Gabriella Ch. 08

Without thinking her eyes shifted back to him, and his blue eyes were open and watching her closely.

She quickly closed the phone and handed it to him. "I—I was just checking to see if Ella had called you."

He nodded and placed the phone on the coffee table.

Patricia sat down beside him and rubbed her face.

"Did you sleep okay?" he asked.

"No. My back hurts."

He sat up and rubbed his eyes. "I can massage it for you."

"No. I'm fine." Patricia stared out at the TV. "Do you think she's at Nolan's?"

"Maybe, but the lights were out at his place when I drove by."

"Where else would she go?"

Simon placed his hands atop his head. "I don't know. I searched everywhere I know of."

Silence shrouded the room. Patricia knew they were both deep into their own thoughts. She still couldn't shake the memories from earlier that evening. Their battles had escalated into heated arguments that ended in screaming and doors slamming, but never what she had witnessed today. Never Simon being rough. Never Ella crying and trying to pull away from him.

At least as far as she knew.

"Patricia?"

It took her a moment to look in his direction, but when she did his eyes were soft and worried.

"I am so sorry. I never meant..." He turned from her and rested his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. He let out a frustrated groan.

He wanted her to forgive him. It would have been so easy to slide closer to him and wrap her arms around his neck and whisper that she loved him and everything would be okay. But her body wouldn't budge. Even as her mind registered that her husband was hurting, she still couldn't comfort him. It would have felt forced if she did.

So instead, she stood. "I'm going for a drive to clear my head. Don't wait up."

Patricia didn't stop to gauge his reaction as she moved to the counter to retrieve her keys. Her hair was a tangled mess and she had yet to change out of her clothes from earlier that day, but she didn't give it another thought as she walked out the door.

She drove in circles and like most quaint towns, everything had shut down hours ago. The clock on the dashboard flashed 2:37 am. She had to be at work in six hours. And although she had already slept, her body still held her in a captive state of tiredness.

She drove closer to the city where she worked and straight into the Days Inn parking lot. Many regrets washed over her as she considered her old fallback when the world didn't make sense. This was the escape she had used time and time again before she met Simon.

The room was a far cry from the one she had in Asheville that kept her from Ella's birthday. And the bed was hard with an unusual smell. A mysterious brown stain covered the bottom of the curtains and the TV remote had no batteries. But for forty-five bucks, she couldn't complain. And all she ever needed when the world didn't make sense was four walls to shut everything out.

She sat on the edge of the bed and thought about her mother. How miserable she had been for most of Patricia's life, until she died. Patricia had carried the emotional scars into adulthood, but thought she had buried them deep down to protect Ella. But the same misery that plagued her and her mother, plagued her daughter. Three generations of unhappy women. Maybe Ella could break the cycle when she had a daughter, but at the rate she was going, it didn't seem likely.

A tear slid down her face. At first one, then several more dropped until she couldn't breathe. She fell back against the mattress and sobbed aloud. She held her hand over her mouth so not to wake anyone, but she felt like her heart was literally breaking. Crumbling and cutting her insides with every breath.

She hiccupped and tried to calm her breaths when her cell phone rang. She emptied her purse onto the bed, hoping it was Ella.

"Hello?" she said quickly, wiping at her face.

"Are you okay?" Simon asked.

"Did Ella call?"

"No. Where are you?"

She paused, trying to gather her breath and her words. "I decided to get a room for the night."

She waited for several seconds for him to speak, but he said nothing.

"I'll be fine."

Still nothing.

"Simon?"

"I'm here," he said in a low whisper. His voice was shaky and she couldn't tell if he was just upset or if he had actually started to cry. She had never seen him shed a tear before, but she had also never seen this angry side of him before today either.

"It's just for tonight." She felt the need to reassure him. Maybe reassure herself.

"Okay."

Guilt surged in her. He sounded so defeated.

This wasn't how it was supposed to be. God help her, she missed him already. Ever since he'd wandered back into her life, it was in his arms where she sought solace from the craziness. Whether Ella hated her or Sam was threatening to fire her, Simon had been there to make it all better. His kisses. His hugs. His smile.

She hoped Ella would come home. She hoped Simon really could fix this like he swore he would.

