Chapter Fifteen:

Maybe his brother? I don't know. That doesn't feel right. It's three in the morning and I cant sleep because I keep thinking about him. I need something... I need to know something, anything. I don't care if it is a old pet or a stupid childhood memory. I'm going crazy. I know Rose and Griffin told me that his family is something you don't ask about but if me and Gabriel are going to have a future his family must come up eventually right?

I decide to text him... I don't know if he is going to be up or anything but I feel like we need to talk.

By my surprise Gabriel replies right away to my message,

"Hey." Is all he says.

"We need to talk." I text and once again he reply's instantly,

"Okay talk." He says, not getting what I mean at all.

"I mean in person." It takes a couple of minutes this time for him to reply but when he does I don't wait to read it,

"Meet me at the bridge in fifteen minutes."

"It's three in the morning." I want to go but I don't know if it's a good idea.

"I'm aware, see you in fifteen minutes."

"Fine, see you then." I get up from bed and put on a pair of sweats and a hoodie over my tank top. Slipping on my slides, I go downstairs as quietly as possible so that I don't wake anyone... thank God my parents never put on the alarm. I grab my Mother's car keys and sneak out the front door. "This is stupid." I keep reminding myself. I should just stay home and go to bed... no we need to talk. He knows what I want and I know what he wants, for me to show up and listen to him. If I don't go then I will never get any answers. Without anymore thought, I push the button to turn on the car and start driving off the bridge where he saved me the first time. As I pull up, I realize I get there before him. Parking on the side of the road, I get out of the car and take a seat on the bridge, facing the forest. While I wait for him, I look straight in front at me looking at the view and down at the river and how the reflection of the moon hits it.

"You made it." I say. I can feel his presence without even looking.

"Isn't this how you fell last time?" He takes a seat beside me, keeping a small space between us.

"No. I was standing last time."

"I don't think you wanted to talk about old memories... what do you want to talk about?"

"I think you know what Gabriel." He sighs and grabs my hand,

"My family is something I cant open up about." He tells me. I pull my hand away,

"You apparently cant open up about anything... If you cant trust me enough to tell me about your family then you probably cant trust me to know other things about you."

"What are you saying Maddie?" His voice cracks. What am I saying?

"I'm saying tell me something I want to hear or I'm going to tell you something you don't want to hear." I'm not actually going to break up with him... I'm just going to make him think I am... I think its called manipulation?

"Fine, my Dad went away when I was a kid since that my Mom has been looking for someone to replace him and that someone is named Mark." I stay silent waiting for him to tell me more,

"Joe makes my Mom feel useless and a waste so she took up drinking a couple of years ago to fill up that void that he created and she only drinks when he isn't around... he gets really angry with her." I can hear the heartbreak in his voice... those cigarettes burns were from him.

"And your sister?"

"She goes to a local university and also gets mad at my Mother for drinking and sometimes make her feel like a failure when she does call her out but Olivia is great. She only wants her to be happy but she tends to be harsh sometimes." I grab his hand, regretting letting it go before,

"Has he ever hurt you?" I know the answer already, I can tell.

"You remember when I came to your house that day for help?" I cover my mouth in disbelief but then quickly move them to grab his hand again.

"My dad is abusive too." I lean my head on his shoulder.

"If he has ever touched you, I'll kill him."

"No! But he hurts my Mom... often and acts like me and my brother don't know even though he knows we do."

"I've never told anyone that before." I admit.

"I guess both of our lives are fucked." He half laughs.

"Yeah, I guess so." I look down at our feet,

"I haven't told anyone about my family either... most people don't understand what it's like."

"I know... I mean, your situation is much worse than mine but I understand how you feel in a way."

"I really wish you didn't." 

"I know that too."

"Why do we always get mad at each other for stupid reasons? I was so pissed when I left your house." I tell him.

"Because that is just how we are, baby. We're stupid."

"Well, you're my favourite stupid person ever." I turn his head to face me, realizing we haven't looked at each other once this night. I give him a kiss savouring the moment and as I try to pull away, he doesn't let me, instead he keeps kissing me, then moments later disconnects our lips, moving his mouth down to my neck.

"I should go home before my parents realize I'm gone." I tell him,

"But I can come over early tomorrow if you like?" I add.

"I have something to do tomorrow morning but come over in the afternoon?" What could he be doing on a Sunday morning? Most places in town are closed.

"Yeah, okay." I kiss him again before he leaves and I watch as he drives off, getting in my car afterwards. I have to remember that there is still a lot of things he isn't telling me, a lot of things he probably thinks he needs to protect me from but I just have to hope those things aren't too bad.

As I drive I see a light coming straight in front of me, I  squint my eyes trying to see what it possibly could be. As the light gets closer and closer a huge truck appears and I realize I drove in the wrong lane in result of me daydreaming. I try to turn the car out of the way but I see my life flashing before my eyes and hear the sound of denting metal as my eyes close and feel my head smash against the window and a shattering sound following.