Chapter 13

“So,” Mrs. Johnson took a thoughtful sip from her iced tea, “How did this happen?”

I sat on the kitchen counter patiently as Gabe cleaned some of my cuts. He didn't get grossed out from stuff like this and was the only one who offered anyway. He wrapped a sling around my wrist and buckled it tight with the metal clip.

“Well,” I tried to gulp, but the butterflies in my stomach were refusing to let anything in. Inhaling and Exhaling, I managed to answer, “My, my.. my, d- dad.”

Just then, it felt like the world stopped, like God put it in pause or something and froze time. I sat there with my mouth wide open, waiting for what Mrs. Johnson had to say.

After about a minute of thought, she sighed, “I know.”

That wasn't expected.

“Gabe!” 

“I didn't tell her!”

I groaned and asked, “H-how did you know, Mrs. Smith?”

“Well, when you came over, I could always tell you were hiding from something, and you always had purple bruises on your shins and elbows. You're about this thin, Annabel,” she made her to hands form together into a tiny 'O.' She continued, “And I felt sorry for you. No mother of their son's friend should feel sorry for the friend them self but only if there's a problem. The way you always seemed scared and worried made me finally understand what was going on. And, when Melanie had to go to the hospital and Gabe's knee was bleeding, I knew something was up.”

I took a sip of my ice cold lemonade and stared Gabe right in the eye.

“Well, it's true!” I announced.

Gabe lifted me off the counter with both hands and placed me on the floor. He kept his arm around my waist so he could catch me if I fell.

Mrs. Smith crossed her legs and started to read a magazine at the kitchen table, “Thanks for telling me, Annabel.”

I looked back at her, nearly reaching the steps to Gabe's room. “Why are you thanking me for something you already knew?”

“I didn't want to get the wrong idea if I wasn't right.”

“Okay.”

Gabe cradled me in his arms as he walked up the stairs to his lit bedroom. His navy blue bedspread was neatly made with fluffed pillows upon the dark drown headboard. There were no fingerprints, scratches, or a speck of dust found. The chocolate colored dresser rested across from the double bed as well as to the right of it was the white closet with no door. The walls were a light cream color and held posters of famous soccer stars.

“Is it just me, or do I love this room more and more every time I see it?” I commented in awe. 

He placed me down on the bed and shrugged his shoulders.

The digital clock to the left side of the bed read 12:15- about time for lunch. “I'm really hungry.” I said along with my train of thought. Really though, I was very hungry; the last food I ate was yesterday evening's clam chowder.

“My mom has leftovers. Unless, you want to go to Sally's and get a frozen pizza or something.”

“Sure. Lets ride our bikes to Sally's and eat it at my house. Phil won't be home probably until three A.M anyway.”

“Kay lets go!” Gabe encouraged.

“Wait. First I need to get a hat from my room.”

He nodded and pulled out the bleach white door leaning against the wall and rested it on the window sill. 

I crawled over to my messy bedroom with clothes sprawled out from the dresser drawers and door knobs. The room was not nearly as beautiful as Gabe's was.

Scrambling through many drawers and under the bed, I managed to find my baseball cap from one of the baseball games Gabe's family took me to when we were younger.

I crawled back over to Gabe's room with one arm because the right arm was sliding the cap snugly on my head. My loose ponytail held in the square hole in the back of the beige cap.

“Ready?” Gabe asked with his black Northface jacket zipped up firmly in place.

“Yep.” 

We slammed the front door shut, and I dashed to my house to get my bike while Gabe got his. 

My whole body was still in pain from the duel with Phil, but I took some medicine to help the swelling and pain go down.

On our way to Sally's, we chattered nonstop about everything from movies to books, food to stuffed animals, and school to me.

“Annabel, go have fun! You have to get with some of your other friends too! They are still on this planet, and you should make them feel that way.” Gabe babbled on.

“But I like being with you the most.”

He flashed my favorite crooked smile but then continued, “Go shopping or to the movies or something. You just have to stop thinking about me. I'm okay if you go out and have some fun with your girl friends.”

“Um, okay,” I said shyly just as we arrived to Sally's.