Gabriel thanked her sheepishly and Rachel started asking him about news from the rest of the family. By then I couldn’t feel surprised at how easily he made up things, like he was actually reading someone’s biography.
When we finished dinner Rachel stopped him from helping us in the kitchen, which I mentally thanked her for. At least the distance between us was guaranteed.
I said my good nights as soon as possible and ran up to my room, locking the door. It didn’t take long until I heard Rachel’s high heels on the stairs. She’d probably gone to bed earlier since students needed their sleep and Gabriel slept in the living room.
Needless to say, that night I hardly closed my eyes. I spent the whole time curled up under the quilt, imagining shadows all around me, imagining that he was right there, watching me. But he never even came close to my room. And when the alarm clock rang, I was quick to silence it.
I sat on the bad, tired and feeling my eyes heavy, and wished I had enough courage to skip school.
It was Michael’s memory that finally made me stand up. Seeing him again and, who knew, maybe talk to him some more. It was all the motivation I needed.
Unlike all other mornings, Rachel didn’t call for me to make sure I’d be ready in time, which immediately reminded me of the presence of our newest family member. Most likely she was busy with Gabriel, hence my hesitation as I walked downstairs. And, as to be expected, there he was.
He wore a thin dark-blue shirt and black pants that delineated his long legs. And, in that brief instant, I couldn’t help worrying about a bunch of stupid things: Where did his clothes come from when he hadn’t brought any suitcases? How could he walk outside in that thin shirt and not freeze to death? And what about the notebooks and books I saw on the table? And money to pay for all those things, including school fees?
“Morning, Mari! Sleep well?” Rachel’s kiss interrupted the flood of thoughts that had me pinned to the ground and I nodded, going around the table to take the seat farthest from him.
The plate she put in front of me left me gaping. A full breakfast, including eggs, bacon, toast and stewed tomatoes. On the table there were two flasks of jam, a jar of orange juice, a pack of cereals and a few different yogurts. To finish it up, she placed a cup of coffee with milk right beside me.
I sighed. She was really trying to impress him.
“Well, dear, don’t forget I have that business dinner today. So just take something from the freezer and eat it together.” She made it a point to look happy that I’d have some company for a change. I had to force a smile. I knew she worried about leaving me home alone when she had to work late, especially at night. However, I couldn’t really see how leaving me with some complete stranger could be any better.
“Don’t worry,” I told her and she kissed my hair caressing my face.
“I hope everything goes well at school, Gabriel. If you need anything, just give me a call,” she reminded him and he nodded, his black eyes showing nothing but pure sincerity.
“I can’t thank you enough. Wish you a nice day.”
“Same to you both,” she replied happily as she grabbed her briefcase and her high heels echoed down the corridor until the front door was closed.
We sat alone with an abundant table between us.
I swallowed my food, reminding myself of the decisions I’d made the day before. No matter how nervous I was, I wasn’t about to stop eating. But when he stood up, I couldn’t help the tension that stiffened my body, leaving me in a state of alert. And I watched him warily as he slowly walked towards the sink to wash his plate and cup.
I’d never felt so annoyed in my entire life. What the hell was he doing? That he tried to keep his human-like act near everyone else was something I had to learn to endure. Sure I couldn’t help feeling irritated when he so easily deceived my mother and friends. Still, being deceived was better than knowing the truth. But now he was also doing it in front of me when there wasn’t anyone else there? Him, washing plates! When he could probably just make them disappear and replace them with new ones, just like he’d done with the window in my room. It was like he was trying to deceive me, too. And that was something I could never allow to happen! Besides, the matter-of-fact way in which he did those things made me sick. As if his presence there in my kitchen was to be expected; as if he really belonged to my family.
“Want me to wash yours?” he asked me in his velvet-like voice, the water still running, and the anger burnt my stomach.
Standing up, I grabbed my plate and dropped it in the garbage bag just before running out of there.
I closed my room’s door, out of breath, and tried to calm down.
Lately my feelings were a complete roller coaster. I, who just until recently could only feel my own heartbeat when I looked at Michael. With him as the exception, the rest of the world had never meant much, everything else passing by me, unable to leave a single mark. Not even when my father had left, and we had moved, had I felt anything beyond a shallow shadow of pity.
I grabbed my things, aware that the one to blame for my current situation was the creature washing plates in my kitchen, and walked down a bit more composed, hopping he’d already left.
I stopped at the bottom of the stairs when I saw him by the front door, like he’d been waiting for me and, before I could come closer, he opened the door and stepped out into the cold morning.
I sighed grabbing the keys and followed him, closing the door behind me.
The sky was clearer than the days before and the sun promised to take a peek. At least it looked like it wouldn’t rain again, but the cold morning wind was as sharp as always. I looked at him from behind and shivered at the sight of his shirt and hair, as the wind tossed them one way and the other. At that point I was sure he was unable to feel cold.
We walked in silence for the most part of the way; him always in front of me, I measuring every single step as to make sure I kept a safe distance. Then I recalled something that had tumbled inside my mind all night and had to swallow before speaking to make sure my voice wouldn’t betray me.
