Not the Same (Not Alone Novellas Book 2)
Page 6
When my eyes return to Dimah, I find that she’s no longer there. I scan the room—searching for her and catching a glimpse of her leaving the gym.
Instinctively, I follow her, avoiding anyone who tries to stop me.
Out in the hall, I hear her thank someone.
“Whatever,” the guy says, snatching the cash from her hand and shoving it into his pocket. He pulls out a joint and hands it to her.
“What the fuck?” I say under my breath.
Dimah’s head jerks up then, her eyes widening when she sees me. Spinning on her heel, she hurries out the door.
Enraged, I stalk to Randall—one of the guys on the baseball team, shoving him against the closest locker. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I fist his shirt, slamming him back into the wall of metal behind him.
“Dude, what the hell?” he asks, confused.
I sneer at him. “Did you just sell her drugs?”
“Yeah, you want some?” he jokes.
“Fuck no,” I spit back. “If I ever see you selling that shit on school grounds—” I pause. “If I ever hear about you selling drugs to students at all, I’ll make sure you get expelled.”
“It’s just weed,” he reasons.
I look at him for a moment longer, feeling him squirm under my hold. “If I hear you’re selling this shit again, then getting expelled will be the least of your problems.” After a beat, he nods. Shoving him away, I watch him run back down the hall, disappearing through the gymnasium doors.
I take a deep breath, waiting for the anger to subside. When I feel like I’m calm enough, I walk outside, where I see Dimah leaning against the wall near the trash can. The end of the joint glows red as she inhales deeply.
Making sure to keep my voice neutral, I finally say something to her.
“What’s a pretty girl like you doing smoking that shit?” I ask, hoping I can convince her not to go down this road. This isn’t who she is, or who I think she is, anyway. I find myself too invested in her. I linger nervously, hoping she’ll give me the time of day despite knowing she has no idea who I am.
I wait for her answer because it matters to me.
Because for some damn reason I cannot fully comprehend, she matters to me.
About the Author
Gianna Gabriela is originally from Rhode Island. She’s a small-town girl living in the Big Ol’ City of New York. She considers herself a writer of gorgeous alpha-males and strong heroines. She’s been reading for years and calls it her addiction. Her favorite genre is anything in the YA/NA Romance Realm.
She loves the saying that “a room without books is like a body without a soul.” Her favorite color is black, she loves most sports, and doesn’t like painting her nails because it takes a lot of work to remove the nail polish.
Keep up to date - sign up to Gianna’s newsletter
Need more?
Here’s what to read next…
The Not Alone Novellas
Not the End (Book #1)
Not the Same (Book #2)
COMING SOON
Not Alone (Book #3)
Bragan University Series
Better With You
Fighting For You
COMING SOON
Falling For You (2019)
Waiting For You (2019)
Finally With You (2020)
Not The End
A not alone novella (Book #1)
Not the End (Not Alone Novellas #1)
Dimah Emerson endures something no one else ever should but sadly many do.
After this life-altering experience, Dimah loses herself.
She’s forced—by her silence and fear—to remain in a place where no one knows what she’s been through, where she’s constantly put down by bullies.
It isn’t until someone shows up in her life that she realizes she has to stand up for herself and reclaim her life.
Prologue
I know this emotion too well.
I’ve known Jake since elementary school. I remember seeing him sitting at a lunch table on his own, and feeling sorry for him, I left my own table to join him. I remember the look on his face when he saw that he wasn’t alone anymore. I remember asking my mom to pack me a second set of chocolate chip cookies because he really liked them—he loved them, actually—and I wanted to make him happy.
In middle school, things changed. He started being noticed by the other girls. He was growing into a man; he captured other peoples’ attention with his shaggy blond locks and baby blue eyes. I remember the first time he moved up in the social ladder. I was sitting at our usual table, waiting for him to arrive so we could go about switching and trading whatever lunch our parents had packed for us that day. Apple slices for carrots. Chocolate chip cookies for raisin ones. It had become our thing. I saw him enter through the cafeteria doors and my heart immediately began to beat faster. It always happened when Jake was around. I watched him walk in my direction, watched him smile when he noticed me. He was closing the distance between us when Janice Walcott got in his way—when she got in our way.
From that moment on, our table wasn’t cool enough for him anymore. It stopped being our table. It was just mine. He sat with Janice and her friends. Eventually, her friends became their friends and my Jake became her Jacob. It wasn’t until a few months ago that he first approached me again. The rumor was that Janice had cheated on him, so he ended it. The halls were reeling with the news that Mills High’s power couple had split. Guys were lining up to ask Janice out, and girls had never really stopped trying to get their claws into Jacob when Janice wasn’t watching.
