Chapter Sixteen:

"Good job Madeline." My Mother cheers. She picks me up in her arms, kissing my cheeks.

"Where's Ethan?" My young self says. She carries me to a small white bassinet where a sleeping baby lays. My Father stands and approaches from behind us, putting his hand on my Mother's back then gives her a quick kiss.

"Were all a complete family now, Madeline. It's all of us against the world."

I scream as I wake up and I see my mother race towards me. I look at my surroundings and I'm in a unfamiliar space. I look down at my body and see myself in a hospital gown and there is a IV in my arm.

"Oh Maddie, we're all so glad you're okay." My mom gives me a kiss on my forehead. I look down at myself once again and see cuts and bruises,

"What happened?" I speak up and ask. My mouth is dry and it feels weird to talk,

"You got into a car accident, sweetie. What were you doing out at three thirty in the morning?" My brain hurts. I remember barely anything, only me and Gabriel talking. After that is a blur.

"I don't know." I lie.

"That's okay, sweetie. Your friend Angelica is here and Ethan and your Father are downstairs getting some food." I've never seen my mom be so nice... and worried.

"How long was I out?" I ask her.

"You've been asleep all morning." I can imagine the hell I have put her through. Even though me and my Mother argue a lot, my brother and I are her world. I can see it in her swollen red eyes, she obviously hasn't slept since she got here and has been crying a lot.

"I love you, Mama." I tell her and she smiles,

"I love you more, Maddie. Please never sneak out again, especially that early in the morning." I hate what I did to her. All because I was being stupid. I shouldn't have gone out to see him, I could have waited til later on that day or at least got him to come over but instead, I was being stupid and couldn't wait and now my Mom's car is fucked up and myself. It's not his fault though, I know he wouldn't make me come out if he even had a thought this would happen, its mine for texting him in the first place.

A little after I get settled My Father and Brother join us and Angelica comes in after them.

"I brought you some clothes for when you get out... your Mom was going to bring some ugly rags but I insisted for her to let me pick something. I also took one of your shirts for myself." Angelica tells me and I laugh.

"Thanks, Ang. I swear if it's that crop top you have been eyeing, I will kill you." I'm glad she is here. I don't know how my Mom got in contact with her but she is making this "experience" much better. I feel a little bit like shit right now, but I was unconscious for hours.

As my Angelica continue to talk I hear screaming coming from outside. I look out the glass wall and see Gabriel yelling at a nurse.

"You can't go in there, sir." The male nurse says,

"I don't give a fuck. My...." He doesn't finish what he is about to say that I find odd since he was going to say girlfriend.

"I'm sorry but no visitors without Mrs. Flores's permission." He politely tells Gabriel.

"Go eat a fucking dick." After a little more arguing, he pushes past the nurse and runs inside. My Mother stands up and my Brother and Father stare at him like he is crazy.

"Who the hell are you?" My mother asks but Gabriel completely ignores her, walking towards the bed.

"Get up, Angelica." He instructs and to my surprise she does. He takes a seat on the bed where she was sitting and grabs my hand. I see that his eyes are red like my Mother's were,

"Fuck, I'm so sorry baby... I shouldn't have left your side." He says to me. I can see the guilt in his bright blue eyes... he means every word of what he is saying.

"It's not your fault Gabriel, how were you suppose to know this would happen." He rubs my hand where the IV is and sighs,

"I made you come out... I left before you did. If I didn't do any of that then maybe-"

"Gabriel... it happened and it happens to millions of others everyday."

"Maddie I don't give a fuck about the other million people this happens to."

"Excuse me who the hell is this Maddie?!" My Mother yells. I can see how furious both her and my Father are... yeah maybe this isn't the best time for them to meet my boyfriend.

I ignore my Mother for a moment,

"How did you find out about the accident?" I whisper to him,

"Angelica told Griffin." God, Angelica and her big mouth.