“Yesterday. What did you do to Michael?” He stopped for a moment, making me stop as well, and looked at me over his shoulder. Fear wrapped around my throat. The fact that I couldn’t see his whole face, which meant I couldn’t make out his expression, made him look even scarier.
“Oh, I see,” he whispered as if he’d been thinking about my question and, to my relief, turned away and resumed walking again. “If you’re worrying that I might have cast some kind of spell on him, you don’t have to. As I’ve told you before, right now, I’m unable to do that kind of thing. If I had done it by now he would be dragging himself at your feet.” He sounded amused. “I know you’re impatient, but I promise it won’t take that long.”
“How can you be so sure of something like that?” I asked, offended by his idea of Michael. “No one chooses who he loves.”
“True. But Human Beings have frail hearts, full of voids, anxieties and sufferings. All you have to do is present them someone who can fulfill one of those voids or ease some of those pains, and suddenly they can’t live without them. And isn’t that what you call love? To have someone special that makes you feel good and that you want to keep close by at any cost?”
His presumption riled me up and I was sure that love was much more than that. At least I was certain that what I felt for Michael wasn’t something that simple. However, I couldn’t find the right words to describe it and I felt frustrated for not being able to counter his limited concept of what it meant to love someone.
“And you think I can be that someone?”
“Oh, this was the first time you didn’t ask me a stupid question,” he scoffed as I frowned. What was that suppose to mean? “Looks like we’re making progress. I suppose you’re waiting for a confirmation?” I didn’t answer, deciding not to encourage his word’s games. “Isn’t that what you’re always saying? Human Beings have the ability to be who they wish to be, because they pos
sess the gift of free will.” The sound of voices told us we were arriving, putting our talk on hold.
I kept thinking about what he’d told me and recalled the old woman’s words. She’d also said something about a choice I had to make. But the way he’d put it. Had he meant that, unlike us, he had no choice? I frowned once again, this time annoyed at myself. How could I even believe a single word he said? Besides, it was clear he, too, had made a choice. He’d decided not to kill me in exchange for that absurd Contract. And so I put that subject behind me.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
When the bell rang for recess, Gabriel was once again the center of attention. His brilliant idea of standing out in the rain where the whole school could see him had made him widely known, and even girls from the South building now came into our classroom just to talk with him. I sighed as I realized that he’d probably become as popular as Michael, and only in twenty-four hours, and changed classrooms with Steph, trying as hard as I could to simply ignore him.
I felt proud of myself when I managed to focus my attention on what the teacher was saying, although that burning sensation on my back uncomfortably remained. I decided, logically, he wouldn’t spend two whole hours uninterruptedly staring into my greenish jumper, and that that the feeling was all in my head.
Like always we met the rest of the group for lunch and he naturally joined in, as if he were one of us. The others greeted him kindly, Joe with excessive joy, asking him about how he was getting along with everyone else. He answered all the questions with a smile in that make-believe of honesty and kindness. As far as I was concerned, he was simply too close and the fear I couldn’t seem to control began taking over me.
When we sat down I noticed that there were people peering at him from every table, the girls whispering among themselves and laughing shyly. He seemed oblivious to it all. All he could probably see were foolish and insignificant Humans; frail pieces for him to use and manipulate at will.
“Are you finished? We’ll be late,” he told me in a warning tone, looking worried, and I almost dropped my glass.
“Late?” Joanne asked inquisitively.
“Yeah. I promised I’d help Mariane in the library. Like this it also makes easier understanding how things work around here,” he replied and I put down the glass with too much strength, shuddering at the sound of my name.
“I’m ready!” I growled between clenched teeth and stood up. I heard Sarah and Joanne’s laments for being deprived of Gabriel’s company and he promised them that they’d have the chance to talk again later. I stormed out of the cafeteria, trying not to give in to the shivering that his presence caused me.
“What do you want?” I asked, sure that he followed me, although I couldn’t even hear the sound of his footsteps.
“Nothing, really.” His reply was in that soft tone that, even so, I could clearly hear above any other sound. “You, on the other hand, were probably thinking about sitting there all through lunch break. You don’t want to go see that human thinking you won’t be able to explain your presence there, afraid they might think that you’re following him. But, if I’m with you, we’ll only look like two cousins having a nice talk.”
I froze on the spot, the cafeteria long behind us. He intended to follow me outside as my alibi? But that meant what I feared the most! I’d be taking him near Michael again. I could still vividly recall how scared I’d been thinking about what he might have done to Michael just the day before.
He walked by me like a shadow, always in that long, calm pace.
“You have nothing to worry about. I’m only trying to uphold my part of the Contract,” he stated without stopping. “Coming?”
I had to force my feet to move and followed him knowing he’d go to Michael, with or without me. With me around I could more or less keep things under control, or at least try.
When we stepped outside, the pattern that had accompanied him all day repeated itself once again. There were whispers, staring people and girly laughter everywhere, making me feel even more insecure and flustered. He was the talk of the school and I couldn’t help thinking that it would certainly look strange the new idol of Christ the King walking around with an insignificant girl like me.