“Hey.” That was what he said after joining me at my table again for the first time in years—the first time someone else had sat at my table with me. That was all I needed him to say for us to return to the place we were at before everything…before Janice.
For three months he sat with me every day. Three weeks ago he asked me to prom.
I said yes.
“You look so pretty,” my momma says the moment she sees me coming down the stairs.
“Oh mom, it’s your job to say that,” I tell her as I reach the final step.
“It is, but it’s true. You’re going to be the prettiest girl at the ball.”
“It’s Junior Prom, mom, not A Cinderella Story,” I tell her, though it might as well be one.
I still can’t believe Jake asked me out. Not even in my dreams would a guy like him look my way, especially with all the other girls pining over him. I can’t believe he chose me.
“When’s your date coming?” Momma asks, the camera already hanging from her neck, ready to take photos of her baby girl.
“I’m meeting him there,” I answer. Her mouth opens with what I know will be a follow up question, and I brace myself to give an answer she won’t be thrilled with.
“Isn’t it tradition for the guy to pick up the girl? Or am I stuck in the past?”
I shrug. “They still do that, but he had something important to do today so he asked me to meet him there.” She looks at me skeptically, but I assure her, “It’ll be okay, mom. I’ll just drive myself.”
“I can drive you if you want.”
“I think that may be worse than showing up on my own.” I say, laughing as my mother joins me at the bottom of the stairs.
“Bummer! I won’t be getting pictures of you both together.”
I run my fingers through my hair, making sure it’s smooth enough. “I’ll make sure I get you a copy of the one we take when we walk in.”
“Okay, but in the meantime, I won’t let this camera go to waste. Go ahead, strike some poses, Dimah.”
I decide to give my mother what she wants and pretend to be a runway model. Today, I’m feeling confident. Which makes perfect sense, because when the hottest guy—a senior football player—asks you to accompany him to prom, you can’t help but get some pep in your step. Little old me, the envy of all the other girls.
A few dozen photographs later, I give my mom a
kiss goodbye and head to my car. The rules are simple: no drinking, no driving, and no sex. But we all know what happens at prom, and if Jake asks, I’m not sure I’ll say no. Who could say no to a tall, muscular, handsome man with baby blue eyes and blonde locks like Jake’s? Certainly no one else would. So why should I?
Driving to Mills High takes a few minutes and after parking my car in the student lot, I give myself a once-over in the mirror. Looking back at me is the most basic girl you’ve ever seen: brown hair, brown eyes, brown skin—nothing special. But I guess I must be somewhat special to get a boy like Jake to look my way, don’t I? I reapply my lipstick, open the door, and get out.
Better With You
Bragan University Series (Book #1)
Better With You (Bragan University Series #1)
Mia Collins has an amazing life. She was popular in high school, and college is off to a great start. Everything seems perfect until she goes home for the break and everything changes...
One night sets everything in motion and Mia’s world begins to fall apart. She’s stunned that the life she thought she knew was all a lie. After she loses her family, she’s forced to start over. This time though, she vows to not let anyone get close to her again - to not get hurt again.
But life has a funny way of doing the opposite of what you ask for...
Colton Hunter is the captain and quarterback of a winning team. With killer looks and so much money he doesn’t need his football scholarship, you’d think that he would have nothing to worry about.
But behind his picture-perfect life lurks a dark secret - something that Colton has been forced to keep to himself for fear of what happens if he speaks out. Torn up inside by the deceit, he shuts everyone out, not allowing anyone to get close enough to see what hides behind the mask...
That is until a girl crosses his path, shaking his resolve and forcing him to realize he doesn’t have to be strong all the time.
Fighting For You
Bragan University Series (Book #2)
Fighting For You (Bragan University Series #2)
Jesse Falcon has dedicated his life to one cause: to fight against that which has taken so much from him.
He’s learned the hard way that if you want something to be done, you have to do it yourself.
No more waiting for others to make a difference.
With football, a pre-med program and a coveted internship, he has no time for anything or anyone else. The truth is, he doesn’t think his barely healed heart can take it.
Despite his determination to remain distant, he soon finds a girl who will not only fracture that resolve but shatter it completely.
Zoe Evans is an average college student.
She has a group of friends, and enough gossip lingers in the halls to make her days interesting.
Her whole world changes in a heartbeat though - one blackout, and a week-long fever forces her into a battle she isn’t prepared to fight.
The odds are stacked against her.
Will she have the strength to prevail?