"Madeline Flores, answer your Mother right now." My Dad says in a stern voice and when he speaks up then you know its bad.

"Angelica can you take Ethan for a walk please?" She nods in response and Ethan agrees. I know there's going to be a lot of yelling and Ethan shouldn't hear that... gosh, I don't even want to hear it.

"Mommy, Papa. This is my boyfriend, Gabriel Grey." I tell them and boy they do not look impressed. I nudge Gabriel that obviously had no intention of saying anything to them,

"Oh, nice to meet you guys." Yup he ruined it.

"Madeline, I thought you were maybe dating the Mayor's boy... but this is unacceptable! This boy obviously has no respect for anyone." My Mother says. Gabriel chuckles at what I am assuming is her assumption of me dating Leandro since he isn't really that fond of him.

"Papa?" I say, asking him to speak up.

"What do I say Mija? I obviously don't approve of you dating this... young man but your old enough to make your own decisions." My Mother's jaw drops.

"Alejandro! Did you just see how that boy treated that worker out there? And us?!" Yeah my Mom is really not having it.

"Yes Maria but she is only sixteen years old, this is just puppy love." He whispers but my Father tends to talk very loud,

"For the love of God!" My Mom throws her hands up in the air, in disagreement with my Father but it's not like she can argue anymore with him since he already made up his mind.

"Privacy please?" I ask my parents and they actually listen to me and leave the room. I move over and tap the bed so that Gabriel can lay beside me and he does, wrapping his arm around me and I place my head on his chest.

"Well now you've met my parents."

"Yeah well you should be proud that I didn't say anything to your dad." I sigh... I totally forgot I told him about that.

"If I ever lost you or anything ever happened to you, I don't know what I would to to myself. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me for a long time." He tells me,

"I was so scared when Griffin told me you got into an accident, mostly because he didn't know if you were okay and any details in general. I know I shouldn't have came and I knew what position it would put me in but I didn't care... I just needed to know you were okay."

"Well I'm glad you did come. Even though I wish I didn't worry you that much. Or make you yell at that poor nurse." I tell him.

"Yeah maybe only you should be the one yelling. Specifically my name." He smirks... and the dirty jokes are back.

"When do you get released?" Gabriel asks, the tone in his voice changes and its more soft.

"I think later today, my injures aren't horrible." Things could have been way worst, I could have broken my neck or something but luckily its only a concussion, a few stitches and a broken nose.

"I swear to God if that fucking truck driver shows his face to you, I will kill him." Gabriel threatens,

"Gabriel it was my fault. I wasn't paying attention and I drove on the wrong side of the road." Gabriel's features are no longer soft, instead harsh as he scrunches his eyebrows,

"Are you fucking dumb? How do you not pay attention when your driving?"

"I don't know... I tend to daydream a lot and don't talk to me like that, it was an accident."

"Well, unless you have a death wish or something, I would pay attention." He calms his voice and places a kiss on my head.

"You're so fucking stupid, baby. For now, I'm going to be driving you everywhere." He tells me.

"That means you will have to drive my brother everywhere too. Since most of the time he drives to school with me and drives home, not including the times I walk or my Mom decides to pick him up." He groans,

"That's fine."

Gabriel and I lay there for a bit until I finally start to doze off with my head still on his chest.

"Why have you never called me your girlfriend? You only called me that once and that was to mark your territory or something so why don't you say it casually? are you embarrassed or something?" I ask.

"Because you are so much more than that. You deserve a title that is much greater than that. Your my whole world Maddie... well the only person I care about in this fucked up world anyways." He tells me.

"Why me though? Why do I mean so much to you?" I work up the courage to ask.

"I don't know. Its not like I chose your name from a paper bag and decided to care for you so much. You were definitely unplanned." we both stay quiet for a few moments and I let myself think about his words.

"Je t'aime." Gabriel whispers in another language that I think is French? I have no idea.

"What did you say?" I ask him.

"I'll tell you some day."