Chapter 18

“Come here.” Gabriela climbs up onto the bed and pulls my hand so that I follow. We are curled up on top of the covers, facing each other and she touches her finger to my cheek.

“Is this for you, Angel? Or is it something you feel like you need to do for me? Because you don’t owe me anything, you know.”

“For me.”

“Okay,” she says. “Do you want to talk about it? You seem upset.”

I pause and take a deep breath. “I—I’ve never done it before. I’ve never really been with anyone else.” I feel another tear leaking from my eye, which is not helping.

“But you want to?”

“Yes. I want you to be my first.”

Gabriela is running her index finger up and down the length of my arm. It’s making me shiver.

“Let’s climb under the covers,” she says, probably thinking I’m shivering from cold.