“There they are,” I heard him say under his breath and I hardly had time to raise my head. “Hey! Michael!” he called out, waving with a pleasant smile, and I forgot how to breathe. To make matters worse, Michael not only heard him, but he also replied with a greeting and, before I could even think about what was happening, Gabriel was already moving towards their group.
“What do you think you’re doing!” I demanded in a harsh voice, practically having to run to keep up with him.
“Greeting my new friends,” he replied in an icy cold tone, even though he kept on smiling and only stopped when he reached them. “Hey there! Since yesterday.” Michael nodded politely.
“Yeah. Gabriel, right?” he asked but didn’t wait for an answer. “Hi there, Mariane,” he said, peering at me as if I were a child hiding behind her mother, and my heart jumped as my cheeks heated up.
“Hi,” I replied, too embarrassed for anything more, and he smiled.
“See? Haven’t forgotten your name.” Michael sounded proud of himself and I was completely lost in his warm smile. “You guys remember, right? She’s the one who saved me last Friday,” he told the others with a bit of exaggeration, and I became the center of attention.
“Oh, yeah. The girl who came running out of nowhere,” recalled one of the boys and Steven greeted me with a light nod.
“And this is Gabriel, her cousin,” Michael went on and I sighed in relief when their gazes turned towards him instead of me.
“Ah! So you’re the transfer that everyone is talking about,” the same boy observed staring at him from head to toe.
“Leave him alone, Francis!” a red-haired girl with dark-green eyes reprehended him. All smiles, she stepped forward and held out a hand, her skin soft and delicate. “My name is Lauren.” I couldn’t help notice her carefully painted nails, the same color as her lipstick.
I held my breath as I saw him move to gently take her hand.
“Pleasure,” he told her with a smile and Lauren seemed to wish she could prolong that hand shaking. Francis frowned, crossing his arms, obviously ticked, and the other girl approached him, jumping up and down like a child. She had white-blond hair and bright blue eyes, and looked much more energetic and outgoing than her friend. Unceremoniously grabbing their hands, she pulled the two of them apart and hugged Gabriel’s arm as if he were her doll.
“Me too! Me too!” she protested and looked up at him, flashing her golden eyelashes. “Hi there. I’m Megie.”
He laughed, a laugh I still hadn’t heard in his voice and that, even though it seemed to be from amusement, made me shiver more than his usual deep chuckles.
“Hi, Megie.”
“You two. You’re completely hopeless,” Michael criticized, still smiling, and Megie squeezed Gabriel’s arm against her full breasts as if he belonged to her. “Well, Gabriel, I’m Michael, you already know. And those are Steven and Francis.” Gabriel nodded, although Francis looked determined not to acknowledge his presence any more than he had already done. “But tell me. What do you think of our school?”
“Very big. Great facilities,” he replied in his short version, since he’d already answered that same question dozens of times.
Michael laughed as he noticed his tedious tone. “I see your first days haven’t been easy.”
“It was to be expected. There’s never transfers this late in the year,” Steven pointed out.
“It was an emergency and a special favor,” Gabriel replied.
“And what classes are you attending?” Michael inquired, sounding curious. I clutched my hands together, too nervous to stand still. Michael was right there, right beside me ... so close! Suddenly it was like I’d also become part of his world, and those trivial questions were music to my ears.
“
Since I came in late, I really didn’t know what to pick. So I decided to enroll in the same classes as Mari,” he replied and Michael’s green eyes turned towards me. Sure everyone else was also looking at me, but all I could see was him.
“I already know you’re taking History. That’s where you were going the first time we’ve met.”
I nodded a little too enthusiastically and he laughed, making me certain that I’d just done something stupid.
“Besides that we also have English Literature, English and Philosophy,” Gabriel added as I could hardly speak.
“I see. All literature classes,” he noted, still looking at me and I blushed even deeper. “I, on the other hand, am all sciences.”
“I know,” I replied on impulse and immediately bit my tongue. He looked intrigued and I stammered looking for an excuse. “Um ... I mean ... well, you were going up to the second floor, right? There’s only laboratories up there, right?” I asked with the slight impression my voice sounded too high-pitched, and he smiled again.
“True. Still, taking those kinds of classes, I’m sure you enjoy a good book,” he concluded. I nodded, not wanting to risk saying something wrong again. “Oh, that’s great! These guys think the only thing books are good for is to gather dust,” he commented, nodding towards his friends, and some protests were heard.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Francis grumbled and Lauren approached us holding on to Michael’s arm.
“Agreed! That’s not fair!” she complained with a beautiful pout.
“Not fair! Coming from you, who’s always asking me for my notes so you won’t have to read the originals?” he declared and my heart hurt because he wasn’t pulling away, or shaking her off, or anything that would simply send her flying somewhere else!
“Michael, this may come to you as a shock, but, in truth, there are much better things to do in life besides freely burning eyelashes,” Steven added in his calm tone and Lauren jumped up and down still glued to Gabriel.
Blood of the Pure (Gaea) Page 9