"I'll see you tomorrow. And please call me if you hear from Ella. Goodnight." She hung up before he could say anything further.

***

"I don't understand why this is so difficult for you, Patricia." Sam stood by her desk with his hands on his round hips.

"I'm sorry, I have the reports here somewhere," she said, sifting through her bag. But she knew she didn't. They were sitting at home on her nightstand where she had left them. The last thing her mind had been focused on was the surveys conducted in Asheville, Clemmon's Communication or Sam Banesfield.

"Okay, well take all the time you need. It's not like I'm busy or anything." He tapped his foot.

Patricia closed her eyes and thought of the consequences if she stabbed him in the leg with her letter opener. "I think I might have left them at home. But I live close by, so I can have them in just a few minutes."

Sam shook his head and stalked into his office before slamming the door.

She rubbed her temples.

His door opened and he leaned out. "At least you can be somewhat useful and get me a Diet Coke. That is, if you don't have to get one from your house."

The door to his office closed again.

The door to her anger was a different story. That was wide open now.

Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she pushed her chair back. She jerked the soft drink from the mini fridge and stormed over to his office. She pushed the door open without knocking, something she had never done before. Once inside, she slammed it back with all her might.

Sam dropped the receiver to the phone as his eyes widened. "What the—"

"You are a miserable sad excuse for a human being!" She threw the can at Sam. He missed it and it crashed into the files on the cabinet behind him, sending beige folders fluttering everywhere. "You can take that Diet Coke and shove it up your ass because I quit, you prick."

His face drained to an even paler shade of white before she turned on her heels and marched out.

All of the women in the cubicles looked up at her, some smiling, others in shock. She gathered up her few belongings before Sam got the privilege of having security escort her out.

Outside, she could finally breathe. The air felt different as it passed through her hair. She felt uplifted...before dread set it in. What the hell had she just done?

She began to panic as she made her way to her car. If she was going to pass out or suffer an anxiety attack, she would rather not do it on the front steps of Clemmon's.

Before she could get to her car, she heard someone yelling behind her.

"Wait, wait!"

Patricia tossed her things into the backseat before she turned to Myra.

Myra was out of breath and leaned over on her knees. "Just hold on a second. Did you tell that asshole to go fuck himself?"

"Not quite in those words."

"Oh my God. I'm sorry I missed that," she said smiling when she finally caught her breath.

"I shouldn't have done that."

"Yes you should have. I've been telling you that for years. Working for a sadist can wear on you and you've managed to stay with that tyrant longer than most."

"I can't afford to quit," Patricia said, more to herself than Myra. "Crap, what did I just do? I think I'm hyperventilating. Do you have a paper bag?"

Myra grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "Snap out of it. Everything is going to be okay. Go home and get some r and r. Worry about all of this shit tomorrow, not today. Today you're a free woman. Go buy some shoes and chocolate. Celebrate."

"I'm not in much of a celebratory mood."

"Patricia, you're killing my high here. You did the right thing."

Patricia never cared for gossip and especially divulging her own personal business, but she needed to confide in someone, and Myra knew more than most about her life. "Ella left."

"What do you mean 'she left'?"

"She moved out. Or at least I think she did. I really don't know."

"When? What happened?"

"Yesterday morning. Everything just exploded. I'm still confused."

Myra folded her arms across her chest. "Is this about Simon?"

"It was awful. They got into a huge fight."

Myra's body jerked. "He hit her?" Her voice cracked.

"No. No, he didn't do that. They got into an argument, she threw a glass at him, which could have really injured him had it connected, and then he chased her to her room and started shaking her. I swear, he just lost it and wouldn't let go of her." Tears began to well up. "It was so bad, Myra," she said as she wiped her face. "I couldn't even stay there last night. I stayed at a hotel."

"You know you can come to my place and stay as long as you need. You and Ella."

"Thank you."

Myra stared at her. Patricia knew that look. Her friend was gearing up to give her a mouth full. "I hate that it happened, but maybe there can be some good out of it. I mean, Simon and Ella should take a break from each other. They never appeared to have the healthiest relationship if you ask me."

"Well, I didn't ask you," Patricia snapped. Myra's eyes narrowed, but Patricia was tired of this song and dance. "Look, aside from a few setbacks these past few months, Ella has improved tremendously since Simon has been in our lives. I mean, he's the only reason she's in school. God knows I wouldn't have been able to get her there."

