Chapter 14: Rumors

I continued on with my day not minding the busing peers that were preparing for finals. Probably only wanting to pass so that they would get their monthly allowance to attend the annual party that we've thrown since freshman year. It was the party of the year, alcohol literally dripping down the sealings, expensive chandeliers, statues, confetti, possible drugs, though that was an issue that we had to deal with beforehand. Coincidentally it was made by a concoction of my parents, Jonah's parents, and Daniel's parents. Fun times, even if I didn't want to go, no reason was good enough not to go.

"You know it is so draining to be stuck with a bunch of people, who actually study when we have tests," Gabe chuckled from beside me in our usual spot.

"They just want to get out of here as fast as they can, move on to the next party y'know. Or move on." I said while flipping through a book.

"When are you gonna move on?" He asked as he made eye contact with me knowing exactly what he meant, I laid out a sigh.

"I don't know." After a while of knowing him I never thought I would get drunk at home one night being so stressed from preparing for finals that I would call up to the one and only Gabe and rant about my "undying" love for Daniel.

It was embarrassing to face him but he's helped me forget- a lot.

"Do you see Ella and him in the future?" He asked. "With little baby Ella's and Daniel's running around, slamming into doors, slipping on carpets, breaking windows?"

"Shut up," I said laughing.

"What it's true, she kept on slamming on the door at the side of the gym, because she was too busy looking at her damn phone." He laughed.

I just rolled my eyes playfully and tried to respond, "I don't know, maybe?" I shrugged, "A part of me hopes not. But either way I have to accept the outcome."

"Why not just go with what we talked about?" He smiled.

"I am not going on a date with Manny!" I exclaimed, laughing a bit.

"Not Manny," he chuckled.

"Who then?" I asked back leaning onto my hands looking at him.

"Me." He pointed to himself.

"You? As in the great Gabriel Cabrera-Minx?" I asked semi-shocked. Not really as we've had conversations about this before.

"No. With Gabe Cabrera. The guy who's been attracted to you since we first met." He looked into my eyes, which I admit gave me butterflies.

"Okay-" I was about to say.

"Okay? As in yes?" I nodded in response to his elated reaction.

"Yes Mr.Cabrera!" I smiled as he hugged me as tightly as he could and smiled at me. A real genuine smile. "Don't make me regret this."

"I won't." He smirked.

We spent the rest of the period talking quietly as we tried to study in between the mix of laughing.

"Have you seen Ella?" A wild Addison asked.

"No why?" I asked as I looked down onto my book.

"Haven't you heard the news?" She exclaimed as she held her phone up on the news blog site.

"What news?" I asked while looking up.

"Clien Fernandez is arrested after being assumed to help the biggest underground drug company in Los Angeles, the Exodus. He is also rumored to be connected with Josh Olivero and Giovanni Foster. Judge grants them bail but company stocks are already plummeting." Gabe read off

"Her dad was arrested for having connections with that stupid underground drug dealers, this morning. Apparently he ratted out mine and Zach's dad as well." She sighed out.

"They were doing drugs together?" I asked her. It's true our fathers were honest to their words about making their own authentic money, nothing stolen or trashed. They always, well wherever they were near, would prod themselves about it.

"Apparently. But I do not believe a word that those liar reporters utter." She muttered.

"I can't believe this,�� I mumbled.

"I can't either but they did-" she sighed once again and threw her arms up, "and there's nothing we can do about it now. But Ella needs to know about this."

"Do you think-" I began.

"Yes I think she's the reason why her dad got caught. Seeing her hang around Calvin and his gang gave them the more reason to turn in tió." She muttered.

"But how would she benefit from that?" Gabe asked.

"If she got the money her dad left behind, she would have enough to live off."

"She would just give up her dad right like that?" He asked once again.

"Well if you must know monkey, yes. They aren't close, he always hates the way that she lives her life and vice versa, so shit like this isn't all not uncommon between them." Addison explained.

"But them involving other people." I shrugged. "It's a new tactic."

"That's why I need to find her and get her to get her dad to stop dragging everyone in this shit," she sighed out. "I would suggest you start doing something as well, if she could rat out Zach and mines dad that quickly, you all could be next,"

"Why's that?" Gabe asked.

"All of our parents are business partners," she sighed. "Do you think you could ask your mom? If she knows anything?" She asked me.

"They are bound to know something, right?" Gabe asked.

"I barely see my mom," I sighed out, "Even if I wanted to, I couldn't ask."

"Then what else can we do about it?" She asked angrily.

"I could try to talk to her. Her mom must need some help coping with this,"

"You still go back to their house?" She asked,having a small look of sadness, or maybe resentment.

"Sometimes," I mumble while look over at her, "Her mom invites us over from time to time, to discuss the future,"

"The future?" Gabe asked as he looked at me.

"Even if they're always gone, they always find a way to make my life hell." I stated.

"And how do they do that?" He asked again.

"He is really dense, huh?" Addison said as he stared at me,

"Dense as a rock," I chuckled, "But to answer your question, control. Even if they are millions of miles away from me they still want to control my life."

"Down to the very core, including her will to live," Addison chuckled.

"Really?" He asked, looking between the both of us.

"Down to the molecule." I chuckled. "But anyways,"

"Anyways back to the topic," She sighed.

"Where could she be?" I thought out loud. "Library? No. Cafeteria? No. An empty classroom with a senior? Nope."

"She's at the swimming pool," Gabe said suddenly after looking at his phone.

"How's you know?" I asked.

"I asked Naomi, and they're together." He said.

"Thanks curly," Addison said as she walked away in a hurry.

"Curly?"

"Your hair is a mini basket of brown noodles," I chuckled a bit as I stared at the direction Addison went and knew how much this was going to affect their business.

How it was going to affect their reputation which is what concerned me most. Without their clean and pristine reputation they were bound to be nothing. We were bound to be beyond nothing, and only left with even more loneliness than expected.