetch me at school" I laughed on the last part. I am pitying myself again, as always.

Gabrielle remained silent. He is just listening thoroughly.

"So, I'll make sure that I will treasure every moment, every time... that I will have when my parent gets back" I said trying to sound positive. I saw sadness in his eyes. I don't know why but maybe Gabrielle pity me.

"Can you handle pain? Can you handle the worst situation that a human being can experience?"

He looks pathetic.

I smirked. "You know what? You act weird after you lose on our game. But, to answer your question? If I can handle pain? To be exact Gabrielle, I don't know. I really don't know. I haven't experience that's really strange except for family bonding that I never have experience". I said then I swayed my swing using my feet. I felt how cold the air is. It's so refreshing.

No one talked. We are just staring on the environment. Enjoying the green plants dancing with the wind. Life is really beautiful. Sometimes it acts unfair and hurt us. But, if you will look on the bright side of life, you will say to yourself that 'Life is good'.

I stopped the swing from swaying. I stood up. Gabrielle looked at me, skepticism. I raise my left brow. It reflects on his reaction that he doesn't want to go home.

"Where are we going?" He asked me. I fake my cough to feel sarcastic.

"Look, it's already past 12 noon. Past lunch Garielle. Don't you want to go home? Do you?" I asked then step away.

I felt that he stood up. Gabrielle talked, "Wait! Don't be too fast. Just slow down Noelle" He said. He looks so terrible that he can't stop from sweating.

I just looked at him. Then, I walk straight. He even run so that he can reach me. He remained silent. Good thing is, our house is not that far. It will only took us 3-5 minutes of walking.

After how many minutes, I saw our house. I frowned. Our gate is open, I know Gabrielle and I closed it before we left. Maybe Eleanor left the gate open.

"I think your mom forgot to close the gate" I said then laughed a little. It's kinda awkward because Gabrielle is so silent.

When we are already in front of our house, I immediately open the door. I looked around, looking for Eleanor. She is not in the kitchen. I looked again, and I was surprised on what I saw.

Those are mom's suitcase! I run towards the suitcase and when I already confirmed that it's from mom, I looked at Gabrielle. He is just standing there near the door. Gabrielle is just watching. Gabrielle needs to be happy for since mom is already here. But, I didn't see any happiness in his face.

"Gabrielle! Mom is already here. These are her things!" I am so happy that I even jump because of happiness. Gabrielle smiled, forced. I wanna ask him what's wrong but, I run towards the garden to see mom. She is not there.

I run towards upstairs. I know mom is there. In her room fixing her things or taking a rest. In my first step, Gabrielle talked.

"Careful Noelle" He reminded me. I nod two times and continue.

I saw Eleanor in the hallway. He went out from my mom's room. Eleanor rarely go there unless she has permission from mom. Now? I know mom is already there.

"Noelle" Eleanor talk to me. I saw tears from her eyes but, Eleanor trying to stop them. She is trying not to cry in front of me. I want to ask them why they are acting weird. Gabrielle and Eleanor. I badly want to ask them. But, now I wanna hug my parents tightly, the thing I never done before.

"Yes Eleanor?" I said peacefully. My heartbeat is way too fast.

"I am just downstairs okay? Just go to me if you need something, okay?" Out of nowhere I nod. I can't understand what Eleanor's pointing to. I just nod.

After that, I hold the doorknob. I open it slowly and while I am opening the door... I saw mom. She is sitting in her bed while hugging something in her chest.

"Mom" I said, in a hasty manner. I caught mom's attention. She put down the letter. The letter that broke my heart a week ago. I forgot put them back.

"I am so sorry Noelle. I am so sorry" Mom said with bursting tears. Her voice broke. I looked around and I didn't saw dad.

"Mom? Where is dad? I want to hug him" I said while looking around.

"Your d-dad is" Mom uttered. I don't know but, I know the next sentence. I wished I am just thinking the wrong one.