Myra didn't look convinced.

"I know you never liked him and you have even less reason to now because of him cheating and this fight with Ella. But he's not a bad guy. I would have lost Ella a long time ago had it not been for him."

"Do you defend him like this when she complains about him?"

Patricia's eyes narrowed. "I know what you're getting at, and no, I don't put him above her. And she also never complained about him."

"Okay, okay. I won't judge...even though I really want to. And I know you've been through a lot, so again, just know that you have a place to come if things aren't working out, okay?"

Patricia gave a small smile. "Okay."

Myra reached over and hugged her. "You're still my hero today for telling Sam to kiss your ass."

"I didn't say it like that."

"Sshh, let me keep my fantasy."

Patricia laughed. A real honest laugh before she burst into a blubbering mass of tears.

**********

Gabriella

Ella held tight to her tray as she searched for an open seat in the dining hall. Several students were huddled in groups at different tables. It was more packed than she had anticipated and when a few students turned toward her as she scanned the room, she wondered if she'd made a mistake.

It didn't take long for gossip to spread through their small campus with the entire Darby Devil football team, along with family and friends witnessing the fight and accusation from Nolan. She was sure there were juicy rumors spreading like wildfire.

Nolan was gone before she woke that morning. Not that she had expected a ride to school, but she had wanted to get out of his way, not the other way around.

She'd quickly showered again and packed her things, just in case he hadn't wanted to extend his generosity into tonight.

Before she left, she crept into his room. His bed wasn't made, but it brought back a barrage of emotions. He had changed the sheets. She knew because these were gray, and she had held onto his old navy blue ones like a lifeboat as she cocooned her naked body and waited for Bryan to leave.

She passed by a table with several lacrosse players, including Kyle McDaniel, captain of the lacrosse team. He was a pain in the ass that shared Simon's Ancient History class with her. She felt his eyes, all their eyes on her. When she glanced again, she saw a blonde player whisper something to Kyle, but his brown eyes never left her.

The rain had drenched the benches outdoors, driving most of Darby into the dining hall. But she'd rather have a soggy butt than sit in there. She saw a table that was semi dry underneath a tree, but it had an occupant. Cory. He was immersed in a book when she approached.

"Mind if I sit here?"

"What?" he asked, his face still in his book.

"The other benches are wet, so can I share with you?"

He breathed heavily before looking up at her. For a second, she debated just trying to find an empty classroom, but his eyes softened when they connected with hers.

"Oh. Sure." He slid down.

"Thanks."

He went back to his book and Ella picked at her sandwich. "Is that good?" she asked, pointing at his book.

Cory scratched his head. "Not really. His research on stem cells is rudimentary at best and half of his facts aren't well-substantiated. The other half is basically a regurgitated article that was in the New England Journal of Medicine about fourteen years ago."

Ella had no clue what he was talking about, but she nodded.

"Is yours good?" He motioned to her plate.

Ella shrugged. "Not really. The meat in the meatloaf is rudimentary at best. And it tastes like something someone already regurgitated from last week."

Cory smiled. But it faded and he stiffened as his eyes shifted behind her.

"Hey Ella."

Ella glanced over her shoulder right as Kyle reached her side.

His eyes moved to Cory. "You done?"

"Well, no, not really," Cory said.

"Yeah, you are." Kyle jerked the book from his hands and tossed it onto another table where it splashed in a puddle. Ella looked back and forth between Cory and Kyle. Cory sighed and adjusted his glasses. He squeezed past Kyle and picked his book up, shaking off the water as he walked away.

She understood Cory's hesitation to do anything. Kyle was a big guy and word around campus was that lacrosse players were insane.

"That was rude," she said when Cory was out of earshot.

"He'll get over it." Kyle straddled the bench, his knees almost touching hers.

In the distance, Ella watched a large crowd as they entered the cafeteria. Nolan was at the tail end of the group. He glanced over toward her and stopped, causing the guy behind him to run into the back of him. Nolan continued to stare until the guy behind grabbed his shoulders and shook him in a playful manner, pushing him forward.

Ella could feel Kyle's eyes on her, and then following her gaze to Nolan.

"I heard that you weren't with him anymore. That true?"

She nodded absently, then turned back to her stale lunch.

"Well that just breaks my heart," he said with a smile.

"What do you want?" Outside of an occasional eye-fuck, Kyle had never uttered more than two words to her.

Kyle rubbed her leg with his finger. "I want to hang out with you sometime."

Ella scooted away and stared at him in disgust. She had dealt with guys like him since puberty hit. "Go away."

He chuckled. "Why?"

"Because I have nothing to say to you."

He slid closer to her, locking her between his body and the tree. "Okay. We don't have to talk." He gripped her thigh right before she pushed him as hard as she could. She went to stand, but with no space to maneuver, her foot clipped the table and she fell backwards onto the ground.

"Shit, are you okay?" Kyle asked, a smirk toying with the corner of his mouth as he stood and grabbed her hands to pull her up.

Ella jerked away from him and got to her knees. But before she could get to her feet, Kyle skidded backwards as he almost fell. She turned in time to see Nolan.

"What the fuck did you do to her?" he yelled.

Before Ella could respond, a crowd quickly gathered, pushing her out of the way. Kyle straightened up and charged forward pushing Nolan back. But before the fight could ensue, both Nolan and Kyle were held back by friends.

"Watch it, Jeffries," Kyle shouted over a guy's head. "I'm not that bitch, Bryan. I'll kick your ass!"

Nolan pushed at the guys around him. "I wish you would try."

"Nolan, don't," Ella said as she approached. "It was an accident."

He refused to look at her as he stared Kyle down. She grabbed his hand but he jerked away and stood his ground until another guy tugged him back.

"Yeah, Nolan, you should listen to your girl," a short guy standing beside Kyle shouted out.

Kyle chuckled. "Don't confuse him, Chad. It's not his girl, it's just his turn."

A chorus of "oohs" sounded before Nolan jerked loose from his captors and plowed into Kyle. They both hit the ground with a thud. Ella screamed as fist went flying and she lost visual as all the guys huddled around and shouted.

"Nolan!" She tried to wiggle through when someone grabbed her and held her back. She couldn't see what was happening, but two guys yanked Nolan backwards.

When they were separated, Kyle and Nolan stared at each other, both breathing hard. One with a bloody nose, the other with a bloody mouth and both with various cuts and torn clothing smeared with muddy grass stains.

"Rent-a-cops alert!" someone shouted from the back, and the crowd dispersed.

Nolan took off toward the parking lot, his strides no match for Ella to keep up.

"Nolan, wait!"

"I am so fucking done!!"

"Nothing was—"

He whipped around and she almost ran into him. "Do you know what everyone is saying?"

Ella winced at the amount of blood that stained his teeth.

He spit out a thick red glob and it splattered onto the pavement. "That my girlfriend spent her birthday getting tag-teamed by my so-called friends."

A sour feeling rolled from her stomach and up her throat as her eyes began to well. She wanted to vomit. For a moment, she had no reply as she tried to hide her shock. "Who said that?"

"Everyone! They all know that you fucked Josh that night too."

"That's a lie! I don't know why the hell people are saying that, but it's not true."

He shook his head and fished his keys from his pocket. "Gee, Ella, I don't know why someone would say that about you either."

Ella gave a frantic laugh. "Oh my God, I can't believe you would think that. I never slept with Josh."

"Oh that's right...just Bryan. Now I feel so much better."

"I told you what happened with him!" She shoved at his chest, causing him to stumble back a step. "Why are you being such an asshole to me?"

"Because you're acting like a bitch in heat who can't keep her legs closed."

Ella smashed her open palm on the side of Nolan's face with as much force as she could muster. The loud slap snapped several heads in their direction. His face reddened and his nostrils flared as he kept his pissed off gaze leveled on her.

"Nice to know what you really think about me, Nolan. And now I'm glad to know that you were never worth my time. Don't bother talking to me again." She turned and walked away. She refused to cry, even as his called out her name.

**********

Simon

Simon stared at his computer screen.

Foster, Gabriella Leigh -- WF

He refreshed the page three times with the hope that it was a mistake. But nothing changed. With only a month and a half left, she was withdrawing and accepting an F.